We vacationed on Oahu recently and one of the highlights of our trip was taking a tour of the Kamaka ukulele factory. I mostly focus on the playing of ukes, so it was neat to learn more about how Kamaka's well-regarded instruments are made.
The tour began in the small main office area with a history lesson by Fred Kamaka Sr, who's in his 90s. We were all riveted as he chatted about the company's origins (it was started by his father) and the company's 100 year history of making instruments. The tour then moved on to the warehouse, where Fred Jr walked us through the entire manufacturing line. It was very cool to see how invested the Kamaka family is in the brand, with the company now being run by third and fourth generation family members.
Here are a few photos:
Wanna go? Tours are conducted at their factory in Honolulu, HI, Tuesday - Friday at 10:30 am. Check out their website for more info. The entire tour is free, and it's worth it just to get your picture taken with Fred Sr!
posing with Fred, Sr.
