OUR STORY
Based in Bristol, UK, the Meridian team have been producing hand-crafted instruments since 2015. During this time we have become renowned for our distinct aesthetic, attention to detail and continuous innovations - including the Meridian Pickup System which has allowed us to create the world’s first and only electro-acoustic handpan. With two different handpan sizes, different material options and a wide range of accessories, we strive to meet the unique needs of every player.
The relationship between maker and player is at the heart of everything that we do. Each Meridian has been lovingly handmade with care and experience through thousands of hammer blows by the Meridian founder and tuner, Duncan Arnot, who transforms each piece of steel into a beautifully crafted handpan. We use traditional tuning techniques combined with modern tooling that we have designed over many years to create handpans with a wide range of scales that can be adapted to the needs of each player. Each piece of steel is given the time and attention it needs to become a handpan with stable and accurate tuning as well as beautiful resonance.
Our team has grown over the years and we are proud of the skills that each member brings, as they allow us to evolve the Meridian craftsmanship, to innovate our techniques and to assist each player to choose the right instrument.
Each sheet of steel used for our standard instruments has been formed into a handpan shell by Henry; a musician, craftsman and a man of many talents, who you can meet touring around in his yellow van with his piano. If you like the shiny details on your Meridian, it is Ceri who has polished them to perfection, who makes sure that the rims of the instruments are even and that the shells of your handpan are heated to the right temperature to create the beautiful colours typical of our Meridians.
All the hammer strikes that each piece of steel receives during its journey to becoming a handpan are the responsibility of the Meridian founder and tuner, Duncan. He has spent thousands of hours refining his craft and developing his own understanding of steel since he first picked up his hammers. Years later, he is still fascinated by the language of steel and continues to further innovate his instruments.
If you need assistance with choosing the right scale and notes for your instrument or you want to learn and improve your handpan skills, you will meet, talk to or play with Marketa; a musician, handpan teacher and occasional potter.
We cherish the relationship with the Meridian players, which is why we offer a 5-year warranty on tuning on all of our instruments. We love getting to know our customers and meeting them when they visit our showroom, take part in our workshops or attend one of the regular Meridian Live Sessions. Community is very important for us and we are glad to be involved in building one around this instrument in the UK, contributing to the worldwide community of hardpan enthusiasts.
