ID? Kamoa pineapple soprano from Kauai

Can you tell me more about this Kamoa? Started playing it recently and would love to know more — what kind of wood, what quality you would consider it to be, maybe an idea of how much we might have paid for it? Heh. I don’t remember anything and don’t know much...

We bought it when we were on vacation in Kauai about ten years ago, I think from a shop in Koloa. My spouse is a serious guitar player and he tried out a bunch of ukes basically as 1) something to play during the rest of our vacation, since he didn’t bring a guitar, and 2) a souvenir. We don’t remember why he chose this one. And it’s been sitting on a shelf pretty much ever since.

I started playing it recently for fun. I like it and that’s why I want to know more. I see people are kind of down on Kamoas? I’m planning to put new strings on it and keep playing, maybe get a concert at Christmas. Been lurking around here and reading a lot.

Sam Bonanno is the current owner of Larry’s Music in Kapaa on Kauai. You may try contacting him.
Brad

I was kind of interested in Kamoa after a trip to Kauaii once too. They seem to like using maple with a spruce top on a lot of their models but I'm not sure about 10 years ago. Wouldn't be my first choice of wood for a soprano (personal choice), but I could see it sounding good on a pineapple or larger ones. I don't recall anyone being down on Kamoa, but I don't see them discussed much.

The new ones are a mid-grade choice $300-$500. From the photos, yours looks like it might have been a more basic build, but I'm just speculating and bumping up this thread because I'm curious too.

Thanks all.

I may give a Sam a call. I’ll let you all know what he says if I do.

I bet we paid a premium because of the tourist market! Just mildly curious about that.

I think the instrument sounds good, but I don’t have anything to compare it to.