Having decided never to buy a musical instrument without playing it, I found it was time to upgrade my ukulele. This led to a three hour drive to Island Bazaar. This place is fantastic. All levels of quality and price were available, and Chad listened to my needs and started putting ukes in my hand. Importantly, he let me try a few hand made, insanely pricy ukes, then work my way down into my price range. It was an enlightening two hours. Ended up with a used Islander ukulele. Absolutely sweet upgrade to my Amazon ordered Kala. When I outgrow that one, I'll be back. read more

Island Bazaar Ukuleles - Storefront - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

A lovely local store for ukulele needs. Shirley, the owner, is so kind and sweet. The staff are friendly and helpful too. They have wide range of ukulele, you can absolutely find something for you here. From ukulele for beginners or for professionals, they all have them here. They also offer services related to instrument too. I bought several kalimba on a sale for last Christmas to gift to my coworkers. They al love it since the sound of kalimba is so healing. You will get great value for your purchase. They also have open mic on the 2nd Saturday of the month, as well as jam sessions weekly. pay. Support local music store if you are in the area. read more

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Love this place. I've purchased 3 ukuleles from here. The people are always nice and friendly well educated about the instruments in the store. The prices can range from anywhere. It all depends on what you're looking for and preference read more

Chad and Shirley give great, knowledgeable service! I love my Kanilea ukulele from the store. Classes are fun, friendly, and welcoming? read more

Shirley is amazing. A wealth of knowledge, welcoming, and so supportive. I highly recommend Island Bazaar Ukuleles. read more

Amazing people, amazing place. Great resource for Uk peeps. They have great music and supplies, instruments and groups that meet and play together. read more

Been playing Uke professionally for years and this is the only place in OC that I've found where they have high quality professional ukuleles with good intonation. Staff is super knowledgeable and helpful and gave us plenty of time to try out any ukuleles we were interested in. Highly recommended. read more

The service, the environment, the prices, and the people r amazing. I only went there to buy a strap for my ukulele but we ended up getting stuff like chord books and even another ukulele. Definitely coming back if I need more things for my ukulele again. They even have lessons if you're looking for a place to start read more

People know what they are talking about Would love to do more classes but my time is limited Careful you can't just get one Prices range from $-$$$$$ Fantastic Highly recommend They foster a community environment read more

Shirley is so passionate about ukuleles and helping share her aloha of music. Her prices are very reasonable and she is honest. I look forward to taking classes and improving my knowledge of ukulele. My sister purchased her first uke right here. read more

Island Bazaar Ukuleles - Selfie - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

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First time customers and as soon as we walked in, we were greeted by Shirley. She was attentive to our needs. She offered suggestions about the different sizes of ukuleles. Very sweet as well. She took the time to take down one of the ukuleles, tune it, and let my daughter play it. Even suggested that my daughter go sit down on one of the chairs and play with the two ukuleles that she was deciding upon. Thank you so much Island Bazaar! read more

Island Bazaar Ukuleles - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

I'm a newbie to ukulele, so it was with much trepidation I went into a professional store. I was greeted right away and the person took the time to explain to me the different kinds of Ukuleles and what song book to get started. Love the service, and I will definitely return. read more

I have three ukuleles that needed new strings. Chad was very helpful in advising the pros and cons of each type and the tones they exude for the specific instrument. Particularly valued his recommendations about the various low G strings they have in stock. He was able to change them while I waited, which was great. read more

Everything you could want! What an awesome selection! I have taken 3 different group lessons here! Thank am moving up the food chain! I have looked online and always end up , upgrading my bikes from Shirley! The staf is great, and so are the patrons! All super helpful! You never know who will pop up! Timmy Cruz and Nolan stopped by for open mike tonight! Wow! I got my Dean Uke here, a KoAloha Tenor! Beautiful! read more

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CHAD and SHIRLEY are awesome!!! Please support this local business and visit them for some expert uke knowledge! I'm a beginning ukulele player and I started shopping here a few years ago to learn what I wanted in a uke. I felt NO pressure to buy anything. I actually went in multiple times and just played around with the ukes, or asked Chad to play them so I could hear how they're SUPPOSED to sound when you know how to play. He was happy to take the time to do that. :D I wasn't feeling the ukes they had under the $100 range, so I ended up purchasing a very specific Flight travel uke somewhere else, but I came back to Island Bazaar for an airline travel case, misc. accessories, the uke knowledge and wonderful customer service. I haven't had a chance to join any of the jam sessions, but I love that they have that option, and hopefully will again when covid-19 stops doing its spreading thing. If I could suggest anything for the store, I look for instruments and accessories that are as vegan as possible (no leather, no animal glue etc). I'd love to see some strap options in-store without any leather! Thanks!! **Call in for their hours because they just reopened last week and the Yelp hours are not accurate as of today. Shirley was wearing a mask, there was social distancing and plenty of hand sanitizer for all! I felt very safe being in the store. And there were quite a few ukes on clearance! Check it out if you're looking for a deal! This place rocks!!! read more

Island Bazaar Ukuleles - Saw a selection of these colorful characters today!! Who WOULDN'T want an alien ukulele?!! So fun!! - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

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Island Bazaar is a great store. My wife and I started playing ukulele a year ago, and decided it was time to upgrade from the starter kit on Amazon. We met Shirley at a ukulele jam session that she led, with great songs and tips on playing. We went to the store yesterday and met Chad. He was great. After discussing what we wanted, he showed us several instruments that met what we wanted. He spent a lot of time with us talking about what we liked and what other options would be. Chad is very knowledgeable and friendly. He was also very patient in explaining all my detailed ukulele questions. My wife and I left with 2 instruments that we absolutely love and a lot of excitement to play more ukulele! I'd like to throw in a few more compliments, but I need to go play some ukulele. read more

This place is awesome!!! There are many Ukulele's displayed beautifully along the walls and the decor gives you a welcoming vibe. I grew up playing the ukulele and stopped when I left the Islands. I wanted to start playing again, but life got in the way. Several decades later, my children started showing interest so we decided to pick one up. Chad greeted us when we walked in. He is a cool dude who knows his products and will give you a good recommendation based on your needs. No sales pressure and no up selling. He gave us all the time we needed while we walked around the store. There is a lot going on in that store. There is a stage where people come and play which is cool. I was told there is a big Ukulele community in that area. Gotta come and watch some time. I'm looking to purchase three more if the family wants to join in and I know exactly where I will come to buy it. Drop by and take a look, you won't be disappointed. read more

Island Bazaar Ukuleles - Chad with our new Ohana Concert Ukulele. - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

For over 10 years I had the privilage working at Island Bazaar. Shirley Orlando is the best boss, owner and most of all a good friend. Island Bazaar not only has the best selection of ukuleles it is a place to get involved in the ukulele community and make new friends. I left California in 2016 and there is not a day thst goes by that I don't think about Island Bazaar. read more

I would echo everything Elora said. I wish I had known about Island Bazaar the first time I bought a uke. This place is amazing. Doesn't matter if you are thinking about your first uke or seasoned player, this shop will do right by you. Friendly, knowledgeable and large selection of ukes in every price range. Music books and all kinds of accessories and various group activities and lessons. Please support this store, it is a gem. And Shirley and Chad will take good care of you. read more

When I entered this store for the first time, I felt like a kid in a candy store. This store has one of the best selections of ukuleles in Southern California. The owners are knowledgeable and super nice. I got a great deal on a Ohana Cynthia Lin Signature concert ukulele. Buying a ukulele is like buying a car, it has to fit you, it has feel right, it should be a joy to drive. With such a huge selection you are bound to find just right fit. I drove all the way from the Valley and I was not disappointed. I highly recommend Island Bazaar for anything ukulele. I only wish I lived closer so that I could participate in their club and jam sessions. read more

If you are interested in playing or purchasing a Ukulele this is the place. I was told by players in the Coachella Valley that this is the place. I drove out to Huntington Beach and Ms. Orlando was very helpful. I drove in on a Tuesday and I arrived just after they opened and they were already busy. Shirley was very helpful and she even tossed in Beginner tips and music. There was a large selection to choose from and all the other items you miht need such as a stand and case. I would drive out any time to buy from this store. Also they have lessons and concerts, If they are anything like the ones in the desert they will surely be fun. I love my Ukulele and everything I purchased and believe I was given a very fair price. My Beauty is a Kanile'a. Her name is NANI,,,,Beauty in Hawaiian... read more

Island Bazaar Ukuleles - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

Meh, sort of a bust. I'm new to wanting to play music and ukuleles although I've been interested for years. Everyone said this is the place to go. I went here wanting a beginner ukulele and lessons. The person there didn't really have any more information than I learned from google. Couldn't seem to help me with a ukulele. He told me they don't have beginner lessons in the summer. Why not offer beginner lessons during the summer, when everyone has more time, the days are longer, the water is warmer, tourists are flooding our beaches, it's so warm people want to leave the house and do more stuff. The sales person suggested I join their "jam" session. How can I jam when I don't even know which one to get or have lessons. I'm more than happy to get a cheap uku and jam but I doubt the other jammers would dig it. Maybe I should... On another note they have a killer wall of thousand dollar plus ukuleles. read more

So it's Saturday afternoon, right before the shop closed and I was in need of a clarinet reed. I know, random... Figured I'd give this shop a call. Yolande answered and was so helpful and pleasant. She wasn't sure if she would have any but said she would contact the owner and to call back in five minutes. I got stuck in traffic and forgot to call her back, so she called me back to let me know that she actually had some in stock. She said she would have them in about 45 minutes. 20 minutes later, she kindly called me back to let me know that she had them at the store and I could come by anytime to pick them up. What an absolutely wonderful shop, and the most pleasant employee. Even if you don't think they may have what you want try giving them a call, you won't be disappointed, and you can tell it's their total dream job, and they love what they do! read more

After having lessons in Waikiki, I wanted to keep learning the uke back home in Huntington Beach, so I did the random google search. Low and behold, this little place that I thought was a tropical furniture shop all of the times I drove by was filled with a great collection of ukes, and offered class-style lessons. You basically pay for a month and a half's worth of lessons--1 a week, set at beginner, beyond beginner, and seasonally offered technical workshops for those who wish to shred the uke proper. So I sat in a beginner and beyond beginner class back-to-back, learning with a group of mostly elderly individuals from Shirley Orlando, a woman whose strum fills, as we sloppily worked our way through our chord changes to songs, left me jealous and wanting to learn more. The group environment makes the learning fun, and there are groups that meet on other nights to learn island music (sat in the front row my first time so far, and was blown away by the full band, people randomly jumping up to hula in front of the class, and everyone singing the Hawaiian lyrics). Definitely a festive atmosphere--and the band leader was a good guy. I didn't have the chord book, and when he noticed me completely lost, held his uke up so I could see the chord we were at. Too cool. This place has a grip of ukes, too. From very cheap to expensive ones whose strings drip like butter off your fingertips. Man oh man. Fortunate enough to see one of the guests musicians passing through, as well. Cool guy from Wisconsin by the name of Li' Rev. They've also had Aldrine Guerro of Ukulele Underground fame, who I would die to see jam live, and are about to have Herb Ohta, Jr. coming up--which I will sadly miss. Shirley is very helpful, friendly and gives a lot of info out for those interested in learning. Wish I knew about this place waaaay back in the day after I bought that second hand $40 uke off a mahu at a pawnshop on Maui. Didn't think you could find a place like this in So Cal. It's here, so check it out. You won't be disappointed. read more

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A little background................. I used to play guitar, a lot, but that was over 35 years ago, before family and grandchildren. So everyone's raised and moving on for the most part, and I have a lot more time on my hands so I'm thinking I'll go back to playing guitar. Well seems I've developed a little nerve damage in my hands after all of these years and since I love to "pick" guitar, and my thumb seems to have a mind of it's own, it wasn't working out very well. My wife noticed I was getting a little upset about it (not really, I mean she did notice but I wasn't that upset. The guitar just needed a little "air" time) so she says "why don't you try a ukulele?" I give her the typical "eye roll" and I'm thinking "yea right! a uku is going to replace a guitar" This coming from someone who can't carry a tune in a bucket.....with two handles. So after a couple of weeks and some rum I decide, what the heck, I'll give it a try. She can't be right, but I'll try it just in an effort to show I'm trying to evolve. Well so I go to this one place and buy a uku. I'd read up on it and was fairly knowledgeable about it but the selection was limited. So I get my uku and come home. So I play it for a few days and I'm just not feeling it. It plays ok but there wasn't any resonance, after a guitar it just seemed flat.......dead. I seriously gave the uke a chance but early one Sunday morning I'm playing it and it's not happening. Feels like a toy and I'm thinking...don't try to force it, it either works for you or it doesn't. So after 3 or 4 days I pack it up and take it back. While I was waiting on the store to open I'm kicking around the idea of either giving it up all together or going to Island Bazaar and checking out what they had. I was going both ways but since I had some extra time on my hands, and no one came up and offered a miracle cure for my nerve damage, I though what the heck............I'll go to Island Bazaar. I went in really thinking, I'm not going to get anything, probably not going to happen. Went in and met Shirley, and as they say...........the rest is history. She found me a great Ukulele. The tenor uku I purchased looks more like a guitar than some, which I like. It's has plenty of resonance, not as much as my guitar, but enough to sound and feel like a musical instrument and not a toy. AND I got a killer case (hard) not some cheap "gig bag" so I can protect my new found little friend. Bought it maybe three weeks ago and I've played it everyday. Chords are much simpler that a guitar but learning the difference and not getting confused between a uke "G" and a guitar "G" has been a non-issue. I gotta admit that I was initially concerned about having to learn an entire "new" set of chords. Not a problem, they're much easier and for me they seem to flow pretty well, so no problem. I'm going back to the store soon just to check out what else they have. Since I went in with the intention of getting a uke I really didn't look around. Kinda like most guys, single minded focus. "duh, want uke, see uke, buy uke"............... So IF you're thinking about a Ukulele, there's a big difference in Ukes and places that sell them. Shirley and George are more than Sister and Brother, they're UKULELE players! read more

Island Bazaar Ukuleles - My new "little friend" - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Huntington Beach, California

Best experience ever! Shirley and her staff were attentive, knowledgeable, and downright fun to work with. My daughter was "stepping up" to her first solid wood Hawaiian made ukulele and they listened to all of her feedback and guided her through a number of instruments until she found the perfect match! Her new KoAloha Grand Pikake Mango Tenor absolutely sings! Thank you Island Bazaar Ukulele! We will be back! read more

What a great hidden gem of a shop. My wife and I wanted to get a couple ukulele to learn on and this was the place to do it. Chad and Shirley are super knowledgeable, helpful and patient. read more

Wwith a terrible 2020..was looking forward to learning something new for 2021. I've always loved music and had always wanted to learn either the guitar or ukulele. I decided on the ukulele and wanted to support a local business. I found this great store that most likely had the largest inventory or ukes to choose from. I bought a great little uke and it's been wonderful to learn. The store and staff was great and attentive. I got great advice. Prior to covid they would hold concerts and community get togethers to practice learning the uke. I'm looking forward to that happening again. read more

If you need an uke, Island Bazaar is the way to go. Chad was accommodating and VERY knowledgeable about the ukulele products they had on store. He gave me information on the main differences between each of the ukuleles, making the process of picking way easier...although I just really wanted all of them in my collection. I went through pretty much the entire top row of higher end ukuleles with his help before I picked my Koaloha concert. Honestly will come back here if I get a new uke or need any of their services. Thanks for the service! read more

I have purchased two ukuleles from Island Bazaar. This store is a treasure. They have ukuleles at all price levels, music books, and so much more. The staff is so helpful. Such a cool place. read more

Chad helped me out back on New Years so this is long over due. He was so great! I called and asked if they can tune my ukulele since I was a beginner and i didn't know how to tune it. He helped me and he even gave me a few tips! He played it so naturally great inspiration. When I have time I will be taking classes :) I really recommend this place if you need classes or looking to buy a ukulele. read more

Love this place. I've bought 4 Ukes from Island Bazaar. Chad is very helpful and very knowledgeable. I'll be coming back. Thank you.

I recently was in town and visited this shop to check out ukes, and wanted see if it was still around. I purchased my Kamaka Hf-3 from Shirley 7 years ago and loved the experience. She gave me a great deal on the uke and we talked for a long time. I really wanted to leave a positive review of this place because I received the same wonderful customer experience from Eric (who was working that day). While I didn't buy anything, the personal experience was wonderful. They had some of the K brands and we ended up jamming away. Many small businesses struggle nowadays with trying to compete with these large corporate owned music stores. You really start to lose the personal touch, and relationships, that small businesses have to offer. I'm so glad that this shop is still around helping folks with music. If you are looking for a uke please stop by this shop. They have great prices and the experience is great. They also have higher ed Hawaiian made brands (Kanile'a, Kamaka, Koaloha) that are normally very difficult to find in person. read more

Highlights: * Largest ukulele section in the area. * Specializes in the ukulele. * Chad is very knowledgeable and helpful. * Competitive pricing & price matching. * Offers ukulele strum groups and lessons. I purchased my first ukulele ($80 concert) and started learning/playing the last week of August. Having experience with and owning 6 guitars, I started to create a list of issues with that ukulele as I noticed them. After two weeks with that ukulele, I was in search of a better quality one in a tenor size and stumbled across Island Bazaar after a quick stop at a large chain store where no one knew much about ukuleles. At Island Bazaar, however, I was greeted by Chad and he proceeded to show me the tenors that they had in stock... And by the way, they have the largest inventory that I've seen so far, in Southern California. Chad just about lives there and is very knowledgeable. I took my time to figure out which ukulele I wanted to ultimately acquire but, when I did, Chad got it on order immediately and he was able to get it in stock at Island Bazaar within 2 days. Amazingly, he was also able to beat the lowest competitor's price. I'm so glad I found Island Bazaar and I know I will be back frequently since they have ukulele strum groups almost every night if the week. This place is rad. read more

After you are assisted by super friendly, knowledgeable salesperson Chad and he strums some delightful chords on their huge selection of quality "Ukes", you will definitely want to buy one. Full service. Chad drilled the hole to attached the shoulder strap. And he installed all new strings on my wife's ukelele. Reasonable prices. Central location. And they have jam sessions almost every day after the store closes. read more

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND ISLAND BAZAAR FOR YOUR UKULELE NEEDS. My ukulele started buzzing after bringing it to this dreadful California weather so I stopped in to see if they could help out. Chad was very empathetic to my pain and directed me to a repair shop down the street. Unfortunately repairs would cost twice what I paid for my uke. So of course in need of some retail therapy I headed back to Island Bazaar to window shop. It was very busy in the shop but Chad still took the time to pick out and showcase a few that might fit my preferences. He did a great job juggling all the customers and also giving me my own space and time to think. He did not come off as hoity-toity which I've had issues with at other ukulele shops, and he was very knowledgeable. With Chad's assistance, I realized that I prefer ukuleles that ring out a lot more and that's a trait seen in solid wood ukuleles. I am only an amateur ukulele hobbyist, and it is pretty nerve-wracking to try out different instruments in front of other pro-players. However I felt comfortable enough here to strum a few of the ones way out of my price range, even though I obviously did not have the skill to be considering those. Even though I'm having a horrible day knowing that I single-handedly destroyed my ukulele (apparently I should have gotten a humidifer upon coming to California), Island Bazaar has given me hope for my future ukulele endeavors. Now I am seriously considering going back to pick up a beautiful Kala... read more

Great little family run shop that really knows their Ukes! Friendly and knowledge. Very reasonable group classes too! read more

I had been meaning to get a new ukulele since the one I bought from here didn't quite fit my needs (as I thought it would). Instead of buying a new one all together and leaving the one I previously bought to gather dust, I figure I'd give a shot at asking for a trade. And luckily for me, Island Bazaar does allow trade-ups (key word: trade UP)! As long as you have the receipt from when you purchased it and the uke is in good/excellent condition, it should be no problem getting a new one with the credit you paid for previously. I had also bought a bag to go along w/ my old one and was able to apply the credit from that to my new purchase too which saved me a load of money overall. read more

I would highly recommended to everyone who wants to be happier and enjoy playing the ukulele and sing, to head straight for Island Bazaar in Huntington Beach. I purchased all my instruments there: a ukulele, uke banjo, a guitar, and drums. Shirley Orlando, owner of Island Bazaar, is a musical genius. She has been a part of the musical world all her life. Shirley will be happy to suggest the perfect ukulele. There are abundant classes and groups to enhance your ability to play. I am so elated that I found this wonderful place to spend time with individuals who love to play the ukulele. Dolores F. Curry read more

So I work across the street from Moe's Music in Fullerton and walked into talk about the ukulele's they carry and just try to get some more information on them so I could make an educated choice. Luckily for me no one was there to help me... the 2 people working just watched me pass by and stand in the small corner where they stock their ukuleles. So needless to say I left and checked yelp to see the different stores around, and I found Island Bazaar. So I walked in and found a giant class of ukulele players (I think it was the surf city strummers) and they were going over a set list I believe. So I took a seat in the back and sat back and listened to the music and watched Shirley lead the group. Once the class was over I walked up and started to ask her about the different ukulele's they carry and price ranges and such as well as my music background. Shirley was amazingly patient with me as I tried to decide between the Kamaka (that I now own) and another that was a little bit cheaper. Once I decided on the ukulele she then set me up with a pretty good case and 2 awesome books which she recommended based on the fact that I've played a lot of music before (skill level and such) When I look for a store to buy an instrument from I want to be able to talk to the sales people and be able to interact with them. Even the surf city strummer people were talking to me about their uke's and about Shirley. Island bazaar has been there for 8 years, and there's a reason for that. So if your in the market for a new ukulele and are anywhere in orange county or la it is definitely worth the drive to buy yours from Shirley. read more