Kanilea

Kherome

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I have heard a lot of talk about KoAloha's "Better than the weather" warranty.
Does anyone have experience with Kanilea's warranty?

I can't afford the K brands anyway but I AM curious because I enjoy drooling over some of their offerings.
 
Kanile'a I believe has a lifetime warranty for the first owner. I have a GL6 K1 Premium and had a minor problem with the pickup. The dealer (HMS) fixed it so I didn't have to drive it over to Kanile'a's digs on the other side of the island. With that said, they're made so well and carefully not much can go wrong other than owner errors. I have a friend who left her $5000 Kohno outside by her pool overnight and it rained...
 
Kanile'a I believe has a lifetime warranty for the first owner. I have a GL6 K1 Premium and had a minor problem with the pickup. The dealer (HMS) fixed it so I didn't have to drive it over to Kanile'a's digs on the other side of the island. With that said, they're made so well and carefully not much can go wrong other than owner errors. I have a friend who left her $5000 Kohno outside by her pool overnight and it rained...

Just thinking about that triggers a gag reflex... :stop:
 
I love Kanilea, but when I had a problem with one of mine, they weren't exactly helpful and not very responsive. I'm sure things were more complicated in my case because I don't live in the U.S. but still, I'd expect a bit more from a company I spend several thousand dollars on.
 
I love Kanilea, but when I had a problem with one of mine, they weren't exactly helpful and not very responsive. I'm sure things were more complicated in my case because I don't live in the U.S. but still, I'd expect a bit more from a company I spend several thousand dollars on.

Thank you that's good to know if I ever get to buy a "K" brand it's sounding like KoAloha might be the one to work with.
 
You might be overthinking this. The Ks each feel and sound differently. The one that sings to you should be the one you buy. Warranty claims are rare. If something happened, it is more likely due to your actions rather than a development covered by the warranty. Even if not covered, you can pay them or a skilled luthier to take care of the issue.

Maybe a new thread on who has sent an uke in for warranty work and the reason behind it?
 
Kanilea and KoAloha are my 2 favorite brands equally by far, but I have to say that no company in my whole life has ever treated me as well as KoAloha has. And I can confidently say that I'm not even close to the only person who would say that.
 
In 50 some years of owning guitars and ukuleles I can say needing warranty work was extremely rare. As a shop owner for a couple decades it was rare also. We mainly saw electronic failures, e.g., preamps and output jacks dying. Most of the preamps failed due to operator error, e.g., battery was left in for years and corroded, so the warranty didn't cover replacement. One guy spilled a coke in his preamp and tried to pass the preamp failure off as a warranty issue. It was still sticky with sugar goo inside...
 
All things being equal otherwise, a warranty can be a consideration to tip you one way or the other, IMO.
 
If buying used, I may be swayed by KoAloha’s warranty, as it covers beyond the original owner.

That said, I just invested in Kanile’a big-time (NUD to come), and the warranty played zero factor in my decision. And since I never plan to sell it, it should be covered for my lifetime, so I’m happy with that.
 
The Kanilea warranty conditions are easy to find on the Kanilea website, just type "warranty" into the search field.
Personally, I don't put a lot of credibility on testimonies about warranty, good or bad, in bulletin boards. I have had some warranty claims and have been very fortunate to get outstanding after sales service from several ukulele makers who have sold me instruments. The hardest part is being a bit humble when you make a silly mistake and also focussing more on the need to get the repair done, even if it costs some money, instead of just trying to get a freebie out of the seller or maker. If you have a Kanilea ukulele that needs a factory repair, bite the bullet and send it to the factory and get the uke repaired. If Kanilea say its a warranty claim and the costs are low or zero, thats a bonus. The important thing is getting your uke repaired.

:agree: What Bill said.
 
Warranty wasn’t a factor when I bought any of my ukuleles. I own all four K brands and if I had to choose one, it would be my KoAloha.
 
Yes!!! The sound of my KoAloha is beautiful. But it also just feels right in my hands. All four K brands are quality ukuleles and mine all have different types of woods for top/back/sides so my ear might just like my KoAloha’s sound due to it’s woods. I actually have two KoAlohas and their necks feel more comfortable sliding up and down compared to my other K’s.
 
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