12/07/2024, updated content about PANArt copyright

Historically, this page was used to share technical knowledge to help apprentice manufacturers progress with their projects. Current events in the handpan community have prompted me to give priority to sharing my analysis of the legal situation between PANArt and HCU.

Legal conflict, history, status and perspectives...

Faced with the many stories and legends surrounding the conflict between PANArt and the handpan community, it seems important to me (Matthieu Shellopan) to write so as not to let too many legends take the place of history... To contextualise the elements of analysis that I might have to formulate, I am writing as a professional and passionate player in the handpan community. My activity as a maker was totally inspired by my encounters at PANArt nearly 20 years ago and my business has been developing for over 10 years within the handpan community. In my opinion, the handpan has been progressively emancipating itself from the Hang for over 10 years. Indeed, while it was totally inspired by the Hang, that deliberately minimalist sound sculpture that is always intuitive and offers an inimitable sound and 'kick', the handpan is pursuing a path that is tending more towards that of musical instruments with a broader range and offering ways of playing that are the subject of learning methods, their sound dynamics leaving less room for modulations to concentrate on a more crystalline sound... My point is not to say that one is better than the other, but rather that they are becoming less and less comparable! This question of emancipation, whether sufficient or insufficient, is the basic subject of a debate that has become a conflict...

photo of a handpan and a Hang illustrating the question of inspiration or plagiarism.

In 2020, PANArt, a company based in Switzerland, took steps in Germany to obtain recognition of their copyright in the Hang, which they considered to be a "work of applied art". 20 years after the creation of the Hang, their demand for emancipation from handpan manufacturers had now become much more restrictive than what had already been demanded in the past (e.g. the cases of Bellart in Spain and EchoSoundSculpture in Switzerland). This new wave of legal action could be explained by a legal opportunity provided by the European courts (see the Brompton ruling by the CJEU in 2020). PANArt's arguments are based in particular on a technical report by Dr Anthony ACHONG, to which a small group of makers wished to respond in the form of an open letter to the steel tuning community. In formulating this open letter, the idea was to try to have a sincere discussion about the Hang's functional and aesthetic elements, which are of great importance in terms of copyright. This initiative was never followed up, perhaps because there was no representative voice from the handpan community as a whole, and the only place for the debate to take place was in a court of law.

To deal with the risk of creating several legal precedents that would have been to the disadvantage of professional handpan players, a collective initiative claiming to represent the "united handpan community" was founded under the name of HCU. Various independent cases were grouped together or put on hold for what was to become the main case: HCU's attack on PANArt, carried out in Bern (CH) and contesting the fact that the Hang could benefit from copyright. With each party taking up conflicting positions, PANArt decided to respond to the fact that it was being attacked by forcing Swiss makers to join the lawsuit (by sending them letters of formal notice to cease their activities) and by seizing Ayasa's workshops.

Throughout the first phase of the trial, HCU's attack strategy was to develop arguments to ensure that the Hang could not benefit from copyright. It consisted of demonstrating that the Hang had been discovered by chance, without any creative process, and that its evolution since the first prototype was merely the result of technical choices. As a handpan maker who has been inspired by the work of PANArt, I obviously wouldn't feel comfortable making such a claim! But unfortunately there was no alternative solution because no more diplomatic approach had found a way to reach PANArt and many handpan players just had to agree to follow this HCU strategy or remain silent. It also became difficult during this period to propose new shapes for the instruments, as this could have been detrimental to the legal strategy chosen by HCU (if we start from the premise that shape is only the consequence of functional choices, any change in shape would be to the detriment of quality or would lead to the creation of another musical instrument).

The outcome of the first phase of the trial on 2 July 2024 appears to be 100% positive for PANArt, validating recognition of the Hang as a work of applied art identified by its lenticular shape, its Ding and Gu in a central position and the notes placed in a circle around the Ding. HCU's strategy of presenting the Hang as the result of technical choices that do not justify any copyright protection has failed, while consuming a budget that is probably high for both parties (HCU had indicated publicly that the initial budget announced by their lawyers was €250k for the entire procedure).

At the time of writing, I do not know whether HCU will appeal the decision of the Berne court to grant copyright recognition to PANArt, but many players in the handpan community recognise that PANArt deserves to have a copyright on its creation and that continuing to spend substantial sums on legal costs to delay or prevent this recognition is a less than honourable struggle. This has become even more blatant since the parallel case led by World of handpan with the same lawyers as those of HCU against the Hang name, which is probably the most disrespectful action that will tarnish our community for a long time to come (without wishing to go into too much detail here, it seems necessary to remember that World of handpan was the trigger that forced the handpan community to react against PANArt in 2020, and it was also one of the very first to benefit from the money collected by HCU... all this at a time when nobody wanted to support his business, which was seen as aggressive and which ostensibly used Hang-related keywords for its visibility). The continuation of HCU's work seems necessary because a definitive court ruling is a prerequisite for peaceful coexistence between PANArt and the handpan players (whatever the ruling, arbitration has become necessary). HCU must therefore be able to continue its action and will therefore have to continue to incur legal costs (and one day there may even be reimbursements of the opposing party's legal fees to pay...). HCU, as a self-proclaimed structure created in a hurry in 2020, nevertheless deserves to implement democratic procedures enabling it to be truly representative of its members and to account transparently for agreements enabling some of its decision-making members to be beneficiaries at the same time. Without this, the HCU risks facing increasing defiance.

During this period when it is possible to appeal, it is important to understand whether the judge will still agree to talk about aesthetics/functionality or to take expert opinions into account. This will determine whether it is better to appeal or let the procedure continue in its second phase.

The second phase of the trial should make it possible to establish the exact boundary between inspiration and plagiarism, which will determine the precise scope of PANArt's copyright. Given that the court rejected 100% of HCU's arguments concerning the 4 key points identifying the Hang, we may still have to expect to have to deal with constraints in the future that we previously considered unacceptable (cf. the refusal to stop the trial during the settlement period in 2023 when PANArt proposed abandoning the outward-pointing Ding, which was rejected by a majority of makers who considered it to be a functional feature). In commenting on the verdict, the two parties came to opposite conclusions: HCU believes that the scope of this copyright will be considerably reduced during the second stage of the trial and, on the other hand, PANArt announces that it is confident that the courts will consider that the handpans of Ayasa, Soma sound sculpture, YataoPan, World of handpan, Thomann, Terré, etc. (non-exhaustive list) will be considered as infringements/plagiarisms. The list of entities currently involved should also be seen as containing a sub-list of probably more than a hundred different handpans, and it will be necessary to judge which ones do or do not infringe copyright. Specialist opinions are needed to imagine the possible scenarios, but common sense suggests that no judge will find the motivation to analyse each instrument in detail, and this could have an influence...

The ideal outcome would be one that recognises PANArt's creativity and allows handpan makers to continue/adapt their work within a clear and sustainable legal framework. I think it's worth noting here that the handpan market is increasingly affected by the arrival of players with a mass production approach and that no outcome to this lawsuit will protect craftsmen (I consider a craftsman to be a company that is majority-owned by one or more tuners). Indeed, 'saving the handpan' in its current form, which could also be considered the easiest to industrialise, will also release the brakes currently weighing on investment. This is one of the advantages of this period of uncertainty for 'small' craftsmen, as large-scale investment aimed at industrialising production or trade seems to have been rather limited in Europe in recent years.

In conclusion, this phase of the trial is a landmark moment in history, and it's also an opportunity to once again unleash the creativity of those makers who wish to do so. They could make the handpan evolve and collectively defend their craft. Instead of just funding lawyers, they could also fund tools for collective use, prototype new shapes that remain free to use (and above all do this before an opportunistic player appropriates the design of what will be the "handpan v2" and forces the other makers into positions of dependence), They could fund research into tools and equipment to alleviate the physical wear and tear associated with the maker and tuner professions, they could fund a professional union to bring them together around common interests, or even promote a quality label...

Last update 17/09/2017. Article translation

How to choose a handpan if you are a beginner ?

For the people discovering this music instrument: in a first place it is good to know that the Handpan (also called Pantam, Cupola, sound sculpture) development is today supported by a worldwide community. Mainly the actors of this community are:

• professional musicians, always going further with the instrument, exploring the limits, they are a big source of inspiration
• passionate people, gathering together in some occasions, playing for themselves and close friends, or any other place
• event organiser, from the little family meeting to the festival, gathering thousands of people together
• Handpan makers, sharing their knowledge and out of a concurrence logic

Being part of this community had changed positively many people's life and the feeling of joy coming from the handpan always get stronger when a new person is getting part of it.

When are ofter contacted from people wishing to buy their first handpan, here are some information to help you to make a choice. This text, written as a question/answer, is the result of a collective thought between a few makers and musicians.

Can i start with a "low quality" handpan ? Isn't it enough in the beginning?

As a beginner, it is especially important to choose a good quality instrument. We often meet people thinking that a "low quality" instrument is enough to "have an idea" before going further. We think it is a mistake! If a percussionist musician is able to play something beautiful with two simple spoons, it is an art that needs a lot of practice. As beginner’s handpan player you will need an instrument that leads you up and "call" you to play with intuition, naturally. It is mainly the sound quality and the instrument's simplicity of playing that makes it possible. Later, when some people start to feel very comfortable with the instrument, and enjoy the intuitive play, they will then go more deeply, with the "touch" of the instrument, others will develop melodic compositions and/or work on the rhythmic aspect. There is also some handpan classes to work on this different things.

To choose you first handpan we recommend contacting a maker and talking with him, to feel in agreement with his philosophy, to try different instruments and to choose the one that you really feel connected to. Going to a handpan gathering is a good way to have the opportunity to try different instruments. Everyone has personal preferences about the sound and the scales. These preferences are often hard to explain with words. Our best advice to choose a first handpan is to try a few of them and having a crush!

As the handpan is handmade, there is not two identical instruments. It is not also possible for a maker to imitate another maker's instruments. Also, the outside looking of the handpan doesn't mean anything about his quality as a music instrument.

What helps to recognise the pantam quality?

The coming questions can help you to understand a few quality criteria. You should be specially careful about the red advices, some important aspects to not waste your future relationship with the instrument.

Is my future instrument in tune ? Each not has 3 component : one fundamental, one octave, and one fifth. Sometimes the upper notes are tuned with a third or a forth until of the fifth. An instrument can be :

• not tuned
• almost not playable because not well tuned
• appreciable even though not perfectly tuned
• nice because well-tuned
• perfectly tuned with also some tuned 'shoulder tone' (high notes when you play on the outside of the central note)

Does my future instrument have sustain ? It is the duration in time of each note, and an instrument can have :

• A too short sustain needing an advanced percussive play to be appreciable
• An acceptable sustain adapted to a melodic play fast or percussive
• A long sustain more adapted for a slow and meditative play

How is the dynamic of my future pantam? This point is important and your way of playing must evolve depending on that.

• Some notes saturate very easily, as soon as the touch become stronger
• One or few notes seems to have a less and/or stronger dynamic and/or sound timbre difference, this can be part of the instrument spirit but your play will be “coloured” with this personality
• A dynamic starting very low, a very gentle touch will be enough for the note to vibrate, it can help sometimes the beginners to learn
• A dynamic adapted for a strong game with powerful notes, it can be tiring in the inside but enjoyable for a busker
• A very large dynamic, from the lowest to the strongest

What about the coupling effect between notes ? The coupling is the interaction between notes during the play.

• Some coupling can be disharmonious (for example two notes aside, apart only from a half tone would be specially embarrassing)
• An harmonious coupling between two notes aside, becoming a chord, it will give a sound texture and be "less pure", this is part of the instrument nature but it is better if the coupling isn’t too strong
• A coupling between a low note and its octave, colour the sound of the instrument, again it gives a special nature but it is hard to get out of it. Some inverted coupling (up to low) is sometimes very enjoyable.
• The coupling can also be very balanced and it would be a mistake to avoid totally the coupling, it could take away some subtlety from the instrument

What important details ?

• The opening under the bottom is it sharp or well finished and nice to touch ?
• Is this opening tuned on the outside and is this tuning matching with the instrument's scale ?
• The hole frequency (Helmotz resonator) is it tuned with the central note, is it easy to use this bass from the upside of the instrument ?
• The steel sound, outside of the note is it close to a "cooking pot" or is it “dry” and “matt” ?

What future for my instrument ?

• He is made from a rust resistant material (nitrated steel or inox) or he is from a steel with no treatment and needs more carry on ?
• Does some people accept to re-tune my instrument or this mission will be complicated and expensive ?
• Will it be possible some day to exchange my instrument if I want to change for a different scale (it is a common wish and only quality instruments are exchangeable)?

Finally, here is an excellent article about the sound quality of a Handpan/Pantam: the-cupolist / what-makes-a-great-sounding-handpan

What scale to choose for my first instrument ?

Each handpan maker propose a list of the different scales he makes, sometimes it is possible to ask for a special request. Some scales can be easier to play for a beginner and pushing toward a melodic intuitive play (for example the D Celtic minor is a good start).

For beginners, we recommend to try different scales from a same maker and different instruments of the same scale. The sound timbre is as important as the scale to make a choice. Even though the best way to choose is to follow your heart, we wish to share with you a few informations about the different scales :

The scales can be organised depending on different things :

How many notes for each octave

• Pentatonic (5 notes for each octave, the scale is easy to play, the lower notes and higher notes are well balanced, but it is harder to get out of the global ambiance of the scale).
• Hexatonic (6 notes for each octave, between pentatonic and heptatonic. One component is missing - example the second is missing for the celtic minor scale)
• Heptatonic (7 notes for each octave, more options for the melodic play are possible but you will have less or no higher notes after the tonic dispatching.)

As an example, here are 3 scales matching together, showing the 3 categories :

1. Pentatonic : D Voyager D-F-A-CDEF-A-C
2. Hexatonic : D/A Minor Celtic D---A-CDEFGA-C
3. Heptatonic : E/A Aeolian. -E--ABCDEFGA--

What space between two notes ( OR - How many half tones between 2 notes)

An other scale classification is possible based on the 7 Greek modes (ex: aeolien or natural minor scale, ionien or major scale,...) or the harmonic minor modes (ex: Hijaz scale which is the 5th mode of the harmonic minor scale, he has an oriental sonority).

The Aeolian mode (natural minor mode) can be explain this way : "2122122" which is the "A Aeolian" scale (A being the starting point) :

• 2 half tones between A and B
• 1 half tones between B and C
• 2 half tones between C and D
• 2 half tones between D and E
• 1 half tones between E and F
• 2 half tones between F and G
• 2 half tones between G and A

To use the same notes, starting with C : "2212221", it is the Greek mode "Ionian" or usually called "major" mode :

• 2 half tones between C and D
• 2 half tones between D and E
• 1 half tone between E and F
• 2 half tones between F and G
• 2 half tones between G and A
• 2 half tones between A and B
• 1 half tone between B and C

The C major scale (ionien) and A minor (aeolien) have the same notes, only the starting point change and these two scales would be easy to play together intuitivly. To give more details, the scales C ionien, D Dorien, E Phrygien, F Lydien, G Mixolydien, A Eolien and B Locrien all have the same notes, only the order of the half tones alternation change. The different Greek modes can have any starting point even though the notes we just shown are the more usual to help memorisation (it is nothing else than the white touch of a piano).

What position each note have depending on the first (tonic) :

The ionien mode can be written like this : Tonic, 2nd Major, Third Major, Fourth, Fifth, 6th Major, 7th Major.

The analysis of each component can determine if a mode is minor or major (depending on the third position).

On a chromatic scale, the 12 components are :

• Tonic
• m2 / second minor
• M2 / second major
• m3 / third minor
• M3 / third major
• 4th / fourth
• Triton / triton
• 5th / fifth
• m6 / sixth minor
• M6 / sixth major
• m7 / seventh minor
• M7 / seventh major

If we consider the tonic is a D, the F is the third minor and the A the fifth.

An article presenting the scales realized by Shellopan is available here: http://www.shellopan.fr/index.php/en/our-creations/shellopan-handpan-scales

What scale to choose to have complementary instruments ?

This question always arrive when someone wish to buy a second handpan or if two persons want to play together. There is no universal answer, but we can propose three way to understand this complementarity depending on everyone's specificity :

• I want to add a few notes to my actual instrument : this can change the scale of my handpan, replacing one note or the other. The second instrument will be used only in this purpose and any scale having the notes you wish to add or change will be good.
• I want to play easily with other people : to play easily with someone else, to have many notes in common is the best. Two handpan with the same notes, one being lower or higher than the other give good results. If one or two notes are not the same, it is not a real issue, if there is more then it will be a bit harder to play, less intuitive.
• I want to play and compose alone or with other people some music tracks : to compose your chromatic set might be good for you, each instrument would ideally have as less notes in common as possible. Because of the notes placement, they will be hard to memorise, some note's suites could be very technical.

Now you must be able to understand what is your need, for your second instrument. Sometimes it is useful to also consider the sound timber to choose this complementary instrument, we recommend in this way to choose more likely a same quality instrument (or not too far from each other), and to try it before buying would be the best.

Can I buy a handpan in stores or on the internet?

Too many people have bought a bad handpan in a music store or classified ads and have never managed to have fun playing. Worse, some felt devalued because unable to make music enjoyable with this instrument while it is reputed as the most suitable to allow access to the pleasure of making music.

To be very clear, to date, there are no good handpans in music stores or on online sales sites, they are also rare on auction or auction sites and are often sold more price than any connoisseur would accept to invest in terms of the quality of the products presented. In addition, no Handpan / Pantam tuner will accept to retune these instruments.

(You are a reseller and you feel hurt by the firmness of this position? We will correct this article if instrument dealers present instruments whose quality and prices are collectively recognized as acceptable).

"Ok, i understood all your explanations...so i would like to buy a HangDrum. I heard the swiss don't make them anymore. When can you send me my future HangDrum ?"

We wrote this question with humour, mix of a few request we receive sometimes :-)

The Hang is a trade mark owning by PANArt (CH) company. The Hang isn't then name of a family instrument. It is a sound sculpture which is, from the conception, unique and impossible to copy. No instrument from the Handpan family have the same sound timber than the Hang (even though they have the common point to be made out of steel and playable with hands). The PANArt company was pioneer and the research results they had share when they created the Hang inspired many actual makers. For this reason, they are respected in the Handpan community.

The PANArt company still make some music instruments and their last creation is called Hang Bal (2016). If your wish is to get one of their creation, the best way is surely to contact them directly.

(ps: it is better not to use the HangDrum expression, it was part of the humour in the question, the term is unadapted).

mise à jour le 22/06/2020 (auto translate of the french version)

For us the handpan is a means of personal and creative expression. His practice is accessible to everyone and we are trying to find the best organization to allow everyone to choose the instrument that will best suit him. Since the beginning of our activity we have always favored meetings with people wishing to buy a Handpan. Being able to test several instruments before purchase is the best way to find the instrument most suited to its practice. This meeting allows you to test several handpans available, to compare them with creations from several different manufacturers, to be introduced to the game for beginners, to fill up on information or to discover its manufacture ... It is also possible to make truly tailor-made instruments after talking with the person to study together the making of their instrument.

In this spring of 2020, our ideal model unfortunately becomes unsuited to the global health crisis and we have to accept other forms of organization involving more distance. We can therefore now do distance selling and we will continue to receive visitors only by appointment when this is authorized and in accordance with the rules of protection of each.

A distance purchase also requires forms of protection and we therefore guarantee:

• Personal advice from the person who made the instrument, a video of the exact instrument which is sold with a natural sound (not reworked).
• Simple and secure payment methods
• A quality of packaging allowing us to guarantee the safety of the instrument during its transport (whatever the type of cover chosen).
• The choice of a carrier with an offer of services allowing a planned delivery with the recipient (D + 1 in France).
• Availability after delivery for advice to learn the instrument for beginners.
• and of course, the right to be wrong or not to be satisfied and therefore to return the instrument within two weeks to be reimbursed.

We want to preserve the passion for our art as much as our craft approach ... so, even if it takes time and if it is done by electronic means, we want to have an individual relationship with each person making us honor to want one of our sound sculpture. They are handmade creations and not industrial objects, even if it is possible to find handpans on the internet and make 3 clicks to receive it at home, we really invite people wishing to acquire an instrument to consider their purchase as something important and therefore to have direct contact with the manufacturer of their future sound sculpture.

How to make an appointment to come and test your handpans? It is possible to come and test our instruments throughout the year in our workshop located 15 minutes from the center of Strasbourg (by appointment only and by notifying the number of accompanying persons). The workshop is easily accessible by train and by car. To make an appointment, you can write to us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

How to contact us for any information request or for a remote purchase? The easiest way will always be to contact us by email and specifying the subject of your request ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ), for those who wish we can arrange a telephone meeting after a first contact by email but we prefer do not communicate by our telephone number in a public way.

How do you know which instruments are currently available? You will find below a link to our Youtube channel on which you can see a video of each available instrument. The stock is continuously updated. You will find in the description of each video, information concerning the range, the place where the instrument is available as well as its price. Our videos are made without any audio effect to give a "neutral" rendering of the sound of the instrument. We're not trying to make the sound "flattering" and the actual sound of the instrument when you test it is considered more subtle, so a video will not replace a real test of the instrument. The video still allows you to get an idea of the characteristics of the instrument and to be able to compare them with other realizations.

The description of the video will indicate if an instrument is already reserved or if there are restrictions on mail order. Indeed we can decide that certain instruments need to be chosen during a test only at our workshop. We can also maintain reservations for a few days according to the requests of certain visitors so that they can find a particular instrument during their visit.

Here is the list of our handpans currently available:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKMFR0joZEv196si4V6BFOs8conV5f_V0

Can you give a positive response to all requests? Our stock is kept up to date according to the requests we receive and of course we happen to receive several requests at the same time. Some are requests for meetings and others for mail order. We treat all of this as best we can by providing an individual response to each. When we consider that the stock is no longer representative enough of our work (and therefore it no longer offers enough choice), we invite people to contact us later.

Can I reserve one of the instruments to be sure I can test it during my visit? If a specific request is made when making an appointment, we will tell you if this is possible. The answer may depend on the other meetings already planned and on our wish to always offer a coherent choice to our visitors.

What are the costs of mail order sales? The shipping costs are € 50 in France, € 75 for European shipments and on quotation for more distant shipments. It is also possible to ask your own carrier to come and pick up the parcel from us, this solution is sometimes more economical because carriers have rules for calculating their rates often "surprising". Our packaging technique makes it possible to send instruments whatever the type of cover chosen (no obligation to purchase a rigid cover).

Do you make "flash sales"? This principle consists in making an instrument available for the first one who clicks on the "buy" button ... Really, the speed race to choose a Handpan seems to us to be the worst thing to consider. The answer is therefore: No!

Do you make custom orders? yes, but in limited number to allow us to continue our research program through the realization of the ranges of our choice. The deadline for "custom" orders is generally 3 months. We only require a deposit for instruments whose level of personalization is very specific.

What are the prices of your Handpan? The price range is between 1000 € and 2800 €, the price is determined by the manufacturer of the instrument according to the number of notes, the level of finish or the quality of the sound timbre. The price of each instrument available for sale is noted in the presentation video (see the description of the video on Youtube).

What accessories are supplied and / or optional? A basic cover is always offered with our instruments and it is very suitable for occasional trips by car. It is possible to opt for two types of higher-end covers that can be worn as a backpack, they are custom made by Namana and offer better protection. The costs are 90 € or 140 € to replace the basic cover. The most upscale version has the most advanced protection.

Finally, if you want to continue your search for information on handpans, we invite you to consult our guide dedicated to beginners to help choose a handpan!

last update :  08/02/2017 - new questions added, détails about maintenance...

Why this website?

This website aims to present our work and journey through the Art of tuning steel. New sections will be added according to our progression.

What is your address ?

The Shellopan workshop is located 15km from Strasbourg (France). As we can only receive visitors by appointment, you will receive our address and a plan after making an appointment.

How to buy a Shellopan ?

See the dedicated section of the contact menu

How to buy a Hang ?

The Hang is a registered trademark owned by PANArt (CH). The Hang is not the generic name of a musical instrument family. It is a sound sculpture which, by its conception, is unique and inimitable. No instrument in the Handpans' family has the same tone of sound (timbre) as the Hang (even though they have the common feature of being made of metal and playable with hands). The company PANArt still produces musical instruments and their latest creation is called Hang Bal (2016). If your wish is to obtain a creation of PANArt, the best way is to contact them directly.

What maintenance for a Shellopan ?

1) wipe it with a microfibre cloth (used only for this purpose) after use. Storing the cloth in the instrument is a very good idea. Wipe it immediately in case of moisture on the surface. Never (NEVER) store it wet in its carrying bag.

2) Store in a closed bag only for transport, add desiccants in the bag. Always transport it with a bag ensuring a physical protection adapted to the conditions of transport. Travel by plane with your Shellopan in hand luggage only.

3) store it in your home safe from shocks (children, animals, falling objects ...). A hook on the wall is often a good solution!

4) apply a maintenance agent compatible with skin contact (1 to 4 times a year, you can increase this frequency if you use your instrument frequently outside or to clean the surface).

When used regularly for cleaning and maintenance, Phoenix Handan Oil is particularly advisable (it is fluid and has been tested / validated for skin contact). We recommend that you avoid regularly using oils that are too thick (froglube and coconut oil). Never put oil inside your instrument, at best it will be useless, at worst it will degrade the sound. Oil-based products change the color of your Shellopan when first used (it becomes darker and / or contrasted, some color reflections may change, pink or purple become brown for example). Aerosol spray products, molecular anti-rust protection films, nanotechnology-based products are strongly discouraged.

Oil-free products use emulsifiers usually used in cosmetics or industry, they do not change the color of your instrument. They are advisable only if they mention their composition and that it complies with the standards associated with the components used.

We indicate with the purchase of a sound sculpture which protection was used initially.

5) In case of rust, coconut oil on a slightly abrasive cloth works wonderfully. In case of more pronounced rust, very fine iron wool can help but at the cost of a risk of color change of the surface.

Retuning services for a Shellopan ?

We can re-tune the instruments at our place or during meetings of the community in which we participate. The first re-tuning is free for all buyers who have purchased a Shellopan directly from us. Shellopan shells are well known in the maker community and we are using a systematical process of tuning, other makers are able to retune our instruments.

What to do in the event of an accident ?

Depending on the magnitude of the accident, we may have to re-tuning or work more complicated or in some cases it is better to replace the instrument. We can not advise anything without seeing the instrument.

Can I make my future musical instrument at your place ?

See the fablab section.

Are you sell shells and tools to anyone who wants to start a HandPan project ?

No, we choose to whom we sell our material. The fablab section presents our approach on this subject.