We popped in here for a quick music experience and left with a UBass! The young guy negotiated the price and it was similar to that on Amazon.... It was a little bit more, but that's OK because it was a small shop and we didn't mind contributing to a small business. The young guy there is very friendly and knowledgeable and super nice. I would highly recommend buying one of their shaker eggs, these are legit. They have a really nice selection of ukuleles - if you're in the market. read more

Hanalei Strings - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

Great little music shop in Hanalei. They had a lot of pretty ukeleles and a variety of small instruments that make for great souvenirs and gifts. I ended up getting my niece a Pellet Drum and I can't wait for her to annoy the crap out of my brother. There was only one employee working and he was great. He knew exactly what I was doing with my purchase, which we laughed about. He told me I wasn't the first to buy one for the same purpose. He was great to talk to and very chill, just playing his music. I didn't feel pressured to buy anything from him at all. read more

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There's an old saying about mandolin players: they spend half their life tuning, and the other half playing out of tune. I suspect the same could be said of those brave enough to take up the 8-string ukulele--an instrument so rare and peculiar that most people haven't heard of it... including me, until I wandered into Hanalei Strings. Tucked into the sun-dappled heart of Hanalei town, Hanalei Strings doesn't feel like a store. It feels like someone's living room. Leather couches welcome you to sit. The walls are lined with koa and mahogany dreams. You half expect IZ himself to walk through the back door, barefoot, ready to jam. And there, among the sopranos, concerts, and tenors, hung a creature I'd never encountered before: the 8-string ukulele. A doubled-course wonder that looked like it had a secret to tell. Naturally, I picked it up. Gave it a strum. A bit out of tune. So I reached for the pegs. Enter the shopkeeper--a young man with sun-bleached hair and the relaxed confidence of someone who plays barefoot, whether there's sand or not. "That uke's already in tune," he said kindly. I nodded. "Just a touch out," I offered. He smiled. "Doesn't need it." It did. I gently brought it to pitch, and then--fingers warmed--I fell into a few of my favorite Jake Shimabukuro riffs. The chords rang out, lush and layered, like a slack key quartet sharing one voice. The young shopkeeper stepped back, nodded, and said the thing all musicians hope to hear: "Okay, you got it." We chatted about the instrument. Its tuning, its temperament. The sound, unmistakably rich--like a choir of ukuleles tuned to the breeze. It felt legendary in my hands. I didn't buy it. Not yet. But I think about it often. It calls to me like a song half-finished. Waiting. Hanalei Strings is more than a music shop. It's a sanctuary. A living room with soul. A place where instruments don't just hang on walls--they whisper, play me. And one day, I'll return. And the 8-string will come home. read more

Hanalei Strings - The mysterious 8-string uke. - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

A lovely little spot in Hanalei! As a fun little bonus, they sell yarn that's hand-dyed on Kauai, one of only two spots to get indie yarn on the island. Their selection of ukeleles and guitars was extensive and laid out well. They also sell artwork, other instruments, and handmade items (quilts, scarves, some jewelry, harmonicas, and koa picks). Not sure what the recent complaint about service was about, but Zeke (sp?) at the counter was friendly, funny, and a pleasure to talk to. He was strumming away on a ukulele when we walked in. There's a secret cat named Puma who hangs out by the shop, so watch out for her :) Stop here after breakfast in Hanalei; it's unique and you would be hard-pressed to find this kind of craftsmanship elsewhere on the island. read more

This was such a cool experience!! It was a rainy night and not much to do in Princeville and a friends recommendation brought me here!! The most amazing local artists take the stage and sweet souls share their presence that inspire the stars to play, sing and shine!! A local gem for sure!! read more

Stopped in for a visit to peruse the ukuleles and guitars. I'm a pro level jazz guitarist. Inventory features mostly budget friendly Kala brand ukes. Though if you want something a bit more hand made of premium woods, the store carries the Raymond Rapozo Island Ukulele company instruments (Of which I own one). Sat with the employee for a 20 minute conversation and to play several ukes. We had a grand old time, he was laid back, friendly and happy to talk about music and instrument making. Prices for the instruments are competitive with the three other stores on Kauai. read more

Thank you Logan! My first ukulele lesson was magical, and hopefully musical. I'm glad you took the time to share your passion for this very special instrument. read more

Hanalei Strings - Learning my first chord with Logan, an excellent teacher at Hanalei Strings. - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

Hanalei is one of my favorite places on the island of Kauai. It is on the verge of over crowded but maintains it's small town charm. This music store caters to the deep local demand for stringed instruments especially ukuleles. I found a cool bamboo xylophone I couldn't live without! read more

Hanalei Strings - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

Aloha is not present in this establishment. Just a wannabe bouncer behind the counter with his shades on inside wishing he was somewhere else. Surely not helping this place sell a single ukulele. You can skip this spot. read more

Mr.Logan serviced my piece of shit guitar back into beautiful working shape. Please come visit Logan at Hanalei strings and give him free money and call him a nice boy. -Mack read more

I wanted to get a ukulele and didn't think I'd find a shop and we happened to walk by this one. The owner was extremely helpful to someone who doesn't know the first thing about ukelele. Would definitely recommend this shop. read more

A quaint little shop in the plaza in Hanalei and I have to say the employees were very, very friendly and helpful. They had a nice selection of merchandise and if you are in the market for a ukulele, this is a good place to go. Staff is very helpful and friendly, and if we were going to be spending more time on the island I would have invested in a couple of lessons from their personnel. If you're in Hanalei, I encourage you to visit this shop. You will not be disappointed. read more

Amazing and intelligent staff (Tora) and beautiful selection of ukes. Must go for your sting needs!

Wish I caught the gentleman's name who helped me. He walked me through several types of ukuleles to find the one that fit a beginner, not break the budget, but be a great instrument over many years. Definitely worth checking out if you have any interest. read more

Took an hour long ukelele lesson that was amazing and worth the money, $45. I'm a teacher and they really had the skills and patience to further any new players. Took it twice during my stay! read more

Emily is super happy helpful ! Nice place to find music instruments and connections :) read more

Dropped in today. Held a couple of ukes and tested the sounds. Zero customer service. No one greeted or offered assistance. There was a woman sitting in a corner on a laptop but didn't budge. read more

Hanalei Strings - Musical Instruments & Teachers Near Me - Hanalei, Hawaii

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Owner was very friendly and picked out a Ukulele for both myself and young daughter within our price range. He's an obvious musician and his optimism and excitement about music spills over. He gave a simple lesson and intro music sheet to the kiddo, nice touch. The store has mostly Kala brand and equivalent Ukes as well as beautiful locally made instruments, all which range from $50 to 1k or more, but you can hear the difference as you go up for sure. read more

This locally-owned store features ukuleles with a small collection of other stringed instruments. We signed up for the one-hour ukulele lesson. Pancho was a terrific teacher and launched us as ukulele players. The uke is easy & fun to learn - so try it out! read more

we bought a Makala ukulele for our four year old. it's a fun strum and is very durable. the young man in the shop helped us find the right instrument, tuned us up, and gave me a few pointers as a dad who plays guitar but needs to learn uke chords. fun times, this place is first class. read more

Sweetest little spot for some quality ukuleles. Picked up one for each of my musical daughters. The woman working was delightful and knowledgeable. read more

I'm a guitar player and expected to see guitars but was surprised to see a TON of uses. The place is very open, friendly and they encourage you to play anything you'd like. There are chord fingerings (2 and 3 finger) on the walls so anyone with basic knowledge will be successful the first time out. There is a range of prices and the staff is VERY helpful and fun. It's just the type of place you want to see in Kauai. Stop by and pick up a cool t-shirt. read more

Ukelele lesson was super fun. I thought a group lesson would be awkward but it was not. Am going to play Happy Birthday to myself next month :) read more

Fun time learning to play the ukulele. Well, I should say "trying to play". I was not very good at it. Although Holly was a good teacher, I wIll need more lessons to purchase an instrument. Maybe I can keep taking classes and they'll pity me and just keep adding the 15% discounts together and I could by one for 45% off. It was fun, though. I'd do it again. Practice makes perfect. read more

Fantastic customer service, great gear and a ton of aloha all around. I visit here EVERY time I'm in Kauai.

I called this guy, and he said that he has good ukuleles, which was good news cause I needed one. But then I went to ask him if I should get a baritone, ukulele, or a standard tuning ukulele, and he said it depends on my voice. So I sang him a song over the phone! And he said I need to get myself a better voice before I shop at this place. read more

Great selection of UKULELES and other instruments , including some Vintage instruments. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. Fun store to check out in beautiful Hanalei read more

Took our first ukulele class and it was great! Everyone should try this for those that would like to try a different instrument, especially on the island. Emma was our instructor and educated us on the history and within an hour the class could play happy birthday. I committed and bought my first ukulele and committed to practice 10 min a day. You also get a 15% discount with your purchase. It was a fun time!! Mahalo read more

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The owner is very friendly and has an incredibly positive attitude. I bought a ukulele that was beautifully made, and it was a no-pressure sales environment. Overall it made for a very enjoyable shopping experience. read more

My wife and I took the group class last night. The instructor was funny, motivational, and skilled. The material was well-chosen for beginners in a one hour class. I had never played a guitar or ukulele before and I felt like I learned a lot in a short amount of time. And actual proficiency seems achievable if I actually bought a ukelele and applied myself. read more

Kirk is the man. This store totally nails the small town music store feel that most strive for. The instrument selection is such that there is something for everyone from beginners to experts, including locally hand made ukes. There are also frequent uke clinics/lessons as well. For those who are not musical, but looking to get a souvenir , there are plenty of budget instruments, vinyl records, wooden guitar pics and much more. If you are looking for a cool place to stop by while on the island I highly recommend this place. Rock On! \../-_-\../ read more

This is a lovely music shop in Hanalei, my family and I have visited several times, and purchased ukuleles as well as taken intro lessons here. The teachers are fantastic and very helpful. Definitely stop by! Given the quality of our interactions and experiences in the past I was really surprised by the abrasive and rude nature of one of the employees/manager: Holly. A mistake was made--totally understandable, but she had no interest in helping us sort it out, and when I asked for ideas to remedy their mistake she dismissively told me she needed to help other customers. A quick--"how can we make this better" or "shoot, I'm so sorry could you guys stop in tomorrow so we can figure this out" would have been more than enough. She also referred to Hawaiian's multiple times throughout her class as lazy. I grew up on Oahu, and I understand the laid back culture of the islands, but as a white woman with a whole lot of privilege as the teacher in the class, she could have been a lot more gracious in her assesment of the locals. My hope in writing this is that Holly will be more thoughtful in the future. Aloha! read more

Last night in Hanalei and finished a fantastic vacation with ukulele lessons at Hanalei Strings. What a delightful experience! We left knowing 1.001 songs and had a blast! Highly recommend spending time with these folks who understand Aloha. read more

Aloha, aloha, aloha! That's what Hanalei Music's Strings & Things definitely radiates as soon as you step into the store. My wife bought me a honeymoon gift here-- a beautiful compact travel ukelele. We could not have been happier with the service and the hospitality we were shown by Will when we stopped by. He was very attentive, and extremely helpful and patient with us as we decided which ukelele to go with. I'm a musician and I am extremely picky with choosing my instruments, and I didn't want to be stuck with buyer's remorse later on... Will did a great job at explaining the pros and cons of all the ukes they had and made sure that I was happy with the one I chose before I left-- and I still am extremely happy with it! Will gave my wife a good price for the uke, even giving a nice discount because she paid in cash. He threw in a copy of chords for me to practice with and some picks and I couldn't have been smiling more when we walked out of the store. Highly recommend Strings & Things in Ching Young Village in Hanalei!!! read more

Wonderful little shop! When we went in the first time we were greeted by the owner Kirk. He invited us to a Sunday evening Jazz concert there in the shop. After dinner at AMA we checked it out. Wow perfect Jazz in a sweet setting. We enjoyed Kirk and his wife Tora. The next day we headed over there and bought my husband a Ukulele. A must do while in Hanalei! read more

We only knew that we wanted to buy a ukulele to take home to our kids, but had no idea of price range, sizes, etc... The owner was warm and welcoming from the minute we walked in, and she spent time explaining to us the background on the instrument + understanding who would be playing, etc... Eventually, she helped us buy a great one. Highly recommended! read more

This shop is so very special to me. My family lost their entire home and everything they had to the Santa Rosa fire. My sister-in-law is a ukulele lover and lost her Uke in the fire. This wonderful store offered her a brand new ukulele as a gift. One of her coworkers was on the island and explained The situation and they offered the beautiful instrument. What wonderful people have stepped up to help them. Appreciating you from the Big Island Mahalo Nui Loa ! This company expresses the true meaning of Aloha. read more

Who would have thought that most enjoyable evening we would have would start with a ukulele lesson and finish up with a tight trio playing a very cool collection of whatever music they felt like. What a great place. In the middle of my lesson, they put a $3500 ukulele in my hands, and boy was it nice! We will return here for music and lessons when we return to Kauai! read more

I am not sure how to write these, but the folks at Hanalei Strings are incredible. My wife and famiky were in Kuaui about a year ago and my wife bought me a Ukulele here on a whim for our anniversary. Well due to strange circumstances, terrible freezing/Dry East Coast weather in 2017/18 or my lack of capabilites to care for the UKU properly lead to a crack in the wood. Long story short, No Questions asked, Hanalei and the Maker Raymond Rapozo stepped up and replaced my Uke with a new Koa Tenor RR Uke that is beautiful, great sounding and unique. They allowed me to craft my own design for a UKE Carving in the headstock that forever brands this to our trip and purpose. Thank you for makingnour experience and memory or Kuaui so special Hanalei Strings......Keep Strumming! read more

Regardless the level of your musical prowess, you must stop in here for their beginner ukulele class on T/Th at 6p. My wife and I had the best time and the owner's energy and enthusiasm made it so fun! I am now the proud owner of a ukulele and have been given the beginner's skills to begin to master this simple yet beautiful instrument. Ukuleles are provided for all. Just go, man! read more