Questions, answered honestly.

It’s simple: pick your model in the shop and place your order 😊

The checkout shows every payment method currently available for your country, including credit card (VISA, Mastercard and American Express), PayPal, iDEAL (Netherlands) and Bancontact (Belgium); bank transfer (SEPA) is possible on request. Your order becomes final once the full payment is made.

Any trouble paying? Contact us at info@ayasainstruments.com.

We only accept full payment upfront: that is what secures your order and the shipping date shown on the instrument page. If there are any problems regarding your payment, contact us at info@ayasainstruments.com.

Two, actually. First: your instrument arrives safely. It very rarely happens that an instrument is damaged on the way, but when it arrives, check the box and the instrument. If anything is wrong, send us pictures straight away, and a sound sample if you feel a note is affected.

Second: every Ayasa comes with a two-year tuning warranty. It is voided if the handpan is out of tune because of physical impact (dropping the instrument, or something on it). With proper care your instrument should stay in tune far longer than two years. If you feel it has drifted, send us a sound demo where you play the note(s) in question for at least 15 seconds continuously.

A case to travel in (chosen at checkout, every instrument ships protected), the Ayasa Care Kit with microfiber cloth and care sheet, and a free Ayasa t-shirt in your size.

Premium instruments arrive sealed in their nano coating; Elements arrive with their bottle of protective oil.

Yes! Mention it in the “Notes” section when finalising your order. You won’t pay for shipping when you pick up your instrument: those costs are refunded at the moment of pickup. We will reach out to you once your instrument nears completion.

Every instrument page shows its real shipping date. In-stock models ship within 1–2 working days; made-for-you models show the date of their production batch. The date you see is the date we work to.

Both are made from the same Ember Steel®, on the same shells, to the same shaping standards. An Ayasa Premium begins and ends in our workshop in Almere, sealed in a glass-like nano coating that makes maintenance all but disappear, and played and engraved by hand by Ralf before it leaves. Elements instruments are made by a dedicated team of Ayasa-trained makers and don’t carry the nano coating: every Elements ships with a bottle of protective oil, and a few minutes of care now and then keeps the steel as beautiful as its sound.

That is what makes an Elements possible at its price. Not a “beginner handpan”: a real one, at a price that makes beginning possible.

We decided to only make our instruments in 440 Hz, because we have experienced too many disruptions in our building process when making instruments tuned to a different frequency.

We have decided not to take on custom orders anymore, and only produce sound models that we have tested and know work and sound well. You can find all the models we are taking orders for, including prices and shipping dates, in the shop.

We only produce Ayasa handpans in Ember Steel®. It is therefore not possible to order instruments in nitrided steel anymore. You can find all the models we are taking orders for in the shop.

If you order directly from us, you can be sure about the authenticity of your Ayasa handpan 😉 If you buy a second-hand Ayasa, you can easily verify its authenticity by the engraving on the bottom shell, stating the scale name, the year of production and the series.

Ralf engraves all Ayasa handpans by hand.

We only ship with express carriers: UPS, DHL Express and FedEx.

Yes, once your instrument ships, we send you a track & trace link. Please check it regularly, since the carrier may need an action from your side.

Delivery usually takes between 2 and 5 working days, though this may vary for reasons outside our control.

Shipments within the EU cost €75. Worldwide shipping outside the EU costs €150. Packaging, insurance and a track & trace link are included.

Non-EU countries: please take into account that customs duties and/or VAT may be levied on the instrument when it enters your country.

A case is mandatory for shipping: without one, the instrument might get damaged on the way. Options start from €75 (the Ayasa softcase), and all our cases are suitable for shipping.

Every Ayasa ships with the Ayasa Care Kit: a microfiber cloth and the Ayasa care sheet.

Premium instruments arrive sealed in their nano coating, which makes maintenance all but disappear: an occasional wipe with the microfiber cloth is all they ask. Elements instruments don’t carry the nano coating. They ship with a bottle of protective oil, and a few minutes of care now and then keeps the steel as beautiful as its sound.

Yes, Ember Steel® handpans are fine to take to the beach.

Do you own an older nitrided Ayasa? Then be careful: humid, salty air is the main cause of rust on nitrided steel. Make sure the instrument is clean and well oiled before you go, keep the case zipped whenever the instrument is out, wipe it down with an oiled microfiber cloth after playing, and give it a proper check once you are home.

When you play in the sun for a while, the instrument slowly starts to de-tune due to the heat. Get out of direct sunlight once you hear it drifting and let it cool down: it comes back in tune as it cools. Also be careful: an instrument left in the sun can get very hot.

Even though it’s shaped like a U.F.O., it does not fly like one… 😊

Jokes aside: take your instrument on board as carry-on luggage whenever you can. The flight crew may say it’s too big, but the Evatek medium case fits in the overhead compartment of every plane with at least three seats on either side of the aisle, much safer than checking it in. Explain that your handpan is a delicate, expensive instrument; on long-distance flights this is rarely a problem. Budget airlines are usually the most difficult.

If you do have to check it in, use a case designed for flying. We strongly discourage checking in an Evatek or softcase. Wrap the case in bubble wrap (especially around the zipper and rim), or place it in a box with foam padding.

Elements instruments ship with a bottle of protective oil: a few drops on the microfiber cloth now and then is all it takes. For older nitrided Ayasas, oiling is essential rust protection.

Phoenix Handpan Oil is our all-time favourite: it protects from rust, leaves a shiny finish, is skin-safe and made of 99.5% raw vegetal material, doesn’t get sticky, doesn’t leave residue, and the pleasant lemongrass scent is simply how it smells. A 100 ml bottle costs €15. Alternatively, coconut or even olive oil can help protect your instrument, but we have less experience with those.

Premium instruments with their nano coating don’t need oil at all.

Act promptly: rust is easiest to stop early. Clean the instrument thoroughly with isopropyl alcohol (>70%, from any pharmacy or DIY store). Then take the ultrafine grey Scotch-Brite pad that came with your nitrided Ayasa and lightly sand the affected areas: remove as much rust as possible without taking off too much of the dark nitriding layer. Marks may remain visible; that is okay, as long as the top layer of rust is gone.

Clean again with alcohol and paper towels until a fresh towel stays white, then protect the instrument with a few drops of Phoenix oil. A rusting rim can take Scotch-Brite too, or 400-grain sanding paper if needed, followed by the same cleaning. The Ayasa care sheet for nitrided instruments has the full instructions.

There are different elements to keep in mind when deciding on your first handpan scale.

The most sold instrument is the D Kurd (D minor). This scale is very versatile: once you learn to play it a little, you can play in many moods, from sad, dark and melancholic to happy and euphoric, and there are many chord possibilities. It also helps that most online courses are recorded on this scale. For beginners without a clear preference, we usually recommend a D Kurd.

If you want to play together with a friend who already has a handpan, pick a similar scale, otherwise the instruments will sound dissonant together. Tell us the scale your friend has and we can advise which scales fit.

If you want to play with other musicians (guitar players, for example), a natural C major, E minor or D minor scale usually works best. The D Kurd (a natural D minor) is also the most popular handpan scale, so future jam partners are likely to match; E minor is great with guitar and concert flute, and the E Amara is perfect for that.

Not playing with others? Listen through the range and notice which scale resonates with you. YouTube helps too: players usually name the scale and its notes in their video descriptions.

And finally: you are always welcome to visit the workshop and try different scales with your own hands, the best way to decide. You are free to leave without buying an instrument, of course!

A question we hear often! Before we can give a clear answer, we need to know your wishes for the second instrument. Should it complement your first and extend the range you can play by combining both? Would you like to play chromatically (all 12 keys of the octave) by combining the two? Or do you want to play together with a friend or family member? The answer changes the outcome completely. Send us an email at info@ayasainstruments.com and we will happily help you find the scale that suits your needs best.

Decide whether you want to go lower or higher relative to your first instrument. Taking a D Kurd 10 as an example: (D3) A3 Bb3 C4 D4 E4 F4 G4 A4 C5. A good match could be the C Ashakiran 17:

Top: (C3) F3 G3 A3 B3 C4 D4 E4 G4
Bottom: D3 · E3 · F4 · A4 · B4 · C5 · D5 · E5

Combining the two extends your D Kurd with C3, F3, G3, E3, D5 and E5, and you can even swap between B3 and Bb3 to change scales. This is just one example; tell us which scale you own at info@ayasainstruments.com and we will help you research the best extension.

Pick a similar scale to theirs (or at least one that shares almost all of its notes), otherwise the instruments sound dissonant together. Tell us the scale your friend plays (info@ayasainstruments.com) and we will tell you which scales fit.

If you simply want to be ready to jam with handpan players in general, go for the D Kurd: it is the most common handpan scale out there.

To make your set chromatic (all 12 keys of the octave), start from the notes your current instruments have and find a scale that fills in the missing ones. One example: combining a D Kurd 10, (D3) A3 Bb3 C4 D4 E4 F4 G4 A4 C5, with an E Asha 10, (E3) A3 B3 C#4 D#4 E4 F#4 G#4 A4 B4, gives you every note of the octave from A3 to A4, plus more below and above.

Tell us what you own at info@ayasainstruments.com and we will help you find the right completion.

With other musicians (guitar players, for example), a natural E minor or D minor scale usually works best. Our favourite is the D Kurd (a natural D minor), which is also the most popular handpan scale, so you keep a good chance of matching other handpan players too. E minor is also great, especially with guitar and concert flute: the E Amara is our E minor.

Most important: ask the musicians you want to play with which scales they usually play in.

An Ayasa should hold its tuning for at least two years, and usually far longer. If yours sounds off, send a video to info@ayasainstruments.com in which you play the note(s) you feel are out of tune for at least 15 seconds, tapping at normal strength. Our software will check the tuning.

If it is out of tune, we make an appointment for a re-tune. Usually you can wait for your instrument. Living far away? You can ship the instrument to us, or we can recommend a trusted local maker. Please don’t search for a tuner yourself: we trust only a handful of makers to re-tune an Ayasa without damaging it.

Contact us at info@ayasainstruments.com with pictures of the damage and a sound sample. Every damage is different: that is why we ask for pictures and video, so we can estimate the repair cost and time for you.

Preferably by one of the Ayasa main tuners, best of all at our workshop in Almere. Contact us at info@ayasainstruments.com; you can also ship the instrument back and forth. Send a sound sample first (the note in question, 15 seconds straight) so our tuning software can confirm whether a re-tune is needed.

Having your Ayasa re-tuned by another maker is always at your own risk: tuning a handpan is a delicate art, and one wrong hammer strike can damage an instrument beyond repair.

In Almere, the Netherlands, very close to Amsterdam.

Yes, we always welcome players and beginners to test our instruments first hand. There is no better way to choose than at the workshop, with a cup of coffee or tea and the time to try different instruments.

Email info@ayasainstruments.com for an appointment. An appointment is mandatory: if you show up unannounced, we unfortunately won’t be able to help you.

Travel to Almere Centrum train/bus station, then take the M1 bus towards Almere Haven and get out at “de Steiger”. From there it is a 5-minute walk. Check 9292.nl for the best connections.

Send an email to info@ayasainstruments.com or use the contact form on the website. We reply on weekdays. Please allow at least 24 hours for an answer.

Hardly ever: note stability is what our extensive building process is for, and it is what sets an Ayasa apart from many other handpans. Over 99% of all Ayasas ever built have never needed a re-tune; the very first Ayasa Ralf built, thirteen years ago, still hasn’t. Every instrument carries a two-year tuning warranty, and when one does need attention, we bring it back to life in our workshop.

The handpan is a very intuitive instrument: anyone can start by simply tapping the notes, and over time you develop your touch, rhythm and melody.

If you feel stuck, a teacher can help, online or offline: most big cities have them. We also regularly host concerts and workshops with great players at our workshop. And there are excellent online courses; three we happily recommend: maltemartenmethod.com, masterthehandpan.com and handpandojo.com.

The diameter is 55 cm and the height 28.5 cm; an Ayasa handpan weighs approximately 4 kilograms. It fits a medium-sized Evatek hardcase.

Sorry, we don’t sell t-shirts without the purchase of a handpan. Every new instrument comes with a free one in your size, though 😉

Sorry, we don’t sell our cases without the purchase of a handpan.

We believe our instruments have a fair price. Considering our costs, our people and our quality standards, we don’t give discounts.

That said, we sometimes have instruments available at a lower price: prototypes, or instruments with small cosmetic imperfections. You will find these in the shop as Scratched or Spotted conditions, at their own honest price: the same sound, tuned and warranted like every Ayasa, with a mark that tells its story.