In being on the look out for nice Ukuleles I see the work of a number of full and part time luthiers. The instruments they make look very nice and worthy of note.
C. Ishii
The soundhole label says "made by C. Ishii - Honolulu" and that is all I know? I'm guessing nothing to do with the ukulele player Brian Ishii though
From Pearl City Oahu, he make a standard range of Soprano, Concert or Tenor Ukuleles in Koa or Spruce top and does custom special orders with odd shaped sound holes or lots of inlay, (or if you want a Baritone). In fact he has done the Hawaiian islands sound hole model so many times now it is in his standard catalogue. Unlike a lot of other makers he doesn't appear to make Guitars but he does make surfboards?
From Waianae, Hawaii, he is a retired builder who has a small output, (15 instruments a year), of reputedly top quality Ukuleles usually made distinctive with unusual sound hole or inlay work. These days he also has a distinctive multi holed headstock design but his early instruments had a more normal headstock. He makes Superconcert, Tenor, Jumbo Tenor and Baritone scale instruments and is keener them most Hawaiian luthiers on fitting pickups to his work. He in a member of the Ukulele Guild of Hawaii.
