I knew coming to visit Oahu, that I wanted to pick up a nice ukulele during a visit to see my son in Kaneohe. Lina greeted us and really educated me on the different qualities in a ukulele. She encouraged me to pick each one up until I found one that was perfect. In the end I was able to get an 8 string highly customized ukulele that will not only get lots of play but will something to hold onto for a long time. It’s so beautiful and the craftsmanship is topnotch! Mahalo!
The VIP tour was exceptionally enjoyable and informative! Each member of the Souza family and the rest of the team made a particular effort to welcome us and to share with us their role and passion for creating these beautiful musical instruments.
The family, team, materials, craftsmanship, and atmosphere are all so uniquely Hawaiian, and the the opportunity to be a part of it all for a time on this tour is a special privilege.
Huge mahalo and much aloha to Kaimana, Lina, Kristen, and Joe, for making our 25th anniversary so unforgettable!
-Doug and Christy
Wonderful artists and craftsmen. Kanile’a will be the maker of my next custom uke. Impressive design and tone. Aloha spirit of welcome and grace.
Are tour was fantastic and the host was over the top with knowledge about there products and playing the ukulele. My reason for four stars is choice of adorable Hawaiian built ukulele.
UPDATE below original post:
This one hurts to write because the ukes are wonderful (5 stars), but the customer service leaves so much be to be desired (2 stars).
Kanile’a makes beautiful instruments. Playable works of art. But where the company falls short is in customer service.
I ordered my ukulele and they shipped it to the wrong address. It tool over an hour on the phone to figure this out and then with nothing more than an apology I had to go to the FedEx store 45 minutes away to pick it up. In the grand scheme of things this one incident isn’t that much, but it continues.
After getting my uke I was in love and I was ready to special order a custom uke. I spoke on the phone with the rep and they said they would call me back after speaking with the Master Luthier on the following Monday. I never go the call back.
Most recently, my uke has had some fret problems that should be covered under warranty. I used their online contact form and never heard back.
I called and spoke with the same CS rep that never called me back earlier and they said they would send me a label to ship the uke for service and they never did. Then when I wrote to ask about the status of label they said that my uke was being evaluated in the shop and they would get back to me. Ummm, my uke is in a box 2500 miles from their shop.
I want to love this company but can’t get over the lack of customer service. The main CS rep for Kanile’a says a lot and doesn’t seem to follow through with what they say. The ukes are great but the CS doesn’t match up and needs to be addressed.
UPDATE 21 Nov 2022:
Following this review I received a call from the head CS rep. They apologized for the errors and quickly sent the FedEx return label. I shipped it back and last Friday I got a call that the uke was repaired and covered by the warranty. Since my family was coming to Honolulu the next day I asked that the uke be sent to the Ala Moana retail location and they agreed. I was told and said it would be available for pick up on Sunday.
I went to the Ala Moana store Sunday afternoon and the uke was not there. I was disappointed but not surprised. I booked ukulele lessons while on the island and now I won’t have my uke for them.
UPDATE 21 December 2022
The fret tang “sprout” has returned and this time Kanile’a have told me that I will have to pay for the shipping both ways to get the uke repaired by them. Last time this fret tangs started protruding they covered shipping. Since this is a manufacturer’s defect I am going to follow another route to get this situation resolved.
3. Nicole Saunders CD store
Address: 45-552 Kamehameha Hwy, Kaneohe, HI 96744 , Kaneohe , Hawaii , United States
My husband and I hired Ben to play during our ceremony and cocktail hour at our wedding and we were very pleased! Communication was easy. He is very talented and our guests really enjoyed him.
We had Ben for our wedding ceremony with the ukulele and he was great! Great communication throughout the booking process and very affordable! Thank you Ben!
5. Tom’s Piano Studio
Address: 46-359 Haiku Rd, Kaneohe, HI 96744 , Kaneohe , Hawaii , United States
Great instructor. Reasonable prices for beginners so a person or your child can see if they are interested in playing the guitar. I can’t say enough about this guy offering guitar lessons, who he is as a person.
Great music instructor. A very friendly, kind, and effective teacher.
10. Coconut Grove Music
Address: 167 Hamakua Dr #200, Kailua, HI 96734 , Kaneohe , Hawaii , United States
One of the places to visit, bought a ukulele at a really good price. The other stores on the island are very high. Coconut grove has a HUGE selection and great deals. Was so happy to be treated right, even took a couple lessons from Harry. One of the best places I’ve visited on the island. I really wish all music teachers had the approach Harry has. Thank you Harry and thank you to all the staff for making this a wonderful experience.
Great service! Homey shop at the top of the stairs; wear a mask and they’ll buzz you in. Staff is knowledgeable, friendly, helpful, Changed the factory G string on my tenor ukulele to a low G on the spot!
A hidden treasure for musicians in Kailua. The musical instrument store has both new and used instruments including pedals and amps. There are always hidden gems there that you aren’t likely to find anywhere on the mainland. If you are visiting Oahu and you are a musician this is one stop you have to make. Ron and the other guys in the shop are very knowledgeable especially when it comes to ukuleles. Thanks guys for helping me find the right ukulele for my son. It was the perfect Christmas present for him!
Andy
Great store in a new location after decades here in Kailua. Good prices, helpful, friendly staff and owner, lots of stringed instruments amd accessories. A treasure that saves a trip through all that traffic into town…
11. Kapena School of Music
Address: 46-056 Kamehameha Hwy #293, Kaneohe, HI 96744 , Kaneohe , Hawaii , United States
If you’re looking for a music school that will foster your child’s musical ability I highly recommend Kapena School of Music! Their school is conveniently located at Windward Mall. There’s lots of sitting room throughout the mall to do work or just hang out and talk stories. I really enjoyed watching my son blossom through the different musical instruments this summer taught by highly skilled artists! Aunty Kalena went above & beyond to schedule a percussion lesson when I double booked another activity. You can see the love that the family has & a passion for what they do! Their Aloha for our keiki shined through their performance at center stage! Demand live music & support locally owned businesses! Our keiki are our future! Sing Loud!!
12. Susan Fukushima Piano School
Address: 46-022 Alaloa St #211, Kaneohe, HI 96744 , Kaneohe , Hawaii , United States
The Aloha Piano approach for a beginning piano student has been nothing short of amazing. The instructor, Huichen, emphasizes learning a particular piano skill through a combination of storytelling, art and a bit of improvisation. My son was so happy to learn pentatonic, chords, arpeggio and more using this approach. Later, set pieces are introduced that sound great and are within reach of the student. If there is anything confusing in the lesson, Huichen will quickly adjust her approach to make sure the concept is clear to the student. As a result, my son plays the piano with joy and confidence and willingly practices on his own.
After only two months of working with Hueichen Tsai, I’m pleased to say that I’m playing with both hands, and making sense of many terms that I’ve been hearing for three years.
I no longer have notes on my keys as aids in my playing!
Thank you so much, Hueichen, for helping me develop my playing skills, and confidence!
For those who have looked for traditional piano lessons, this studio will seem novel and strange. All I can say is my daughter prefers learning piano by this new method and has a repertoire of catchy songs that she can play whenever she wants. She is learning some traditional music reading as well.
14. Creative Sound Hawaii
Address: 46-012 Alaloa St, Kaneohe, HI 96744 , Kaneohe , Hawaii , United States
When I’m in need of sound equipment or help with my equipment I go there. The staff is knowledgeable and willing to help. I recommend this place.
Helpful people, good selection of equipment and decent prices. It was worth the couple extra dollars to be able to check out the speakers before buying.
You used to be able to get custom cables made or cable repair. Now thier best cable guy moved to Kalihi. I once paid them $200 for a custom cable and was happy to do it. The cables they have in stock are cheap. I need pro cables. I try to use only brick and mortar shops, but these days you can only buy what you need online.
