Scouting the South Yay...

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San Jose, California via `Ewa Beach, O`ahu, Hawai`
since the wife was out of town, after i cleaned up "my room" -- yikes over 300 baseball caps and tubs upon tubs of unopened fishing lures and fishing line -- i had a chance to cruise around to some music stores around the south bay. not looking for anything in particular just to see what's available.

first hit up gryphon strings in Palo Alto. first time somebody actually asked if i needed help. didn't really but it was pono to ask. the full line of kamaka from 8 string to soprano. some new pono, graziano's and some used `ukulele available. they also carry hilo, ko`olau, aquilas, lucy and fremont strings.

next up starving musician in santa clara. full line of lanikai. there is another brand but it was above the doorway so i couldnt see what it was, but it was $99 for a tenor so i'm guessing laminate. it started with an s. they didn't ask me for any help.

guitar center on stevens creek blvd. a cordoba. thats it.

guitar showcase on bascom has a bunch of kalas. and fender nohea, one being electric. i actually enjoyed playing the two kala thinlines there -- a tenor and soprano. i also liked the makala dolphin ukes for some odd reason. for a cheap `ukulele it was nice.

music tree in morbid hell err morgan hill next. it's a lanikai dealer and they didn't disappoint. a nice selection. the folks who own and run work the place are young and trying to build something there. check it out.

hit up another music shop close by to my place. don't know it's name but it's by eastridge. a couple cheap mahalos.

closed out the day at the `Ukulele Source and talked story and kanikapila with smiley. kanile`a just sent him a couple super concerts, a k-2 concert and he's expecting a shipment from koaloha anyday now. we chatted about `Ukulele Jam's grand opening for rodney takahashi's new school next saturday for those interested. workshop and concert by lokahi and his haumana keiki.

more cleaning tomorrow, but i probably will hit up some other spots that i saw listed on kala's distributors list. supposed to be one place in south san jo by camden.
 
i probably will hit up some other spots that i saw listed on kala's distributors list. supposed to be one place in south san jo by camden.

Let me know how that shop off Camden is, my sis lives right off of Camden, would be nice to know for next time I visit her.
 
I know that Guitar Showcase is right off Camden. Is there another shop?

Guitar Showcase also has a Martin uke and one of the Kanile'a-made Lanikai sopranos.
 
yeah true. about showcase. one of the guys there makes lunchbox and "cigar" box types ( i think one is from a wood cooler) `ukulele as well.

supposedly on an old distribution list i saw on kala they had another shop around that area.
 
ok i found it. it's music village off of union and foxworthy and they have another location on santa teresa and snell. unfortunately they closed today. supposed to have a bunch of low end `ukulele.

and the one `ukulele brand i saw at starving musician is called samick.
 
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Hit up the Music Village in San Jose on the corner of Snell and Santa Teresa. nice music store. it's right across the street from Santa Teresa HS, so there is a bunch of "band" materials as well as some drum kits and guitars/bass etc. actually lots of fretted instruments and amps.

`ukulele wise: fleas, a full line of makai (is this SF made?), lehua, and kala. not a lot, but enough to fool around with. a couple of the workers are pretty knowledgeable about the `ukulele as well. there is a bunch of books and a couple dvds there. i bought the john king classical book here.

really friendly place. they have a sister store on union and foxworthy which i will check out.
 
Never heard of Lehua. Any info on that brand? And thanks for the heads up on the Fleas. I started to think that no one local carried them and that I would have to wait til I make my next Socal trip to get one. Do they also have Flukes?
 
All that shopping and you found nothing you had to buy? Good self control.
 
lehua is made in portugal. really decent `ukulele. they had a long neck soprano available. www.lehuaukulele.com

truthfully, it could have been some flukes. maybe both fleas and flukes. i'm not really keen on either so i didn't really check. but they are there. `ukulele source in jtown has fleas.

sukie,
if they had a tenor lehua or a pineapple, i may have bitten. but furloughs maybe coming my way, so i'm saving for either a kamaka 6 string or a ogata kinohi.

btw, i actually liked playing the makai as well. on the label it said sf, ca so it even peaked my curiosity more. felt nice and sounded nice for the price. great beginner `ukulele for sure.
 
Hit up the Music Village in San Jose on the corner of Snell and Santa Teresa. nice music store. it's right across the street from Santa Teresa HS, so there is a bunch of "band" materials as well as some drum kits and guitars/bass etc. actually lots of fretted instruments and amps.

`ukulele wise: fleas, a full line of makai (is this SF made?), lehua, and kala. not a lot, but enough to fool around with.

Hey Brah, The Makai ukes are distributed by Major Music supply in San Francisco, the actual ukes are made in China. The basic (da low end) models are price competitive with other units in the same price range, but they make some Koa models that are way over priced. You see these all over craigslist because the distributor is selling them. What a lo lo! The bugga want the dealer to sell his ukes, then he wen unda sell the dealer on craigslist.... They also sell guitars, violins, mandolins all made in China.
http://www.majormusicsupply.com/majormusicsupply.com/MKU-24D.html
I purchase the Gator uke cases from him. so I know.
 
Hey Brah, The Makai ukes are distributed by Major Music supply in San Francisco, the actual ukes are made in China. The basic (da low end) models are price competitive with other units in the same price range, but they make some Koa models that are way over priced. You see these all over craigslist because the distributor is selling them. What a lo lo! The bugga want the dealer to sell his ukes, then he wen unda sell the dealer on craigslist.... They also sell guitars, violins, mandolins all made in China.
http://www.majormusicsupply.com/majormusicsupply.com/MKU-24D.html
I purchase the Gator uke cases from him. so I know.

at those prices i definitely knew they were imports and definitely laminates. just surprised it had the sf and i didn't know they were housed out of the bay. thanks for the info. the lower end was pretty decent, but if i going koa then i'll definitely go elsewhere.
 
hit up another music shop close by to my place. don't know it's name but it's by eastridge. a couple cheap mahalos.

Haha! that is the shop right be me! Couple weeks back when I decided I needed to try out the Ukulele I went there after the flea market left me empty handed…

I would have picked up one of the Mahalo's if the were about $10 cheaper… Ended up picking up a cheap little model from Toys 'R Us for $20… Now I am hooked (and need something a little nice; at least with this one I don't have to worry about my children—or my own clutziness).

Gotta love that the bay area is such a vibrant place for musicians. I am very excited to learn that there are a lot of ukulele players around.
 
hit up the other music village on union and foxworthy. it's actually a stones throw from the guitar showcase. they have a full color range of makala dolphins. fleas and flukes. some kalas, makai including a baritone, and a lehua ls. didn't stay too long, the workers were too hype to talk to me because someone tried to give them attitude at the front counter.
 
hit up the Aloha Warehouse today in Japantown San Francisco. Met Ed aka danged from the UU board. good store, great people. kalas, ponos, meles, line the walls. some kamakas in need of shmall kine repairs in the glass for goood goooood goooooooood deals. i loaded up on some hawaiian music: de lima `ohana, kumz, and pali! and a couple books, but trust i could have bought more. in fact, i made a deal with my wahine for a certain `ukulele on the wall if still stay next time i holoholo, i going get um! ed, hide um! you know which one!

Ed really made us feel at home and even let us play his baby custom `ukulele. met other players and learners there, so if you stay city, cruise ovah dea. my wife stay jealous she nevah go and she mad i nevah get crack seed fo her.
 
hit up the Aloha Warehouse today in Japantown San Francisco. Met Ed aka danged from the UU board. good store, great people. kalas, ponos, meles, line the walls. some kamakas in need of shmall kine repairs in the glass for goood goooood goooooooood deals. i loaded up on some hawaiian music: de lima `ohana, kumz, and pali! and a couple books, but trust i could have bought more. in fact, i made a deal with my wahine for a certain `ukulele on the wall if still stay next time i holoholo, i going get um! ed, hide um! you know which one!

Ed really made us feel at home and even let us play his baby custom `ukulele. met other players and learners there, so if you stay city, cruise ovah dea. my wife stay jealous she nevah go and she mad i nevah get crack seed fo her.

Mahaloz, fo cruzin to the City today, if eva in the area, just come by to talk story, no need fo buy anyting. Dats why we got da table and chairs, jus fo dat! The uke u wen play is actually mine das why was tuned dat way, I wen put it on da wall to fill da pukas until my Pono shipment come in. Next time da uke goin stay in da back room! :rotfl:
 
Mahaloz, fo cruzin to the City today, if eva in the area, just come by to talk story, no need fo buy anyting. Dats why we got da table and chairs, jus fo dat! The uke u wen play is actually mine das why was tuned dat way, I wen put it on da wall to fill da pukas until my Pono shipment come in. Next time da uke goin stay in da back room! :rotfl:

Ed, you breaking my heart....
 
Ed, you breaking my heart....

No worries! That jus mean it's going to be in the back room in da case! I no play em caus been playing 2 - 4 string all the time, dat equals 8.:shaka: I keep it back there cuz I really no like sell'em, but business is business...got to pay da bills. I figure if I hide it in the back, then nobody buy'em. The Tita, in da store is my sista, and she give me stink eye every time I find a uke on da shelf dat I like keep.
 
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