The ukulele.

A while back, I thought I'd pick up a new instrument to play in my band.. a ukulele! The Uke has a long awesome history, and since it's a Hawaiian instrument, I thought I'd research Ukes made in Hawaii.

I found a few different brands that were Hawaiian-made:
Kamaka
KoAloha
Maui Music Ukulele (no website)
...as well as some custom builders ($$)

I ended up buying a KoAloha Concert Pikake from the Old Town School of Folk's music store called the Different Strummer - an awesome music shop with a knowledgeable, helpful, and really nice staff. The Concert Pikake is now discontinued, but you can still buy the regular Concert-sized uke.



It's a beautiful instrument made of Hawaii's local Koa wood. It's got a very natural and well-rounded sound, with a lot of punch when you need it. Learning the Uke was a breeze - it never ceases to be fun.

While your local music store is the best place to check out an instrument, you can also buy the above brands direct from their websites, or go to Ukes.com to check out all of 'em! They have a discussion forum as well, which is handy, considering they have so many brands.

Either way, go buy a Hawaiian-made Uke!