THE COMPANY - The Hopetown Music Company has been evolving since its founding in 1994 when owner Larry Mebust and his wife Janet joined a Southern California Steel Drum orchestra ‘just for the fun of it’. By 1996, we had our own instruments, a band called the Hopetown Lighthouse Steel Drum Band and a growing list of music loving fans. Our first web site went online in 1999 and thanks to our many customers, our growth has been exponential.

THE SHOP - The Steel Drum Shop is located in Murrieta California. You can purchase products at the shop or securely at our online store. Quality Steel Pan instruments are available for worldwide shipment and come from our experienced group of professional pan builders.

THE SOUND - Over the years we've found that people just love the ‘happy, carnival sound’ of the Steel Drums. During the early years we had a steadily increasing number of purchase inquiries from both professional musicians and music hobbyists wanting to own their own Steel Drum instruments.  Our pans are played by musicians in Japan, China, France, Australia, Italy, England, Mexico, Canada and the U.S.

HOW CAN WE HELP YOU? - Are you interested in creating a steel band? Or are you an individual who loves the sound and wishes to learn this incredible instrument? The Steel Drum Shop provides a complete array of products and services to assist you. We are eager to provide all the information and ongoing resource for a satisfying steel pan experience. We have provided complete packages to school bands all across the United States.  We even put the first Steel Band into a school in Dubai! Our packages include solid planning to ensure that you receive a setup that's ideal for your unique needs.

MEET THE PEOPLE AT THE STEEL DRUM SHOP

OWNERS - Larry and Janet Mebust.  Larry and Janet are native Californians with an ingrained love of people, music, warm   weather  and ocean breezes. During the 80's and 90's they traveled to the Caribbean several times. They fell in love with the sound of Pan and in 1994 they bought pans (lead and double seconds).  By 1996 they were playing for parties where people started asking how they could get pans too.  Larry started importing them one at a time.  Now in our 15th year in the music business we have our own trademarked line of Steel Drum products under the Panhandler banner. 

OUR TUNER - Francis Lynch. Our in-house tuner is Mr. Francis Lynch. Francis began playing, building and tuning steel pans as a young man in Trinidad during the mid 1950's. He has made his living as a musician for the past 50 years. He has lived all over the world including over 20 years in South East Asia where he played in several "big bands" as a saxophonist. He has lived in the Los Angeles area for the past 25 years. Francis still plays several Pan gigs each week in addition to adding his magic touch to every pan we sell.