Ukulele Friend store

[merlin666]

On FB I have come across an "Ukulele Friend" store in Honolulu that looks impressive and seems to be well connected to the community. As I have booked a trip to Oahu this winter I am contemplating to make an appointment for a visit. But my time there will be very limited and cost of trip is high so need to select activities carefully. Is anyone familiar with this store and can provide some more information and context?

 

[man0a]

Ukulele Friend's real name is Sean Yacavone. He has been mentioned in this forum many times over the years and you can find interviews with him on YouTube. He seems to be more of an historical ukulele collector than a retail business, but he uses his retail sales to fund his collecting. A large portion of his sales seem to be to other high-end collectors, which I am not, so I didn't want to bother him. If you fall into that category, a visit may be worth both of your times.

 

[rainbow21]

Shawn carries high end (starting at $2k but usually much higher?) ukuleles. My impression is his shop is not open with regular hours like a normal retail store but by appointment where he has to meet you at an appointed time. I assume this means you will get his full attention, which can be good or bad (no "I'm just looking to see what you have").

So unless there is a specific ukulele you want to try before you buy, I believe your time (and his?) is better used for other activities/places. Certainly, if this is your first time, ukulele places to consider are the factory tours of Kamaka, KoAloha, and Kanile'a. Obviously The Ukulele Site should be a destination. Other stores include Kanile'a Store at Ala Moana or Kaneohe, The Ukulele Store on Lewers in Waikiki, and a few others members have mentioned.

And you are in Hawaii. Partake of all the other activities Oahu has to offer, including food, beaches, live music, etc. Pearl Harbor is worthy (and free if you go yourself and not on a tour). To me, a local plate lunch and shave ice (and spam musubi) are priorities when I go.

 

[merlin666]

Thanks I have been to Hawaiian islands several times and this is just a new one that I have not visited before. But is probably not for me. But I certainly will set a day apart to walk down from Waikiki to visit Kamaka, KoAloha and the Kanile'a store which I have not been to before as our last visit was 4 years ago. Way too long compared to at least one visit per year before.

 

[badhabits]

If in Waikiki you could do Best ukulele, Ukulele lab, Ukulele store, and Puapua in one short walk.

 

[TimWilson]

If in Waikiki you could do Best ukulele, Ukulele lab, Ukulele store, and Puapua in one short walk.

While it's a bit of a longer walk to Ala Moana and the Kanile'a store there, you could in fact do the whole walk along the beach! There are also shuttles that go from Waiki to Ala Moana from pretty much all the hotels. In additon to the Kanile'a store, the mall is an experience unto itself. There are some familiar stores (assuming that you have a Tiffany AND a Harry Winston store next to each other across from the Rolex store), but as a whole, you definitely don't have a mall like this where you live. If you want to save yourself a trip to Asia, just swing by the food court!

And it really is DIRECTLY across the street from a terrific beach, in fact the only Waikiki beach that I've swum at. (I don't like that sentence, but I hope it makes sense. ) I wish you could see the beach from more parts of the mall, but I get that they wanted to protect the stores, and of course the Food Court, from the weather coming in from the sea. The beach is clean and quiet, and a little calmer than the parts of the beach right in front of the hotels, and there are some fun food trucks, lots of bathrooms and showers, and generally a pleasant time.

 

[badhabits]

Yeah, depending on where starting in Waikiki, going to Ala Moana could be a hike, esp to the far side/Koaloha...and then even a little further to Kamaka. Designers, Longs and Lego all in one place...lol. There also is/was Ecotown, that has/had a fair number of nice used or maybe consigned ukes. Such a shame that Shirokiya closed up...Ala moana beach park is a def .

 

[man0a]

fyi - Google Maps says the walking distance from Kapahulu Ave (the far eastern edge of the Waikiki tourist hotel district) to the Kanilea store in Ala Moana is 2.2 miles or 49 minutes walking. Walking to Kamaka adds another 1.5 miles or 33 minutes. If you don't want to walk that far (or are a late riser and want to catch the Kamaka 10:30am factory tour), various tourist trolleys or public busses are very inexpensive, especially on the Waikiki-to-Ala Moana route.

 

[TimWilson]

Yeah, depending on where starting in Waikiki, going to Ala Moana could be a hike, esp to the far side/Koaloha

All the more so if you're walking on sand the whole way!

I should note that my one trip to that beach was not as part of a trip to ala Moana or Waikiki in general. We were in fact driving all around that part of Honolulu looking for a quiet beach, and this is the one we found!

We hadn't actually been to Ala Moana at that point and I've only been twice since, so I am by no means presenting myself as an expert on any of this... Just that I was amused upon my first visit to Ala Moana, where I went to visit the Kanile'a store while my Honolulu automobile dealer was servicing my car, to see that my "favorite" South Shore beach was right across the street!

Not by any means my favorite on the island mind you. That would take you to the east side or the North shore, but if you're mostly focused on Honolulu for your trip, there are a lot of benefits toward heading east!

 

[badhabits]

I don't think you can beach it the whole way... won't the harbor get in the way? If lucky you can stop at Cinnamon (at the Ilikai, oldest high rise in Waikiki and seen on the opening of Hawaii 5-0!) and hear Douglas Tolentino (not Bryan) play his sweet Gibson tenor.

 

[hands_on_lanzon]

I visited Shawn's showroom last January and loved every minute. We met at 9am on a Saturday and I must've sat there and sampled ukes and talked story for 3hrs! Aside from having an amazing inventory of ukes for sale, he has a handful in his collection that are not for sale, and few that belong (and have been in museums). That visit might be the closest thing to going to an 'ukulele museum you can get on the entire planet and the docent is the owner, 'ukulele lover, and fellow UAS sufferer... maybe one of the worst!

He's a fount of 'ukulele knowledge... both historical, current, builders, and musicians.

It really depends on what you're trying to get of your visits. I haven't visited the Kamaka or Kanilea factories, but I did do the KoAloha tour. It was fun to see how ukes are built and chat with Paul and Brian a little at the end.

Going to retail stores, you'll see some cool ukes from each retailer.

Shawn gives you a boutique showroom experience where you can A/B some of the best ukes from some of the best builders. You can hear and feel the differences between an I'iwi, Kinnard, Moore Bettah, Grimes, G-String, etc etc... whatever amazing stuff he has in stock.

I can honestly say there's nothing else like it.

 

[Joyful Uke]

I visited Shawn's showroom last January and loved every minute. We met at 9am on a Saturday and I must've sat there and sampled ukes and talked story for 3hrs! Aside from having an amazing inventory of ukes for sale, he has a handful in his collection that are not for sale, and few that belong (and have been in museums). That visit might be the closest thing to going to an 'ukulele museum you can get on the entire planet and the docent is the owner, 'ukulele lover, and fellow UAS sufferer... maybe one of the worst!

He's a fount of 'ukulele knowledge... both historical, current, builders, and musicians.

It really depends on what you're trying to get of your visits. I haven't visited the Kamaka or Kanilea factories, but I did do the KoAloha tour. It was fun to see how ukes are built and chat with Paul and Brian a little at the end.

Going to retail stores, you'll see some cool ukes from each retailer.

Shawn gives you a boutique showroom experience where you can A/B some of the best ukes from some of the best builders. You can hear and feel the differences between an I'iwi, Kinnard, Moore Bettah, Grimes, G-String, etc etc... whatever amazing stuff he has in stock.

I can honestly say there's nothing else like it.

I’m not likely to ever make it to HI, (and if we get the expected snow storm, I’m not even sure when I’ll make it out of my house), but I’d love to visit UF. Your description of your visit makes me want to put that on my bucket list.

Just wondering - after sampling all those great ukuleles, which did you like the most?

 

[hands_on_lanzon]

Just wondering - after sampling all those great ukuleles, which did you like the most?

There was an unlisted older Lymana tenor that had a warmth, clarity, and feel that rivaled a Moore Bettah for a much more affordable cost. That one stuck in my head for a while.

The MB with the koi headstock had maybe my favorite tone and feel that day, but was (and remains to be) a bit out of my range.

I did leave with my Antar low G pineapple soprano, as I was content with my tenor collection and falling for the smaller sizes at the time. I supposed that was the most liked, affordable, and filled an empty stall in the stable.

 

[KohanMike]

,,,in fact the only Waikiki beach that I've swum at. (I don't like that sentence, but I hope it makes sense.)...

Let me help, "...the only Waikiki beach where I've swum..." is better. The mistake people make that forces them to add the 'at' is using 'that' when it should be 'where,' which eliminates the need to improperly end a sentence with a preposition.

 

[Patty]

… a terrific beach, in fact the only Waikiki beach that I've swum at. (I don't like that sentence, but I hope it makes sense. )

Let me help, "...the only Waikiki beach where I've swum..." is better.

No, no. I know we’re not supposed to get into grammatically correcting one another, but clearly the proper construction is “ … the only Waikiki beach within whom I’ve swum thereupon.”

 

[badhabits]

Actually, Ala moana is not a part of Waikiki, it ends at the canal/harbor... just sayin'
so Tim, you've still never really swum/swam/swimmed there.

 

[TimWilson]

No, no. I know we’re not supposed to get into grammatically correcting one another, but clearly the proper construction is “ … the only Waikiki beach within whom I’ve swum thereupon.”

In whomst I have swam?

Actually, Ala moana is not a part of Waikiki, it ends at the canal/harbor... just sayin'
so Tim, you've still never really swum/swam/swimmed there.

Ah, what do I know? I went to Waikiki once to drop off a friend at their hotel.

It seems like a cool place if you want that all-inclusive experience and be able to walk around downtown, which I've enjoyed more than the beaches (obvs). My own preference for both visiting and living is to be a bit off the beaten path, and I think one reason why that beach in from of Ala Moana was so quiet is that there are no hotels nearby, and most people headed to that post of town are going to do some kind of business or shopping. A little creativity, and you can have the best of all of it with Shaker crowds.

And fwiw, I'm half an hour out of town, a couple of miles from the Kanile'a store in Kaneohe, on the waterfront route to the North Shore, and I hear a couple of cars go by a day. Yeah, town can get jammed up, no doubt, but a VERY short drive is all it takes to leave that as far behind as you'd like

Still, I'll put properly exploring Waikiki on the list of things to do!

 

[TerryM]

.....Still, put properly exploring Waikiki on the list of things to do!

Try the beach on the far opposite end of Waikiki from Ala Moana - last one before Diamond Head, I think. Best for swimming, and a nice bath house for showering afterwards.

 

[hands_on_lanzon]

Shawn attended NAMM recently and captured this little clip of James Hill playing his 1890's Manuel Nunes 'ukulele.

 

[merlin666]

Try the beach on the far opposite end of Waikiki from Ala Moana - last one before Diamond Head, I think. Best for swimming, and a nice bath house for showering afterwards.

Is that at the Natatorium or further like Diamond Head Beach Park?

Reminds me of our first trip to Oahu. We stayed at hotel near Hilton Village. On first day we took bus to climb Diamond Head. Then we walked back around Diamond Head... without water. That was some hike in the heat and sure was refreshing once we hit a beach near the road for a swim break.