Uke Shopping: Kauai or Maui?

I'm going to be visiting both Kauai and Maui in the next month. I plan to buy a solid koa, Hawaiian made tenor ukulele while I'm there. Any thoughts on which of these offer the best selection and prices? Wide open to recommendations!!

Mahalo

Check the Uke Stores Listing for Hawaii. You can also ask the locals where to go.

>On Maui, I suggest you check out Mele Ukulele, they have many Mele brand to choose from (http://www.meleukulele.com/ )...I have purchased 2 Meles...great staff....
>also Bounty Music has a variety of most of the top brands ( http://www.ukes.com/ );
> there is a small music store in Lahina at 910 Honoapiilani Hwy Suite 9...I bought my Kamaka Pinapple there...
>Ken Potts, in Lahina, makes custom ukes ( http://kpukuleles.com/home.html )

>I also suggest you check out local pawn shops and Bargain Barn in Kihei...I recently bought a very well used but great sounding 1970s Kamaka 6 string tenor white label at the barn...for what I thought was a very reasonable price...<$400.

Good luck,
Terry

What CanuckUkeMaui said about Maui. On Kauai, in addition to Scottie's, there's a Larry' Music (although I believe the sign just says something like "ukulele Shop" or "Ukulele Store") in Koloa. The last time I heard, the Larry's Music in Kapa'a sells only Kamoa Ukuleles. Not to be contrary, but you could always go to Oahu and visit HMS in Haleiwa.

CanuckUkeMaui said:

>On Maui, I suggest you check out Mele Ukulele, they have many Mele brand to choose from (http://www.meleukulele.com/ )...I have purchased 2 Meles...great staff....
>also Bounty Music has a variety of most of the top brands ( http://www.ukes.com/ );
> there is a small music store in Lahina at 910 Honoapiilani Hwy Suite 9...I bought my Kamaka Pinapple there...
>Ken Potts, in Lahina, makes custom ukes ( http://kpukuleles.com/home.html )

>I also suggest you check out local pawn shops and Bargain Barn in Kihei...I recently bought a very well used but great sounding 1970s Kamaka 6 string tenor white label at the barn...for what I thought was a very reasonable price...<$400.

Good luck,
Terry

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As per Terry about Maui, it's all good leads. Kama'aina Pawn shop on Main Street in Wailuku always have a decent selection of ukes, I bought a Maui Music Concert and Soprano as well as a Hawaiian Instrument Designs Super Soprano (pre-Mele) from them. Don't pay advertized price, make an offer and most of the time, they'll deal with you. At Bargin Barn, I bought a Mele Bruddah 6 string at a great price, again dealing to get a better price. Also another Pawn Shop close to there where I bought 2 ukes from.
If possible, check Craigslist for Maui, bought many that way.......Good luck, happy hunting...............Bo...........

Great ideas, thanks!

Love the idea of a "ukulele tour" -- how fun! Thanks all for the great input and ideas. Can't wait to be sitting on the beach strumming a new koa ukulele!

Worth the trip to Oahu to go to HMS, no where on Maui or Kauai will you find anywhere near the selection. If you are looking for a Hawaiian made ukulele you might consider going straight to the factory, both Joe at Kanile'a and the Kamaka brothers at Kamaka give daily tours and sale directly to the public. Something very cool about picking your baby up directly from the stork. Worth the short flight to Oahu. Plus two of the Kamaka boys fly for Hawaiian Airlines, you might get lucky and have one of the Kamaka's fly you to pick up your new uke!!!

If Ken (Potts) ukes - http://kpukuleles.com/home.html - are in your price range, I highly recommend a trip to his Lahaina shop - simply amazing work! My 15 y/o nephew, Max, works at Lahaina Music, which I believe was mentioned above - at 910 Honoapiilani Hwy in Lahaina pretty good selection. Also, Avi Ronen (often plays with Uncle WIllie K. and Indio & Avi) just moved his Lahaina Guitars shop to: 808 Wainee St. #101 (next to Radio Shack) Avi & Willie designed the Oscar Schmidt Willie K. signature (but initial model was engineered /built by Ken Potts..) & Avi usually stocks quite a few Ukes.

There are several additional tourist traps in Lahaina -- one on the corner across from Lappert's Ice cream, & another small shop in the Lahaina Marketplace, where the guy is really nice -- he plugged me in, cranked the amp & let me wail on a custom Kanile'a one day!

Don't spend enough time on Kaua'i for any recommendations, but I do own an incredible, custom Koa Miles Stephens Uke http://msukuleles.com/ Miles hails from Kona on the Big Island & builds some incredible custom stuff for the $$ - definitely a bit more affordable than Ken's work.

Alo)(a, & fun shopping!

Sean (aka NKO)

I have bought my ukes from the dealers on Maui....all of them are great people!!! Lahaina Music, Bounty Music and Mele Ukulele. Like Kamaka stated, check out the listing of the dealers on both islands and have fun!!