Kanileʻa ʻUkulele

I have always wanted to learn how to play the ukulele. When i was a kid, Roy Sakuma was the gold standard 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: 4/5SERVICE: 5/5VALUE: 4/5AMBIANCE: 4/5PET FRIENDLY: yesCLEANLINESS: 4/5PARKING: 5/5

Went into store fully Ready to buy a new ukulele. Prices are a bit steep but I was still ready to purchase until the worker told me my nails were too long and I was scratching the wood while I was testing the ukulele. I have MANY Kamaka Ukukele and not one of them has scratches because I know how to play. Regardless, I'm still a customer and should not be scolded period. They lost a sale that day and quite possibly forever. I may stick with Kamaka brand since they don't scold you as a potential customer. Went to store on 9/15/23 around 3p. Bad customer service!

This store is filled with beautiful Ukeleles! If you are looking for a great instrument then this is the place to look. Whether you are a beginner or professional, they have a great selection to choose from. The staff are knowledgeable and very helpful. The ukelele's are not only beautiful, and many are one of a kind, works of art, but they also sound amazing!

I visited the Kanile'a Factory on Monday, February 17, 2020. It was a wonderful experience! Well, wonderful except for trying to find a place to park; barely made it for the start.I probably have a different perspective from most visitors. I've played fretted instruments for sixty years and I started with a baritone ukulele. Also, I have a number of friends, luthiers, who custom build amazing musical instruments. And I've visited factories where musical instruments are mass produced.The wonderful things about the small custom builders in common with several of the Hawaiian manufactures are the importance of love of music, love of fine wood, love of family plus extended family, and appreciation of the art and science of selecting and fine-tuning materials for a particular instrument. I feel that this approach produces instruments that have souls, especially the ones that are played often. I was amazed to discover that Hawaiian builders can achieve all of this so completely on a much larger scale than the individual luthiers I appreciate so much. Every individual working in one of these factories projects the image of being a proud member of a great family. I believe it may have something to do with living in a spirit of aloha. Then again, "Love is all you need."So, what sets apart Kanile'a from the other builders? A number of things do. Their methodology to produce ukuleles respectfully combines the fine art of building these special instruments with extreme precision in construction and the application of combining the art of hearing with science to continuously improve. This may not actually be unique; however, Kanile'a sets the bar a little higher than the other builders I've visited. And, as expected, the finished products show off the benefits of the approach.But that's not the only thing that makes Kanile'a special. It may not even be the most important. Joe Souza and his family, the owners of Kanile'a, also share a great love of the environment on our planet. Their approach to gathering materials, especially the beautiful koa wood only found in the Hawaiian Islands, is uniquely sustainable. They never harvest living koa trees to build ukuleles! They only use trees that for one reason or another have completed their life cycle.The Souza family then goes further in that they sponsor renewing koa trees by planting a tree for each ukulele they sell. And then, they use the same scientific approach that serves them so well in building better and better ukuleles, to significantly and continuously improve the results achieved from planting. These baby koa trees will complete their life cycle anywhere from 250 to 350 years from now, as I understand the process. When they grow up and complete their job to beautify and sustain the environment, some can become ukuleles. What a wonderful thought!I am 72 years old now. I got my first ukulele when I was 12. I want to be more like Joe Souza when I grow up.

Wonderful tour of the manufacturing of the Kanile'a Ike's! Your given by one of the sons. Interesting and passionate retelling of the history and the business. Would recommend.

This was an incredible factory tour! We happened to be greeted by Joe, the owner, as we walked in. Benji was a fantastic tour guide, giving us the history of the ukulele, the company, and information about the koa tree and other woods they use in manufacturing. The factory is small and intimate and you can see how each instrument is hand manufactured through every step of the process. It was absolutely fascinating and each piece is a unique and custom work of art. The tour lasted about an hour and we thoroughly saw everything and Benji answered all of our questions and provided so much great information. After we went to their store at the nearby Windward mall where we were greeted by Kristen, Joe's wife and company co-owner, and Aivao who helped us try our hand at playing some of their amazing instruments. I cannot recommend this enough!

We took a tour at their ukulele shop. It was great and definitely a highlight of our trip. I love that they treat the environment with respect, only using koa trees that have fallen and died and take the time and care to plant new trees. The tour is perfect because a non-musician like me can appreciate all the care and skill they put into making the ukuleles and my wife, a violinist, was able to have good crafting and trade conversations. And, I might add, my 4-year-old son's questions were also answered. It was amazing to see how extensive their shop is for, what appears to me, is a relatively small space. Hopefully we'll have time to swing by their retail space at the mall. Needless to say, if we ever get a Ukulele, it will be from them and the next time we're in Oahu, we will take another tour. Highly recommend!

Joe and Kristen Souza are some pretty amazing people. We took their factory tour and loved every minute of it! Their location is 46-216 Kahuhipa St. #2, Kaneohe, HI 96744. Afterwards you can head a couple of blocks down to the mall nearby that holds their retail store and buy their amazing instruments amongst other merchandise. If you love ukuleles and want to appreciate where your instrument is made and what this family stands for, then this is the place for you. Thank you Souza family for an amazing time and experience. We truly appreciate meeting you all and purchasing a beautiful work of art, the ukulele!!! The Langley Family

The tour was beyond amazing. Joe was so kind & knowledgeable. My mom really wanted to do this tour as she owns some of their ukuleles. It was a great time, very enjoyable and loved learning about the history of their instruments and their process.

Aloha!I purchased a D series model, my first with a price that high, and let me say, it was worth every single red-cent that I spent. In a time when customer service is declining and it seems that people just don't care, I had the finest customer service from Lina that I've ever had anywhere. She called me twice letting me know of options in the wood and research they had made on the installed pick-up.Now down to the facts. The koa was just gorgeous and the finish shines. You could fall into it if you're not careful. And the sound? Warm lows with crisp highs and a sustain that lasts until the ship is over the horizon. You can tell it's handmade with great care. It sings. It's alive.Do not, ever, be afraid of doing business with Kanile'a.Aloha, ko'u aikane.