Southern California Ukulele Shops

Lori said:

When I went to McCabes, I got Nancy, who is a uke expert. As she was showing me the the instruments, she added that they could take 20% off the tag price. That was in mid February. And other shops said the same thing. So, I thought it was standard practice to put the tag price out, and then discount 20%.

–Lori

Click to expand...

Oh well. Who wants to buy in Santa Monica now anyway where sales tax is almost 10%?!

flipanda said:

thats cool. i went down to island legends in torrance. now thats a nice shop, the guy was totally helpful and even gave me a really good deal on a k1 kanile'a and case. walked out feeling really happy even after that whole mccabe's thing.

so thumbs up to island legends in torrance. id do business again with them anyday.

Click to expand...

i had the total opposite reaction. since my wife had an appt in redondo, we took a detour on our way back to the 405 and visited the store. i had driven the whole way (5 hours from the Bay) and then spent a couple hours while my wife and mother-in-law had their hair done. We left San Jose during a pseudo heatwave, so I dressed light for the drive and the nice on shore wind helped keep me comfortable. I was pretty excited to be going to the store, since I remembered the old location. unfortunately, when we finally got into the store, we received ABSOLUTELY NO HELP whatsoever. maybe we were disturbing the guy's lunch, since it felt like he came out from the back when we entered the store and was just out at the counter to make sure we didn't cockroach anything. and his demeanor didn't make us feel welcomed at all. I tried to break the ice and talk story with the guy. he looked like one local kine guy, and i podagee sometimes. but he had none of it. short distant answers that immediately hinted to me to go back to SILENT browsing on my own. since i don't get back home very often, even with the attitude, I still really wanted to cruise around the store and probably get some shirts. heck, if the guy had any emotions he could have probably talked me into a kanile`a, but my wife (who also wanted to get our nephews some shirts but also is less willing to take bad customer service) had enough.

it's funny, most "local kine stores" i go to on the continent, if the workers know you Local, then we all wala`au about how Hawai`i change and the hanabadda days. and me i spend money on hawai`i stuff especially, cuz i like kokua the shop owners so they can stay open. but this place, i really felt like i stay in hawai`i, cuz maybe i look and act too Local and not touristy so they don't want to kokua me. no aloha that place.

isnt this part of the forum for ppl who are tryin to sell ukes ?

mrUKETOBER said:

isnt this part of the forum for ppl who are tryin to sell ukes ?

Click to expand...

No, it's about ukulele shops.

no i meant the ukulele marketplace

Yes, you are correct, just not this thread.

i thought thats what threads were supposed to go there lol

1014 said:

unfortunately, when we finally got into the store, we received ABSOLUTELY NO HELP whatsoever.

Click to expand...

It's funny, I had the same reaction recently. I used to tell people to go here, as the first couple of times I went, he was very helpful and nice. But after two bad experiences in a row (where, as with you, he didn't seem like he wanted to be bothered) I don't go anymore. If I need books I'll go to McCabe's. Anything else, I'll just wait until I can make the trek out to Island Bazaar. But unless I'm desperate for strings and can't wait, he won't get my business again, and certainly not for anything like a uke.

Too bad, he has a nice selection of Kanile'as...

If you want to sell something, start a new thread. This particular thread is about ukulele shops in so cal. It just happens to be under the marketplace banner. Go to the top of the page and click on "Ukulele Marketplace", you will see many threads regarding ukuleles for sale or trade.

yea i kno that i was just confused as to why this one was here i guess

mrUKETOBER said:

yea i kno that i was just confused as to why this one was here i guess

Click to expand...

no problem

lol thanks

wickedwahine11 said:

It's funny, I had the same reaction recently. I used to tell people to go here, as the first couple of times I went, he was very helpful and nice. But after two bad experiences in a row (where, as with you, he didn't seem like he wanted to be bothered) I don't go anymore. If I need books I'll go to McCabe's. Anything else, I'll just wait until I can make the trek out to Island Bazaar. But unless I'm desperate for strings and can't wait, he won't get my business again, and certainly not for anything like a uke.

Too bad, he has a nice selection of Kanile'as...

Click to expand...

mahalo wickedwahine,

that's good to hear that my experience wasn't unique. he had a nice selection, and a little courtesy would have went a long way (at least to a couple of sale tshirts). instead he won't get my business at all. i feel more aloha buying online than that robot.

I made a trip to both Island Bazaar and Island Legends last Wednesday and got proper service at both places. Admittedly, the fellow at Island Legends is kind of a low energy guy, and not a pushy salesman. But, he tuned up ukes when I requested and gave a really good deal on a Makala Dolphin for my sister-in-law. I had a very friendly talk with the guy at Island Bazaar. He handed me several high end ukes to try out. So, I guess it varies. These stores are still on my list.

–Lori

low energy is an overstatement. lol

i've only been to island bazaar twice and both times, the kanaka and wahine knew how to read customers well. they seem to know when to come up to us and leave us alone. interacted with my wife and nephews really well. i'll give them a recommendation anytime.

1014 said:

low energy is an overstatement. lol

i've only been to island bazaar twice and both times, the kanaka and wahine knew how to read customers well. they seem to know when to come up to us and leave us alone. interacted with my wife and nephews really well. i'll give them a recommendation anytime.

Click to expand...

Shirley and Dan are both great people. Make sure when you are in there you mention UU.

I wandered in to Kaye's Music in Woodland Hills the other day for some strings. They used to have a small area in the back filled with ukuleles.

Now they've moved the ukes out to the front and the owner says he's selling roughly three times as many as before. He has a complete line of Kala, some Hono, and even Fender in the store. Funny, he shrugged off my Fender Nohea when I brought it by to show off a few months ago (and get new strings). Now he carries them. All good.

Just wish I could find some west Valley uke players...they must be out there, uke are sellin'!

I'm real close to McCabe's and they had nothing but cheap crap ukes sadly out of tune and dusty when I went in Dec 08. I went back a couple months later for strings and paid $13. plus tax for tenor Aquilas I coulda got for MGM shipped way cheaper. Their high end ukes are all the Ks and are way up high where you of course can barely see them and the prices were outrageous. Do you want to go to a shop that bumps a MSRP by 20% and maybe if they take %20 off so you think you're getting a deal, when you can get an actual 20 off elsewhere? Don't think so. Had a hard time getting any help too, except for Nancy who was a doll and led me to the uke strings before I got charged so high for them. Oh, and they had a Martin 5K under glass, wasting away with no love. Snobs. :stop:

True Tone? in Santa Monica, I know the store and I've been in there and they are all about professional rock stars and about laughed me out of the store when I asked about ukes. So I left before they had the bouncer dump me on the sidewalk! :wtf:

So MGM gets all my odds and ends business, I can't be bothered with my locals.