Test your new ocarina while you can still return it

How long do I have to return a new ocarina?

It depends on the shop, and the clock usually starts when the parcel arrives, not when you first play. Each line shows the day we read that shop's policy:

• Songbird Ocarina takes a return "up to 30 days after delivery" and does not refund the original shipping (read on 31 October 2026).
• STL Ocarina wants you to get in touch within 10 days of receiving the item, and its policy mentions a 35% restocking fee, so ask what applies before you send one back (read on 30 October 2026).
• Pure Ocarinas will not take back a plain-finished ocarina, because that finish stains easily (read on 31 October 2026).
• On Amazon, most items can go back within 30 days if they are in original or unused condition (read on 28 October 2026).

Testing means playing the ocarina. Where a policy says unused, ask the seller before you test.

What does the report mean for keeping or returning it?

The report grades each note against the pattern your other notes follow, using bands from the maker Pure Ocarinas: a note is fine within 10 cents of that pattern, a little flat or sharp from 10 to 30 cents, and quite flat or sharp from 30 cents. A cent is a hundredth of the step between two neighbouring piano keys, so these bands are small.

What decides keeping is how often a note reads off. A note that read off once is listed under "Worth another try", and breath often explains it. A note that keeps reading off on a second try is the reason to contact the seller while the window is open, and once enough notes were played to compare them, the report lists it under "Off on both tries". If no note keeps reading off, keep the ocarina. Our tuner page explains the grading in full.

Can one test show that an ocarina is badly made?

No. Your breath, the room and a cold ocarina all move the pitch; Pure Ocarinas puts the effect of warmth at about 1 cent per degree Celsius. That is why the report asks you to play a doubtful note again with a steady, soft breath before it calls the note off, and why it never judges a maker from one run. If a single note keeps reading off, our guide Is my ocarina out of tune, or is it me? shows how to tell a fault from a shaky breath.

Why test an ocarina I have just bought?

Some cheap listings are the ones to worry about: our guide to Zelda ocarina replicas shows what reviewers found and what each cost. If you are buying one as a present, the gift guide covers testing it before you wrap it, and the buying guide covers what to pick in the first place.

What does the test keep about me?

Nothing you play leaves your device, because the pitch is worked out in your browser and no sound is recorded or uploaded. If you fill in the days field, we add that one number to the counts for the test, and a report you save as a link holds only note readings, never sound. The privacy page has the details.