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Samuel Kamaka

Kamaka portrait
Samuel K. Kamaka

(1890 - 1953)

2000 Hall of Fame Inductee


Samuel Kamaka is the founder of what is now Kamaka Hawaii, Inc., the leading manufacturer of quality ukuleles in the world. Kamaka began making ukuleles in his basement workshop in 1916. During the ukulele craze of the 1920s, a large number of manufacturers in Hawaii and on the mainland were making ukuleles. Kamaka's quality hand-crafted instruments and the introduction of his patented pineapple-shaped ukulele design gave him a solid piece of the competitive market, and by the late 1930s he was the only Hawaiian ukulele maker remaining in business. Kamaka Hawaii, Inc., continues to flourish under the direction of his sons and grandsons.


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Kmaka ukulele decal
Early Kamaka ukulele
bottom seam decal (reproduction)

Samuel Kaialiilii Kamaka was born in 1890 in Waihee on the island of Maui. As a young man, he learned to make instruments from his friends Jonah Kumalae, Sam Chang, and Ah Tau Kam, who all made their own personal instruments.
Another Kamaka ukulele decal

Kamaka ukulele
headstock decal
(reproduction)

He also spent time watching operations in the shop of Manuel Nunes. He was a talented musician as well as craftsman. In 1910, he traveled with a group to perform in New York City, but became stranded there and worked at vegetable produce farms in New Jersey hoping to earn enough money for passage home. In 1912, he became a seaman working in the Atlantic.

Kamaka advertisement
Kamaka Advertisement circa 1918

Kamaka returned to Hawaii in 1916, and decided to put his instrument making knowledge and experience to practical use. He started the "Kamaka Ukulele and Guitar Works" in the basement of his Kaimuki home, where he built a dozen ukuleles per week by hand, investing the time and patience to achieve the "bell tone" of a good instrument. The demand for his quality instruments increased, and in 1921 he established a larger shop with two hired assistants in Honolulu at 1814 South King Street. During the same year, he married May Akeo. Two sons were born, Samuel Jr. in 1922, and Frederick Ku in 1924.
Yet another Kamaka decal
Kamaka ukulele
headstock decal
(reproduction)


Kamaka design patent
Kamaka Ukulele
design patent, 1928


In the mid-1920's Samuel Sr. laid out a pattern for a new oval-shaped body type. His friends thought it looked like a pineapple and one of them, an artist, painted it to look like a pineapple. Kamaka patented this design in 1928. The new instrument became very popular because the shape produced a mellower sound than that of the traditional figure-eight ukulele. By 1930 most musicians were playing the Kamaka Pineapple Ukulele. At this time, ukuleles were produced by an estimated 15 manufacturers in Hawaii, and by some leading guitar manufacturers on the mainland. Kamaka's quality hand-crafted instruments and the introduction of his pineapple-shaped ukulele design gave him a solid piece of the competitive market, and by the late 1930's he was the only Hawaiian ukulele maker remaining in business.



Double pineapple decal from unusual
Double pineapple decal from unusual
14 string Kamaka ukulele
Samuel Sr. had his two sons report to the ukulele factory every day after school to learn the art of making quality instruments (the boy's mother had them report to the hula halau to learn the art of hula). In 1945, the business was renamed "Kamaka and Sons" to include Samuel Jr. and Fred as partners. Both sons were separated from the business when they were drafted into the military for two years, and while they were in college on the GI Bill. At this time the business was producing over 200 ukuleles per month.


Fred and Sam Kamaka entertain the crowd with a hula at the induction of their father Samuel Kamaka at Ukulele Expo 2000
Fred and Sam Kamaka entertain the crowd
with a hula at the induction of their father
Samuel Kamaka at Ukulele Expo 2000

In 1952, Samuel Sr., while suffering from the effects of cancer, went into semi-retirement but continued to make instruments at home until his death in late 1953. "Kamaka and Sons" was carried on by Sam, Jr. and Fred. The factory was moved to 550 South Street in Downtown Honolulu in 1959, the year Hawaii became a State, and in 1968 the Company was reorganized as "Kamaka Hawaii, Incorporated".

Fred and Sam Kamaka with the induction portrait of their father and pineapple ukulele #1, at Ukulele Expo 2000
Fred and Sam Kamaka with the induction
portrait of their father and pineapple
ukulele #1, at Ukulele Expo 2000

Today, four grandsons are also involved in the business. Two of them, Christopher and Fred, Jr. are full-time employees. Kamaka's sons Sam, Jr. and Fred have passed on to their four sons the same time honored advice from their father, "If you use the Family Name, DON'T MAKE JUNK."

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