Ukulele Stores to browse through

Another Ukulele

Another Ukulele

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As I find my self traveling through a new town, I look for a Music Store that might carry ukuleles.
Most often, either they don’t or their selection is limited — although sometimes ‘eclectic’ is a better description.

Here are the ones I’ve come across in North California:
The Strum Shop, Roseville
Wise Music, Salinas
People’s Music, Sebastopol
LaMorinda Music, Lafayette
Music Works, El Cerrito
Mother Lode Music, Jackson

Anyone willing to offer their favorite spots that they have found?
Especially in Northern California, but anywhere.

Of course my FAVORITE is a ‘little’ place I found in Wahiawa, Hawaii
The Ukulele Site which to me is
Ukulele Nirvana
 
The most complete store I've ever seen in Southern California is Island Bazaar in Huntington Beach (of Beach Boys "Surf City" fame). In Little Tokyo Downtown Los Angeles is U-Space by Jason Arimoto and Daniel Ho. In Santa Monica is McCabe's, which has been around since the 1940s as THE folk guitar shop. I take my bass lessons there from Denny Croy.

This is Michael Kohan in Los Angeles, Beverly West near the Beverly Center
9 tenor cutaway ukes, 5 acoustic bass ukes, 11 solid body bass ukes, 9 mini electric bass guitars (Total: 34)

• Donate to The Ukulele Kids Club, they provide ukuleles to children in hospital music therapy programs. www.theukc.org
• Member The CC Strummers: YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/CCStrummers/video, Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheCCStrummers
 
Aloha Warehouse in SF Japantown has mid range and some high end ukuleles. Gryphon Strings in Palo Alto carries Kamaka and Martin. You can see their selection on their website. Ukulele Source in San Jose J-Town has a great selection, including the 3 Ks, Romero, Ohana, Flukes... Was able to compare all 3 Ks in a concert size there.
 
rainbow21 said:
Aloha Warehouse in SF Japantown has mid range and some high end ukuleles. Gryphon Strings in Palo Alto carries Kamaka and Martin. You can see their selection on their website. Ukulele Source in San Jose J-Town has a great selection, including the 3 Ks, Romero, Ohana, Flukes... Was able to compare all 3 Ks in a concert size there.
Click to expand...

I'll have to check out Aloha Warehouse. Thanks. I'm over in Oakland.
 
Another Ukulele said:
As I find my self traveling through a new town, I look for a Music Store that might carry ukuleles.
Most often, either they don’t or their selection is limited — although sometimes ‘eclectic’ is a better description.

Here are the ones I’ve come across in North California:
The Strum Shop, Roseville
Wise Music, Salinas
People’s Music, Sebastopol
LaMorinda Music, Lafayette
Music Works, El Cerrito
Mother Lode Music, Jackson

Anyone willing to offer their favorite spots that they have found?
Especially in Northern California, but anywhere.

Of course my FAVORITE is a ‘little’ place I found in Wahiawa, Hawaii
The Ukulele Site which to me is
Ukulele Nirvana
Click to expand...

I like LaMorinda and keep meaning to try Music Works but don't want to get too tempted until I can play better. I'll tell you what I find in Nashville when I'm there in Oct lol. I think that's really going to be a guitar town.
 
captain-janeway said:
I like LaMorinda and keep meaning to try Music Works but don't want to get too tempted until I can play better. I'll tell you what I find in Nashville when I'm there in Oct lol. I think that's really going to be a guitar town.
Click to expand...

Nashville = Gruhn Guitars. Not a huge uke selection but some very nice vintage stuff.
 
Hey Another -- I'll second the suggestion for Ukulele Source in San Jose's Japantown. Terrific store, nice range of ukes, run by good folks.
 
Highland Park, Illinois (Chicago’s North Shore) - Aloha City Ukes (and coming to Schaumburg in 2020)

Oregon, Illinois (north central IL) - Ukulele Station America
 
Uptempo Music, 2714 Beaver Avenue in Des Moines, IA. A very good selection.
 
captain-janeway said:
Thanks. Maybe I'll pop in. Always fun to look
Click to expand...

Carter Vintage Guitars, too. The Carters worked with Gruhn for decades before opening their own shop. You'll find some interesting ukes there, probably some Martins and Gibsons from the '20s or before.
 
Sylvan Music, Santa Cruz. Have a look at their instruments in the locked case in the back of the store.
 
John boy said:
Hey Another -- I'll second the suggestion for Ukulele Source in San Jose's Japantown. Terrific store, nice range of ukes, run by good folks.
Click to expand...

I don’t get down towards San Jose that often, but I am intrigued....
I’ll have to either make it a destination or a stop by when traveling elsewhere.
Thanks!
And thanks to all!
 
As for Northern California...

If you're travelling along US 50 towards South Lake Tahoe:
- Nicholson Music Co. in Folsom is a family owned shop that carries Kala (including US made), Martin, Kanile'a (they are a registered dealer but currently out of stock), Fender, Gretsch, Cordoba, and many less expensive imports/entry level. They currently have a custom Ko'olau on consignment too. Also some very nice vintage Hawaiian made ukuleles (Kamaka, Nunes). Their specialty is high end acoustic guitars but have a nice selection of ukuleles. FYI, they're closed Sundays and Mondays.
 
Super nice people run Ukulele Source. You can actually play the instruments (only ukuleles). Nothing locked behind glass in this shop.
 
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