Extreme Makeover - Ukulele Edition

As posted previously, I had my Kamaka tenor (my go-to ukulele) refinished in a gloss finish.  They did a great job (albeit with one bubble) and removed a lot of the scratch marks the ukulele had suffered.  Unfortunately, I played my newly refinished ukulele while wearing a Hawaiian shirt with coconut buttons and they scratched up the back of the uke.  I apologize for the poor viewing angle, but you can probably see some white scratch marks across the back, mainly on the left and right sides.

So I did a little research online, and found that some people had used a product called Fender Guitar Instrument Kit (by Meguiar's - the car care people).  It consists of a mist and wipe, swirl and haze remover, and polish and conditioner.

I figured it couldn't hurt to try it so I visited my local Guitar Center in Pasadena, CA to pick up a box.  Unfortunately, they didn't have it, so I had to drive out to Cerritos to get one.  (About 33 miles away).  I headed out and got there, only to discover that the one box they had had leaked and was only about 3/4 full.  I had already spent 40 minutes driving out there in LA area traffic so I didn't want to leave empty handed and I bought the bottle. 

I went home and proceeded to follow the directions, only to discover that the bottles were not only leaking (as they had done all over the back seat of my BMW) but the swirl remover -- which is supposed to have a consistency of lotion or condensed milk, was like cloudy water.  I applied it repeatedly, and was able to get ten of the twelve scratches out, not perfection -- but still a success.

I figured that the box was not only leaking, but probably way beyond its shelf life.  Since I knew Guitar Center wouldn't have it, I did a check for a local Sam Ash store that did.  The one in City of Industry did, and at 8pm, I made the drive out there to get a box.  So I drove the 27 miles (only took a half hour at that time of night) and they had seven boxes in stock.  I told the sales clerk what happened with the Guitar Center box, and he allowed me to check the consistency of the swirl remover.  I did so, and was glad to see it was indeed like lotion.  It turns out it didn't make that much difference, and those two scratches are still visible, but on the whole, what a remarkable transformation!  

Since I had all the strings off, I also put a very thin coating of lemon oil on the fretboard...just left it on for about fifteen minutes then wiped it off.  

The entire ukulele feels like glass -- just like a freshly waxed car would.  It shines like crazy and I couldn't be happier with my purchase.  For a twenty five dollar investment (okay plus the cost of gas to Cerritos and City of Industry!) I gave Pele an extreme makeover.  She is almost wrinkle free and looks better than ever. :)

Wall hangers

Most people recommend that you store your ukuleles in cases, preferably ones that are humidity controlled.  I know I should, but I am too lazy, plus my cat has a habit of peeing on anything luggage like that is left out and about, so my Ameritage Silver Series cases (more expensive than some ukuleles) are much better protected in the closet.

As you all know, I'm a big Hawaii fan, so my home office has a Hawaii theme.  I have uli ulis, and an ipu on a shelf in my office.  

 So it was only natural for me to hang my ukuleles up there. I didn't want to use generic boring hangers, so I ordered some hand carved Hawaiian themed hangers.

For my small soprano, I have a honu turtle design.  My Pineapple Sunday is, naturally, on a pineapple hanger.  The Kamaka hangs on a whale hook, and my Kanile'a sits on a plumeria hanger.  I ordered them from a Ukulele Underground member named Toucan Mango, and got them from his eBay store. http://stores.ebay.com/Toucanmango

I highly recommend them, as they feature great wood designs, and padded protection for your ukuleles.

Closer inspection of satin vs. gloss finish on my Kamaka HF3

I originally posted a couple of quick photos showing the difference between the original satin finish and the new glossy finish on my Kamaka.  Here are some more detailed comparisons -- I still think that as a general rule, there is not a huge difference when the satin had been viewed under ideal situations (with fluorescent lights or a flash camera), but in just a glance, or less than idea scenarios, the gloss shows the curl in the koa much more than the satin did.  So I have tried to find photos that show the satin in its natural state -- not an easy task because I usually was meticulous about how I took pictures to best reflect the curl in the koa.

Here are some comparisons taken of the ukulele under the same conditions -- no flash, just the top portion of the face near the soundhole.

Satin top

Glossy top

As you can see, the glossy really brings out the curl in the koa.  Although you do have to account for the brighter sunlight conditions in the second photo, it is that dramatic a difference.

The next set of photos are of the side of the ukulele.  This shows the satin finish under the best possible conditions, with lighting/flash that allowed the curl to show through, so the difference is much less dramatic.

Satin side

Glossy side

Hopefully, this gives a bit of an insight into the difference in appearance between the two finishes.  As for sound, my uke sounds exactly the same as it did during the satin finish. As Fred Kamaka, Jr. noted, there is no difference in sound in their ukuleles in either finishes, they endure the same six bottom coats, it is only the top coat of finish that determines whether the ukulele will be satin or glossy.

As for feel, I did like the smooth, silky feel of the satin probably better than the stickier finish provided by the gloss.  But the funny thing is that my ukulele had originally had a gloss finish on the back of its neck (I'm not sure if that was by accident or design) so the majority of the portion I touched feels the same.  I actually really like that I don't have to worry about sweat/body oils in the portion of the ukulele where my right forearm rests any longer.  That had been touched so often that it was starting to show a shiny spot in that area.  The satin finish was also much easier to damage and the gloss hides more of a multitude of sins.

Chris Kamaka was able to remove the gouge marks and most of the scratches on my uke, leaving her pristine and beautiful.  I don't regret it for a second, even though I do still see the value of a traditional satin ukulele.
So on the whole, I'm very happy with my decision to refinish it, and I can't thank the Kamaka guys enough for taking care of it for me!

Glossy refinishing on my Kamaka HF-3 tenor ukulele

As I mentioned in my last post, I had my Kamaka tenor ukulele refinished from satin to gloss.  Here are a couple of photos that show the difference between the original to the newer makeover version

This is a photo taken of me with the original satin finish ukulele (in Lahaina, Maui).  It did show the curl more when the pictures were taken with a flash camera, or it was reflected in the right lighting.  But this photo is an accurate portrayal of how it generally looked at a glance, when those proper situations were not present.

As you can see from the photo below, the ukulele in its gloss version brings out the curl in the koa a little bit more (taken in my backyard, while wearing my Reyn Spooner official Kamaka Ukulele Hawaiian shirt).

40th Annual Uke Festival and refinished Kamaka

I just got home from Hawaii. I spent a few days in Kauai (at the Castle Makahuena in Poipu) and four days in Oahu (at the Hilton Hawaiian Village).  I'll do a quick review of the Castle in the upcoming days...in short, it was nice to be next door to the Point (where I always stay) and it definitely had some advantages and disadvantages...

The purpose of my trip was so that I could attend the 40th Annual Roy Sakuma Ukulele Festival at Kapiolani Park on Sunday, July 18th.  The concert lineup was fantastic, with performances by Jake Shimabukuro, James Hill, Herb Ohta and many other ukulele artists.  If you didn't get a chance to attend, be sure to check out this webpage, where an attendee has uploaded great videos of the performances. http://www.ukuleleunderground.com/forum/showthread.php?33256-Roy-Sakuma-s-Ukulele-Festival-2010/page3&highlight=sakuma

It was pretty hot, and I didn't plan well (turns out it is pretty hard to sit on the ground for that long).  But it was completely worth it, as in addition to the superstar artists, there were also a number of ukulele groups from everywhere from Cerritos, CA to Japan.  Each of the major ukulele manufacturers had a booth at the festival (I made sure to stop by the Kamaka, KoAloha and Kanile'a booths).

It amazes me that both Joe Souza from Kanile'a Ukulele, and Paul Okami from KoAloha Ukulele remembered me.  I have met Joe on two occasions, and yet when he saw me, he came over with a broad grin and stopped to chat.  (By the way Joe, you look fantastic!  Keep it up!)  And I saw Paul Okami (who I only met once) walking around and mentioned to my Mom that was him, but truthfully, I didn't think he would remember me so I didn't stop to talk.  Instead, he smiled and said, "Hey, I know you!" and then we talked story for a few minutes.  I was also standing at a booth only to have someone else come up and say hi, and was Aldrine Guerrero from Ukulele Underground...again, a guy I met only twice before in the past.  The ukulele world is so small, and so very welcoming.  It really does feel like we are all one ohana.

It was at the Kamaka booth that I first discussed refinishing my Kamaka ukulele with Fred Kamaka, Jr.  My ukulele was a satin finish tenor...it was quite beautiful but it had some battle scars (from an unfortunate accident with scissors while changing strings) and I felt the satin finish didn't do justice to the curl in the koa wood.  I asked Fred if I could have it refinished in a gloss finish, and he said to bring it by the factory the next day and that for $50 they would re-finish it for me, hopefully completing it before my flight home on Wednesday.

I ended up taking it down there, and left it in the very capable hands of Chris Kamaka.  I then spent the next two days as a nervous wreck, unable to sleep or concentrate on anything other than the status of my beloved "Pele."  On Tuesday I called the factory and was told that Chris would have it ready for me on Wednesday, but possibly not before my flight.

So on Wednesday morning, I jumped on the #42 bus from Waikiki, and headed to the factory.  Even though I was told to call first, I had a very short window of time before I had to be back at the hotel to check out and catch my shuttle to the airport.  I figured it was worth the risk on the off chance it was ready.  Lo and behold, just as I got off the bus and was walking the couple of blocks to the factory, my phone rang and it was none other than Chris Kamaka telling me the ukulele would be ready in a few minutes.

I was then presented with a newly finished, now unmarked, beautiful ukulele.  The gloss finish does seem to make the curl in the koa pop more, and while it does have the smell of lacquer still, that only adds to the new feeling of my uke.  The best part is, those horrible gouge marks are now gone.  Chris was able to remove them, leaving a pristine Kamaka in my hands.  I almost jumped across the counter to hug him I was so happy.

I need to take some photos and I will update this with the before/after pics -- hopefully tomorrow, but I do have the inlaws coming over for a barbecue, and some furniture being delivered so if I don't get a chance to do it then, I will be sure to do so on Tuesday or Wednesday.

All I can say is, while people often speak of the customer service of Kanile'a and KoAloha (both of which I completely agree with), the guys at Kamaka really went out of their way to make me happy. Chris worked incredibly fast, even though they don't do rush jobs, to ensure that I wouldn't leave his island without my beloved Pele in my hands.  I can't thank them enough.  Mahalo nui loa.

KoAloha factory tour

I just got back from Hawaii last night (whew, a bumpy plane ride!)  I had a great time in Oahu and Kauai, and the highlight of my trip was getting to spend some time at the KoAloha Ukulele Factory.  I got a chance to talk story with Alvin "Papa KoAloha" Okami for almost an hour, and he performed some songs off his new CD ("Just Uke and Me") for us.  He also explained the meaning behind the song "Softly," and while I loved it before, it has even more meaning now.  Before we left, he grabbed some DVDs of the KoAloha Story, as well as two of his CDs (which he autographed) for us.  I can't say enough about what a wonderful man he is.  Not only is he a creative genuis -- who else could have thought up the wonders of the Pineapple Sunday, Sceptre and Jukulele, but he is also a warm and caring person, who took time out of his busy day to chat with two ladies from California.  Poor Mom, she has now been dragged to the ukulele factory tours of Kanile'a, Kamaka and KoAloha.  For her sake, I better not end up buying a Ko'olau.

To get to Kohou street from Waikiki, we took the #42 bus, and then walked a couple of blocks.  I've now taken the bus to all three of the factories, and while Kamaka's is the easiest to get to, KoAloha's was simpler than Kanile'a (of course, if I had gotten off at the right bus stop for Kanile'a maybe it wouldn't have been so bad).

Here is a photo of me outside the KoAloha logo sign...

After posing under the sign, I took another picture standing outside their door.  Unlike Kamaka, which is a pretty nondescript building, the KoAloha factory has adorable ukuleles and a sign outside letting you know that you are in ukulele heaven.

After posing for my photos (with Po'okela, my trusty KoAloha Pineapple Sunday), we rang the buzzer and waited to be let inside.  We had made reservations with Brian for the tour that morning at 9am, and I was excited to get to make the keychains I had heard so much about...

Turns out we didn't get to do that, but we were privy to something far greater - a personal concert from Papa KoAloha.  I also got a chance to see the very first KoAloha, the miniature that Mr. Okami created on advice from Ohta-san.

I also noticed how adorable the waiting room at KoAloha is...with everything from glass etched KoAloha designs to painted portraits of Alvin and Pat, aka Papa and Mama KoAloha.

I'd also love to have a plant like this, with KoAloha ukuleles growing on it...

After our concert, Brian took us on a tour of the factory, and we got a chance to see him discuss bookmatching of tops with Paul, using some beautiful koa wood for demonstration.

We were also shown the unique brace used by KoAloha, which not only supports the weight of their workers, but also ensures the quality and volume of sound in the instrument.

We also got to see some of the new Masterpiece collection tenor Sceptres that Papa was currently working on...oh, to have a tenor Sceptre.  He said that all of them were already spoken for, and that he anticipated being done working on them in about a week, then it would be on to make more jukuleles.

I also got a chance to see the new bridge design for the Pineapple Sunday.  As it has been reported elsewhere, KoAloha decided to return to the debossed style of design, rather than the etched tops.  And this new spiky bridge design is also an improvement over the straight bridge style.  As most of you know, I went through four of the Pineapple Sundays before I ended up with my current one -- I was searching for a spiky bridge design on an embossed top, and I ended up losing hundreds of dollars in the pursuit.  I hate to admit it, but I really prefer the spiky bridge design to the one on my model, but at this point, I think I would end up divorced against my will if I bought another Pineapple Sunday so I'll just have to be content with the one I have.   Luckily for me, it sounds and looks great.  So even though I will lust after the new style, I'll stick with the one I have.  For now, hehehe...

Finally, when we went back into the showroom, Brian brought out a Jukulele to show everyone, as it is the latest of Papa KoAloha's Masterpiece Collection.  It is amazing the level of detail in these ukuleles.  The "American" version actually has 50 stars etched into the top, one for each state of the union.  And the "Hawaiian" model is stunning visually as well.

I thanked Paul for helping to set up the tour for us, and I thanked him for all of his help and kind words on email.  I also told him I appreciated him being on Ukulele Underground, as an inside connection to KoAloha for those of us who are big fans.  I asked if I could pose for a picture with him and my ukulele, and unfortunately, Mom cut off the ukulele, but this is the two of us at the end of the tour.

And finally, my favorite photo from the day.  This is of Mom, Alvin Okami, my Pineapple Sunday and I in front of a wall of beautiful KoAloha ukuleles.  I can't thank the folks at KoAloha enough for taking the time out of their busy schedules to walk us through their factory and talk story with us.  My Pineapple Sunday is a treasure to me, in large part due to the heart and soul of the Okami family.  Mahalo nui loa to everyone at KoAloha Ukulele, especially Alvin Okami.

Off to Hawaii!

My bags are packed and I'm off to Hawaii tomorrow.  I'll be in Oahu for three days (staying at my Mom's timeshare at the Hilton Hawaiian Village).  I can't wait to get a mai tai at the Royal Hawaiian and do some shopping at Ala Moana.  I can taste that Yummy Korean BBQ now!  But I'm most excited about touring the KoAloha Ukulele factory on Thursday morning.  I've already visited the Kamaka and Kanile'a factories (see other posts) and I can't wait to see where my Pineapple Sunday ukulele was born.

Then it is on to Kauai for seven days.  Ah, Poipu, my favorite place on Earth.  We are staying at the Point at Poipu (another of Mom's timeshares) in my favorite unit, 6305.  Keoki's - start blending those frozen mai tais, I'm on my way!

I'll be back on the 17th of April, with some photos from KoAloha...