Would You Rent Out Your Handpan? - The Sharing Economy and Peer-to-Peer Lending

Would you rent out your Handpan?

If you’re not already aware of it, the latest “big thing” online is the rise of the “sharing economy”, and the rise of the peer-to-peer renting platforms that facilitate such transactions.  If you’ve heard of any of these services it is likely “Airbnb”, the platform that allows individuals to rent out their homes or spare rooms for cash, in the same manner that one might book a hotel room - while also offering unique experiences. But in addition to Airbnb, there are now a multitude of similar websites and services catering to varying different niches. Such as the Google-backed “Turo”, that allows people to rent out their automobiles (by the day or by the hour), “Liquid”, that offers a similar service for bicycle rental, and “Spinlister”, that allows people to offer their sporting equipment, such as snowboarding and surfing gear for rental.  With the mantra of this new industry being “access, over ownership”.  And with every area of interest now seemingly getting its own dedicated services, the music industry, is not without its own.

Sparkplug

Just as you can rent out your spare room, car, or bike, to make a little extra cash, Sparkplug allows users to rent out their instruments, and music gear.  Or of course on the flip-side of that coin, should you need a piece of equipment to meet a particular need, but don’t want to purchase it outright, Sparkplug connects you with those willing to rent out their equipment to you on a temporary basis.  

At time of posting there aren’t yet any Handpan available for rental on the site (that we could find), but if we were looking to hire some pro recording equipment, a full drum kit, or a cello, we’d have no problems finding it available there for rental..  And no doubt in time, Handpan will follow.  Possibly even yours?

Visit Sparkplug.it

Studiotime

And likewise, as with Sparkplug above, the Studiotime platform allows for the peer-to-peer sharing/rental of recording studio time, services, and equipment.  Meaning that whether you’re on the search of affordable place to record your latest masterpiece, or perhaps even have your own studio that you’d like to offer up for the benefit of others to use - now you can.

The Shellopan Fablab

Interestingly, while not operated in such a web 2.0. manner, there is already a project happening within the Handpan community that operates very much within the boundaries of this peer-to-peer sharing economy.  The “Fablab” based in France, and operated by the makers of the Shellopan brand of Handpan.  

While it is possible for fledgling Handpan-makers to grab themselves some steel, or an old oil barrel, and a hammer, and go old-school. Setting up a modern Handpan-building laboratory with all of the latest professional tools and equipment, can be a costly affair.  And that is something that the Fablab has sought to address - by offering shared resources on a pay-per-play type basis.  From Handpan shells, to glue, to the use of tools and tuning stations - the Fablab reduces the costs required to gain access to the kind of resources that might otherwise be cost-prohibitive.  Making it the first (that we know of at least) sharing-economy based Handpan-specific project.

Visit the Shellopan Fablab

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