I was in a ...DESPERATE need of repairing my Kamaka 'ukulele. The bridge that holds the..."A"…read morestring was damaged; therefore, the string couldn't stay on. When I mentioned this to my manager at work, he suggested I visit...WESTSIDE MUSIC. I was contemplating on going to Kamaka, but I was too lazy to make the drive to town. Also, I was thinking that this repair could be costly. Therefore, I decided to take my manager's advice and visit WM. I couldn't wait any longer so I called WM to see if they could assist me with my situation. Uncle Ron (owner) answered the phone and he told me to bring my 'ukulele in. So, I headed down to Waipahu the next day. Uncle Ron was nice enough to look at the damage and figure out a way to repair it. Well, it took him less than 5 minutes to repair it! Wow, he is a ...GENIUS! The buggah knows his stuff...I tell you! He also helped me tune the new "A" string that he replaced as well as the other strings by using a tuner. Then, he helped me figure out the 'ukulele chords to a song that I've been wanting to play. I let him listen to the song , and then he figured it out by ear. You da' man...You da' 'Ukulele Man...Uncle Ron! You are so talented...so helpful...so kind to help me. You are truly...Mr. Aloha! Mahalo nui loa (Thank you very much) Uncle Ron! So, if you are looking to repair your 'ukulele, come check out WESTSIDE MUSIC in Waipahu next to Time's Supermarket. You'll thank me for that!

I needed new strings for my ukulele and didn't know what type I should buy since I haven't played…read morein a long time. I brought in my ukulele and the store owner was able to help. So glad I found this place - close to Rocky's. Prices are reasonable and am love to support a small business.

Husband has taken up a new hobby and I was glad it wasn't acoustic drums this time…read more We came here to shop as he had received a gift card for his birthday and the staff was super attentive and he found what he needed. I was stunned at the size of this place, they have all kinds of stuff - I am not a musician so i was duly impressed; they even had the bongos I wanted a long, long time ago (long story). Drumsticks of all shapes, sizes and weight; guitars on the walls, sound systems, a room you can practice in (nice to listen to other players trying it out), accessories, albums, gifts, and more. A place well stocked like this makes me want to take up playing some kind of instrument. My husband will probably not like it.

Awesome customer service at this location. They are very knowledgeable and helped restring my…read moreguitar

Kalena was very nice and pleasant. She also shared her personal story in her passion of music…read moreteaching. Very kind and great selling left-handed ukulele! Highly Recommend! Good luck in your new journey! You'll do great

Note that I later received a message from the business owner essentially "scolding" me for removing…read morea star (4 stars instead of five) because they don't carry any other brands aside from their in-house brand. My 4 star review was my honest rating of the business, and was not really affected by the brand selection, and I actually bumped them up from the "in between 3 and 4 stars" gray area. Having said that, I think most people shopping for musical instruments (or anything else, for that matter) would like to know if a store does not carry the major brands typically carried by other shops in their market segment. The new 3 star rating is the rounded down rating I now give them because, as a more experienced guitarist who already has higher end instruments in-hand, the shop really has nothing to offer me that would draw me in for repeat visits. The shop really is catering to entry level student musicians, which is fine, but I don't need the management messaging me every few months because they really want a 5-star review on Yelp.

Unacceptable Service & Zero Priority I am beyond frustrated…read morewith the service I received today, and I ended up walking out. My wife, my two kids, and I walked into this establishment around 4:35 PM on March 25th. We were greeted at the front by Ted, who told us he'd be over to help us "real soon" and instructed us to head back to the electronic drums. Couple other staff asked if we needed help which we did, and was told they couldn't really help us because they weren't the 'drum guy' and to wait for Ted. We waited. For 25 to 30 minutes. When Ted finally decided to show up, he gave us maybe five minutes of his time. Instead of actually helping us make a decision, he left us with more questions than answers. He told us he'd be "right back," and then disappeared for another 10 minutes. From where I was standing, I could see him at the front of the store helping people who walked in long after we did. The breaking point was when he finally came back to our area...but not to help us. He started assisting another person who had just arrived. At that point, I was losing my cool. He knew we had been waiting patiently for a long time, yet he continued to treat us like we weren't a priority. Once he finally finished with the latecomers, I had to confront him with the facts. I told him exactly how long we'd been sitting there while he ignored us for newer customers. Instead of offering a solution or taking accountability, he just hit me with excuses. Then, he actually had the nerve to ask if I had "more questions." I told him flat out: I was ready to check out 30 minutes ago, but he left us hanging high and dry. I was literally about to tell him which set we were buying, but after that experience, I decided right then and there that we wouldn't be supporting this business. We walked out. Bottom line: You need to get your priorities straight. UPDATE: I'm updating my previous 1-star review to 5 stars because of one person... Senior Manager Anju (I hope I spelled that correctly). After that initial visit yesterday which left us feeling disregarded and unimportant... Anju reached out to me personally to make it right during our phone call. It takes a true leader to own up to a mistake and honestly she did so with such grace. Took full accountability for her store and them some. When we returned today, we weren't just 'customers' we were felt like actual guests. Anju provided the kind of high-touch and personalized support that made the store feel more like a community. She was patient, informative, answered all my questions and incredibly kind to our 5-year-old. She made sure we walked out happy and we left with the perfect Roland TD-07DMK Electronic Drum Kit and a matching V-Drum Amp. I felt Anju made it her mission to make sure every detail was handled perfectly so we could focus on the excitement of our daughter's musical journey instead of the issues we faced previously. It's easy to be a good store when things go right, but how you handle things when they go wrong is the true test... Anju passed with flying colors. From here on out we'll be supporting this business under her leadership. Mahalo for turning this around for our family!

They have such an extensive variety of musical instruments! I went on a Black Friday sale day but…read moreI still received top notch customer service. I was never forgotten and was constantly being asked if I "needed anything" while I tried out a new guitar that I purchased that morning. Prices seem comparable to other local music stores. I almost forgot to mention that their website provided me with much more information about the guitar that I was looking at than I could find on my own via Google! I should've started my research there first!

Highly Recommend Hawaii MusicWorks!…read more When I first inquired about beginner keyboard lessons for my son, I spoke with Aunty Dale. She is incredibly sweet and sets such a positive tone--it's clear from the start how wonderful this place is! My son looks forward to his weekly group keyboard lessons with Mr. Mark. Learning alongside friends makes the sessions fun! He really enjoys getting to choose the songs he learns to play. In my son's words, Mr. Mark is "patient, caring, and nice." It's evident that he truly cares about his students. When my son felt stressed over a school assignment he didn't understand, Mr. Mark actually went out of his way to help him. He was so happy to tell me about it. Happy kid, happy mom--Hawaii Music Works has been a fantastic experience for us!

After 10 years of keyboard lessons for both of my sons, I can confidently say that Mr. Mark, Ms…read more Kira and Aunty Dale have provided far more than just music education--they have helped shape the young men my sons are becoming. From the very beginning, the lessons were a place where my boys could not only grow musically but also build confidence, express themselves freely (often with a bit of silliness!), and connect with positive adult role models who genuinely care about their well-being. Mr. Mark and Ms. Kira have consistently gone above and beyond--taking an interest in my sons' lives outside of music, encouraging their involvement in concert and marching band, and even supporting them through private school admission processes by authoring recommendations. Aunty Dale has provided consistent communication about scheduling and payment while always offering a welcoming smile to students and families as they walk thru the door. Over the years, Mr. Mark, Ms. Kira and Aunty Dale have celebrated milestones with us, offered guidance during challenging times, and shown a level of dedication that make them an extension of our family. Their presence throughout my sons' childhoods has made a lasting impact--one that goes far beyond notes on a page. If you're looking for instructors who are not only talented musicians and teachers but also compassionate mentors, you will find no better.

Music Center of Hawaii is very small but the amount of instruments and service far exceeds their…read moreshop size. They are one of the only shops that repairs saxophones, violins, and standup bass's. They have a huge selection of violins, flutes, saxophones just to name a few. The staff is absolutely top notch any thing you need for your bowed instrument is there.

Best experience I've ever had in a music store. My son was freaking out because his saxophone…read moreneeded some repairs, and the employees did an amazing job helping me a getting his saxophone up to par. they were extremely knowledgeable and knew exactly what they were talking about and helped me find exactly what I needed. We will definitely be back and be doing all of our music store needs right here.

My daughter loves Ms Kelly! She's been taking lessons for 8 months now and she's improved so much…read morewith Sight-reading. My daughter used to take lessons from a different piano teacher in the past but I never saw much improvement. When she went to Ms Kelly, my daughter was able to show growth in such little time with Ms Kelly! If you're able to get a lesson, take it, and consider yourself lucky because she doesn't have too many openings.m with her full schedule!

"Ms. Kelly" as my children call her is a "fun,""patient," and knowledgeable piano teacher. She has…read morebeen teaching my son (9 yo) and daughter (7 yo) since they were 5. Most recently, my youngest daughter who is turning 5 will also be taking lessons from Kelly. My children enjoys having her as their teacher. She keeps her students engage by having several activities within the session. The cost of her piano lessons are affordable! Even though we longer live in Hawaii my children continues to take piano lessons from Kelly through Zoom. -Lynne Burlaza (mother of 3, Guam)

I have watched Thomas, for years, instruct his students, as well as perform. I'm always impressed…read morewith his knowledge and skill. Not only in music but in life philosophy. His students always progress, and comments from other instructors upon hearing one of his students is usually "What have you been teaching this one? He's so much more advanced than other students I've heard". Thomas has even taught me some drum techniques, and I'm a flute player! Time with Thomas is well worth the investment.

We have loved having Thomas as our child's drum instructor. He has been flexible and understanding…read moreof our school, sports and active duty schedules and is always positive and professional. He loves his art and that inspires my kiddo. So appreciative of his patience and expertise! I wish all my kids coaches were like that.