Firstly, "Don’t Panic!" No - scratch that, "Do Panic!" - have a little cry. - punch something (inanimate) if need be. But then, wipe away your tears, and begin to set wheels in motion...
Offline you should begin to do all of the things that you’d do for any similar incident (if you haven’t already). If lost, retrace your steps, ask around, notify the police, put up some reward posters, etc. If stolen, report to the police, contact insurance company (if you have any), ask around neighbors, etc. And these things may prove to be enough to return your HandPan to your lap. But if they’re not...
What Can I Do Online?
At the time of writing there just aren’t that many HandPan in the world (relatively speaking - though a few more are added to the global stock each day). Divide the total number between the different makes, the different scales/sound models, and whatever kind of HandPan you’ve lost, there probably aren't too many others out there exactly like it. Which can make it surprisingly easy to identify, should it, for sale or otherwise, pop up online.
If you’ve lost (for an increasingly unnerving duration of time), or had stolen, a PANArt Hang, your first move online should be to contact the HangBlog, who operate a list of stolen Hang.
Hopefully you’ve pre-made a note of the serial number somewhere safe, which can then be added to the list of misplaced Hanghang. PANArt (or those operating on PANArt’s behalf) monitor ebay/facebook/etc. sales to at least some degree, and it’s possible that either they, or a member of the related community, may notice the sale, or may be offered the Hang for sale, should somebody attempt to sell it. Which in instances, has led to the return of Hang, to at least one owner.
Following this, and/or if your HandPan is a non-PANArt, you should head to the HandPan.org forum ‘Lost and Found’ section: HERE To both alert the community via a post, and also to get your HandPan details added to the list of lost/stolen HandPan.
The HandPan.org community is not only likely to be sympathetic to your loss, but historically, they’re an incredibly proactive bunch at helping to get stolen HandPan returned to their rightful owners (if at all possible). So letting these forum members know, will ensure that yours are not the only eyeballs keeping lookout for the hopeful reemergence of your HandPan (you can buy them a beer afterwards).
Stories of HandPan returned to their rightful owners:
In addition to the HangBlog (for Hang), and HandPan.org for both Hang, and other HandPan, the following are other popular Hang/HandPan hangouts online, where alerting the wider community to your loss could bring results.
* HangForum (PANArt Hang Forum)
* Hang Drum (most active Facebook group - currently used to discuss all HandPan).
Additionally, THIS PAGE might help you to monitor HandPan offered for sale on ebay.
And should you be reading this because you have genuinely lost, or had stolen your Hang / HandPan, and haven't just stumbled across this, and aren't just reading out of curiosity - we deeply hope that your precious is returned to you swiftly, and that the above information; might be of some small help.
-->
