If you would like to post a comment about your experience at our store, please email your comment with a photo to info@ukulelesource.com
THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING A PART OF OUR ‘UKULELE FAMILY!
Willow M.
Los Gatos, CA
2/11/11
Was missing playing the guitar - was becoming too painful. Saw a YouTube video of someone playing the uke and was off and running. Spent hours on the Ukulele Underground site researching ukes and found out about Ukulele Source. What a treasure! Smiley was very patient with me and let me play to my heart's content. They have a wonderful selection and I really like knowing that there's someone local to guide me through that first string-change experience. I ended up getting a KoAloha tenor uke and am thrilled with it. They also had a nice electronic tuner and the perfect case to protect my new baby. If you have any desire to find out if the ukulele is for you, don't hesitate to visit this friendly shop. You will not feel pressured. I got the feeling that they really want their customers to be happy with their choice and they offer lots of very tempting ones!
Mike C.
San Francisco, CA
1/24/11
If I can give this place more that 5 stars I would. I went in on two occations. My first visit I was in looking for a solid uke. Probably 2 hours before closing and a day before Smiley and Janet were preparing to go to NAMM down south in so cal so things were a little hecktic on their end. Smiley still practically answered all my questions about all the ukes they sold. He was very patient with me, although i think he may have been a little annoyed at my questions-at least that's the vibe i got. After trying out about all the ukes, I ended up purchasing a tuner which Janet was so helpful in helping me with. I felt no pressure at all. My second visit I came in because I was in for new strings. Not only did Smiley help me with the right string i was after (Worth CT) he installed it for me (just the g string, went from low to high). I ended up leaving with new strings and a gig bag for my mess around uke. A small shop that I am a fan of and where I know I will be going to for all my uke needs. Looks like they picked up some new ukes from NAMM. Check them out! Aloha!
Tanya T.
San Jose, CA
11/12/10
Found this place through Yelp, and loved it.
Smiley is very friendly and answered all the questions we asked.
The store is pretty small, but the collection of ukuleles make up for the size of the store. They have many brands; Kala, Ohana, Nala, KoAloha, etc... and offer soprano, concert, tenor, bass, and banjo ukuleles. (No baritone)
As for accessories they have a good variety -- Cases, Books, CDs, Tuners.
All in all, very good trip, I'm glad we got to check it out and I'm definitely going back for another ukulele soon!
Angeline K.
Cupertino, CA
11/6/10
My husband randomly wanted to learn how to play the ukulele and he found this cute little shop in Japantown. I never thought we would ever find a shop dedicated strictly to ukuleles, especially one this close to us! Smiley and Janet, the owners of the shop, were extremely helpful and friendly. Being that neither of us knew squat about ukuleles, Smiley helped my husband pick out a nice ukulele that wasn't too far out of his price range. He even gave us both an impromptu mini lesson even though the store was about to close! They were so patient with us and we never felt rushed.
We assumed that Smiley and Janet were from Hawaii because there is a large Japanese population in Hawaii and the ukulele is very popular there, but they told us they were from LA and that Smiley takes lessons down the street, hahaha. Could've fooled us! The store couldn't feel more authentic.
Anyway, if you're looking for a good ukulele shop with down to earth, friendly service, Ukulele Source is the place!
Husky D.
Corvallis, OR
10/13/10
Smiley is true lover of ukes! NO pressure and so friendly service. Feel like back in Honolulu as a young tourist again. Aloha spirit lives on here! Rare gem of a place.
Jennifer P.
San Jose, CA
8/12/10
All my friends have been raving about Ukelele Source because of their one of a kind pieces and friendly service. I have to say Smiley & Janet (the owners I'm assuming) were so friendly and helpful and really took the time to explain to me the difference between each Uke and even gave me a little lesson! They also throw "jam" sessions and street concerts throughout the year! If your thinking of picking up the Uke definitely stop by here for all your goodies!
Rod B.
San Jose, CA
8/2/10
I came in just to accompany my lady to browse around for Ukes and about an hour later, I learned 4 chords and started to really become interested in possibly getting one for myself. This store quite possibly is THE gem of SJ Japantown.
Smiley and Janet recently threw a little summer mini-block party full of good eats and performances from a few different groups as well as a finale from Herb Ohta Jr. I would've gladly paid $10 for this event, but everything was free. Its definitely testament to the genuine love that Smiley and Janet have for not only the community, but for Ukulele culture. Their passion is simply infectious. I'll be back there again and again!
Ian M.
Santa Cruz, CA
6/21/10
I heard about this place and stopped by after work to buy strings and look at the selection of ukuleles. I revisited the next week and walked out with a solid mahogany Ohana tenor which I love and play constantly. The shop is small but the selection of quality ukuleles and brands is unrivaled in the Bay area and maybe even California(cant really say having never gone Uke shopping in So cal). The owners were very nice and helpful and allowed me to try out a lot of ukes. Ill definetly go back the next time I have any ukulele needs
Mark S.
West Sacramento, CA
3/21/10
Warning, this review is for ukulele players. The rest of you probably won't understand.
Just wanted to post about how cool Smiley and Janet, owners of Ukulele Source in Japantown in San Jose, CA are. If you're in the San Francisco Bay Area, they're definitely worth visiting.
I was down in San Jose for the NCAA Basketball Tournaments and stopped by to check out their humble shop. On one side of the shop are the "Chinese" ukes: Kala, Ohana, Mainland, and Nalu were well represented. There was also a Flea and a Fluke on the "China" side although I think those are US made. I would guess that there are at least 50 ukes on this side of the shop. All available to fondle and play with.
On the other side of the shop was the Hawaiian made ukes mainly Koaloha and Kanilea. Smiley also had a few Kamaka ukes that I believe were sold as used... one was signed by Jake. There were perhaps 20 ukes on this side of the shop.
Prices were very comparable to what I've seen on Ebay, and other various popular uke internet sellers. Sales tax is added of course. In San Jose, I think its 9.25%.
It took 3 visits to the store and countless fondles of the ukes (lingering longer on the Ohana SK-21 and Koaloha Noah -- cute buggers they are) before I finally narrowed on a Koaloha concert and super-concert. No pressure from Smiley or Janet through it all. On the contrary, I get the feeling that they truly enjoy talking and sharing ukes. Visiting the shop feels like going to some cool people's house that has 100 ukes, all of which you can play with.
I needed a night to think about the concert vs super-concert (as well as get permission from the fiance). Smiley gave me his cell phone so I could call him when I was ready to purchase the uke since I would not be available during their normal business hours due to the Tournament. He said, "I'll see you tomorrow". He gets it.
They ended up opening the shop an hour before normal business hours so I could once again play the ukes. At one point Smiley and Janet reached deep into their stock to pull out 3 different Koaloha super-concerts and 3 different Koaloha concerts to test. Janet even handed me her own personal Koaloha low-G concert so I can better compare it to the super-concerts which were strung low-G.
I ended going with a Koaloha concert and have ZERO buyers remorse fully satisfied that with Smiley and Janet's help, I ended up with the uke that was the best for me. All for a price that is comparable to what is available on-line.
Couple other things about the shop: the whole shop is humidified so their ukes are well taken care of. Smiley and Janet also stock Worth and Aquila strings.
Having had horrible experiences purchasing a uke here in Sacramento, I HIGHLY recommend checking out Smiley and Janet's shop in San Jose. Good prices, great people, and tons of ukes to check out. Smiley gets it... he told me on my way out with my new baby, "You'll be back".
Sheryl M.
San Jose, CA
3/1/10
I've always dreamt of being musical, and I'm a sucker for acoustic covers. So in
So in pursuit of being musically inclined my wonderful husband planned to buy me a Ukulele for valentines.
Internet research stated that our best bet in purchasing a quality uke was to go to professional shop. We came here on a Tuesday and the owner was very kind, helping me figure out the differences
Among the DoZens to choose from. Of course, never having picked up an uke before, my first tactic was price. The owner spent about 15 minutes with me testing out the instruments and even attempting to teach me 4 chords and strum. I also really appreciated how he acknowledged my kids and was very kind and friendly towards them both. He wrote down the four chords I attempted to learn along with a chord chart. We purchased a Concert Kala, one of most inexpensive models, but leaving the store convinced I made the right choice.
Two weeks, one music lesson, and several
You tube tutorials later and I can say that I'm hooked ! We will definitely back
Again.My musical journey has begun...
Justin I.
San Jose, CA
10/14/09
As the saying goes, good things come in small packages, or in this case small places. Ukulele Source isn't a big place, but don't let that fool you. They have the best brands of ukulele's represented. I went in looking for a new ukulele and the owner Smiley showed me a few in the style i wanted and in my budget. He was really knowledgeable, friendly and never pushy(like some other places) in answering my questions. I ended up picking up a Kanile'a tenor ukulele from them. I will definitely be going back to pick up some strings and other accessories.
Greg H.
San Jose, CA
9/22/09
Friendly and honest business. When I first arrived at the store, I imagined a much bigger store but it was about as big as my room (not very big). Yet as i was walking into the store, there were lots of expensive ukuleles on the walls, book stands, and a counter full of ukulele accessories. The man who owns the shop was very nice to me. The man sold me Aquila Low G strings for $8 rather than the original $12 and restrung it for me free of charge. He even taught me how to re-string at the same time! I will definetly go back to this shop for my Ukulele needs. For such a small shop, I liked how there was still everything I needed to get for a ukulele.
The only thing bad about my visit was that I could only find parking 2 blocks away from the shop. The neighborhood was still a friendly place nonetheless so it didn't matter too much.
Shannon T.
Pleasanton, CA
9/14/09
Ukulele Source is THE place to go if you have any interest in the ukulele. If you are a beginner, have played for a while, or if you are advanced, they have a ukulele that will work for you.
The shop is small, but hey, so are ukulele's.....Prices are right were they should be and when you go, Smiley and his wife Janet (the owners) will treat you like family. I bought a beautiful KoAloha concert ukulele which is my pride and joy!
I only wish they were closer to where I live, I would drop by just to hang out and play a bit of music.
If you are looking for the "Guitar Center for Ukuleles" this is not the shop for you. If you are looking for a nice uke from some quality people, this is the place for you.
Mikey U
San Jose, CA
9/11/09
I tried to learn guitar when I was in the seventh grade.
It was the wrong time for me; I was a disciplineless, unmotivated, unfocus'd, unrefinable, impatient youth of about 12 years old; that age where everything I wanted, I wanted to do with all of my heart.
For about 3 weeks.
Then on to the next, "Mom, please? Can I...? I promise!"
Guitar. Drums. TaeKwanDo. Painting. On and on. Thing after thing.
So, when I walked into this boutique shop today to look around, I had to keep my hand on my wallet and my heart in my chest lest I jump at the chance to take up yet another [potentially short-lived] interest.
Smiley (and Janet Kai) was most welcoming of my questions and browsing! What an incredibly friendly and helpful experience; we talked about craftsmanship of the ukuleles, sound, lessons, range, preference. At the end (my "browsing" became a 20-minute introduction to everything!), Smiley even taught me a few notes and chords... (the "oh, this is kinda difficult, but cool!" hit me right away!)
The small shoppe, and by small I mean tiny, does exactly what it needs to; showcase ukuleles aplenty, vend booklets and CDs, and provide an outlet for the beautiful sounds and strums of music. Its a beautiful boutique in one of my favorite areas of San Jose; historical Japantown.
Now, I didn't make a purchase today, but if (actually, "when") I do decide to start the ukulele, I know its at the Ukulele Source that I'm starting...
The friendly and helpful owners. The cozy shoppe. The sounds of aloha... I'll be back!
__________________________
I think I just might... Don't be surprised one day, I come strumming along. =)
Nino R.
Fremont, CA
7/29/09
Finally! A quality uke place in the Bay Area. I bought an Ohana concert ukulele here. They have a good selection of Koaloha and Kanilea top grade ukes as well.
The customer service here is top notch. Smiley is a uke player himself. He also doesn't mind if you try out every uke in the store, play with his amp, or just talk about sweet nothings.
Sure you can probably buy a uke cheaper online but if you're the type to try before you buy then go nowhere else but here!
Jane R.
Los Altos, CA
7/20/09
Beautiful small store chock full of quality Ukulele's! One of my sons recently started to learn the Hawaiian guitar and so I wanted to see if I could acquire a beginner level instrument here in Japantown.
The ukuleles here are much nicer than my son needs at this time, but the owners were very helpful and gave great advice and direction. I purchased one of their sweet t-shirts as well for my son to wear promoting this great business.
D.A.
Sacramento, CA
6/25/09
Strolled in here on a full stomach, killin' time.. bought my BF an uke boutta' year ago from Hawai'i, he stopped playing it for several months now, but this place caught his eye.
Place is teeeny tiny. Perfect for little islanders like us :].. the two employees there were really polite and welcoming. Dude was showing my BF the ukes, most of them high-end, like hella G's & their cheapest is like.. 6 G's, I'm like thinkin'.. foo I ain't buying you that.
They got a little shelf with books, some CD's with famous uke players, cute deco around the walls, and I guess they offer ukulele lessons too. BF bought some new strings from them for his uke, the service was really helpful in telling him what he needs.
Thanks, Ukulele Source, cause you wiped that dust off my BF's uke and got him to start playing it again.
Pearl M.
San Jose, CA
5/13/09
My sister got me into playing ukulele... and I wanted one of my own, but didn't want to spend a fortune either since I'm just a beginner. They were nice enough to point me to a competitor shop when I arrived and saw that their ukes were out of my budget. One of the guys there even gave me directions! Awesome, I'd definitely recommend this shop to anyone, even though I didn't actually purchase anything.
They weren't listed on Yelp so I of course had to add their business for them. It's located in the heart of Japantown. They are closed Sun and Mons and open Tues-Sat 4pm- 7pm only. Street parking only.