Handmade of Hawaiian native koa wood.
Crafted by J. F. Rosa, master carpenter,ukulele maker,
and my grandfather.
The ukulele is a stringed instrument that resembles a small guitar. It is thought that the ukulele is descended from the Portuguese instrument the machete de braga. When the first Portuguese immigrants arrived in Hawaii in the late 1800s, they brought the machete along with them, as well as several good machete players, carpenters, and craftsmen. The native Hawaiian koa wood was well suited for the body of the ukulele- cat, sheep,or pig gut was used for the 4 strings. It did not take long for the ukulele to become the most popular instrument in the islands.