A Pre-Sale means that you are purchasing a handpan before it is ready for immediate dispatch. The handpan is still in production, but you reserve your instrument in advance. Each Pre-Sale handpan comes with a shipping date or a specified timeframe for dispatch (mentioned in the product description). This way you know when to expect your instrument, and your place in line for a high-quality, handcrafted handpan is guaranteed.

Don't worry, we are used to pack and ship handpans, also overseas! To ensure even more protection each Handpan is sold with your bag of choice. Either your Handpan will be packed in your bag of choice or we will pack it in a special designed styrofoam box.

Please be aware that shipment to a destination outside of Europe will require customs registration and thus may take a longer time period. We ship with DHL or DHL Express and insure each package with at least 2500,- €. Read more about our shipping policies.

We accept credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Maestro), PayPal, Klarna (installment payments) and Shop Pay. Bank transfer is possible upon request – just send us a message.

Yes. In many countries you can pay in installments with Klarna at checkout. The available options depend on your country and are shown at checkout.

Yes! Sign up for our newsletter (form at the bottom of every page) and receive a welcome voucher. Follow us on Instagram @yataoshop for current offers. We currently do not offer student discounts.

Yes, you will automatically receive an order confirmation by email. You can request an official invoice with VAT shown at any time by emailing info@yataoshop.com. Please include your order number and, if applicable, your company address.

The pricing structure depends on the country of your order.

If you order from a country within the EU, all prices will include the local VAT rate.

However, if you order from outside the EU, our prices will not include VAT or any other taxes.

US and UK customers: VAT, taxes and custom charges are INCLUDED in the price.

Within the EU: Yes, within 30 days after purchase. Please email info@yataoshop.com with your order number.

Outside the EU: Generally possible, but decided on a case-by-case basis. Contact us as early as possible.

Important: As long as the handpan has not been shipped yet, cancellation is always free of charge.

Yes, as long as the order has not been shipped yet. Please email info@yataoshop.com immediately with the new address and your order number.

We usually ship with regular DHL. Only for US and UK customers we use DHL Express, as they offer a DDP (delivery duty paid) shipping service.

Shipping costs are calculated at checkout based on the delivery address. As a guide: shipping a handpan within Germany costs €30, within the EU about €100 or less, outside the EU €100 or more, and to the US about 240 USD. Shipping for accessories (only within the EU) is much cheaper, from €5 depending on the item. Parcels are always insured for the value of the handpan.

Usually within 48 hours after payment is received.

For non-EU orders, preparation may take 3–4 business days (customs documentation).

Yes! You will get an email notification with the tracking number as soon as the package leaves the warehouse. Typically, this takes no longer than 2 days from placing an order (inside the EU). Please also check your spam folder if you cannot find it.

Germany: ~2 business days

EU, Switzerland, Norway, Great Britain: ~3–7 business days

USA: ~3–4 days

Rest of world: ~3–4 weeks

Economy shipping generally takes longer than premium shipping. Depending on the destination country, premium shipping can be up to twice as fast. In most cases, we do not recommend choosing premium shipping unless time is a critical factor.

If you are ordering from outside the EU: Yes, in most cases. Customs duties are charged by your local customs authority when the package enters your country. These costs are not included in the purchase price. Note: For US and UK customers, all custom charges, taxes, VAT are included in the price.

This depends on your country. Rough estimates:

USA: hard to predict at the moment – 15–20% duty + state sales tax (varies)

UK: 20% VAT + possible customs duty

Switzerland: approx. 8.1% VAT + customs fee

Australia: 10% GST for orders above 1,000 AUD

Canada: 5% GST + possible provincial tax

We cannot guarantee exact amounts – it’s best to check with your local customs office.

Note: For US and UK customers, all customs charges, taxes and VAT are included in the price.

This can happen and may take an additional 1–2 weeks. Usually you will receive a letter, SMS or email from customs with information about payment or pickup. If you need help, contact us – we’re happy to assist with the necessary documents. For US and UK customers the process is simpler: the parcel is delivered straight to your address, as DHL Express takes care of the import process.

Yes, we include a commercial invoice with every international shipment. If you need a specific invoice, just let us know.

EU customers: Yes, within 30 days after purchase.

Non-EU customers: Possible in individual cases – please contact us (return shipping costs won`t be covered by us)

Requirement: The handpan must be in its original condition. Return shipping costs are the responsibility of the customer.

1. Email us at info@yataoshop.com with your order number and reason.
2. We confirm the return and send you a return shipping label. The label cost is deducted from your refund, as return shipping is paid by the customer unless we agree otherwise.
3. You send the handpan back securely packed, the way you received it (please insure it!).
4. After inspection, we refund the purchase price.

After receiving and inspecting the handpan, we issue the refund within 5–7 business days using your original payment method.

Contact us immediately with photos of the damage and the packaging. We will report the damage to our courier (everything is insured) and find a solution – either a replacement or a repair.

We offer a 2-year full retuning warranty on all YataoPans and Ayasa handpans. This means we cover shipping, insurance and retuning costs in the first 24 months if the service is necessary. We will still support you after this period – just contact us. For all other Yatao-selected handpans, most makers offer free retuning for an extended period (MAG even for a lifetime), but you may have to cover the shipping costs. You can contact us or the maker directly to discuss retuning.

This can happen after months or years and is normal. Handpans can go slightly out of tune due to playing, temperature, and humidity. Contact us for a retuning – within the warranty period it is free.

Regularly wipe it with a soft cloth and apply a small amount of handpan oil (e.g., Phoenix Oil or Ballistol). This protects against rust and keeps the sound fresh. Ideally every 2–4 weeks, or after playing with sweaty hands.

Read more in our blog "Handpan Care Guide"

Nitrided steel: Very rust-resistant, but not 100% rust-proof.

Stainless steel / Ember steel: Cannot rust.

Tip: Always play with dry hands and wipe the instrument briefly after playing.

This is normal and purely cosmetic – not a defect. The color changes due to contact with salt (sweaty hands), moisture, and oxygen. Regular oiling slows the process. The sound is not affected.

Ideally, store it in the cotton bag we provide with every handpan – or in an open softbag or hardcase, in a dry place at room temperature. Avoid direct sunlight, cars (heat!) and damp basements with high humidity.

A handpan is a steel instrument played with the hands. It consists of two steel shells joined together; the top has a central dome surrounded by tone fields, each tuned to one note of a scale. Because all notes belong to one scale, it is easy to play melodic music from the very first session.

No. You don't need any musical experience to start: all notes belong to one scale, so there are no "wrong" notes. Most beginners play their first simple rhythms and melodies within a few days. A structured course, like the Handpan Fundamentals course by Malte Marten, helps you build good technique from the start.

A tongue drum has tongues cut into the steel and is played with mallets or fingers; it is cheaper, quieter and has a shorter sustain. A handpan has hammered tone fields, a much richer sound with overtones and a long sustain, and is played with the hands. Tongue drums are a great first instrument for children; for a real handpan sound, choose a handpan.

Starter: our best price-to-quality handpans for beginners, handcrafted from stainless steel in beginner-friendly scales such as D Kurd.

Expert: fully handcrafted, with extended scales, bottom notes and more sustain.

Master: built by our master craftsperson in limited numbers, with selected multi-note configurations.

Every YataoPan comes with a 2-year retuning warranty. Explore all YataoPan lines

We recommend the YataoPan D Kurd 13 from our Starter Line: good quality, fair price, and D Kurd (D minor) is the most popular and versatile scale. You will find many tutorials for it, such as the Handpan Fundamentals online course by Malte Marten.

Read more in our blog "The perfect Handpan Beginner Guide 2026"

10 notes: Perfect for beginners, simple layout, full sound.

13+ notes: More possibilities, but more complex to play and more expensive.

More notes ≠ better. It depends on your playing level and preferences.

A high-quality handpan with 10 notes typically costs between €1,000 and €2,000. Avoid offers under €500 – they usually sound poor and lose their tuning quickly.

Read more in our blog "Why are handpans so expensive?"

440 Hz: standard tuning, works with other instruments.

432 Hz: slightly lower pitch, often perceived as “warmer”, popular in sound therapy (healing frequencies).

If you play alone: personal preference. If you want to play with others: choose 440 Hz.

Yes! Visit one of our showrooms (see showroom page) or join one of our workshops. Please contact our partners for an appointment.

All YataoPans and Yatao-selected handpans have a diameter of 53 cm, which makes them easy to handle while playing. Traditionally, handpans range from 53 to 56 cm (20.8–22 inches) in diameter.

If you mainly want to play together with other people, a "D minor" handpan is recommended. Classic scales are "Kurd" or "Amara". Recently the E Amara scale has become quite popular. Different keys and scales are common in different regions of the world – in Arabic countries, for example, "Hijaz" is very common.

We offer handpans crafted from stainless steel, ember steel, and occasionally nitrided steel. The material used for each handpan is indicated on its product page.

We have showrooms at several locations. Current locations can be found on our showroom page.

Yes, please! Before you plan to visit a showroom, please contact our partner and ask for an appointment. This will ensure that someone is on site and that the right instruments are prepared for you.

Yes! Malte and the Malte Marten Method team host workshops – from short sessions to multi-day intensive courses. You can find more information here and on our social media channels.

We work with selected partners. Email us at info@yataoshop.com with information about your shop or studio and we will discuss the possibilities.

We offer individual conditions for dealers, handpan teachers and music schools. Please contact us directly by email at info@yataoshop.com

Of course! Send an email to info@yataoshop.com with your idea. We are open to creative collaborations – from music festivals to yoga studios.