New brand - Aolani?

The hunt is over:

https://ukulelestorehawaii.com/index.php/product/koaloha-red-label-concert/

I would also consider contacting KoAloha directly as their recent red labels for their 25th anny cost less than this one.

I probably should've qualified further that I'd like to find one in Europe but thanks anyway. :)

And yeah, I think I've seen the regular red labels sold around $2500, and even that is a lot more money than what I paid for my current most expensive uke. But maybe one day I'll be desperate enough to pay whatever for one of those. :)
 
Yes, I know. I live on Oahu. But until recently, Lanikai Ukuleles claimed to be a Hawaiian company, and their sole reason for being able to claim that was they rented a 10x15 import office on the docks. If you need proof it was there at one time, go watch a Baz review of a Lanikai ukulele. He mentions it.

I'm only mentioning them because I was agreeing with a previous poster that a number of companies who make their ukuleles in China will do some tiny little thing to the uke somewhere in America and then claim it's an American ukulele.
I know and that is sad. When I just googled Hawaiian ukulele first up was Leolani that has Honolulu office shared with HanoHano but all they do is push cheap China ukes to ABC store and other tourist venues. Hopefully serious uke players are aware of this and able to distinguish actual producers from import offices.
 
I know and that is sad. When I just googled Hawaiian ukulele first up was Leolani that has Honolulu office shared with HanoHano but all they do is push cheap China ukes to ABC store and other tourist venues. Hopefully serious uke players are aware of this and able to distinguish actual producers from import offices.

Well now I'm embarrassed lol. It was Leolani I was thinking of the whole time, not Lanikai.
 
It seems that tenors are far more common from custom shops. Some will make other sizes, but many only do tenors because that's where the demand is.

Mainland Ukes has done this for years. Have ukes made to their specifications and then have the final fittings and details done in the USA. They also sell ukes made and completed in China as well.

This isn't a new idea, is it? Mainland has done a stellar job, and their ukes aren't gonna break the bank. Two of my BFFs play them.
I vowed a few years ago, though, to not buy any more Chinese ukuleles...2 is enough.
 
I was just on youtube and Ukelikethepros.com was offering a video on Aolani ukes. I didn't want click on it because I didn't want youtube thinking I was interested in that type of thing. However, since this thread has Aolani in the title, I thought you guys might be interested.

I also see a little bit of China-bashing going on here. That's cool, but I just wanted to remind people that they need to put their money where their mouth is. The appeal of China (or Walmart or any big box store) is the price. China/Walmart is asking you to betray your community and its local merchants for some savings. So, if you're going to turn your back on China, you need to pay more for your ukes. You can't have it both ways. I don't want to get too political; I'm just saying you need to be realistic and go into it with your eyes wide open and realize that you're going to be paying a premium for more localized products--whether that product is a uke or some food you picked up at a corner market
 
I was just on youtube and Ukelikethepros.com was offering a video on Aolani ukes. I didn't want click on it because I didn't want youtube thinking I was interested in that type of thing. However, since this thread has Aolani in the title, I thought you guys might be interested.

I also see a little bit of China-bashing going on here. That's cool, but I just wanted to remind people that they need to put their money where their mouth is. The appeal of China (or Walmart or any big box store) is the price. China/Walmart is asking you to betray your community and its local merchants for some savings. So, if you're going to turn your back on China, you need to pay more for your ukes. You can't have it both ways. I don't want to get too political; I'm just saying you need to be realistic and go into it with your eyes wide open and realize that you're going to be paying a premium for more localized products--whether that product is a uke or some food you picked up at a corner market

Well I posted the actual video earlier which revived this thread. It's on the previous page.

I don't really get the negativity towards China either. There are loads of brands who import parts of ukes from China and finish them in Western countries so they're able to sell them cheaper, and often they are decent quality as well. Unless I'm mistaken, Leolani makes quite nice ukes in terms of quality. I get it irks some people that they claim to be a Hawaiian company but they do disclose that they make their ukes oversees. It's not something that bothers me that much at all.

And aside from all that, there are many actual high-end ukes produced in China nowadays. I have two aNueNue Bird ukuleles, on of which is my most expensive uke, and they are among my favourites. They were also made in China but I don't regard them as any lesser despite that. The recent Flight anniversary ukes are also made in China and seem to be excellent quality. Where an instrument is made is much less important to me today than it was, say, ten or twenty years ago.
 
Well I posted the actual video earlier which revived this thread. It's on the previous page.

I don't really get the negativity towards China either. There are loads of brands who import parts of ukes from China and finish them in Western countries so they're able to sell them cheaper, and often they are decent quality as well. Unless I'm mistaken, Leolani makes quite nice ukes in terms of quality. I get it irks some people that they claim to be a Hawaiian company but they do disclose that they make their ukes oversees. It's not something that bothers me that much at all.

And aside from all that, there are many actual high-end ukes produced in China nowadays. I have two aNueNue Bird ukuleles, on of which is my most expensive uke, and they are among my favourites. They were also made in China but I don't regard them as any lesser despite that. The recent Flight anniversary ukes are also made in China and seem to be excellent quality. Where an instrument is made is much less important to me today than it was, say, ten or twenty years ago.

i agree with you and Riprock...i was not a fan of ukes built in China but after seeing many Kala models i started to change my mind a few years ago...now there are many ukes built in China that sound great and the fit and finish and finish top notch...

the prices seem kind of high but you get solid wood instruments seems like folks just don't want this company to do well but other companies building in Vietnam,Phillipines,Thailand etc are ok?

i am not the owners or investor so they will find out if they made the right decisions on price and marketing but i am not going to sink their ship with my comments...

hard to compare tone to other ukes since i never played or saw one...will be watching to see if they catch on mainly because of sound/tone not where built
 
It seems that there is a connection to Cornerstone Custom via a licenced design, but the brand is not mentioned on the Cornerstone site. Most USA manufacturers who have a lower cost product line made in Asian factories are not afraid to include the product on their websites, you have to wonder why Cornerstone is so shy about mentioning the Aolani product. Its hard to see the point in trying to hide the obvious. Possibly there is no actual connection apart from the design licence, possibly Custom Cornerstone is the "master luthier", why not just post the true situation?

I agree. Particularly when both the Aolani and Cornerstone websites show them based in Westminster, CA and even have the same phone number. Aolani's contact email is: info@cornerstoneukes.com

One other odd thing is that on the Aolani website, they say all of their ukes are solid wood, no laminates. Yet the lowest priced on on ULTP is listed as having laminate back and sides. :confused:
 
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Especially after their recent podcast with Peter Marreiros, it says something to me that Andrew does not carry Aolani at HMS. Or maybe it is in the works and he will in the future?
 
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I wanted to like these, but I'm not finding the sound nearly as nice as an Opio, Rebel, Romero, Pono, or aNueNue. Which can be had in that price range. Maybe it's Terry's playing...
 
I had forgotten that I commented on this thread.

Since my comment we have discussed another uke brand which merchandises ukes made in China and has a workshop in California that makes nice ukuleles that sell at prices very similar to what I have seen to be the prices for the Aolani products.

Google maps shows that it is only 443 miles from Westminster, Ca to Petaluma, Ca.

So why would Cornerstone need to be using a factory in China? Why wouldn't they follow the lead of the other brand and set up a facility in California, employing USA workers, to make and sell ukuleles in the $900 price range? It seems to be both possible and feasible.

I have asked before, who would be a proud Californian to have a choice in the $500 - $900 range of products from at least two local manufacturers that have the factory right there in California? Stamped with "Made in California" and sounding great.

One of the largest consumer markets for ukuleles on the planet would have to exist between Sacramento and San Diego. Some ukulele factories in the area that can sell a uke for $300 - $900 would have to have a good chance of success.


LA+OC/southland may fit that description, and the bay area to the west, but between LA and Sacramento up the valley is a whole lot of farmland.
 
I had forgotten that I commented on this thread.

So why would Cornerstone need to be using a factory in China? Why wouldn't they follow the lead of the other brand and set up a facility in California, employing USA workers, to make and sell ukuleles in the $900 price range? It seems to be both possible and feasible.

Capitalized costs would be my guess...
 
I wanted to like these, but I'm not finding the sound nearly as nice as an Opio, Rebel, Romero, Pono, or aNueNue. Which can be had in that price range. Maybe it's Terry's playing...

I’ve made the same comment to my wife about his sound samples. I can never tell if I don’t like the uke or his playing.

I know the guys at HMS set an incredibly high standard for sound samples, but I don’t necessarily need that. Places like SUS, Aloha City, and Uke Republic who play (mostly) the same music on each uke so the buyer can cross shop and compare work just fine. Hopefully, someone else will stock them and make a sound sample because they could be great sounding ukes.
 
I consider myself a guitar and uke nerd who is fairly knowledgeable about the various brands out there. As I have never heard of "Cornerstone Custom" before I got curious and had to look them up. Cornerstone is basically a niche guitar builder with focus on the high end worship market. He learned about ukes in 2019 and then miniaturized his guitar design into at customizable tenor uke. Not sure if that and adding $40 worth of parts and labour is enough to justify tripling the price of their budget ukes.
 
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I’ve made the same comment to my wife about his sound samples. I can never tell if I don’t like the uke or his playing.

I know the guys at HMS set an incredibly high standard for sound samples, but I don’t necessarily need that. Places like SUS, Aloha City, and Uke Republic who play (mostly) the same music on each uke so the buyer can cross shop and compare work just fine. Hopefully, someone else will stock them and make a sound sample because they could be great sounding ukes.

I agree, though I really do enjoy the HMS guys' playing. I'll often listen to their demos on Youtube and let them play automatically one after another, just to listen to them. Often the particular uke doesn't even matter, it's the quality of the playing.
 
Looks like Cornerstone Custom has developed a budget line made in China and modified in the US called Aolani.

A bunch of their tenors hit Uke Like The Pros tonight and the company has a half developed website (a lot is “coming soon”).

Anyone know more about the new brand?

http://aolaniukes.com/

https://store.ukelikethepros.com/collections/vendors?vendor=Aolani&q=Aolani
All I know is I bought one from uke like the pros tenor size The spruce and rosewood And the fretboard on it is cracking And I only had it for 3 weeks And I have hamidifiers in my room Because in Tucson Arizona it could get real dry I even have some inside the case just in case. The instruments sound really really lovely And to me they are worth the price But I would not buy one from uke like the pros I had thought they would have better Warranties But they don't I was told That it didn't leave there that way And was Told that I could send it to them and they would take a look at it and see how much they would charge to fix it After only having it for 3 weeks And I was given another number to call to Peter in Los Angeles so that he could see if he will be able to warranty it yet a person I didn't even purchase it from I just don't understand that I could only Tell you if you purchase one make sure you get it from The original dealer he is a super nice guy and from what I seen on the web he makes a some ukulele the shop name is Cornerstone I believe
 
I don't understand why it's'replace the tuners' rather than install the tuners. Does the Chinese Factory produce them thinking that it's a final product?
Anyway nothing smells good about this. Also ULTP is known for being less than trustworthy and the fact that this brand is only available there is a gigantic No-No. Also I didn't know that cornerstone is marketing in that ultra religious way. Kind of strange and off-putting especially when the price is so high and the product so obviously shiny and luxurious.
Regarding Mainland ukulele : their business model has the structure of the instruments built in the Caribbean I think? Before being finished in the US. I don't think that they just add a bone nut and saddle and swap out tuners.
Speaking of bone nuts and saddles. I'm really sick of dealer manipulation. I want them to stop telling us that bone is superior and will make a huge difference especially when on other listings they tell us that synthetic tusq is superior and will make a huge difference.
 
All I know is I bought one from uke like the pros tenor size The spruce and rosewood And the fretboard on it is cracking And I only had it for 3 weeks And I have hamidifiers in my room Because in Tucson Arizona it could get real dry I even have some inside the case just in case. The instruments sound really really lovely And to me they are worth the price But I would not buy one from uke like the pros I had thought they would have better Warranties But they don't I was told That it didn't leave there that way And was Told that I could send it to them and they would take a look at it and see how much they would charge to fix it After only having it for 3 weeks And I was given another number to call to Peter in Los Angeles so that he could see if he will be able to warranty it yet a person I didn't even purchase it from I just don't understand that I could only Tell you if you purchase one make sure you get it from The original dealer he is a super nice guy and from what I seen on the web he makes a some ukulele the shop name is Cornerstone I believe
A picture and some punctuation would go a long way towards helping us understand your situation...
 
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