Note: The instrument office does not handle instrument lockers. For the locker rental form, keep scrolling down.
Ferguson Hall, Room 4
2106 South Fouth Street, Minneapolis, MN 55455
612.624.5098 — Email is the most effective way to reach our office.
Mondays 9:00 am - 12:30pm
Tuesdays 9:00 am - 12:30pm
Wednesdays 10:30 am - 3:00pm
Thursdays 11:00 am - 3:30pm
Fridays Closed
Walk-ins are welcome during office hours, but our staff will be able to prepare your instrument in advance if you schedule an appointment. Please email musequip@umn.edu to request an appointment for instrument pickup and drop off. Do NOT leave instruments sitting outside the office– you must return instruments to the office staff. We will do our best to facilitate off-hours appointments when necessary.
Current University of Minnesota students are eligible to rent wind and string instruments for academic or personal use.
Instruments are available on either a weekly or per-semester basis:
$12 per week. Choose this option if:
It is for personal use (not for a School of Music ensemble, class, or private lesson); or
You are auditioning for a School of Music Ensemble; or
You only need the instrument for a short period of time.
$50 per semester. Choose this option if:
It is for a School of Music ensemble, class, or private lesson, and you'll use it for more than four consecutive weeks. Per-semester pricing is not available for personal use.
For the purposes of defining the loan period, the "semesters" are:
Fall: Seven calendar days before the first day of Fall classes through the last day of instruction.
Spring: Seven calendar days before the first day of Spring classes through the last day of instruction.
Note: Students who renew a Fall Semester loan for Spring by the last day of Fall instruction may keep their instrument during winter break without incurring additional fees.
Summer: Beginning the day after Spring instruction ends and ending seven calendar days before Fall classes begin.
Note: Semester pricing is available to current students not enrolled in a qualifying School of Music ensemble or lesson during Summer, provided they rented the same instrument on a Semester basis in the previous Spring and are enrolled in the same ensemble or lesson in the upcoming Fall.
Both Weekly and Semester loans are due for return or renewal no later than the end of the current semester.
Fees are charged to the student's account.
Instrument requests related to School of Music ensembles are given first priority, and loans for personal use may only be fulfilled beginning the third week of Fall and Spring Semesters.
Instrument Lockers are not provided by the Instrument Office, but are available for students to rent.
Add your instrument due date to your calendar, and be sure to return or renew your instrument on time to avoid late fees. You'll receive reminder emails, but returning the instrument on time is ultimately your responsibility. Borrowers who are not in good standing because of an overdue item or other factors are not eligible for new loans.
Instrument availability for new loans and renewals can't be guaranteed, but it helps if you request and renew early.
Taking good care of the instrument will save you a lot of headache, and will make using it much more enjoyable. Be sure to talk with the instrument office staff if you have any trouble with the instrument, or if you have questions about proper storage climate, greasing, oiling, cleaning, changing strings, etc. They're happy to help, and will make sure you have the supplies you need when you pick up your instrument.
Have a plan for where to safely store the instrument. Wood instruments should be stored in a climate-controlled space at all times. Instrument lockers are available for rent by completing the Locker Request Form.
The instrument office staff are busy students, too. Walk-ins for instrument pickups and returns are welcome during the office's open hours, but it's a big time saver for everyone if you can set up an appointment in advance. If the open hours don't fit your schedule, an off hours appointment can be requested.
Instrument lockers are handled using the online process below. Questions should be directed to FergH room 100.
Current University of Minnesota students are eligible to rent instrument storage lockers at the School of Music, located within Ferguson Hall. A diverse range of lockers sizes are available, designed to fit a wide variety of instruments.
Music Majors, Music Minors, & Music PSEO
Per Semester (Fall, Spring, or Summer) – $25
Full Academic year (Fall & Spring) – $35
“The Wedge” Storage Room Per Semester* – $20
"The Wedge" Storage Room Per Academic Year* – $32
Non-Music Majors
Per Semester (Fall, Spring, or Summer) – $35
Full Academic year (Fall & Spring) – $45
"The Wedge" Storage Room Per Semester* – $28
"The Wedge" Storage Room Per Academic Year* – $42
Other Fees
Late fee – $25
Lost or Damaged Lock – $15
Locker cleaning fee – $25 or cost of repairs, whichever is greater.
* The Wedge is only available for instruments that will not fit in any locker. See “Locker Selection Guidelines” for more information.
Rental fees are non-refundable.
Rental fees will not be prorated.
Rental requests canceled before the first day of the rental period will not be charged a fee.
Locker rentals will follow on this schedule each Fall, Spring, and Summer:
Music Majors, Music Minors, & Music PSEO
Existing locker holders may renew their locker 3 weeks before the first day of classes.
New lockers may be requested 1 week before the first day of classes.
Locker change requests will be accepted 2 weeks after the first day of classes.
Lockers are due for return by the end of business hours on the date assigned to you. This is typically the last day of finals, but may vary.
Non-Music Majors
Existing locker holders may renew their locker 1 week before the first day of classes. Non-Major locker renewals are not permitted between summer and fall semester.
New lockers may be requested 1 week after the first day of classes.
Locker change requests will be accepted 2 weeks after the first day of classes.
Lockers are due for return by the end of business hours on the date assigned to you. This is typically the last day of finals, but may vary.
Music instrument lockers are for the storage of musical instruments, and due to high demand for instrument storage, other personal belongings such as your backpack, winter coat, or books, will not be a consideration for locker approval. Other personal belongings may be stored in general use lockers available for rent through the Student Unions & Activities Office.
Locker change requests will be rejected during the first two weeks of classes– it’s very important to confirm the appropriate size locker you will need! Students who are required to use multiple instruments in the course of their study may request a larger locker; these requests will be reviewed, but space is needed by many students and not all requests will be approved.
Instruments that are too large to fit in a standard locker may be assigned to “The Wedge” storage room. This space is secured behind two locked doors, but there are no individual lockers and the space is shared with other students with over-sized instruments.
All items must be removed and your lock must be returned to the Ferguson Hall room 100 staff by the end of business hours on the assigned due date, or immediately upon the end of your enrollment at the University.
All late locker returns will be automatically billed a late fee as per the fee schedule.
Lost locks will be billed as per the fee schedule.
Unclaimed items will be held by the School of Music for ten (10) business days following the end of the rental period. Students may reclaim their belongings within those ten days, after which time any unclaimed items will be considered abandoned and will be disposed of by the School of Music.
Renters will be granted U-Card access to the locker room, which may take 1-3 business days to activate after rental confirmation.
Locker combinations are retained in the event that the locker holder does not remember the combination. Locker holders may show a photo ID at Ferguson Hall room 100 and their combination will be provided for them. For security purposes, combinations will only be given to the person who rented the locker.
Personal locks may not be used. If for any reason the University needs to access the locker, a personal lock may be cut at the owner’s expense.
Lockers may not be transferred to another individual, and individuals may not share lockers. Any locker holder found sharing will be asked to relinquish the locker.
We strongly encourage students to carry insurance for valuable instruments. The loss or damage of the renter’s personal property is not the responsibility of the School of Music under any circumstances.
The School of Music reserves the right to enter any locker at any time and to transfer lockers at any time.
The School of Music reserves the right to refuse or revoke locker access to any individual who uses the locker facilities in a manner that deliberately or negligently compromises the security of the storage area, creates unsanitary conditions, or is otherwise inappropriate.
The School of Music reserves the right to announce dates for returning lockers other than specified in this policy. If this occurs, the renter agrees to comply or face consequences as described in the locker return procedure.