MUSICIANS Gallery

Dennis has built two beautiful nahenahe instruments for me - an all koa baritone 'ukulele and an all koa guitar. they are the finest instruments I own. The tone is great, the sustain very long, and everything about them is outstanding. Did I mention they are also beautiful to see and hold and very facile to play? He is a great technician and designer.
Whenever I have my beautiful koa guitar at a kanikapila, I have to take a timer with me, 'cause everyone loves to play my guitar and I want a turn too. I feel blessed to have these wonderful instruments for the music in my life, and to know their fine quality comes from Dennis Lake.
-Cathe Howe

The Po Mahina guitar's size and pass-thru, banjo-type tuners fit me perfectly (I've left shoulder injury and wrist tendonitis). This Guitar has really nice tenor-tone ranges; sustains tremendously; and takes an 'attack' well. The koa back, sides, front and peghead; ebony bridge and fingerboard; faux tortoise binding; colored-wood soundhole binding; bone nut and bridge; mother-of-pearl on ebony pins; string-spacing, and mahogany neck are the custom features Dennis installed. I don't use this as a strummer guitar, because of the kiho alu bracing, but when I do its for the over-tone effect. FABULOUS!
-Herb Kai

-Sandy Martin
Thanks for putting the photo on the site. I can't believe that I'm on the same site with Ruby Jane!
I picked up the PO MAHINA card at Sam Rosen's at least 2 years before I seriously considered studying `ukulele or knew anything about the instrument. I kept the card and first called the shop out of musical curiosity.The instuments which you created for me inspired me to to practice and to really enjoy `ukulele! They transformed curiosity into pure pleasure. I hold and play true works of art every day.
As Artist and Craftsman you are THE WIZARD OF HONU`APO and I thank you for being my friend!

-Ruby Jane Lake (age 2)
The finest instrument I've ever owned!

Brian Padilla

Bob Lee
It was a great pleasure meeting you face to face. I appreciate the information you sent about the Big Island prior to coming to Aloha Music Camp. It made our first trip to Hawaii very special. I love my guitar, it is a very special instrument, even better than I had hoped.