Aloha!

E komo mai.

Welcome to my website featuring the `Ukulele and Guitars I make under the name "Po Mahina".

My name is Dennis Lake and I have been fortunate to have spent my whole adult life with fretted musical instruments. I have made and repaired since the late 60's and in the 70's and 80's was active in buying and selling vintage instruments. What this means is that I have an intimate knowledge of a wide spectrum of the finest from the past. I feel that the work I am doing know is the best I have ever done and represent everything I have come to know.

These instruments draw from tradition but are not copies of any particular model or make. My primary goal is to make the finest sounding and playing instruments for the serious player at an afordable and realistic price.

Located on the southwest slope of Mauna Loa, in the beautiful rural Ka'u District of the Big Island of Hawaii, my shop is between Na'alehu Town and Ka Lae(South Point). This is a small two person operation, and all instruments are individually hand made.

Because each body is made one at a time, and each neck is hand sawn and carved, player's individual preferences can easily be accommodated on custom built instruments. On the other hand, because work is done the old way, production is limited to about 25 `ukulele and about 10 guitars a year.

All of my instruments are built for fine sound and excellent playability, as well as beautiful appearance. Each is built from solid Big Island koa or other select woods; no laminates or veneers are used. The abalone and pearl inlay is genuine shell. All nuts and saddles are bone.

A note on koa - There is currently a problem in the Islands with illegal or poached koa. This wood is protected now, and all of my koa is from licensed salvage logging. -Dennis Lake

Koa Forest on Mauna Loa

Artist Endorsments
(in alphabetical order)

I am proud that these fine musicians endorse my work, but more importantly,
I am honored to call them my friends.