I bought my first 'ukulele years ago but from North Shore and I knew that for this trip to O'ahu I had to get a new one! Also because my kiddo's classmate manhandled my first 'ukulele when he came over for a play date and now it has a permanent crack in the body :( I really wanted to get the factory tour but we were running late from lunch and decided to pop by anyway and just see if I could buy a new uke. I've always wanted a koa wood uke and Koaloha's have so many models of koa wood! I also love that they're family run and owned and specially handcrafted. Even though we were far too late for their regularly scheduled tours, none other than owner and CEO Alan totally let us get a quick tour and we were super impressed with everything we learned about Koaloha 'ukulele. These are truly magical works of art and the love and care the whole team puts into making these 'ukulele is so admirable. We got a guest appearance of the patriarch of Koaloha walking in at the end of our tour and were graciously helped out by VP Brian who helped me secure my new koa wood long neck soprano uke. The factory price is great and I got a discount on the case since I was getting an uke today too and I am a new fan! Mahalo to the whole team! read more

Koaloha Ukulele - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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A wonderful place to get a ukulele. And honestly, where else would you get such a great opportunity! So many colors and types of ukulele's and I'm certain you could learn on you tube. The musician at the pool today played keyboards and a ukulele so it's defy a thing. Charming store. read more

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About a year and a half ago, I bought a soprano pineapple shape ukulele from KoAloha during a trip to Honolulu, Hawaii, and it's still one of my favorite travel memories. Visiting the KoAloha factory was amazing -- I got to see firsthand how they handcraft each ukulele in-house from authentic Hawaiian koa wood. The ukulele I brought home has so much life and energy -- nothing like the mass-produced ones I've bought online. Yes, it's more expensive than a standard ukulele you can find anywhere, but that's exactly why I came to Hawaii: to get a unique instrument that carries the spirit of Hawaii. After 18 months of playing, I can say the quality is outstanding -- gentle on my fingers, beautiful tone, and inspiring sound. I started learning ukulele as a hobby, but with this KoAloha, I'm even writing my own songs now. If you're visiting Honolulu and want a high-quality Hawaiian ukulele that's truly special, I highly recommend KoAloha Ukulele. I'm already thinking about getting another one next time I'm in Hawaii. read more

I bought a soprano Uke from Koaloha some years back. I am just beginning my journey of playing ukulele. I really like my ukulele. It is pretty and has a nice feel to it. Look forward to visiting the shop and possibly buying a new uke in the future. Service was excellent and a good value. read more

Their ukuleles are only the second best thing at Koahola--the first is their people! Brian was amazing. Not only did he take the time to talk with us, he was honest in his opinions and gave us a real sense of trust in their products. He was friendly and super knowledgeable. Not only did we get a quick tour of their operations, we bought an ukulele because he really understands great service! Thank you. read more

Koaloha Ukulele - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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This is a review of the tour, not the other services they have to offer. The tour is about 1 hour. The young man who led the tour was really cool and knowledgeable about woodworking as a whole. He let us explore also my every inch of their shop and has a answer to every question I had. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone especially someone with an interest in woodworking or ukulele. We were giving gifts at the end by grandpa and really felt like part of the family. read more

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Pops and Moms Koaloha just exudes so much aloha spirit and love. I got the pineapple Sunday and it's one of the most beautiful tunes I've heard on a ukulele. All the staff are just phenomenal and so dedicated! read more

I'd probably give Koaloha Ukulele a 4.9/5. Overall, I had a great experience with them. The -0.1 is for the lack of response for an email we sent for the tour. They also didn't really pick up their phone despite multiple calls during shop hours. Because we didn't hear back from them for our tour email, we decided to just drop by the shop. Although they couldn't give us a tour immediately that day, this tattooed employee still gave us a very short tour of the factory and explanation about how ukuleles were made. He pointed out what the job of each station was. Thank you - I appreciated it! Hopefully we can do the whole tour next time. read more

We did an AirBnB experience here where we got to build our mini ukulele (keychain) and go back into the factory to see how ukuleles made, which was such a treat! Two of the folks there gave us an impromptu concert as well. It's a great activity for the kids/family to see a different side of Hawaii beyond the beautiful beaches. Would highly recommend as the team here is incredibly knowledgable, and ends up feeling like family. read more

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This review is for the Ko_aloha repair shop in Hawaii. They did an amazing job on a repair and I was so grateful. It looks brand new. They have a lifetime warranty on their koa ukuleles. Recommend. read more

I had an amazing day at KoAloha. I did the tour where we got to build our own soprano ukulele. Peng showed us what to do and was super friendly and helpful. The kit is very high quality and shares the same bracing and construction as the more expensive models but with pine instead of Koa. Assembling it yourself is nicely rewarding. The others in the build group had gotten the tour before I arrived, so Peng gave me a personal tour. He started by playing the world's smallest playable ukulele made by Alvin "Pops" Okami himself. Then we saw the stacks of Koa destined to become beautiful ukuleles. After touring other ukulele shops with state of the art side bending machines I was surprised to find KoAloha bend all their sides by hand with a hot pipe! The next surprise was the jig used to cut fret slots. Designed and built by Pops, it has drums with properly spaced circular blades for each size of ukulele. Old school tools and techniques make KoAloha's seem even more hand made than other ukuleles. We saw every stage of production all the way through stringing them up and putting on the (lifetime!) warranty tags. A nice treat was seeing a meticulously crafted jukebox-shaped ukulele (the "Jukulele") built by Pops. When we were done I started talking with Lloyd about various parts of production. He is really fun and friendly and clearly loves his job. He took me back in the shop for an even more detailed tour! The highlight was when he showed me the fret slot cutting jig in action. After the second tour I lamented that no tenors were available in the factory seconds showroom. Lloyd smiled and brought out the last one they had - a gem with an upgraded curly Koa top. I chided him about ambushing me with such a beautiful instrument (which I now own). And to make an amazing visit even better, just as I was leaving, Pops came rushing through. Even though he was in a hurry he asked my name, shook my hand, signed a CD for me and was gracious enough to pose for a selfie. KoAloha is only about 15 people. All skilled to do various jobs. It was a pleasure to see them all making such amazing instruments. I feel fortunate to have had such a personal experience there. I made some friends and in a small way feel like part of the KoAloha ohana. read more

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Came in for the tour and it was great. DANIEL is an awesome tour guide. So informative and interesting! You can feel the love and passion as they all talk about their products. Tour started off with us making our own koa ukelele key chain. Sand, glue and orange oil. Walked around the factory and saw and learned about the woods. read more

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The KoAloha store was still coming together when we went for our tour. They sell their KoAloha and KoAlana brand of ukulele. Other merchandise for sale includes their store brand t-shirts and ukulele strings. Ian is wearing an example of the t-shirts for sale. They had been closed during the summer due to increased COVID cases and the governor recommending people not come to Hawaii. They do offer quality ukuleles for sale along with "seconds" at a discounted price. They offer a great tour at the KoAloha factory in Honolulu, Oahu and it begins at 1:00 M-F. Reservations are required due to COVID. I had just purchased a KoAloha KCM-10 yesterday. I fell in love with the big beautiful resonant sound it made. Gave me chills the first time I heard it played. When I played it, it felt sooo comfortable. I am 5'4" with short arms and was leaning towards a tenor, but fell in love with the sound and feel of the smaller concert ukulele. There was no struggle trying to press hard enough to get the right sound. Great playability along with the great sound. I had never heard of this brand of ukulele before buying it. I went home and I researched it online and found out about the factory tour. Made a reservation because I wanted to see where my ukulele was born. Our guide was, Ian. He did a fabulous job walking us through the ukulele making process. This is a family run business, where we were lucky enough to meet the creator of the KoAloha ukulele, Alvin Okami and his sons. There are 3 major Hawaiian made ukuleles. Kamaka was the first, since 1916. The KoAloha was created in 1995, (they celebrated last year with a 25th anniversary edition). Kanilea is the youngest at 23 years. I was thrilled that I was able to purchase a hard shell KoAloha brand case for the flight home to the mainland. I will be able to rest easy knowing my uke has good protection now. I am in day 2 playing my new concert pikake (satin finish) uke and still loving it. My husband, who also plays the uke, is loving the KoAloha uke as well. The majority of the ukulele stores in Hawaii will likely carry all three brands, but call to be sure. If you love music and want to play, give the ukulele a try. The entry point for a decent ukulele is very reasonable and won't break the bank. The other plus is their small size. Great for traveling. Go on, give the uke a try! read more

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When we originally got to the island we had planned to tour as many of the Hawaiian Big K ukulele factories as possible. On Monday we called KoAloha Ukulele company and also left messages for them on their website pages. We were disappointed to hear that the factory was still in a transition process and wasn't open for tours. But then...something magical happened. Lloyd Manamtam answered the phone and felt our passion and enthusiasm through the phone....and also the fact that we had just purchased two KoAlohas from Hawaii Music Supply with Noah Campbell and Corey Fujimoto. He opened his generous heart and asked if we can meet him at 10:30am...it was 9:45am at the time....that he would pay for parking, gave us directions and we were just kind of blown away instantly. We were met at the door by Lloyd and he instantly introduced us to the patriarch of KoAloha, the founder, the genius Alvin Okami AKA "Pops" who was working on miniature Kalihis for his latest creation which is a corridor signed made with upcycled ancient royal wood. Pops immediately stopped what he was doing and made time for us. Lloyd asked us about our earlier purchases and not wanting to tout what they had in shop on the wall, as he did not want to undercut the KoAloha resellers. When he heard our stories about how we compared stock of HMS at the time and were completely blown away by the difference in the KoAloha sound and how the instruments sung to us I could see him tearing up with pride. Lloyd loves his family, company, job...all of which seem to be intermixed with the entity KoAloha. He unabashedly took us on a complete tour of the factory from the C&C necks, to the side bending, wood thickness sander for the tops, formation of the tops and backs and explained that the original design of the sound hole was modeled after a musubi rice ball. We saw how inlays were made, how finishes were applied, the safety that the factory takes very seriously and the 20 full sized air filters that are swapped out twice a week! While touring Lloyd proudly shared the company's family values and how they take care of their employees. Employees are more productive if you let them take care of their own families...so there's no discussion about "gotta pick up kids from the doctor" or anything like that because they just let it be and actually encourage taking care of ohana. The company is also very giving. Ukuleles are constantly given to charities including orphanages and those who spread the gospel. Kennedy Taylor, the stage name for Lloyd's proud daughter, is a sponsored ukulele artist and affiliated with the Opio line. Lloyd shared hand autographed pictures and let us hold her ukuleles which was so incredibly cool. Thank you so much Kennedy for being awesome! We met Brian who was a blast with all of his jokes and his wife and child. We saw Paul...and Paul saw a little more of me than he bargained for when I was trying on one of the KoAloha shirts. We ended up acquiring two more KoAloha ukuleles including a tenor and a concert. I wish we could have just taken all of them but each one needs love and attention. The company handcrafts an average of 18 masterful ukuleles a day. Lloyd set us up with shipping the two new ukuleles to the mainland for us as we were travelling to Maui the next day. Thank you so much Lloyd and KoAloha family! Wonderful wonderful feeling....a nd they did it all without me revealing that I am one of the community leaders for Cynthia Lin's international San Francisco ukulele group. As Pops says for his new corridor sign, "KoAloha enter as a friend. Leave as Family" KoAloha Ohana! read more

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My 10 year old daughter has been playing the ukulele for 3 years and was really interested in seeing how they are made. We happened to come across Koaloha while vacationing in Honolulu. I was told that we would have to make a reservation online at least 24 hours prior, but when I told the nice lady on the phone that we were flying home the next day, she put me on a short hold and when she returned she said that they will fit us in that day. Paul gave us a tour, and even though it wasn't a regular tour because they were fitting us in, we had a great time, learned a lot, and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Everyone was so sweet and kind and you could tell that they really take pride in their work. It was an unforgettable experience for our daughter. Thank you so much to the Koaloha family for making a 10 year old so happy. read more

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The following is a true story. I am NOT on the KoAloha payroll, and am NOT a sponsored artist (I suspect it is because I have no skill at the uke.) I posted this on UkuleleUnderground.com in late 2009, and every word still rings true. Over the past few months, I have truly come to love the KoAloha company. Their philosophy behind instrument building is inspiring, and their customer service is truly exceptional. It started when a member who purchased a used KoAloha instrument found a few problems with it, and publicly announced the faults of the uke without disclosing that it was purchased on the secondhand market (voiding the lifetime factory warranty). But even though KoAloha was absolutely not at fault and was not obligated in any way to uphold the voided warranty, Paul [KoAloha's wood expert and master craftsman] and Brian [KoAloha's Customer Service guy] still took excellent care of the customer, and sent him a handpicked crème-de-la-crème uke from the newest batch as a replacement. I later asked Paul why he did it, and he told me that he just couldn't let a customer go away dissatisfied with one of their instruments, and wanted to rectify the problem. Then the other week, while hanging out at the mall with a few other members of UkuleleUnderground.com, we ran into Papa KoAloha and his wife who were doing some Christmas shopping. For the most part, we were just strangers in a mall, but we had ukulele, and they both came over to say hi, since one of the guys in our group works at KoAloha. But they didn't just say hi and leave. No. Mr. Alvin Okami himself actually stopped to talk story with us for an hour or more! Honestly, how often do you get the founder of a company, take time out of his busy schedule, to come over and wholeheartedly talk story with a bunch of strangers that he sees at the mall? Insane. The deal was sealed today, when I went to visit the KoAloha factory, to finally meet Alan Okami [KoAloha's marketing expert] in person for the first time and purchase a KoAloha Sceptre that had been picked out of the latest batch for me. I also took my SuperConcert in for an action adjustment, which Brian helped me with immediately. It plays like a dream now. Then I got to see what I had come for: a KoAloha Tenor Sceptre, a uke that I had wanted since I started playing ukulele. When Alan handed me the one he had saved for me, my mind was blown. It was gorgeous, featuring a nice pattern in the wood\. The gorgeous dark koa instrument and it truly exceeded my expectations. Oh and the sound! Just wow. It offered a very wide range of dynamics, and sweet, but crisp tones. The stock KoAloha fluorocarbon strings have more of a percussive sound, which I do like, but when the time comes, I will probably end up swapping them out for Worth Clear Strings to get a sweeter and rounder sound. [I have since swapped them to hard tension Worth Clears and love them.] While there, I was treated like family, or as if I were a guest in their home. At one point, when I was working on a custom engraving for my Sceptre, Alan even offered me coffee/tea/water. And Papa Okami even took time out of his very busy workday to talk to me personally, divulging a few sweet details about the rest of his Masterpiece line, which will eventually number 7 ukes. And I got to play both the original Jukebox prototype (which has a stunning figured koa fretboard), and a concert Sceptre which had been made for a money manager in Kuwait. Papa KoAloha also told me about his personal philosophy in ukulele building. He tries to build his ukes to be able to have a full dynamic range from pianissimo to triple-forte. While I personally never play anything above forte, he feels that it is restrictive when you reach an expressive passage and want to use a subito dynamic change, but are limited by the instrument. So he builds his ukes to let players play at higher volumes. And he showed me how he tests each of the sopranos that he builds. Basically, he strummed it so vigorously that I was afraid it would break. It was very loud. And he said that the sound-to-pound (weight) ratio for the KoAloha soprano is the greatest in the entire KoAloha lineup--yes, even more than the Sceptre according to Pops himself. But most importantly, he builds ukes so that people will enjoy them. He does not discriminate based on skill level, all that matters is that players enjoy the ukes that he builds. He builds so that people can play one and say "Hey, this KoAloha is really an awesome uke." And that is the exact reaction that I got every single time I played one. Also, after purchasing the Sceptre, Brian handed me a KoAloha Pineapple Sunday. It was beautiful: made of a blonde koa, with stunning white sap streaks. Long story short, I fell in love, and ended up running to the closest bank and taking her home with too. In short: great instruments, great people, great philosophy. I love KoAloha ukes. read more

Koaloha Ukulele - KoAloha Tenor Sceptre (Custom Engraving) - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Great local family business doing what they love because they believe in what they do. Each ukulele is hand crafted to its perfection by the people who care about the end product. There is so much love, passion, and dedication here that it almost can be called a spiritual healing spot. Yelp 365 Challenge #189/365 read more

Took my ukulele in to get touched up. They said to come back in 2 weeks to retrieve it. Just picked up my ukulele from getting some TLC and it looks fantastic! Absolutely love the work they did. Replaced the tuning keys, fixed the cracks/chips, and even replaced the bridge with the more updated KoAloha branded one (at no additional cost)! If I wasn't in a hurry when I picked up, I would've talked to them and asked them what they exactly did and how (out of curiosity). Only downside to this place is that they don't have any parking in front of their shop; you have to park on the street. No big deal though. Kudos and big Mahalo to KoAloha and their friendly staff! 5 stars to you; primarily for your craftsmanship and courtesy! read more

Koaloha Ukulele - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

If you like music, do yourself a favor and visit KoAloha Ukulele for a free factory tour! Their craftsmen are extremely nice and they are awesome at what they do. You will learn a lot of cool facts as you go through the tour as well. We had a wonderful time during our visit, and they treated us like family! You won't find a nicer group of people anywhere. Be sure to check out their factory special ukes at the end of the tour too. If you play, or are interested in learning you probably already know that KoAloha makes some of the best sounding ukes on the planet. Definitely a must-see while on Oahu! read more

Koaloha Ukulele - Awesome time on the factory tour at KoAloha! - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Staff are friendly, and know everything there is to know about ukuleles. The tour was both interesting and amazing and yes I went home with a beautiful Koaloha Concert Ukulele. The sound is beautiful and I am happy playing my ukulele every day! read more

If you want to see the Aloha spirit first hand you must make the journey to Ko Aloha ukulele factory. Thinking we would be turned away because we did not make an appointment, we were so wrong. We were graciously welcomed in and given a private tour and even met Pops Ko Aloha. After the tour we were given an opportunity we could not pass up. We purchased a soprano with a concert neck that is absolutely beautiful. Looking and sounding! You know it's a small world when their son performs hula from someone you know as well. Thank you for making this the most memorable vacation. read more

I had a warrantee issue with a 4-year old Ukulele and emailed Koaloha directly. No receipt, no problem! Fast forward a few weeks later...found their factory showroom and met Brian. Imagine my surprise when he handed me a brand new current model uke! Thank you, Koaloha, for proving that customer service is, indeed, not dead! read more

KoAloha - what can I say? What an amazing place producing the best ukuleles in Hawai'i. The spirit of Aloha and Ohana is alive and well at KoAloha and meeting and talking Pops was amazing. The joy he shares with each person is wonderful, and that spirit comes across in each part of the KoAloha Family. Thanks to Lloyd our host and guide, Pops and Mama for their hospitality, Daniel and Pops for the impromptu concert, and for generally being awesome. We walked away with an amazing factory special, but also what will undoubtedly be a lifelong connection and feeling that we are part of the KoAloha Ohana. Shakaloha! read more

Definitely a convenient location for a beautiful ukulele! They have all choices you may want or need to play. It was a pleasure to have Pat Okami help me personally. I highly recommend you consider one of their instruments before buying a new ukulele! read more

This is homestyle family run true Aloha spirit. The KoAloha Factory is located in a tiny corner of an industrial complex on a street about a 20 minute drive from the main Waikiki Beach drag of town. The tour is FREE and starts at 10am. You can call first, or just show up. They literally have one of the people working in the factory come around and show you every step of the process, from bending the wood, the philosophy to how they glue the neck, the varnishing stage, and how it sounds. It's a great, educational, and very hawaiian experience! Our guide Brian told us all the great stories about Papa KoAloha, the founder of the company, who was making his 7 master series ukuleles at the time we visited. He even made one in honor of the victims of the Tsunami in Japan, and donates 100% of profits to them! Talk about true hawaiian heart!! You finish the tour in the front of the shop, where you can test out some finished products. The best part is you can order a uke right there, but they have a list for 30% off the normal price for ukes which are *slightly* off...they still sound the same, but there might be a tiny, unnoticeable knick in the wood. Heck, i'll take a knick for 30% off a true hawaiian uke! Spend a morning here. Takes about an hour to an hour and a half round trip from Waikiki and really makes you feel, well, hawaiian! read more

Rich sound and GREAT service. Awesome sound without the exorbant prices. They will talk with you and really listen for what you want and are looking for. Won't try and sell you their most expensive instrument if you are a beginner. What truely sets them apart is their service and Aloha spirit. I stopped in once and they were conducting an ukulele building class for Japanese children affected by the tsunami. All of them got to make and take their ukulele home. Great family run business that makes everyone who buys their ukuleles feel like they are part of the Koaloha family. Visit their factory and see the process of ukulele building. read more

When we came to visit Koaloha's office/factory/shop last weekend, it was kind of awkward at first. It had just rained pretty heavily in the area, and there were a bunch of guys working on the street just outside of Koaloha's office. It seemed kind of sketch, being that the office was at the end of an industrial alley and that we would have to pass by them to get to the office. It seemed like a trap. It turned out the people outside actually worked for Koaloha. They were removing the water from the potholes in the street and at the same time trying to fix the potholes too. And much to my initial perception, they were all really really friendly guys just trying to make their area a better place. Walking into the office it seemed like because of the activity going outside they were a bit overwhelmed with having visitors coming by. Regardless, the man who helped us, I believe his name was Dennis, went above and beyond in making sure our experience there was enjoyable. He mentioned that it was his first time being a tour host, but after a brief moment of awkwardness in trying to set things up for the tour, he really got into his element and showed us how ukuleles are made in their shop. It's really interesting to go on the tour, the Ukulele's are made in sort of the same sense that a guitar is made, but at a much smaller size. The factory is actually kind of small and intimate in a way, though it really gives a sense at how much dedication and care goes into making the ukuleles. Plus it's interesting to note that the koa they use are protected for a considerable amount of time before they can actually use it to make ukuleles. I won't mention the details and spoil it for you--go on the tour! When we left, I bought a "damaged" ukulele that didn't look damaged at all, practically looked flawless except for a minor ding on the headstock, for around 20% off the retail price. If you have an interest in ukulele's, this is probably a good place to visit. The tour is free, everyone there is really friendly, you can meet the owner (we met him during the tour, very down to earth and nice guy), and they have good deals on great "damaged" ukuleles. read more

I met this amazing gentleman named Lloyd in Target this afternoon and he has so much Aloha! I could hear it in the tone of his voice and as I watched him talk story with the pharmacist I knew immediately that he was definitely someone I wanted to meet. I asked him if he worked in the pharmacy because he was complimenting the pharmacist and saying such nice positive words as if he worked here to but he works for this awesome ukulele company and I had to jump on Yelp to write a review about him and his business. I gave him my word that I would tell everyone about his company and his Aloha spirit. He also does tours and enjoys meeting people! Someday I will stop by to visit him to see his merchandise and check out one of his tours. read more

David gave my family a great tour of the factory, telling us the history and craftsmanship that goes into the KoAloha ukulele. It is amazing how many steps go into each handcrafted instrument. We were treated so warmly by everyone there, one could see that every step is carried out with pride and love of the craft. I bought a beautiful concert ukulele, which I will treasure. Thank you KoAloha! read more

Koaloha Ukulele - Beautiful concert ukulele - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I've always wanted a Koaloha Ukulele because I have heard so many good reviews. After two months I put in a hairline crack on the back slammed my car door by accident. Oops! Now I'm all sick! Next day took my uke to have the damaged checked good thing they didn't have to pry the whole back. The workers were very cordial and very friendly. That we're able to repair my uke and it looks good as new. I always sense a good feeling of togetherness in the shop and very customer friendly. I met Brian before and he was very nice not to charge for the repair work. Koaloha staff are the best and it's a pleasure to be part of a proud owner of a Koaloha Tenor. All the best! read more

My wife, good friend and I came into the Koaloha shop not too long ago thinking it was going to be a quick 5-10 minute walk-in. It actually turned out to be an unforgettable experience which lead to me bringing home yet another Koaloha ukulele! When we first got there, I started talking to one of the guys about the different tones from each ukulele and we ended up really getting into the history and evolution of Koaloha, looking at the timeline of ukuleles displayed on the walls. That Pineapple Sunday signature ukulele was so awesome to see, I would have loved to play it! Eventually, Lloyd walks in from a whole day of meetings and decides to take us and another couple for an impromptu tour of the factory. The craftsmanship involved in making one of these ukulele is something really special! They really take the saying literally when they say that they "stand by their products." I'm about 210 pounds and Lloyd had me stand on an unfinished ukulele sandwiched between two wooden boards. The thing was SOLID! Everyone involved in the process looked like they loved what they do, if I lived in Oahu I would really like to be part of that team! When we got back to the showroom, that's when the magic really started to happen. While Lloyd started to play a little for us, a couple of the guys from the back stepped away from work to give us a surprise mini concert! During the show, another guy from the back brings out this beautiful spruce acacia ukulele and hands it to Lloyd... The tone it made was so phenomenal, I knew it had to be mine! Lloyd hands me the ukulele while he helps the other couple pick out one to bring back home to Australia and while he's finalizing their purchase, he starts handing out free stuff to us from the shop! By the time he gets back to us we each have a keychain and a handful of stickers. I guess Lloyd was in the giving spirit, by the time I finished my purchase, he had given me a foldable ukulele stand, a digital clip-on tuner, more stickers, and a couple of DVDs! And the icing on the cake was when he validated our parking for a couple of hours so that my wife and I could take our friend downstairs to eat at Side Street Inn! Huge thank you to Lloyd and everyone at Koaloha, we had a great time with you folks and I'm loving my new ukulele! read more

I own two KoAloha ukes: A soprano built in 9/2000 and a tenor built in 2010. Both are fabulous instruments, especially the soprano. "Little Emma" is, pound-for-pound, arguably the finest instrument I own. And I own some very nice guitars (Martin, Larravee, Dobro, etc)! I also agree with Jonathan F's assessment of the Okami family. I've met them, and they are some of the nicest and generous people I've ever met. Very humble people, though understandably very proud of the instruments they build. Not proud in an ego way, but more like parents of a bright, kind, and hard-working child. It's a love and aloha thing. BTW, every time I break out Little Emma, she turns heads with her beautiful voice. I once took a stroll with a friend of mine, along Seattle's Alki Beach, and brought Little Emma along. You wouldn't believe the number of smiles she inspired! Thank you, KoAloha and Ohana Okami! (Howzit, Paul and Alan! No ka oi, ichiban, numbah one!) --Dave E. read more

I was on a business trip to Oahu and had some free time today. I have a Kelii soprano but was looking for a different sound. I showed up at the factory and found everyone to be incredibly friendly. I wish I could remember my guy's name but he was super chill as I tried out many Ukes. He also took us on a brief tour. I walked out with a nice Uke and overall had a very nice, relaxed experience. Thanks guys and don't change. I hope to be back on another visit! read more

Koaloha Ukulele - My Uke from Koaaloha. A nice concert Rosette model - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Big thanks to Pat & Alvin "Pop" Okami - owners of Koaloha Ukelele (one of the finest in Hawaii) for giving me the tour of their factory and spending time with me to help explain the importance of having a good Ukulele. I'm now proud to say that I'm an owner of a Koaloha tenor ukulele. I can't put this instrument down! Pictured here is the soprano ukulele - my tenor was being tuned up in the shop. If you're in the market for an ukulele, this is the place to go. This is a family-owned business and their customer service is amazing. I feel like I'm part of their group now! This was a big investment but I learned the importance of good customer service again from them. Even though I was hesitant to make such a big purchase, they took the time to explain the answers to the questions I needed to know and ultimately in the end, I decided to make the leap and I'm so glad I did. They explained to me the value of investment in a quality instrument like this. Great lesson to learn for my business as well! Finally, I love their logo also - Two K's next to each other. :-) read more

We stopped by they gave a afast personal tour which was great. I already have a concert and wanted a tenor. They did not have a tenor like I wanted out front so I thought I was home free. After a quick trip in back they came out with a beautiful tenor which i fell in love with and purchased. Friendly place and ukuleles are second to none. read more

I came to O'ahu on vacation with my family. My son and I were in search of a koa Wood ukelele made in the Hawaii islands. We visited serval stores on the island and every time we played the Koaloha ukelele we immediately noticed the sound quality and the build quality was superb. Serval people told us to visit the Koaloha factory and to ask for Lloyd. Well we did and we were immediately treated like family. Lloyd help us pick a concert ukelele and we couldn't be happier. A big thanks to Lloyd for making us feel so welcome and spending a good amount of time with my family and I to make sure we got exactly what we were looking for. read more

Koaloha Ukulele - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

What an awesome day touring this Ukuleke factory & getting to meet Pops & his family. This family has so much love for their craft as they build each instrument by hand, from the selection of the Koa to the final buffing of the finished Ukuleke. His story is a love story & I'm so blessed to know this family & to share their love of being a musician. read more

Koaloha Ukulele - Their models range from the Classical to the Ohana style. They will design one to your preference & budget. - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

One of my favorite Hawaiin experience. Found this place on Airbnb. Our host, Lloyd, was amazing. He was very knowledgeable about the ukulele process and passionate about it. You can tell all employees love their job. Their founder, Pop, is the cutest little old man with the biggest smile. read more

Amazing experience. The KoAloha family are true professionals, kind hearted, and oh so generous! I stopped by with my wife and two kids to shop for a 'real' ukulele for my son. Alan and Danny gave us the deal of our lives on not just one ukulele but on two! If I need another ukulele I will definitely be back.... even if I don't need one, I'll be back as often as I can just to express my gratitude for their generosity and for teaching my kids and I the true meaning of Aloha. read more

I came in today to get my ukulele restrung and I was incredibly impressed with the service I received from Lloyd and the staff at Koaloha...the Koa wood used in their line of Ukuleles is incredibly beautiful and sounds very vibrant. Such a fun experience even to just chat with Lloyd, I'll definitely be back to buy my next Ukulele here! Mucho Mahalos read more