Where Does Kanilea Make Their Islander Brand?

Luke El U

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The label in my Islander concert doesn't say where the instrument was made. Neither does the Islander website say anything about location.

We can make educated guesses, of course, but does anyone know for sure?
 
The label in my Islander concert doesn't say where the instrument was made. Neither does the Islander website say anything about location.

We can make educated guesses, of course, but does anyone know for sure?



Hmmm, interesting. I am not familiar with that brand but I thought the law required disclosure.
 
Many items manufactured overseas have a separate sticker to indicate their country of origin. My Kala ukes had a gold label sticker on the back of the headstock which read "Made in China", and they were quickly removed. I've seen new instruments in stores with these labels removed. When I had a bike shop, the Asian made bikes from one manufacturer had a sliver of a sticker which read "Made in Japan" etc. The adhesive was very weak, and the name brand was very well known. Branch I did the same thing, and since we weren't a Bianchi dealer, I don't have a problem naming them. Trek made its reputation by building bikes in Wisconsin, but quickly began manufacturing them in China. Now they like to say "Designed and Engineered in Waterloo, Wisconsin", and they even had a U.S flag on that label for several years.

I haven't seen the Islander label, but it was never a U.S. made product, like Trek and Schwinn were. The FTC was much tougher on the latter two manufacturers regarding labeling, but I suppose Kanile'a appears on the Islander label. That were the water gets murky. Kenny Hill had guitars manufactured in Mexico and then China. The Mexican Hill label ready "Kenny Hill" and other methods were needed to identify where it was made. The made in China guitars are now labeled "New World", but I see them listed as Kenny Hill guitars all the time.
 
And a related question, how is Islander's quality control? Thinking of purchasing the GL6... Still rather undecided.

I played a few in a small ukulele shop in San Jose recently. The build quality was good for an import, no better or worse than Kala or Ohana. What really disappointed me, though, was the really sharp fret ends, like I so often see on budget Lanikai ukuleles. Every one also needed a professional setup, but that would be the case for most budget ukuleles. I would not buy one site-unseen, unless purchased from a reputable dealer, such as Uke Republic or HMS.
 
There's a YouTube video, showing Joe and family sorting through the Islanders for rejects. If that's of any comfort...
 
Call Kanilea and ask..Kris or Joe will probably answer the phone...


As a consumer I wouldn't want to have to call the owners of a company to find out where their product is made! Like I said before, I thought proper labeling was the law, obviously I am wrong about that. Whether it is a bike or a musical instrument, anything short of disclosure 'right on the label' is just an attempt to dupe the potential buyer.
 
As a consumer I wouldn't want to have to call the owners of a company to find out where their product is made! Like I said before, I thought proper labeling was the law, obviously I am wrong about that. Whether it is a bike or a musical instrument, anything short of disclosure 'right on the label' is just an attempt to dupe the potential buyer.
From what I know of the Souzas, they are not trying to "dupe" anyone. I understand your frustration about labeling, but I think there is a leap between that and fraud/trickery.

Islanders are good ukes, on par with (at the very least) most imports. I think the best import brand is Pono, which, IMHO can be on par with the K brands (at least the high- range Ponos).

What are you looking for with sound and quality? Are you looking for something made in Hawaii? Not every uke made in Hawaii is great, by the way, but I understand the desire to have an instrument handmade in Hawaii.
 
I can only see one reason for not labeling a product as "made in China" when it is made in China.

Consumers should have that information up front. I don't care if it is food or clothing. Just saying....

Peace.
 
Okay, I'll email the good people at Kanile'a and ask. Then I'll post their response here.
 
"...The Islander was created and designed by Kanile'a
and is manufactured overseas in China to our specifications. Each instrument
is brought to our facility and inspected prior to being shipped. If you have
any further questions please let me know."
Mahalo,
Chris Salvador
Kanile'a 'Ukulele
Client Relations
 
"...The Islander was created and designed by Kanile'a
and is manufactured overseas in China to our specifications. Each instrument
is brought to our facility and inspected prior to being shipped. If you have
any further questions please let me know."
Mahalo,
Chris Salvador
Kanile'a 'Ukulele
Client Relations
This is an expected quick honest reply from a reputed brand. Neither surprise nor disappointed.:)
 
Nice. Now just put "made in China" on the label for the consumer at the point of sale. Knowledge is power.
 
I am curious about the factory location effect people choosing production line ukulele brand.

For me, it is very less, when it comes down to production line level. QC matters more I think.
 
I am curious about the factory location effect people choosing production line ukulele brand.

For me, it is very less, when it comes down to production line level. QC matters more I think.

If you're saying that you wonder why people might judge a production ukulele solely or primarily on where it is made, then I agree; that is, if someone is just curious as to where it is made, sure, I wonder that, too. But I don't assume that something made in China is necessarily inferior to something made somewhere else.
 
If you're saying that you wonder why people might judge a production ukulele solely or primarily on where it is made, then I agree; that is, if someone is just curious as to where it is made, sure, I wonder that, too. But I don't assume that something made in China is necessarily inferior to something made somewhere else.
My broken English, thanks for guiding my question.

I do not know the reason behine the topic, therefore I try not to point my question directly on "judge a production ukulele on where it is made". Then my sentences became confusing.

However, I understand people concern "made in China". This is a deeper problem.
 
Hmmm...

It's all about price point and perceived value.

You want China pricing and US labor (yeah, last time I checked, Hawaii was considered US...), then you're living on Mars without oxygen or protein.

I just don't see how a truly US based manufacturer can possibly be expected to make nice playable real wood ukes for under about $800.00 retail. Sure, someone is doing it. Will they be in business in five years? No...they won't. I've seen a number of companies in North America come in low-balling...Garrison Guitars, CA Guitars...or like Emerald Guitars of Ireland, come in below cost to try to stake out a claim. It's no-go.

So for Kanilea to have an import line makes sense. But...it's a musical tool. Are you afraid it won't appreciate like a Hawaiian-made uke might do? Gimme a break. It is what it is, and I don't think that anyone is buying them hoping for some US-made vibe. They are a decent, inexpensive, import uke. Get over it. At least there are real Hawaiian islanders involved...as opposed to so many other import uke brands...whether that matters or not to you.

So how many brands beginning with the letter "K" are actually made in Hawaii? And how many are ersatz Hawaiian? All this talk about "K-brands" and all that, and yet one of the most collectible brand begins with an "M" and was proudly made in Pennsylvania...
 
I personally do not judge an instrument (or anything else for that matter) based on the country it was made in. I do care deeply about honest labeling. Not putting the country on the label is improper. If the product is good it won't matter to most people, BUT, we have a right to decide ourselves and can only do that with full disclosure.

For the record, I have nothing against China or the ukulele brand. I am talking only about labeling.
 
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