Kamaka Ukulele
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Kamaka Hawaii, Incorporated, also known as Kamaka Ukulele or just Kamaka is a family-owned
Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
-based maker of
ukulele The ukulele ( ; from haw, ukulele , approximately ), also called Uke, is a member of the lute family of instruments of Portuguese origin and popularized in Hawaii. It generally employs four nylon strings. The tone and volume of the instrumen ...
s. It is often credited with producing some of the world's finest ukuleles, and created the first pineapple ukulele. The company manufactures 9 types of ukulele.


History

In 1910, Samuel Kaialiilii Kamaka apprenticed Manuel Nunes to make ukuleles. Kamaka founded his own shop in 1916. It was called "Kamaka Ukulele and Guitar Works" and was operated from Kamaka's basement. In 1921 Kamaka opened a store in
Kaimuki Kaimukī is a residential neighborhood in Honolulu, Hawaii, United States. History In the 19th century the area was a farm of King Kalākaua, where ostriches roamed wild over the mountain side. It later became the site of a carnation farm f ...
, near Honolulu. Kamaka already had a reputation for making high-quality instruments, and the shop thrived through the 1920s and 1930s. In 1927, Samuel Kamaka made a new design of ukulele, which produced a more mellow sound than that of a normal figure-eight shaped ukulele. His friends are said to have commented that this new ukulele looked like a pineapple, and one of Samuel's friends, an artist, painted an image of a pineapple on the front of the new ukulele. The new shape immediately became popular, and in 1928 Kamaka was awarded a patent on the pineapple ukulele.


1940s–2000's

Samuel Kamaka had two sons, Samuel Jr. and Frederick, and when the boys were in grade school he began to teach them the art of crafting ukuleles. In 1945 the company reorganized as "Kamaka and Sons Enterprises", but when both Kamaka boys were drafted to fight in
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, ukulele making took a back seat. When the boys returned from the war, Samuel Jr. and Frederick attended
Washington State University Washington State University (Washington State, WSU, or informally Wazzu) is a public land-grant research university with its flagship, and oldest, campus in Pullman, Washington. Founded in 1890, WSU is also one of the oldest land-grant unive ...
, and later got a job in the Army. Samuel Jr. earned a bachelor's degree and pursued a doctorate in
entomology Entomology () is the science, scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was less specific, and historically the definition of entomology would also include the study of animals in other arthropod groups, such ...
from
Oregon State University Oregon State University (OSU) is a public land-grant, research university in Corvallis, Oregon. OSU offers more than 200 undergraduate-degree programs along with a variety of graduate and doctoral degrees. It has the 10th largest engineering co ...
. Samuel Kamaka semi-retired early in 1952 due to illness and went to the family estate in
Waianae Waianae () is a census-designated place (CDP) in Honolulu County, Hawaii, United States. As of the 2020 census, the CDP population was 13,614. Its name means "waters of the mullet". Its etymology is shared with the far northern Wellington subu ...
to make ukuleles. He died in December 1953. Upon his father's death, Samuel Jr. abandoned his studies, instead choosing to continue the family business. He restored the company to its original location in Kaimuki, and expanded the company in 1959. Kamaka and Sons incorporated in 1968. Samuel Kamaka Jr. was active in the local luthier scene; along with friend George Gilmore (of the
Guitar and Lute Workshop The Guitar and Lute Workshop (GLW) was a manufacturer of custom guitars, ukuleles, and period stringed instruments based in Honolulu, Hawaii between 1970 and 1976. The workshop was known primarily for the talented luthiers employed in either constr ...
), they created the Lute Society. Together, they taught night courses in lute and guitar construction techniques from 1966 to 1970.


Employment of people with disabilities

In 1955, Kamaka first hired disabled employees, a time at which the disabled were viewed as unable to work. Two hearing-impaired individuals were hired as craftsmen, and were found to be exemplary workers, because of their enhanced sense of touch, which allowed them to craft better ukuleles, able to feel the thickness of the wood.


100th anniversary

In 2016, Kamaka Ukulele celebrated its 100th anniversary, collaborating with
Reyn Spooner Reyn Spooner is an American fashion design company founded in 1956 by Reyn McCullough and Ruth Spooner. The company was originally named Reyns Men's wear, on the island of Catalina founded by Reyn McCullough, who sought to replace the kitschy and ...
to release a ukulele-themed line of aloha wear and releasing a 2-disc cd. They also held a concert at the Hawaii Theater.


Famous endorsements

Kamaka ukuleles are endorsed by a number of professional musicians including ukulele prodigy
Jake Shimabukuro Jake Shimabukuro (born November 3, 1976) is a Hawaiian ukulele virtuoso and composer known for his fast and complex finger work. His music combines elements of jazz, blues, funk, rock, bluegrass, classical, folk, and flamenco. Shimabukuro has writt ...
. Shimabukuro, who achieved popular recognition following the performance of his arrangement of George Harrison's 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps', plays a Kamaka 4-string tenor ukulele custom built to his specification by the luthiers at Kamaka's workshop. The instrument features solid master-grade Hawaiian curly koa wood and a Fishman pickup.
George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician and singer-songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Indian c ...
was also fond of the Kamaka ukulele; he played the concert, the tenor 6-string and tenor 8-string. According to one music store on Maui, Hawaii, Harrison would purchase all the Kamaka ukuleles in stock to give to his friends as gifts.
Adam Sandler Adam Richard Sandler (born September 9, 1966) is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, producer and singer. He was a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1990 to 1995, before going on to star in numerous Hollywood films, those of wh ...
played a Kamaka ukulele in the movie
50 First Dates ''50 First Dates'' is a 2004 American romantic comedy drama film directed by Peter Segal and starring Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore with Rob Schneider, Sean Astin and Dan Aykroyd in supporting roles. It follows the story of Henry, a womanizing m ...
. The ukulele was a custom 6-string Kamaka designed to Sandler's specifications. It appears in the movie's official poster and on the cover of the DVD and soundtrack, although the ukulele was digitally modified to resemble a 4-string.


Awards

*Recognition award for "Outstanding and reliable service" from the
Better Business Bureau Better Business Bureau (BBB) is a private, 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization founded in 1912. BBB's self-described mission is to focus on advancing marketplace trust, consisting of 97 independently incorporated local BBB organizations in the Unit ...
of
Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
(1988) *"Outstanding Employer of Persons with Disabilities Award" presented by the State of Hawaii Vocational Rehabilitation and Services for the Blind Division (1990) *Sam Kamaka Jr. and Fred Kamaka Sr. selected as the Hawaiian Business Persons of the Year and given 'O'o Award from the Hawaiian Business/Professional Association (now known as the Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce) (1992) *Honolulu Mayor
Frank Fasi Frank Francis Fasi (August 27, 1920 – February 3, 2010) was an American politician who was the longest-serving Mayor of Honolulu, Hawaii, serving for 22 years. He also served as a territorial senator and member of the Honolulu City Council. ...
proclaims April 30, 1992 as "Samuel and Frederick Kamaka Day." (1992) *Hawaii Governor
John Waihee John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second ...
awards Sam Jr. and Fred Sr. with certificates of commendation, recognizing Sam Jr. is as "one of the legends of the music industry" and "one of Hawaii's favorite sons." (1992) *Kamaka Hawaii receives the Holo I Mua Award for Excellence from the Better Business Bureau of Hawaii (now "Torch Award for Business Ethics"). In 77 years of manufacturing, no customer complaints were lodged against the company. (1993) *
Hawaii State Legislature The Hawaii State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state legislature is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Hawaii State House of Representatives, with 51 representatives, and an upper house, the ...
recognizes the Kamaka brothers and their company for "making fine ukuleles esteemed throughout the world and thus preserving Hawaiian culture and contributing to world music." (1999) *Samuel Kamaka Sr. inducted into the Ukulele Hall of Fame in Rhode Island. (2000) *Sam Kamaka, Jr. receives the "Ukulele Treasure" award from the Ukulele Guild of Hawaii (2004) *Kamaka Hawaii Inc. was inducted in to the
Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame The Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame is an organization dedicated to recognizing the cultural importance of the music of Hawaii and hula. Established in 1994, the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame promotes the appreciation and preservation of Hawaiian cultur ...
(2014)


References


External links


Kamaka official website
{{Authority control Ukulele makers Musical instrument manufacturing companies of the United States Manufacturing companies based in Hawaii 1916 establishments in Hawaii Manufacturing companies established in 1916 Family-owned companies of the United States