bdukes
Well-known member
Aloha UU,
Consider this part travelog and part retail shop review…
I'll post a more in depth review of the ukuleles acquired in the Review sections shortly.
Returned from Hawaii recently and have been sitting on sharing my experience because, quite frankly, it turned out to be such a positively emotional trip that I needed a few weeks just to pull together the story.
Having moved from Los Angeles a several years ago and now living on the East Coast island paradise of Rhode Island, it's definitely a little more difficult to get to Hawaii. I was taking the entire family, wife, 10 year and 10 month old daughters. Even managed to get our baby sitter (I call her my eldest daughter) out for free for half of our two week trip. Airline reward miles are awesome. Two flights and 12 hours later we landed in Honolulu. We stayed at the Outrigger Reef Hotel in Waikiki. Great hotel, service and location. In the past, I've stayed at the Moana Surfrider and recommend that hotel as well. Drinks under the banyan tree and ukulele music. Nothing better. This trip we needed something a little more kid friendly so opted for the Outrigger this time.
Ok, ok, I know, what about the ukuleles? Well, needless to say ukulele hunting was on the agenda. I've been reading about several members not wanting the temptation of a new uke while traveling but I can't escape it. I tend to find ukes a new home whenever I travel, so there is no way I was returning without one this trip. Specifically a Hawaiian made ukulele. Now it was no surprise when my wife asked which factories we were going to tour, because she has a keen understanding of the obsession this community shares for this little instrument. Yep, she's cool. Naturally, I put Koaloha and Kamaka on the list. Had my sights on a Koaloha Concert and already have a Kamaka tenor as my main player. Done. Thursday Koaloha, Friday Kamaka. But what about Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday? I don't have a uke to play in the meantime. Time to check out the nearby shops and hopefully quell the withdrawal symptoms. This page had a nice listing of local shops and you can expand your search to other areas. Maybe not totally complete or up-to-date, but helpful nonetheless.
http://www.hawaiianmusichistory.com/ukulele/shops-waikiki.htm
Within walking distance were several shops. I found many excuses to go run an "errand" and checked out some of shops.
First stop, conveniently located in the lobby of the Outrigger Reef, Skye's Koa & Ukulele. Good selection of Koa souvenirs and pretty good selection of ukuleles. Mostly, Koaloha, Kelii, Kamaka, Leolani, Kala, and 1 Kanile'a tenor. Prices were expected, not great but not horrible. Some had even been marked down. They offered me a 10% discount on any of the koa models, which is available to all and assuming you could bargain as well if they had "the one". The three different staff I interacted with were very helpful every time I was in the store (which was a lot.) Different levels of knowledge with what I'm guessing was the manager or owner really knowing his stuff and super accommodating. I got to play several of the same models unchaperoned and as mmstan continues to advise, play them in person because each one is different. Pick the good one.
Shop 2: Bob's Ukulele in Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center. Good selection. Usual suspects but to be honest, I didn't stay because the vibe sucked. The gentleman behind the counter didn't seem interested in selling me anything. He seemed put out when I asked to play a Kamaka Concert that he needed to get down for me. Never mind. Life's too short. Onward.
Now I get that not every body is going to share the same passion or enthusiasm we do, but for gosh sake, they're musical instruments, many cost a pretty penny and you're in retail! People will come in, they'll want to touch product, and lastly and most importantly, they want to feel good about their experience. It's universal, I want that whether I'm purchasing a set of tires, candy bar or work of art. I don't have any patience for poor service so I don't even tend to say anything about it because in many cases it doesn't matter. Why get worked up? It seems to work for them, they're paying the rent and the lights are on, so let karma do its thing.
Next stop - Ukulele Puapua at the Surfrider. So I walked the beach down to Surfrider and into the store. Upon entering I could see there was a nice selection of beautiful higher end models and some builders I've never experienced. I'm in a candy store. A gentleman came over and introduced himself as Tyler and said feel free to play anything you want. Tyler Gilman was incredibly knowledgeable, super nice and accommodating. He asked about what ukes I had, what music I liked to play, budget, etc. Clearly, he got it. Soon I was feeling like I was being fitted for a ukulele. Cool. He left me alone to noodle around (another important part of the experience for me). I like the space to explore each instrument without someone hovering. He'd check in every once in a while and make the occasional recommendation. "Have you tried an Ana'ole before?" Nope. He pulled down an absolutely gorgeous uke with the Hawaiian Islands as the soundhole. Crap. I just saw the price, not sure I want to play it. What if I like it? A little out of my budget comfort zone for this trip but what the heck, I played it. Sounded great. Low G tuned. Deep tone, excellent sustain. And totally unique looking. Tyler had nailed most of my checklist with a single uke… except the budget part. Let's try some others in my swing zone. How about Kanile'a custom tenor? Check. K-3 model had the wood inlay rosette that I'm a sucker for. Never played one before. Loved it. Just didn't seem to be "the one" and still a little pricey for me. "You gotta try a I'iwi." OK. Again, wow! My head is spinning, I again imagined the conversation with my wife.
Me: Hey, look what Daddy got!
Her: It's beautiful. Is it the one you wanted?
Me: Umm, yeah, I guess. I mean yep. Well I got to go down to the restaurant.
Her: Why? It's 3:30.
Me: My shift starts in 5 minutes. Don't worry, I'll see you guys back in Rhode Island in the fall.
Her: ??
Me: I sold my return flight. But I got "the one." I'll need to do odd jobs around the hotel for only a couple of months. Besides, it'll give you and the girls a chance to paint the bedrooms any color you want. Love you.
<end scene>
Get a grip. You haven't even been to the Koaloha factory yet. Time to move on. I had a great time at Ukulele Puapua. Tyler is awesome. He gave me a card and said if I ever want a uke, give him a call. I plan to. I want to be a customer of theirs.
Next on the list, let's maybe try a traditional guitar or music shop. So the next day, I head to Easy Music Center on King Street in Honolulu. I had read some good reviews about selection. I arrive at the store and try to open the door. Closed. Huh? Oh wait, I've been up for 4 hours still on East Coast time so maybe I'm excited and just a tad early. It's 8:15, sheesh, my bad. They open at 10:30. Welcome to the islands. And music stores. I should have remembered from my band days, musicians don't get up until noon most days anyway. So I went for a cup of joe and came back when they were open. Pull the door open and bam! Straight ahead are two guys doing their best dueling basses imitation, except they're not together. Or even aware of each other. To the left, John Bonham's ghost is pounding out the Immigrant Song. Loudly. I push past the basses and the electric guitars where Charlie Van Halen is working out the final flourishes to his solo. You know Charlie Van Halen, right? Eddie's less talented distant cousin, thrice removed on his mother's pool guys's side. We all know him. Any Guitar Center on Saturday will have at least a half dozen Charlie's playing away a full volume. In fact, if you shut your eyes, you could be in any mainland GC based on the sound alone. OK, almost there. End of the room on the left, I can see the wall. Big wall. Lot's of ukes. Can't hear them. Few in tune. But they're there. Good selection though. Kamaka, Kanile’a, Koaloha, Big Island, G-String, Kala, Island Ukulele and Lanikai from what I remember. No knock on the store, the staff was pleasant, full service musical supplier, just not my kind of shop. They're serving a broader music market. Glad I stopped by though.
Let's get back to the hotel and continue to canvas the immediate area by foot. Still high from Ukulele Puapua the day before, I decide to check out their second store in the Sheraton Waikiki. It's right next door. Nice little shop. They're setting up for free ukulele lessons. Same as the day before, very nice staff and great selection. The girl setting up for and conducting the lesson was Jenny (?). She said she played for or was sponsored by Koaloha. Sorry but I can't find the card she gave me, so please correct me if that's not her name. Regardless, she was super cool. She was going to teach the class Wipeout. We talked about strings and upcoming performances (Hers, not mine. I'm not that good.) among other things. They were starting the lesson so I said I'd leave now and the other woman working said to just go sit over in the corner and keep playing whatever you like. Not one for confrontation… I agreed. So Ukulele Puapua is 2 for 2. I can't say enough good things about the folks there. Definitely worth a visit if you're in Waikiki. On the way out Jenny (?) said to say hello to Brian at Koaloha. Will do.
End Part 1
Consider this part travelog and part retail shop review…
I'll post a more in depth review of the ukuleles acquired in the Review sections shortly.
Returned from Hawaii recently and have been sitting on sharing my experience because, quite frankly, it turned out to be such a positively emotional trip that I needed a few weeks just to pull together the story.
Having moved from Los Angeles a several years ago and now living on the East Coast island paradise of Rhode Island, it's definitely a little more difficult to get to Hawaii. I was taking the entire family, wife, 10 year and 10 month old daughters. Even managed to get our baby sitter (I call her my eldest daughter) out for free for half of our two week trip. Airline reward miles are awesome. Two flights and 12 hours later we landed in Honolulu. We stayed at the Outrigger Reef Hotel in Waikiki. Great hotel, service and location. In the past, I've stayed at the Moana Surfrider and recommend that hotel as well. Drinks under the banyan tree and ukulele music. Nothing better. This trip we needed something a little more kid friendly so opted for the Outrigger this time.
Ok, ok, I know, what about the ukuleles? Well, needless to say ukulele hunting was on the agenda. I've been reading about several members not wanting the temptation of a new uke while traveling but I can't escape it. I tend to find ukes a new home whenever I travel, so there is no way I was returning without one this trip. Specifically a Hawaiian made ukulele. Now it was no surprise when my wife asked which factories we were going to tour, because she has a keen understanding of the obsession this community shares for this little instrument. Yep, she's cool. Naturally, I put Koaloha and Kamaka on the list. Had my sights on a Koaloha Concert and already have a Kamaka tenor as my main player. Done. Thursday Koaloha, Friday Kamaka. But what about Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday? I don't have a uke to play in the meantime. Time to check out the nearby shops and hopefully quell the withdrawal symptoms. This page had a nice listing of local shops and you can expand your search to other areas. Maybe not totally complete or up-to-date, but helpful nonetheless.
http://www.hawaiianmusichistory.com/ukulele/shops-waikiki.htm
Within walking distance were several shops. I found many excuses to go run an "errand" and checked out some of shops.
First stop, conveniently located in the lobby of the Outrigger Reef, Skye's Koa & Ukulele. Good selection of Koa souvenirs and pretty good selection of ukuleles. Mostly, Koaloha, Kelii, Kamaka, Leolani, Kala, and 1 Kanile'a tenor. Prices were expected, not great but not horrible. Some had even been marked down. They offered me a 10% discount on any of the koa models, which is available to all and assuming you could bargain as well if they had "the one". The three different staff I interacted with were very helpful every time I was in the store (which was a lot.) Different levels of knowledge with what I'm guessing was the manager or owner really knowing his stuff and super accommodating. I got to play several of the same models unchaperoned and as mmstan continues to advise, play them in person because each one is different. Pick the good one.
Shop 2: Bob's Ukulele in Royal Hawaiian Shopping Center. Good selection. Usual suspects but to be honest, I didn't stay because the vibe sucked. The gentleman behind the counter didn't seem interested in selling me anything. He seemed put out when I asked to play a Kamaka Concert that he needed to get down for me. Never mind. Life's too short. Onward.
Now I get that not every body is going to share the same passion or enthusiasm we do, but for gosh sake, they're musical instruments, many cost a pretty penny and you're in retail! People will come in, they'll want to touch product, and lastly and most importantly, they want to feel good about their experience. It's universal, I want that whether I'm purchasing a set of tires, candy bar or work of art. I don't have any patience for poor service so I don't even tend to say anything about it because in many cases it doesn't matter. Why get worked up? It seems to work for them, they're paying the rent and the lights are on, so let karma do its thing.
Next stop - Ukulele Puapua at the Surfrider. So I walked the beach down to Surfrider and into the store. Upon entering I could see there was a nice selection of beautiful higher end models and some builders I've never experienced. I'm in a candy store. A gentleman came over and introduced himself as Tyler and said feel free to play anything you want. Tyler Gilman was incredibly knowledgeable, super nice and accommodating. He asked about what ukes I had, what music I liked to play, budget, etc. Clearly, he got it. Soon I was feeling like I was being fitted for a ukulele. Cool. He left me alone to noodle around (another important part of the experience for me). I like the space to explore each instrument without someone hovering. He'd check in every once in a while and make the occasional recommendation. "Have you tried an Ana'ole before?" Nope. He pulled down an absolutely gorgeous uke with the Hawaiian Islands as the soundhole. Crap. I just saw the price, not sure I want to play it. What if I like it? A little out of my budget comfort zone for this trip but what the heck, I played it. Sounded great. Low G tuned. Deep tone, excellent sustain. And totally unique looking. Tyler had nailed most of my checklist with a single uke… except the budget part. Let's try some others in my swing zone. How about Kanile'a custom tenor? Check. K-3 model had the wood inlay rosette that I'm a sucker for. Never played one before. Loved it. Just didn't seem to be "the one" and still a little pricey for me. "You gotta try a I'iwi." OK. Again, wow! My head is spinning, I again imagined the conversation with my wife.
Me: Hey, look what Daddy got!
Her: It's beautiful. Is it the one you wanted?
Me: Umm, yeah, I guess. I mean yep. Well I got to go down to the restaurant.
Her: Why? It's 3:30.
Me: My shift starts in 5 minutes. Don't worry, I'll see you guys back in Rhode Island in the fall.
Her: ??
Me: I sold my return flight. But I got "the one." I'll need to do odd jobs around the hotel for only a couple of months. Besides, it'll give you and the girls a chance to paint the bedrooms any color you want. Love you.
<end scene>
Get a grip. You haven't even been to the Koaloha factory yet. Time to move on. I had a great time at Ukulele Puapua. Tyler is awesome. He gave me a card and said if I ever want a uke, give him a call. I plan to. I want to be a customer of theirs.
Next on the list, let's maybe try a traditional guitar or music shop. So the next day, I head to Easy Music Center on King Street in Honolulu. I had read some good reviews about selection. I arrive at the store and try to open the door. Closed. Huh? Oh wait, I've been up for 4 hours still on East Coast time so maybe I'm excited and just a tad early. It's 8:15, sheesh, my bad. They open at 10:30. Welcome to the islands. And music stores. I should have remembered from my band days, musicians don't get up until noon most days anyway. So I went for a cup of joe and came back when they were open. Pull the door open and bam! Straight ahead are two guys doing their best dueling basses imitation, except they're not together. Or even aware of each other. To the left, John Bonham's ghost is pounding out the Immigrant Song. Loudly. I push past the basses and the electric guitars where Charlie Van Halen is working out the final flourishes to his solo. You know Charlie Van Halen, right? Eddie's less talented distant cousin, thrice removed on his mother's pool guys's side. We all know him. Any Guitar Center on Saturday will have at least a half dozen Charlie's playing away a full volume. In fact, if you shut your eyes, you could be in any mainland GC based on the sound alone. OK, almost there. End of the room on the left, I can see the wall. Big wall. Lot's of ukes. Can't hear them. Few in tune. But they're there. Good selection though. Kamaka, Kanile’a, Koaloha, Big Island, G-String, Kala, Island Ukulele and Lanikai from what I remember. No knock on the store, the staff was pleasant, full service musical supplier, just not my kind of shop. They're serving a broader music market. Glad I stopped by though.
Let's get back to the hotel and continue to canvas the immediate area by foot. Still high from Ukulele Puapua the day before, I decide to check out their second store in the Sheraton Waikiki. It's right next door. Nice little shop. They're setting up for free ukulele lessons. Same as the day before, very nice staff and great selection. The girl setting up for and conducting the lesson was Jenny (?). She said she played for or was sponsored by Koaloha. Sorry but I can't find the card she gave me, so please correct me if that's not her name. Regardless, she was super cool. She was going to teach the class Wipeout. We talked about strings and upcoming performances (Hers, not mine. I'm not that good.) among other things. They were starting the lesson so I said I'd leave now and the other woman working said to just go sit over in the corner and keep playing whatever you like. Not one for confrontation… I agreed. So Ukulele Puapua is 2 for 2. I can't say enough good things about the folks there. Definitely worth a visit if you're in Waikiki. On the way out Jenny (?) said to say hello to Brian at Koaloha. Will do.
End Part 1