Excellent customer service.. Went in to look and browse and was assisted without being pressured…read more Purchased a ukulele and was given lots of help and insight how to care for the instrument, as well.. I'd definitely recommend this business for sure

I must respond to the owner's comment because it is obviously inaccurate and misleading ---…read more My complaint is not really about the customs fees and duties, I knew very well that I had to pay them, Robert Y shipped the ukulele from Hawaii to Portugal via the US Mail instead of FedEx, UPS, or DHL. Had he used one of the three, the ukulele would have arrived in days, not weeks, and they would have coordinated with customs directly, saving even more time. Additionally, the pickup he installed is junk and does not work. When I contacted him about it by email he refused to respond. Here it is three years later and the ukulele sits in the corner and collects dust because it does not fulfill the purpose for which it was purchased. $1,100 down the drain, facts are facts. He was very friendly and helpful until he knew he was not going to get another penny from me, once he had what he wanted, he dropped me like a hot potato and his true colors emerged. It is a beautiful ukulele, but if it does not work as advertised and is totally useless. CombatCritic Downgrades Robert Y and Hawaiian Ukulele & Guitar To 0 Bombs Out of 10 And Another Spot On My 'WALL OF SHAME' ... More Bombs Are Better!

Great service, huge selection of ukulele's, guitars and accessories, picks, tuners gig bags. Sales…read moreand great service. I had several of my Kamaka ukuleles repaired and the job they did was awesome. Totally restored! 5 Stars!!

When I moved to Hilo from the mainland I immediately needed a sofa and loveseat, and got a very…read morenice and reasonably priced set here, after looking at other stores. A year later I needed to replace a bed that had not fared well in my move, and again found the best deal here, after looking at literally every place that sells beds in the vicinity of Hilo. This is a homegrown, mom-and-pop operation run by folks who are really sweet and helpful. Next time I need furniture, this will definitely be the first place I look. They also carry musical instruments, but I'm not qualified to comment on those.

I'm glad I stopped by to pick up a tuner and new strings. He asked what kind of sound I prefer, and…read moreI could choose for tender fingers. What a great little shop. I definitely support this local musician owned store. The family run business has a musician ancestry. Carry on, kanikapila

Thank you Spencer for the perfect gift. I knew Nothing about Ukuleles. I just knew my husband had…read morea cheap one (like a toy). I spoke to Spencer to help me upgrade the Ukulele. He was a big help and I purchased a very nice one without breaking my bank. Spencer even made sure we received it before Christmas. Btw- there is parking in front and back of store.

Horrible place to take anything too. Will rip you off. Plus they are not even knowledgeable about…read moreinstruments. Will never return. Go elsewhere.

There are two older guys that work there. One is Mike, the owner, and the other is Richard, who in…read moremy opinion is not to be trusted. I just went in today to pay the finance charge on one of the items I pawned. I owed $46, I gave Richard $106 and he only gave me $50 back, two twenties and a ten. I admit, I was at fault because I was signing the paperwork and put the money away in my wallet without properly counting it. When I called to let Richard know he short-changed me he got loud and tried to talk over me, so I let him talk. He then said I only gave him $100. I stopped him there and corrected him it was actually $106, and he kept shouting at me to LISTEN, because apparently I didn't know what I was saying. And hung up on me. But even if I gave $100 and the payment was for $46 aren't I already short-changed by $4??? How am I at ALL in the wrong? I finally got in touch with Mike and he too said I should stop talking and just listen...some service right. After I finally got Mike to listen, I explained to him I gave Richard $106, the finance charge was $46 and I was only given $50. Mike asked when I could come in to get the rest of my money back, but to get to that point was a bit ridiculous. My advice, beware of Richard he will short-change you, do your research, know what your things are worth, and double and triple check any money you receive, especially if Richard gives it to you.

I found this business online and sent an email to express interest in lessons for my grandson. I…read moregot a reply less than an hour later. We signed up for lessons once a week. I'm impressed with how knowledgeable Jason, the instructor, is. He provides very well-rounded lessons complete with handouts for reference and practice. My grandson is a brand new beginner who just received his first (left-handed electric) guitar days before starting lessons. He is learning so much, including how to take care of his instrument, how to tune it, and is already playing a couple songs he likes. Lessons are individualized and geared towards the student's interests and goals. You sign up for 4 lessons at a time and pre-pay. Reasonable rates and worth every penny. I highly recommend Hampton Roads Guitar lessons!

From the owner: All ages and skill levels learn fast and have fun playing electric, acoustic and bass guitar. Ask…read moreabout ukulele, voice, piano/synth and drums lessons starting soon.

I find myself needing to leave a review because of a negative review I read here today. I always…read moretell tourists this is an awesome spot if they want to get a feel of the real parts of the island, albeit not fancy, not expensive, not anything like you would expect. The first time I went here I was like, "wow, this is different." It really is and if you like jazz, you must try the Monday night jazz jam. There is no cover, although there should be. Bub the owner runs this jam every single Monday night no matter what the holiday or what's happening in town. Yes, he is different than maybe you and certainly me, but he is a loving, wonderful, caring individual even though he's against masking and has a different viewpoint on covid. So what, many people do. The sax player who was disrespectful was indeed kicked out of the joint and that guy hasn't been seen since. Its a shame too, cause he was at one time in his life a good sax player. Alas, the dude cannot handle his liquor. Anyway, I just wanted to say that despite what you read from a couple people about this place, it's a GEM and a real treat to experience a Monday night there. I don't partake in any other events that he throws in there but a lot of people do and it's a safe space. I'll support Bub always.

My friend and I got harassed by the older sax player that frequents jazz night. Many people stood…read moreby and watched this happen. After speaking out about it, other women of Hilo reported that he had also harassed and even unconsensually kissed them. None of the "regulars" confronted him or held him accountable. We also watched him call other fem presenting people "hot" and "sexy" from up on stage. Shared my story on fb and the owner, Bub, was tagged. He commented on the post sharing his sincere apologies for our experience. He stated this goes against kukuau studio values and shared that this man would be completely banned from the studio!

Drew is an absolutely fantastic guitar teacher. I've been taking one-on-one lessons with him for…read moreabout 6 months and my skill set and understanding of the guitar have grown tremendously. Drew is friendly and patient and will tailor your lessons to meet your goals. His lessons will give your guitar practice the focus you need to continue improving, and he often sends you home with a worksheet or a video recap of the lesson for you to reference later. And his lessons are fun and affordable! Whether you are a total guitar newbie or an advanced player, Drew can help you improve as a guitarist. Do yourself a favor and book a lesson today, you'll be very happy you did.

From the owner: All Ages, All styles! Affordable and fun, sign up today! Located at Big Island Guitars. Learn from…read morea working professional with a degree

Started a conversation about fixing a couple ukuleles and he dropped the ball on communication…read more Never heard from him again. Not professional. In my experience if a person cant even return a simple email its directly representational of their overall work ethic. Nope.

Nathaniel plained the fingerboard on my German double bass and now it plays smooth as silk without…read morean extraneous buzz. Nathaniel is an all around top double bass luthier and acoustic guitar builder.