Although Hilo is home to one of the largest and most diverse music communities, musicians are…read morelimited to only a handful of small music shops. Big Island Guitars has arrived in town with goals and dreams larger then your average shop. Big Island Guitars hopes to expand their services to provide a place for musicians to meet and jam. The products. Big Island Guitars is an official dealer for Ibanez guitars. They carry a variety of guitars ukuleles and music products from brands such as Line 6, Seagull, Jasmine, Tama, Quantum Audio, Dunlop and more. Big Island guitars offers new, used and consignment items. I I am a garage sale picker, tire kicker and all-around scamp when it comes to buying things. The terms "consignment" and "used" means two things to me: the possibility of rare items and great prices. The service. The service here is professional, experienced and comes from individuals who care about the music community. They offer equipment rentals and minor repair services. They can also refer out heavier repairs such as neck work or body refurbishment. In addition they also have classes available for new musicians. Another item worth mentioning, under certain circumstances the shop is willing to offer trade in credit or even pay cash for instruments and equipment. I have not seen any other music shop in town offer this. There are so many times where I would have jumped at the chance to "upgrade" my guitar rather than have to sell it privately just to buy a guitar I really want. The location. This is probably my only critique point of this shop. It is too small, in a traffic heavy area with limited parking. Can't fault them on this too much though, every other music shop in Hilo has this same problem. The shops are too small for the amount of products they carry and it is a nightmare to find parking. If I need to turn sideways to get through rows of products that is not ok, neither is having to wait 5 min behind a twit driver that is failing at parallel parking. The prices. In all honesty it will almost always be cheaper to purchase instruments and equipment from amazon.com or musician's friend. But trust me on this one, It is a pain to have to deal with shipping bulky items to Hawaii. The savings is hardly worth it in the end. You will either lose the savings to shipping prices or have to wait forever for your items to arrive. You also do not get the benefit of trying out the items before purchase. This being said, Big Island Guitars provides prices that are more then fair and are readily available for sampling before you buy. Truth be told, I know Spencer and I am giving him a shining review because I hope his shop does well. This does not go without merit however, the products and service are rock solid and Spencer's enthusiasm is apparent the second you step inside. A shop like this is a refreshing change as it strives to grow and be part of the community around it. The business is new and the space is small but with support of local musicans like you and I, it could turn into a place where music lives.

I'm glad I stopped by to pick up a tuner and new strings. He asked what kind of sound I prefer, and…read moreI could choose for tender fingers. What a great little shop. I definitely support this local musician owned store. The family run business has a musician ancestry. Carry on, kanikapila

I found this business online and sent an email to express interest in lessons for my grandson. I…read moregot a reply less than an hour later. We signed up for lessons once a week. I'm impressed with how knowledgeable Jason, the instructor, is. He provides very well-rounded lessons complete with handouts for reference and practice. My grandson is a brand new beginner who just received his first (left-handed electric) guitar days before starting lessons. He is learning so much, including how to take care of his instrument, how to tune it, and is already playing a couple songs he likes. Lessons are individualized and geared towards the student's interests and goals. You sign up for 4 lessons at a time and pre-pay. Reasonable rates and worth every penny. I highly recommend Hampton Roads Guitar lessons!

From the owner: All ages and skill levels learn fast and have fun playing electric, acoustic and bass guitar. Ask…read moreabout ukulele, voice, piano/synth and drums lessons starting soon.

Started a conversation about fixing a couple ukuleles and he dropped the ball on communication…read more Never heard from him again. Not professional. In my experience if a person cant even return a simple email its directly representational of their overall work ethic. Nope.

Nathaniel plained the fingerboard on my German double bass and now it plays smooth as silk without…read morean extraneous buzz. Nathaniel is an all around top double bass luthier and acoustic guitar builder.

Sales man was pleasant, walked me through the basic options and a few cords. Prices seemed pretty…read morereasonable.

This was one of the best uke store visits I've ever enjoyed. I was encouraged to try lots of ukes,…read moreand then they brought out the most amazing locally made ukulele I've ever tried. Mellow, full-sound, and delightful to play. Yummy! Then, the luthier let me try one that he had just completed. Another fantastic musical option. This place is worth a visit. The whole neighborhood is worth a visit--it's only slightly off the beaten path, yet full of hidden treasures. Nothing like the strip mall style of stores in Kona.

Excellent customer service.. Went in to look and browse and was assisted without being pressured…read more Purchased a ukulele and was given lots of help and insight how to care for the instrument, as well.. I'd definitely recommend this business for sure

I must respond to the owner's comment because it is obviously inaccurate and misleading ---…read more My complaint is not really about the customs fees and duties, I knew very well that I had to pay them, Robert Y shipped the ukulele from Hawaii to Portugal via the US Mail instead of FedEx, UPS, or DHL. Had he used one of the three, the ukulele would have arrived in days, not weeks, and they would have coordinated with customs directly, saving even more time. Additionally, the pickup he installed is junk and does not work. When I contacted him about it by email he refused to respond. Here it is three years later and the ukulele sits in the corner and collects dust because it does not fulfill the purpose for which it was purchased. $1,100 down the drain, facts are facts. He was very friendly and helpful until he knew he was not going to get another penny from me, once he had what he wanted, he dropped me like a hot potato and his true colors emerged. It is a beautiful ukulele, but if it does not work as advertised and is totally useless. CombatCritic Downgrades Robert Y and Hawaiian Ukulele & Guitar To 0 Bombs Out of 10 And Another Spot On My 'WALL OF SHAME' ... More Bombs Are Better!

The auntie was very sweet and offered to sweeten the deal. The inventory inside of the little store…read morewas incredible. Island prices though.

Once in a lifetime you get to meet someone as incredible as David. He's been making ukulele and…read moreguitars for 40+ years. He's dedicated to creating incredible instruments that last a lifetime. We got lucky enough to visit and meet David at his shop, and he showed us the ukuleles he's making in progress. He has crafted about 1,000 instruments. He is a beautiful musician and we got to play one of his personal guitars which was a treat! You can't just go buy a ukulele here, it's a process and order, but worth the wait.

Great service, huge selection of ukulele's, guitars and accessories, picks, tuners gig bags. Sales…read moreand great service. I had several of my Kamaka ukuleles repaired and the job they did was awesome. Totally restored! 5 Stars!!

When I moved to Hilo from the mainland I immediately needed a sofa and loveseat, and got a very…read morenice and reasonably priced set here, after looking at other stores. A year later I needed to replace a bed that had not fared well in my move, and again found the best deal here, after looking at literally every place that sells beds in the vicinity of Hilo. This is a homegrown, mom-and-pop operation run by folks who are really sweet and helpful. Next time I need furniture, this will definitely be the first place I look. They also carry musical instruments, but I'm not qualified to comment on those.