I have always wanted to learn how to play the ukulele. When i was a kid, Roy Sakuma was the gold…read morestandard for ukulele lessons, and a few of my friends actually took lessons from Mr. Sakuma. While my parents supported my music aspirations by signing me up for piano, chorus, dance, and clarinet (total geek I know) lessons, adding one more instrument was too much. For the past few years, every time I'd return home I'd go to different ukulele stores, try a few and give up. Too many options, not the right time, or too much to carry back was always my excuse for not buying a ukulele. Visiting Kanile'a Ukulele in Windward Mall, felt different. The huge store was empty and one sales person was at the register. He was a no pressure sales and just so nice. He played the ukulele so effortlessly, natural, and I was SOLD! Since I had never owned or played the ukulele I was thinking of getting just a starter uke ($150-$200/ea). But the wood and manufacturing was in China. That did not feel too authentic. On the other end of the spectrum is all Hawaii made with local wood (koa) at $3000 and up. That seemed too expensive for a beginner ukulele. I ended up with koa wood locally sourced, and the ukulele made in China but verified for quality standards in Hawaii. ($800-$1000). The ukulele comes with a standard case. I ended up liking the custom Kanile'a case because it's waterproof, sturdier, and had a K logo. I also got the moisture control packs that sit in the case to maintain proper moisture levels (not too humid/ dry). And finally I got a tuner. I cant wait to bring this piece of home back with me to the mainland. I have already taken an online class and loved it! I'm so glad I visited Kanile'a! Start to finish the experience was superb! Highly recommended! LOCATION: 4/5 SERVICE: 5/5 VALUE: 4/5 AMBIANCE: 4/5 PET FRIENDLY: yes CLEANLINESS: 4/5 PARKING: 5/5

This store was great and the staff was particularly amazing! I visited last month with 2 young kids…read morewith em, just trying to find my dream Ukulele. Originally just window shopping, but after meeting the helpful staff and getting to see how amazing the Ukulele's they make are, I am now saving up for one of the Ukes from this store. They were so patient with me and never made me feel bad when I was not able to buy the uke that day, or because my kids were running around. Mahalo!

Heather Pescht is a master of her craft, both as a musician and as a teacher! Heather has been our…read morefamily piano teacher for nearly 8 years, teaching three of our children. Our youngest daughter continues to benefit from her fine instruction! While patient and kind, she sets a high standard for students' musical achievement and is very effective motivating them to practice and achieve. She combines weekly lessons with semi-annual recitals that enable her students to develop not only musical skills, but also the self-confidence, poise, and maturity to perform before an audience. Her rates have always been very reasonalbe for the outstanding, personalized lesson that she consistently delivers. Each lesson lasts at least as long as its published duration and she is very flexible and easy to work with when scheduling conflicts arise. As our children have matured and need letters of recommendation, she has generously given of her time to support. We feel very blessed to have Heather as our family piano teacher and give her our strongest, unqualified recommedation!!

From the owner: Women and locally owned 40 years professional piano instructor. read more

If you're looking for a Kailua music store, look no further than Coconut Grove Music!…read more Located right across the street from Bob's Sports Bar, above Lanikai Brewing Company, Coconut Grove Music is the go-to place for your stringed instrument needs. Whether you need a tuner, new strings, or guitar picks or are looking for a new or used instrument and don't want to travel into town, this is the place to stop by. Street parking is available, or you can park in any of their free, assigned stalls in the small parking lot next to the building. The entrance to the parking lot is a little narrow and can be easily missed, but there is a mini food truck close to the entrance, which might help you find out how to get in. To get upstairs, take the stairs facing the street to the second floor and walk straight towards the end through the brown door. Their old location used to be through the brown door on the bottom floor that took you upstairs, but they are now in the last brown door on the second floor. I will say that some of their items are priced a little more than a big box store like Guitar Center. Then again, if you think about it, if you're already in Kailua, you probably wouldn't want to drive to Pearl Highland or even to town at Easy Music Center to pick up some new strings. Shout out to them for having the Elixir Phosphor Bronze 11|52 acoustic guitar strings and a couple of the Herco guitar picks!

I (and my 9 year old daughter) have been getting guitar and ukulele lessons from Harry Koizumi…read morehere. Great location and Harry is very knowledgeable and great with kids. Also purchased gear here and Rick has been super helpful with my questions.

Jimmy taught all 3 of my kids and me, too! He is a consummate professional teacher, with many years…read moreexperience, great musical, and teaching ability, but also lots of patience and desire to impart his love of music to his students.

Jimmy is a very dedicated, knowledgeable, and supportive music teacher. Over the years we have had…read morea number of music teachers for our kids. Jimmy has been the best by far. He really goes out of his way to make it interesting and fun for his students. With Jimmy's help our daughter was able to get into both the Berklee College of Music and the Clive Davis Music Institute at NYU. Thank you so much Jimmy!

Our daughters LOVE Music for You. We tried Gymboree and…read moreKindermusik in the past and for various reasons were not very pleased, so I was VERY skeptical about signing up, as I was thinking maybe Music classes just aren't for us? Living in Kaneohe, the location is one of the reasons I decided to try it out. It is located right across the street from Windward Mall, lots of parking, very convenient. Both my daughters have taken classes at Music for You. My youngest has participated since 18 months. I really helped with her speech development, confidence and also learning to sit in a circle and interacting with a group. We love the songs that we learn at class, and sing them often. My preschooler participated in Music For You in summer 2011. She was able to learn a variety of songs and thoroughly enjoyed all of the fun activities. For my preschooler, I think it helped to improve/ develop her listening skills as well as her ability to concentrate and follow directions in a group setting. As a parent, I love that I don't need to participate in the preschool class. Parent participation in the toddler class is required, but I enjoyed it. I am not a dancer, so I was VERY relieved that "movement" activities are kept at a minimum... YIPEE!! Deb, the owner, is seriously the nicest and sweetest person ever. She is so caring and concerned about the kids. You can truly tell that she loves what she does and this is definitely her calling. she is a mother too, and I really feel like that makes a HUGE difference. Deb has wonderful control of her class, they run smoothly and effectively, making great use of the class time. She keeps kids engaged. she has such a wonderful warm way of interacting with the kids and getting them to participate and to feel comfortable. We highly recommend Music For You!

My 4 year old daughter has attended two terms of the Preschool sessions at Music for You and is…read moregetting ready to sign up for her third. She loves it!! She has learned so much in the classes, from incorporating music, beat and movements, pitch exploration, repetition, songtales, and has learned so many wonderful songs! As a homeschooled preschooler, I strongly feel that these classes enrich my daughter, not only through music, but in learning important classroom and social skills, and confidence building through singing. The instructor/owner Deb is wonderful! You could not ask for a more kind, caring and nurturing teacher for your child. She makes the classes so fun with puppets, instruments, dancing, jumping, singing, you name it! Once a child starts singing, they never stop and it's a wonderful thing to hear!!! I can't say enough good things about Music for You, it's a wonderful experience for both you and your child! I recommend it highly!!

Music Center of Hawaii is very small but the amount of instruments and service far exceeds their…read moreshop size. They are one of the only shops that repairs saxophones, violins, and standup bass's. They have a huge selection of violins, flutes, saxophones just to name a few. The staff is absolutely top notch any thing you need for your bowed instrument is there.

Best experience I've ever had in a music store. My son was freaking out because his saxophone…read moreneeded some repairs, and the employees did an amazing job helping me a getting his saxophone up to par. they were extremely knowledgeable and knew exactly what they were talking about and helped me find exactly what I needed. We will definitely be back and be doing all of our music store needs right here.

Unacceptable Service & Zero Priority I am beyond frustrated…read morewith the service I received today, and I ended up walking out. My wife, my two kids, and I walked into this establishment around 4:35 PM on March 25th. We were greeted at the front by Ted, who told us he'd be over to help us "real soon" and instructed us to head back to the electronic drums. Couple other staff asked if we needed help which we did, and was told they couldn't really help us because they weren't the 'drum guy' and to wait for Ted. We waited. For 25 to 30 minutes. When Ted finally decided to show up, he gave us maybe five minutes of his time. Instead of actually helping us make a decision, he left us with more questions than answers. He told us he'd be "right back," and then disappeared for another 10 minutes. From where I was standing, I could see him at the front of the store helping people who walked in long after we did. The breaking point was when he finally came back to our area...but not to help us. He started assisting another person who had just arrived. At that point, I was losing my cool. He knew we had been waiting patiently for a long time, yet he continued to treat us like we weren't a priority. Once he finally finished with the latecomers, I had to confront him with the facts. I told him exactly how long we'd been sitting there while he ignored us for newer customers. Instead of offering a solution or taking accountability, he just hit me with excuses. Then, he actually had the nerve to ask if I had "more questions." I told him flat out: I was ready to check out 30 minutes ago, but he left us hanging high and dry. I was literally about to tell him which set we were buying, but after that experience, I decided right then and there that we wouldn't be supporting this business. We walked out. Bottom line: You need to get your priorities straight. UPDATE: I'm updating my previous 1-star review to 5 stars because of one person... Senior Manager Anju (I hope I spelled that correctly). After that initial visit yesterday which left us feeling disregarded and unimportant... Anju reached out to me personally to make it right during our phone call. It takes a true leader to own up to a mistake and honestly she did so with such grace. Took full accountability for her store and them some. When we returned today, we weren't just 'customers' we were felt like actual guests. Anju provided the kind of high-touch and personalized support that made the store feel more like a community. She was patient, informative, answered all my questions and incredibly kind to our 5-year-old. She made sure we walked out happy and we left with the perfect Roland TD-07DMK Electronic Drum Kit and a matching V-Drum Amp. I felt Anju made it her mission to make sure every detail was handled perfectly so we could focus on the excitement of our daughter's musical journey instead of the issues we faced previously. It's easy to be a good store when things go right, but how you handle things when they go wrong is the true test... Anju passed with flying colors. From here on out we'll be supporting this business under her leadership. Mahalo for turning this around for our family!

They have such an extensive variety of musical instruments! I went on a Black Friday sale day but…read moreI still received top notch customer service. I was never forgotten and was constantly being asked if I "needed anything" while I tried out a new guitar that I purchased that morning. Prices seem comparable to other local music stores. I almost forgot to mention that their website provided me with much more information about the guitar that I was looking at than I could find on my own via Google! I should've started my research there first!

Kailua Music School has been incredible for my teenage daughter. She takes both band and solo…read morelessons here, and the opportunities they provide are unmatched. The school regularly organizes performances across the island--from local venues to community events--giving students real-world experience that's boosted her confidence immensely. What stands out most is the sense of community. My daughter has formed meaningful friendships with peers who share her passion, bonding through rehearsals and performances. The owners clearly pour their hearts into creating these opportunities, and their dedication shows in how much the students grow. If you want a music program that goes beyond lessons and fosters creativity, connection, and stage skills, Kailua Music School is the place. Highly recommend!

My 7 year old went to KMS's Spring Break Theater Camp and had SO much fun! The teacher brought…read moregreat energy to the experience and encouraged each kid to develop their own unique talents. This was my son's first exposure to performing, and now he can't wait to attend the Summer Theater Camp too!

Simply the best. Gary is the only one who I would even consider trusting with my instruments…read more He's done work on my vintage 1976 Ibanez Artist, set up my Ibanez GB10, repaired my 1960's Martin Baritone ukulele (a family heirloom I wouldn't let anyone touch except Gary) and recently set up and worked on my Kala ukulele. Excellent work. I've been a musician for 60 years, I do know what I'm talking about, and my musician friends, all of them pros, feel the same way about Gary.

I have brought my guitars to most of the repair people on the island since I moved here, and…read moresearched around quite a bit with unsatisfactory results previously. I've been playing 50+yrs and have some pretty nice vintage and new guitars. Gary does top notch work. His workshop is well set up and organized, and is probably better tooled than the other workshops where you can't see what is going on. I've been to a few backrooms to watch people at work and Gary's setup is fine. It being in his garage, which another reviewer subtracts points for, is irrelevant. What is relevant is skill, and Gary is tied with one other person on the island in my estimation, but the other person is generally hard to get a hold of and takes forever. These two are the only people on the island who I would trust with my guitars (1961 Gibson lg-1, 1962 Fender Jaguar, 1965 Fender Coronado II, 1972 Gibson SG, 2009 Godin xTSA, 2015 Gibson Hummingbird Pro, 2020 Danelectro "1959" 12 string, 2024 PRS SE20e parlor guitar). I say this not to show off -- the vintage ones became vintage from me taking care of them and playing them, not collecting. I got them relatively cheap back in the day. Gary has done fine work on all of them, and I play at least one of them every day. I would not bring them to any of the others I have tried or interviewed, and I really checked around. Let me give an example to bring things home. I have a very nice Gibson Hummingbird Pro acoustic that had a particular neck problem that I just plain would not entrust to other island luthiers and such. Basically, there is a common problem of a little buckle in the neck that was causing one string to buzz on one or two frets, I tried another luthier I had read about, and they wanted to sell me a case, a humidity controller and talked a bunch of nonsense in general about the specific problem. They really talked a good game and they wanted me to buy a bunch of stuff, lock my guitar in the case, and blah blah before they would even look at it. They understood the problem to be me. When I asked what they would do if the problem persisted after getting all the gadgets, the other luthier shop was into defretting, planing the neck and resetting it, which would have cost a small fortune. The correct solution, which I knew from another guitar, is to not worry about planing the neck and adjust the frets instead, since we are talking a miniscule buckle. I played the other guitar that had had this problem for thirty years without a problem after the fret adjustment, and have had no problems with the Gibson's playability since Gary adjusted it five or six years ago. It took a couple of tries to get it there, but Gary worked with me, and we had to close in on it because of my playing style, not because he missed anything, so he did the first adjustment conservatively since he would have to replace the fret if he went too far. The more radical steps were available if the less invasive one failed, but Gary approached the problem as only someone with skills, wisdom, and years of experience could do. I could go on about the meticulous and knowledgeable work he did on my other guitars, but suffice it to say, he is where I have taken them for the past decade and where I'll keep bringing them. He's not the cheapest, but he is the all-around best if you care about your instruments AND play them.