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Violin	When to start:	As early as possible. Age 6 or 7 recommended.
	Costs:	Strings will need replacement - cost between £1 - £5.  Bows are easily broken - cost about £20
	Hire:	Gloucestershire Music hire charge £11.08 per term.  (Instruments are available in several sizes so we recommend that you hire until a full-size instrument is required).
	Buy:	From about £65 for a new student outfit. (violin, case & bow).  Advanced students should be prepared to spend considerably more. Second-hand instruments are plentiful - and old instruments are usually preferable to new, but prices can vary between forty pounds and several thousand pounds depending on quality. Buying second-hand can be a minefield, so always seek your teacher's  advice before you buy.
	Pros/Cons:	Pro:  Violins make up 60% of the players in a symphony orchestra - so you will never be short of opportunities to play. Jazz and Folk groups often use violins. Second only to the Piano for range of music written for the instrument.  Because you have total command of the sound it's very rewarding when mastered.  Con: Difficult to play - particularly in the early stages.   Summary: You will need dedication and patience - but the rewards are well worth it.
Viola	When to start:	Most Viola players start on the Violin - and then transfer to the viola at about secondary school age. The technique is the same for both instruments - which makes transferring easy. However, if you want to start on the viola there's no reason not to do so.
	Costs:	Strings will need replacement - cost between £3 - £8.  Bows are easily broken - cost about £30
	Hire:	Gloucestershire Music hiire charge £11.08 per term.  (Instruments are available in several sizes so we recommend that you hire until a full-size instrument is required).
	Buy:	From about £200 for a new student outfit. (viola, case & bow).   Advanced students should be prepared to spend considerably more.  Second-hand instruments can be hard to find, and buying second-hand can be a minefield. Old instruments are usually preferable to new, but less so than with violins. Prices can vary between £100 and several thousand pounds depending on quality, so never buy second-hand without seeking your teacher's  advice.
	Pros/Cons:	Pro:  Viola players are in very short supply - you will be in demand.  Because viola parts in orchestras are generally easier than the violin parts you will be able to join an orchestra sooner.   Con:  Less music written for the viola than for the violin. Otherwise none.  Summary:  The viola could be an excellent choice.
Cello	When to start:	As early as possible. Age 6 or 7 recommended.
	Costs:	Strings will need replacement - cost between £4 - £10.
	Hire:	Gloucestershire Music hire charge £22.04 per term.  (Instruments are available in several sizes so we recommend that you hire until a full-size instrument is required).
	Buy:	From about £400 for a new student outfit. (cello, case & bow).   Advanced students should be prepared to spend considerably more.  Second-hand instruments can be hard to find, and buying second-hand can be a minefield. Old instruments are usually preferable to new. Prices can vary between £300 and several thousand pounds depending on quality, so never buy second-hand without seeking your teacher's  advice.
	Pros/Cons:	Pro:  You will never be short of opportunities to play.  Because you have total command of the sound it's very rewarding when mastered. Huge amount of music for the cello.   Con: Difficult to play - particularly in the early stages. No opportunities to play Jazz or Folk music.  Summary: You will need dedication and patience - but the rewards are well worth it.
Double Bass	When to start:	Secondary school (because of the size).  Mini-basses are available from GMS for those who wish to start earlier   .
	Costs:	Strings may need replacement, but it's very rare for bass strings to break - cost between £10 - £15.
	Hire:	Gloucestershire Music hire charge £22.04 per term.  (Instruments are available in several sizes so we recommend that you hire until a full-size or three quarter size instrument is required).
	Buy:	From about £900 for a new student outfit. (bass, case & bow).   Advanced students should be prepared to spend considerably more.  Second-hand instruments can be hard to find, and buying second-hand can be a minefield. Old instruments are usually preferable to new, but much less so than with cellos. Prices can vary between £500 and several thousand pounds depending on quality, so never buy second-hand without seeking your teacher's  advice.
	Pros/Cons:	Pro:  Much the easiest of the string family to play - making it well suited to late starters. There is a shortage of bass players which means you will be very much in demand - not just for orchestras but also for folk and jazz groups. (Double Bass and Bass Guitar have the same fingering - you might like to double). Con:  It's very large! - you will need suitable transport. You don't get to play the tune very often!   Summary: Easy to play and very much in demand.
Guitar	Acoustic	Steel strung
	Classical	Nylon strung - preferable at Primary level. (Available for hire from Gloucestershire Music).
	Electric	Steel strung (played with a plectrum or 'pick')
	When to start:	From School Year 3, or earlier at teacher's discretion.
	Costs:	Replacement strings - from £6 a set.
	Hire:	Gloucestershire Music hire charge £8.30  per term.
	Buy:	From about £50 but ask your teacher for advice before buying. You may want to consider hiring a guitar from Gloucestershire Music in the first instance. (see above). Cheap guitars are often of poor quality and hard to keep in tune so avoid the lower end of the market. Guitars are not expensive, so it's often better to buy new rather than second-hand.
	Pros/Cons:	Pro:  The guitar can be a solo or group instrument. Opportunities exist to play in folk, rock and jazz groups, or as a member of a guitar ensemble.  Con:  Playing the guitar isn't as easy as it looks, and, like any other musical instrument, requires regular practice.   Summary:  Playing the guitar can be a great deal of fun either by yourself or with others. Skills developed on the guitar can easily be transferred to the electric guitar should you wish to do so.