A handpan can look deceptively simple.
Two pieces of shaped steel. A handful of notes. No strings, no electronics, no complicated machinery visible from the outside.
And yet, you can find handpans for under $500, while a carefully made instrument can cost $1,000, $2,000 or considerably more.
So what accounts for the difference?
It isn’t simply the steel. A handpan is the result of a long chain of decisions and processes, and many of them happen long before the finished instrument ever reaches a player’s hands.
We put together 5 MUST ask questions that you should pose to any store or maker that you are buying your handpan from. Your instrument is an investment of your hard earned money.
"Unless you have the answers for them all, you are not buying a Handpan, you are just buying a piece of highly hyped and marketed metal."
Buying Your Money's Worth
You don’t need to understand every part of the manufacturing process to buy a good handpan, but ensure you have the important conversation with the maker or the store manager before making the buy.
1. What is the thickness of the steel?
Ask the maker.
For stainless steel handpans, 1.2 mm is significantly more resistant to detuning than 1 mm. In our experience, a 1.2 mm shell can be around three times harder to detune — which also means it takes considerably more work to tune in the first place.
Thicker isn’t automatically better for every instrument. It is a different touch and different sensitivity. You should know what you’re buying.
2. Are the notes properly separated?
Interstitial work hardening is essential for tonal clarity and note sensitivity. It is what sets a good handpan apart from a copy. This is something you can actually test yourself.
Play one note. Now play that slightly harder as you would if this were your instrument for 6 months already. You don’t want another tonefield jumping to life.
Good tonal isolation matters to create non non-muddy tones through soft touches over a range of dynamics. Ask the maker what they do with the interstitials to control that interaction.
3. How is the instrument protected from rust?
Rust-resistant is not rust-proof.
Ask the maker what steel they use, how it is treated and how the finished surface is protected.
A handpan is an instrument you are going to touch with your hands for years. Sweat, humidity and storage conditions all matter.
4. What happens to the colour over time?
A beautiful finish is nice.
But it shouldn’t come at the expense of the instrument.
Ask what protects the colour and whether the protection can wear off, and whether the coating has any effect on the resonance of the instrument. Ask about care and maintenance.
5. What happens if the handpan needs tuning?
This is perhaps the most important question.
Ask about the tuning warranty and support. Ask whether the maker offers maintenance. Ask where you can send the instrument if it needs attention five years from now.
You aren’t buying a piece of décor. You’re buying an instrument.
A good handpan will stay with you for a lifetime. You should know who will be there when it needs care.
If you are that interested in the engineering behind this art, do schedule a visit with us or have a look at our making process here.
Looking for Your First Handpan?
Tell us what scale you’re considering, what kind of music you want to play, and your budget. We’ll help you understand what to look for.