Did I get a fake???? (2024)

Please provide pictures of the headstock and interior. What are the scale length and nut width. How did you buy it?

People do get bargains. Making a fake of a Koaloha is unlikely.

UkuleleNoob18 said:

Hello I got a my first Ukulele ever while I was in Hawaii because I wanted a Hawaiian made one. It was a Koaloha but I am not sure if it was legit or not. I paid 400 dollars and was looking to see if it was a true Koaloha or not or if I am just gonna be learning on a fake. If anyone can help I will attach more images.

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Well, it looks like an older KoAloha Pikake Soprano Ukulele to me. As the others have said, show us the headstock, and there should also be a label inside. The headstock in the pic you attached is not too clear. Does it look like the link below?

If it's real, $400 is a good price for it. Where did you buy it in HI?

Does it look like this?

EDIT: If you look inside the body, you should also see a date where the neck joint is..

mikelz777 said:

What specifically makes you think it might be a fake

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The fact that it seemed like a good deal and I didn’t know a ton about them.

I can’t see the interior label, so there’s an outside chance it is early “Opio” model or a 2nd generation KoAlana model. I’m sure it is a KoAloha product; but it may be made in their Taiwan factory (that makes the Opio).

It probably isn’t the KoAlana because you would see “KoAlana,” but it could be an Opio.

Everything else looks good; I have an earlier KoAloha which they repaired under warranty and they put that bridge on, so it could also be a replacement bridge.

UkuleleNoob18 said:

Hello I got a my first Ukulele ever while I was in Hawaii because I wanted a Hawaiian made one. It was a Koaloha but I am not sure if it was legit or not. I paid 400 dollars and was looking to see if it was a true Koaloha or not or if I am just gonna be learning on a fake. If anyone can help I will attach more images.

Click to expand...

Remember that not all Koaloha ukuleles are made in Hawaii these days. Koaloha is importing some ukuleles from Thailand and China. These may have the same Koaloha headstock logo and "musubi" sound hole as the Hawaii-made ukuleles, but (depending on the price level) wood quality, build quality, and sound quality are noticeably lower.

However, the carved bridge on that ukulele does look genuine. The imported from that era (maybe 15 years ago) would have "OPIO" carved on the bridge.

UkuleleNoob18 said:

There is no serial # on it but there is a date where the neck and body meet on the inside saying September 2015. I can’t do it now but I can post more pictures soon but I do have this better one for now. And for those wondering I got it at the swap meet/market at the aloha stadium.

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If you bought it from a booth at the swap meet that only sells good quality ukuleles, it is probably genuine. Used 10 year old Koaloha sopranos in good condition do sometimes sell for $400-$600 at pawn shops and music stores in Honolulu. On the other hand, if you bought it from a booth that mostly sells T-shirts and just happened to have a Koaloha on the shelf, I would wonder where it came from.

UkeStuff said:

I can’t see the interior label, so there’s an outside chance it is early “Opio” model or a 2nd generation KoAlana model. I’m sure it is a KoAloha product; but it may be made in their Taiwan factory (that makes the Opio).

It probably isn’t the KoAlana because you would see “KoAlana,” but it could be an Opio.

Everything else looks good; I have an earlier KoAloha which they repaired under warranty and they put that bridge on, so it could also be a replacement bridge.

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The ukulele says made in Hawaii and it’s a factory special it says which I think means it’s “defective” but it only has 3 tiny dimples on the back.