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.

They helped us with a short term rental of a violin for my daughter. They sized her up with an…read moreexpert eye, gave us the relevant paperwork, and sent us on our way. Excellent value!

I needed help with my baby girl, my acoustic guitar. I'm by no means an expert, and honestly,…read moredespite some experience on stage, I'd still barely call myself an intermediate guitarist, so when my acoustic's connections went on the fritz, I was at a loss for what to do. I asked one of my much more experienced and knowledgeable musician friends, and he instantly suggested BR Frets. He was then confirmed by another guitarist friend of ours who was hanging with us, saying they're hands down the most skilled people on island that they both know of, so I went ahead and made an appointment. Both friends said to expect a couple of weeks, maybe 3 depending on how busy they are, as they do get quite a bit of business, and to try and get an appointment when I can, so I did as soon as I could. I was greeted warmly by Chris, who asked me some pertinent questions, took a look at Hayley, and gave me a clear idea of what to expect; either he can fix her, which if he can, he'd try to do so that night. If he can't clean and repair the connections on my pick up, not only would they likely need to send out the pickups for diagnostic and repairs, but the cost to do so would jump up significantly, showing me how much the piece costs broadly and then factoring time and labor. Sure enough, I called the next day, as advised, and Wes said to come back on in to pick her up. I got there and spoke with Wes, who told me Chris stayed up a bit the previous night to make sure Hayley's good and ready to go, and she was back in action! They also only charged for the time and labor, which was more than fair for the quality they provided and all the relief they gave me. Definitely worth coming to them when guitar help is needed.

I've been playing more in open D tuning and got tired of retuning my Taylor every time I wanted to…read moreplay something in open D. So I took my old beloved Takamine F360s out of the closet and decided to leave it in open D. But it was playing rough. The action was very high even after I adjusted the truss rod. Also the intonations were off. I took it to a major guitar store in town and the luthier there said he couldn't help me because the guitar needed much more work than he could do. Then I found Chris at BR Fret shop. OMG what a God send. Talk about someone who cares passionately about guitars and knows the instrument like Wolfgang Puck knows pizza. Chris identified that the problem came from under the bridge where through years of humidity, that area was bulging and pushing the bridge up thus raising the action. He took it apart, sanded under the bridge then put everything back together along with new strings. I was completely blown away at how low he got the action with no buzzing. In fact it made my Taylor seemed hard to play in comparison. So I ended up taking my Taylor in for an adjustment as well. Pro tip : make sure you register your Taylor guitar with Taylor manufacturing and they will pay for the adjustments at certified Taylor shops. I hope Chris and his assistant Wes never decide to leave O'ahu. We are very lucky to have them here in our little corner of the ocean. Happy pickings...or strumming!!

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.

I recently ordered a bass clarinet from Easy Music Center in Honolulu. After a few days without a…read moreshipping update, I emailed them on Monday morning to check on my order. Jake replied almost immediately and explained that a few employees had been sick, which caused a delay in processing. Shortly after, Hadji emailed me to let me know the instrument had been inspected and that they would expedite my order. Within a few hours, I received the shipping confirmation and tracking number for FedEx next day delivery which I really appreciated. Their customer service was excellent, and I really appreciated the quick responses and honest communication. My only suggestion is to send customers a quick email if an order is delayed. A simple update would go a long way and save customers from wondering about their order. So far, I'm very happy with the experience. I'll update my review once the bass clarinet arrives.

Just pick up my Acoustic Guitar today, So very grateful that they fix it and re-string plus tune it…read moreback. I am forever grateful to the fine staff of this store for their outstanding service and care, Surely a place that will help you. God Bless.

I started piano lessons with Mr. Hagen almost 1 year ago and I look forward to it each week. The…read morepace surely depends on your practice time and dedication but whether I've had plenty time to practice or a little less, he's always encouraging and pleasant. The piano for use during lessons is great to play on. The books for the curriculum of music and theory have been a joy to work in, and have seriously helped me progress. I feel more and more confident with playing and reading music after each lesson. He teaches children and adults! 31year old here!

We were looking for a piano & voice teacher in the Hawaii Kai area, but in retrospect, I would've…read moredriven across the island to have a Music Teacher like John Hagen, for my daughter. He's a skilled and talented instructor, who has been firm, yet patient; with an impressive resume of experience! He has taught her a high level of music theory and abilities, which our daughter will benefit from for a lifetime. Through music, our daughter has developed a love for The Arts, while excelling in math and science. I'm not sure what the research says, but I believe we've seen a synergetic link, between music and intellectual growth. Her level of music knowledge has surpassed all expectations; and her voice has developed from soft tentative peep, to a beautiful, blossoming soprano-- with assuredly more growth ahead. Above all, she has developed a diverse appreciation and love for music. None which would've been possible, without Mr. Hagen's talent as skilled musician, artist and teacher. Whether piano, voice or both, we highly recommend John Hagen for Families, Adults or Children who want to develop their inner talent and abilities, bringing them to the forefront.

Great music by an ukulele virtuoso with Waikiki beach in the background! Kapono is a standout live…read moreperformance ukulele soloist that rocks the audience. You got to see him perform! Some people called him, "mini-Jake", referring to Jake Shimabukuro, who happens to be his mentor!

From the owner: Since the age of 5, Kapono has been mastering the ukulele and has won multiple ukulele…read morecompetitions. He has had the privilege to perform with several well-known musicians, including Jake Shimabukuro, Taimane Gardner, Henry Kapono, HIRIE and more. Kapono enjoys playing all genres of music, giving each song his unique touch. More recently, Kapono has been listed as one of the “HOT 100 Unsigned Live-Performing Artists in the U.S.” in the Music Connection magazine. Kapono has also performed at the Kennedy Center in D.C. in July, 2024!

Our family has had a wonderful experience at Kailua Music School. The instructors are incredibly…read moretalented, patient, and genuinely know how to make learning music fun. They have a dynamic teaching style that keeps kids engaged while helping them build confidence and real musical skills. What really stands out is the welcoming, eclectic atmosphere. It's a place where students of all ages and abilities can explore music without feeling pressured. The teachers clearly love what they do, and that enthusiasm is contagious. Most importantly, our kids look forward to every lesson. They've developed a genuine excitement for music, and it's been a joy to watch their confidence and abilities grow. If you're looking for a music school that combines excellent instruction with a fun, encouraging environment, I highly recommend Kailua Music School.

Our son has absolutely loved KMS and all of his teachers. When he first started, we weren't sure…read morewhich instrument would be the best fit, but the KMS team encouraged him to explore different options and try several instruments. Giving him the freedom to choose for himself was such a wonderful experience--it helped build his confidence and excitement for learning. In such a short time, we've seen tremendous growth, both musically and personally. On a personal level, our experience with the KMS team has been exceptional. During difficult times, including my medical issues and car troubles, they consistently went above and beyond to support our family. They didn't just care about our son's musical education--they genuinely cared about us as people, checking in and offering kindness and support when we needed it most. I wholeheartedly recommend KMS to any family looking for a welcoming, supportive, and encouraging environment. In addition to outstanding music instruction, they also offer classes in sewing and acting, making it a wonderful place for kids to discover and grow their creative talents.

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!

Nathan has done my guitars for decades. He is very meticulous and precise in his craft. Every…read moreguitar he's setup for me is fantastic. I really appreciate him being able to take me in on my latest guitar as he is probably semi retired now. Mahalo plenty Nate!

Nathan Ching is a very nice guy who did an excellent and professional job in adjusting the action…read moreof my tenor ukulele. He also changed my strings to Koolau Gold Low G with wound G & C strings. Uke is much more playable and sound has definitely improved with a fuller richer deeper tone. His charges were very reasonable as well.

Akiko Sanai Piano Studio uses a Bosendorfer, Steinway and a Yamaha Grand Piano. Her students get to…read moreuse the world's best Pianos and yet her rates are very affordable. Her investment in the pianos tells me that she has a love for music and for teaching! She has also earned the award for Top Piano Teacher. Money very well spent for your children's piano lessons.

From the owner: Fun and Positive Piano lessons for all ages/levels. Choose…read morelocation from Hawaii Kai or Kaimuki. English/Japanese Speaking. Performance opportunity at Student Recital, The Royal Conservatory of Music National Music Certificate Program, Student Competition and more! Follow Facebook 'Akiko Sanai Piano Studio' and get a free workshop information.