Shipping Rates

These figures are our standard charges for shipping, handling and insurance to a continental U.S. address using UPS Ground. UPS orders must be sent to a street address, not a P.O. Box. If you want us to save money by shipping through another carrier, we will try do so. Please call or email us for special shipping quotes on oversized packages, Next Day Air, Second Day Air, Federal Express, shipping to Alaska or Hawaii, and all foreign shipping (outside USA).

Order total (US$) UPS Ground charges $0.00 to $25.00 $7.00 $25.01 to $50.00 $10.00 $50.01 to $75.00 $12.00 $75.01 to $100.00 $15.00 $100.01 to $200.00 $20.00 For orders over $200.00, please call or email for a quote. Please tell us your address, items wanted, and shipping service you prefer.

HMT prefers to ship via UPS, because UPS provides a tracking number which can be very helpful in the event of delivery problems. If you choose to have your order delivered by US Postal Service, please understand that the shipment will be at your risk.

Information on International Shipping

Our preferred method to ship items internationally is US Postal Service Express Mail International, which is tracked and insured. Priority Mail International and First-Class Mail International may be used for small packages of lower value, but these methods provide no tracking or insurance--so those methods are at your own risk if the package is lost or damaged.

Express Mail International has an insurance limit of $650 to most countries. To fully insure items of higher cost, we would recommend Global Express Guaranteed. This is significantly more expensive than Express Mail (prices start at about $300) as it is basically FedEx service. We can ship by Express Mail if the customer agrees to accept liability for any amount over $650 if the package is lost or damaged by the carrier. Some countries (Australia, in particular) have restrictive size limits on what can go by Express Mail. Larger items like guitars, banjos, and some accordions may have to go by Global Express to these countries.

We welcome inquiries for international shipping quotes, but we hope the above information will be useful to our customers.

If you are placing an order online that will be shipped outside the continental US, please choose "US Mail" as your shipping cost, not "UPS Ground." We will add on the shipping cost when we process your order.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the "quote" button do?
Some of our suppliers do not permit discounted prices to be posted on our web site. You are more than welcome to get a quote from us by contacting us by phone or email, of course. The "quote" button is simply a way to kill two birds with one stone: you get a price from us AND you send your credit card information to us through our secure email server. If you click on the "quote" button, our Mail Order staff will write back to you with our price for the item that you selected. You may cancel your order at any time, and we will never charge your credit card without your expressed approval. We have been in this business for more than 30 years and our reputation stands on our trustworthy business practices and excellent customer service.

What is your return policy? Our return policy is outlined on this page.

Are you going to charge me $7.00 shipping for a bumpersticker?
When you order a bumpersticker by itself, we charge only $2.00 shipping and handling, instead of our normal minimum $7.00 for small orders under $25.00 (see chart at the top of the page). We can also charge a lower shipping fee for small orders such as small books and CDs.

What about Special Order Items? We do special order some items -- please refer to this page.

Do you have a layaway plan?
Yes we do! With our layaway plan, you can set aside the instrument of your dreams for as little as 1/3 of the price (including tax), and we give you up to 6 weeks to pay! NOTE: You will be able to take the instrument with you once you've paid for it in full, not before. If you change your mind and want your deposit back, there is a 10% restocking fee. Please contact us if you have any questions.

OUR LAYAWAY PLAN IS FOR WALK-IN TRAFFIC ONLY, NOT MAIL ORDERS.

Do you accept credit cards?
We accept VISA, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover, as well as personal checks and money orders. All international orders (including Canada) must be paid either by demand draft in U.S. currency, or via one of the above credit cards in U.S. currency. Orders in foreign currency will not be accepted.

We have made some changes to our credit card payment policies and procedures. Please read this important update.

Do you send COD (Cash On Delivery) orders?
No, unfortunately we are no longer able to accept Cash On Delivery (COD) orders.

Is your online shopping cart secure?
Our online shopping cart structure is protected. You will see the "padlock" alert after you have input your billing address and other contact information, but before you input your credit card account number.

What I ordered isn't in stock, but I gave you my credit card number. Have I been charged or will you charge me later?
Not everything in our catalog is always in stock. Some items such as Olwell flutes are in high demand and have a waiting list several months long. Please be assured that although you have sent your credit card number to us, we will not charge your account until we have your order in hand and ready to ship to you.

How long will it take for my order to get to me?
If we have your full order in stock and we ship it using UPS Ground, it should take no more than 10 business days to get to you. In general, the closer your delivery address is to the Washington DC metro area, the sooner you'll receive your order. Part of this can also depend on what day of the week we fill your order. We generally fill and ship orders Monday through Friday.

I need to have this order yesterday. How soon can I get it?
Next-Day Air and Second-Day Air shipping is available for an additional charge through UPS, Federal Express, Airborne Express and other carriers. Please let us know if this is a rush order and we can help you pick the proper method of shipping.

What if only part of my order is in stock?
If some of the items that you ordered are in stock, and some are on backorder, our shipping department will contact you via email.
We tend to hold the in-stock items until your order is complete, to reduce shipping costs to you. If you instruct us to send items to you as we get them, separate shipping charges will apply to each package sent.
Delivery time on some imported items is sometimes particularly time-consuming. We appreciate your patience!

Do you deliver overseas?
Absolutely! Shipping costs will vary depending on country and total weight of your order. Please contact us for a shipping quote.

My package was damaged! Now what?
If an item was damaged in shipping, please IMMEDIATELY notify both the carrier and our Mail Order Department so we can arrange for pickup of the item and file a claim. You will not have to pay for the return shipping on an item damaged by the carrier.
Save the original carton and all packing material and follow our instructions for shipping an item to HMT.

Will you sell my contact information?
HMT never sells, trades, or otherwise makes available any personal information about our customers to any third parties, without the individual's express approval.
We do not send spam or junk mail; neither do we buy, sell, or exchange commercial mailing lists or email lists with anyone.
We also do not collect personal information about you without your permission as you browse our website, for the purpose of sending you email, junk mail, or otherwise soliciting your trade. We have conducted business for more than 30 years without resorting to mass mailing lists, and we intend to continue this policy in the future.