Kamaka Ukulele
Kamaka ukuleles are one of the most venerable ukulele companies around. The company was started by Samuel K. Kamaka, who had previously been an apprentice for Manuel Nunes (one of the original ukulele makers). They were the only Hawaiian uke makers that survived the war years and are increasingly popular today thanks in no small part to Jake Shimabukuro’s endorsement.
Kamaka ukuleles are broadly divided into three time periods.
The ukes from the 1920s and 1930s are collectors items and usually fetch four figures. Kamaka invented the pineapple style ukuleles you’ll regularly see examples of these on eBay.
The middle years of Kamaka (the 50s and 60s) are where the real bargains can be found. These ukes are usually referred to as ‘Gold Label Kamakas’ because of the label in the soundhole. You can usually find these for sale on eBay at a very reasonable price. They aren’t the flashiest ukuleles around, but they do, by all accounts, sound good and are very playable. The reputation of these instruments is growing and they could be one of the wisest ukulele investments around.
Kamaka ukuleles have had a big renaissance recently. Their most recent instruments are very high quality and have a high price tag to match. Jake Shimabukuro plays Kamaka ukuleles – a big endorsement of them – which has lead to them becoming very popular.
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Kamaka Ukulele Review
I bought my ukulele in June 1976. My father, being in the Air Force, had been stationed in Hawaii and after 3 years it was time to return to the mainland. I loved living on Oahu but knew I could not afford to stay. I spent the last month soaking up as much Hawaii as I could and one afternoon decided I needed a ukulele. I drove down to the Kamaka factory where I bought my uke and a case. In that last couple of weeks a friend taught me a couple of tunes but on my return to the mainland the instrument went into its case. As I took up my career as a teacher my uke traveled with me, more of a souvenir and curiosity than anything else.
This last year, I had the opportunity to teach my first student from Hawaii. (Not many are found in my neck of the woods here in rural Virginia.) Sitting and talking with his father I mentioned that I used to play around with a uke and I still had it at home. I wasn’t prepared for his reaction when I mentioned that it was a Kamaka. I had to promise to get it out, get it in tune, and get to work. So here I am, it is summer break and I am working in garden and when it gets too hot to pull weeds, I pull my ukulele and get to work.
Now, about the ukulele itself, it is I believe, a soprano. Made of Koa, the finish is still as nice as the day I bought it. I have not replaced the strings as of yet since they seem to work well. One of the tuners may be slipping and I will tighten it if needed but I am waiting for the strings to settle down a little from the first real tuning in 30 years.
Probably the best part of the story is that I new my student was Hawaiian and had spent previous summer in that state. I play a lot of different music for my class, everything from jazz to classical. One day I am playing from my collection of world music and my one piece by Iz Kamakawiwo’ole comes up. RJ announces to the class that Iz was his cousin. The discussion that confirmed his story and subsequent talks with his family led to my uke coming out of hiding.
Review by Jim
29 Comments
I went to Honolulu and toured the Kamaka factory. Then ordered a baritone. I play it almost every day. I play in a group of about 50 ukulele players. We play for rest homes and senior centers for free and all have a good time. We have marched in fourth of July parades, played at the county fair, and recently played on stage at the Gallo Arts center. I seem to attract ukulele’s and am now up to six. I have 2 Kamakas, a Mele tenor, a Tony Garciano concert, a Kala U-Bass and a cheap concert that I let the grandkids borrow. I love how my Kamakas play (both the bari and the soprano) and wouldn’t trade them for the world. They are truely fine instruments. They are both solid Koa and beautifully matched. Impeccable intonation and incredible volume for acoustic instruments. I live where the humidity is about 45% year round in California and don’t do anything special for them. Have had zero problems with them for the 3 years I have had them.
🙂 Terry
I have a Kamaka uke that a pilot friend purchased for me in the 60’s. I have loved it and always enjoyed playing it. My children and now my grandchildren play it. I am concerned because I see a small crack and also the bottom of it seems to be coming loose in one spot. Had I realized the value of it, I would have purchased another less expensive one for the beginners to play.
How do I get it repaired the right way? Send it to your factory?
Is that something you do? Can you give me any idea of cost? I would very much like it preserved. Thank you. Annette Clark, 530 N 1200 E, Pleasant Grove, Utah 84062
I recently bought a Kamaka HF-2, and am delighted by it. I have a lot of solid wood and laminate Kala’s, Lanikai’s, and Cordoba’s. I wanted to see if the extra price tag was worth it. Now it’s spoiling me, and I may have to get rid of my other uke’s. It has great intonation down the fretboard, projects a lot louder, and the wood itelf is flawlessly matched and gorgeous. My only criticism is not really a criticism -I like the deep, mellow tone of koa for many songs, but am thinking of another uke with a little brighter sound to balance it out with. Possibly a cedar top or mahogany. Personal taste, I know. If I had only one uke, it would probably be a solid mahogany, not a solid koa.
Rang Kamaka direct at the factory in Honolulu. Ordered a HF1 . Had it sent to my home in the uk.
WOW.
I’m over the moon with it. Cannot put it down.
Thanks to the team at Kamaka
Shaun Thomas. ॐ
Shropshire
UK
I bought a Kamaka 8 string tenor when I was in Hawaii 2 years ago. I like everything about it. It’s perfect. Next on my list, when I have some extra money, is to buy a decent-quality baritone, and Kamaka is definitely at the top of the list among those to be considered.
I have played a few of the HF-3 Tenors, and they were simply outstanding.
I bought my Kamaka HF 3 last year July 13,2011 from Alex at Aloha Ukulele in Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki. I am very happy with the sound and the way it was made. I will buy another one when I go to Hawaii in the future.
Just received my Kamaka HF3 Tenor from Elderly Instruments. Its a wonderful instrument. To say I am in love is an understatement. I did change the g string to a low g. Thats the sound I prefer.
I just love your site and your opinions. They are very constructive and most valuable. I won’t move on a uke until I’ve read your view. Keep it up old buddy!
Jay
Melbourne, Australia
I found a Kamaka ukulele that I bought in 1966 but it is in need of repair. I would love to have it refinished to play like new. The strings wont hold their key. Can you help me.
Marilyn
Response to Marilyn Sachs regarding her used Kamaka. Call the Kamaka company and discuss your instruments condition and they can help restore it to its original condition. Your uke may turn out to be quite valuable.
Just bought a Kamaka soprano and I cannot put it down. The volume, smoothness and tone of this instrument is just outstanding. Great instrument and it looks beautiful because of the way the koa is put together. Fabulous wood veneer. It is well worth the price. I was also surprised by the long neck tenor. It was very comfortable to play (I am a guitar player) and it sounded awsome. I will get it next year.
bought long neck tenor about 8 months sounds loud and the koa wood is beautiful, only fault on thi uke is the nut and saddle for 1399 dollars bone should be used i plan to replace both pieces with bone when i have the strings changed by a local well known luthier the nut is not perfectly smooth into the neck either this is the chance you take when you buy something sight unseen i do love this uke though
Bought a tenor last summer after visiting the factory in Honolulu. I got my instrument in early Sept.
I absolutely love this instrument. I did need some time to adjust to the size, I played concert size for the last 15 years. It took me about two months to adjust. The wait time for a build is 4-6 weeks but it was worth it.
First class organization and wonderful people working there. We took the tour with Fred Kamaka, a real character.
If you are thinking about buying a Kamaka my advice is to run to your nearest dealer.
I was given a Kamaka tenor several months ago and I am fulfilling a life-long wish to learn to play. The uke is a 1960 model and never played in 53 years. So much pleasure from a beautiful instrument.
Hi , an uncle went to Hawaii back in the mid 1950`s and bought a Kamaka . He never learned to play .My father and some of his friends would get together and play guitars banjo`s and one guy played a Uke . I was only 5 at the time and wanted to play something so I could play along with them . So my father bough me a Harmony uke and tought me to play .A few years later the uncle who had the kamake let me borrow it and I went crazy with its great sound and volume ,much better by far than my cheep uke . He let me borrow it for almost a year and broke my heart when he took it back . I have pictures of me with that uke and reel to reel recordings with both ukes and the Kamaka is much richer ,louder and deeper even in the recordings .I have transfered those recordings over to CD`s a few years back. About 20 years back I finally bought my own Kamaka and paid a fair amount compaired to the lower priced Ukes but it was well worth it. I have played Chet Atkins style guitar for more than 20 years and use that Kamaka as back ground music and it is so beautiful of backup music for my recordings and so smooth to go along with it . Thanks for such a wonderful site and great to know there still others who enjoy this wonderful little instrument too ! !
Terry
Kamaka makes some very very fine instruments and they have a strict repair policy of only repairing thier own. My Lady and I own 4 different ones from them. Since I live in Honolulu, it’s an easy drive down to south st. where they are located.
My ladies 1958 koa soprano was kinda sad, bridge popped off, top separating, tuners frozen, from dis use and from too many yrs. sitting on those curious shelves way up high in many Hawaiian houses in the bedrooms.
For 200 bucks, set price, the refinished it, reset the bridge, reglued the top with a new one as the old one was too warped and installed new tuners. It’s a gem.
It’s always been a ladies ukulele and it shows on the fretboard with large gouges made by long fingernails. If that ukulele could speak of the backyard Kanikapila’s it’s done, the story would be a book.
I recently bought a Kamaka Tenor. Great sound but I have noticed the “c” string seems to over resonate (not a fret buzz). I have only been playing ukes for about a year and a half, so I am not sure if this is normal for a Kamaka. I also own four other cheaper ukes but their sound does not compare to the kamaka.
Dennis
Have just purchased a Kamaka HF-2 (Concert) and a HF-3 (Tenor) from Ukulele Movement Loft here in Singapore. The sound and quality of these ukuleles is simply outstanding. Well worth the money and now can’t put them down. Simply fabulous instruments.
I recently purchased an HF3 Tenor from the factory online,I was very nervy about spending ‘chunky money’on a uke so far away,but the Kamaka guys were very helpful and reassuring that the process was painless,and the uke arrived as promised,on time,and in a very nice case bearing the Kamaka logo.I have not been playing the ukulele long,but this instrument is so playable it’s untrue,and out of the four I have[including Koaloha]its definitely the most playable,just look out for the duty sting if you take this buying route.
Just to add some balance, I tried out a concert kamaka at a local music store yesterday, and the sound was DEAD. A store employee changed the strings, and that improved the sound some, but still, the sound was the worst out of the batch of brands I was trying. The best sound came out of a new $279 martin. It was also the easiest to play. The lesson I took away is, it’s a crap shoot buying a uke online, even a big name brand one.
Just ordered new strings for my baritone. Bought it around 1975, played fun groups, backyard luaus, la’ dat. Moved here to Seattle, After near 15 years found a uke group,not Hawaiian style, but player. Ergo, new strings and the SOUNDS can resume. Mahalo.
Had a Kamaka Tenor made in 2008. Had been playing uke about 5 years. Have been a guitar player for over 40 years. I live in Australia and a couple of years later visited the Kamaka factory. The staff and Fred Kamaka looked up the serial no of my instrument and spent over an hour showing me around the factory. They even let me play a couple of their instruments in the showroom. I was made to feel incredibly welcome. The instrument I have is a beautiful thing. Wonderful warm rich tone, outstanding volume and superb playability. It always turns heads and attracts comments when I play publicly.
Visually it is a gem. The Koa radiates beauty when seen in the sunlight and despite being lightweight has proven to be extremely durable. I have pics from the day I visited and treasure the memory.
I have a Kamaka steel string koa guitaf which was made by Sam Kamaka Sr. for my grandfather who passed away some 39 years ago at the age of 71. I have no idea what the worth of the guitar is, I always tell people that the guitar has to be almost 100 years old?
Do you have guess? Mahalo!
I have a 1956 vintage Kamaka soprano (basic model, possibly made by Sam Jr.) that my dad bought while we were living at Hickam AFB, Oahu (adjacent to Pearl Harbor). Unfortunately, it was water-damaged in a moving van fire in the late ’60s but is still playable and sounds pretty good, considering its condition.
Unfortunately, at the time I had it repaired in the ’90s, I was unaware of Kamaka’s repair service and had some local repairs done. Someday I may send it to Kamaka for a complete overhaul, but I love that the fingerboard shows the wear from my dad’s playing and the scars from the water damage seem like a badge of honor. I wouldn’t want it to look like new, just play like new. It still plays pretty well and sounds pretty good despite the damage.
I now play with a local ukulele/hula group, playing the typical festival, retirement and nursing home gigs. In early 2017, I purchased one of the last-available 100th anniversary edition Kamaka baritones from Gryphon Stringed Instruments in Palo Alto, CA and it’s a beautiful (dark koa), fantastic sounding and easy to play instrument.
I’m amazed at how light it is. I can’t say that it sounds any better than other quality ukes in its price range since I didn’t do any comparison testing (I wanted a Kamaka!), but everyone marvels at it when they see and hear it.
I have a soprano Kamaka that a friend got me with a senior citizen discount in 1993 or 1994. I’m wondering if these are the same quality as the other Kamaka sopranos mentioned in this thread. I put a small scratch on the edge of the sound hole and noticed that the wood underneath doesn’t look the same. Did Kamaka ever make a student quality uke with a koa veneer?
I’ve recently acquired an early 60’s gold label pineapple Kamaka ukelele. Its condition is fair. Is there a market for instruments in this condition?
I have been given a gold label soprano by a lady I know, who is in her nineties. It was given to her in the early sixties when she lived in Hawaii. I only know it must be earlier than 1964. The bridge has become detached, so I need to get that fixed but I don’t know what strings to put on it for authenticity. I live in England and you can’t buy Kamaka strings here, as far as I can determine.
Aloha1 Bought my Baritone at the factory around 1973. My Kids all took lessons but my fat fingers led me to Baritone. With my Kamaka I was a hit at our weekly kanikapila. Now, near 40 years later, I am ZOOMing with two groups a week and meeting with anther. My Kamaka is greatly appreciated by all.
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