Originally the-handpan-shop.com was a web page with the specific objective of focusing people’s attention on the instruments, accessories, products and services that we offer and the retail locations and independant dealers where all of these items are available.
There are basically two groups of people who are currently involved in the handpan world.
The Hang community who follow the PanArt way.
The “handpan community” who in many cases have copied the philosophies and commercial practices of the Hang community.
The vast majority of these people have already acquired their instruments. The waiting lists and lottos of recent times were good for the producers and makers of the instruments but frustrating for the potential customers.

Quite some time ago, during our research and development process it was mentioned that one company in America claimed that it had a waiting list of 35’000 customers. How accurate this was is not very important, what is important is the likelihood, the almost certainty, that there are many thousands of people who have an interest in these instruments or a burning desire to have one but are denied access as a result of the unnecessarily complex marketing methods currently used.
 
On 15th of May 2018 one of the pan tuners that we have been working with for many years approached us with the proposal that we should collaborate and allow our collective resources to work together to product top quality hand pans.
Many things were discussed but the one matter that was agreed on without question was that it was essential that these delicate instruments would need to have good quality, reliable protection not only for general transport but for posting and shipping.
Our research led us to Hardcase Technologies in Italy
and a subsequent visit at the end of June 2018 to discover the products first hand, to meet the boss and to arrive at a sole distribution agreement  for the geographical territory of Switzerland.
Once this essential aspect was in place we were able to turn our concentration back to the raw material, the shells,the tooling and machinery required to make high quality instruments.
An important aspects that emerged from the meeting was the declaration of intent for the pursuance of excellence by the tuner, this is more than encouraging as it allows us to make the same degree of commitment to all the other aspects involved in the process.
Once the making and tuning processes were arrived at and we had every confidence in the instruments, it was time to consider the next aspect, we had to focus on the marketing.
The internet makes many things available to all of us but some times there is the risk that what you see may not be what you get when your order arrives.
For a musical instrument Ipersonally want a “feely - touchy” experience where I can scrutinise the finished product and test it for suitability.
To enjoy this experience the simple choice historically and currently is to go to a music shop. As far as I am concerned other than “on line” these instruments should also be available to the general public in music shops. Following this approach we have concentrated our focus on having our range of instruments available in music shops all over Switzerland.
To support this plan we have the benefit of the services offered by Swiss Post as the options they offer are second to none and form the basis of our distribution process. This has been tested many times and has proved to be 100% reliable and successful.

I had a meeting with a good friend to discuss the help I want from him to make some installations and alterations to my location. To compensate him for his input I proposed that I give him a hand pan. He took one home that afternoon and by 22:40 the same evening I received this text message from him.

“I did not believe how many times I play on the handpan, short but often.
I like not much what I hear from other people but I will find out my  style.
I thank you very much for this opportunity.”

As you can see English is not his first language but he volunteered this message as a genuine result of his first experiences. We are very glad and happy for his new found discovery and enjoyment.

The Website

As you have discovered the home page is simply the logo with a click button named “Shops”

A click on this button will open up a page of logos, names and contact details of the music shops where the customer can find our instruments locally to where they live.