If you’re new to the fascinating universe of handpans, it can be easy to get a little overwhelmed at first with the information that’s coming at you and also with interpreting the handpan market correctly.
However, the following tips may help you determine which offers are fair, what determines the quality of a handpan, and how to find out which handpan and scale suits you best.
It’s hard to believe that just a few years ago it was impossible to buy a handpan. Manufacturers made instruments for customers who had put their names on waiting lists and were prepared to wait a year (or more) after payment to receive the instrument they had ordered.
Today, after the Handpan has gained an impressive popularity all over the world in a very short time, the Handpan business has become a million-dollar business. At least for a couple who strive daily to sell as many handpans as possible. Of course, the managers of these companies know very well that every boom will wane again. This is one of the reasons for increased aggressive behavior in the market. The number 1 psalm of the market economy, namely “time is money” is having a strong effect on the handpan market at the moment. The credo at the moment is: “Sell the handpan today! Because tomorrow, at the latest the day after tomorrow, it is already a potential shelf warmer”.
It is obvious that this attitude does not necessarily make the best and fairest offers visible on the market.
However, you can still get great, fairly priced handpans if you follow a few essential ‘rules’.
Follow these tips and you have a very good chance to find a handpan that you will enjoy for a long time and where the price-performance ratio is balanced:
1) Good handpans are handmade instruments by experienced tuners ! A strikingly low price (~ <1.000 euro) should make you alert !
2) Handpans are instruments which can only be tuned by a specialist/tuner. If a seller can’t guarantee you a tuning service, forget the deal ! A non-tunable musical instrument is worthless !
Note: Even if a dealer can’t (or won’t) tell you the manufacturer of the handpan, you should look for a better offer.
3) Try handpans yourself to get a feeling for the sound and feel of the instrument. Watching videos is something completely different than trying it out yourself !
Even better would be to visit a Handpan Gathering/Festival. There you can try out tons of handpans and get in contact with people who are experienced and can help you to find a good instrument at fair conditions for you.
4) Remember: The scale you like to hear is not necessarily the scale you will like to play. Also when finding out which scale is the best fit for you: try it yourself rules! Just because everyone says that a “Kurd Scale” is good for beginners doesn’t mean that it is for you !
5) Buy, if possible DIRECTLY FROM THE MANUFACTURER. Fortunately, there are still enough handpan manufacturers worldwide who make handpans as a craft. You can only buy these great instruments directly from the manufacturer – who of course also guarantees a re-tuning service. Not having to pay middlemen also means a much fairer price for your instrument.
6) Local offers should be preferred. A handpan that comes from a workshop not far away saves a lot of resources – and having the manufacturer and master tuner of this instrument nearby is a big advantage.