January 1, 2011

Ko‘olau and Pono Warranty

We proudly stand behind both our Ko‘olau and Pono line of guitars and ukuleles. Our warranty for Ko‘olau models is a limited lifetime coverage, and for Pono models is now a one year limited coverage. Originally Pono was a five year warranty, however after the first year most claims have been for issues not related to faulty craftsmanship, i.e. negligent care and handling.

The following is an explanation as to what constitutes the term “warranty” and “limited” coverage.

Our warranty, as with any manufactured product warranty is designed to care for defects due to the manufacturers faulty craftsmanship. In other words, if there is something we did wrong, we will fix it and not charge the customer. And as with any stringed instrument made of wood, issues will come up, but in most cases they are not related to faulty construction. They are in fact due to either natural climatic weather changes, or in some cases, negligent care on the part of either the music store or the subsequent buyer of the instrument. A Warranty is often misunderstood to be an “insurance” policy.

If it’s of any consolation, we often give our customers the benefit of doubt and repair or replace a defective instrument. And because of this policy we feel that we have developed a friendly and trustworthy relationship with all concerned.

However, to financially survive (since we are not set up as a non-profit cultural agency), we must “draw the line” as they say, and set guidelines and limits on what we can or cannot afford to cover under warranty.

When issues develop such as cracks and warps, if the cause was “faulty craftsmanship” this will become obvious within the first few months after construction. But to provide additional assurance and confidence to our customers we extend that “benefit” to one year for Pono, and for the life of the instrument for Ko‘olau to the original owner.

But again, coverage is for faulty craftsmanship. The term “limited” refers to the limitation of coverage only when these cracks, separations, and warpages are due to something that was done incorrectly during the manufacturing process. We are not responsible for necessary repairs or replacement due to negligence, mishandling, or natural weather changes. Often dry atmospheric conditions will cause problems with wood. Whether your area is naturally dry, or becomes dry due to heating and air conditioning, low humidity will cause woods to shrink and thus crack and separate. We build in a professional climate controlled environment of 45% to 50% humidity. An instrument stored in an area with lower humidity requires what is termed humidification. When damages occur, the instrument is repairable, but the cost of repair will not be covered under warranty. We reserve the right to determine the cause.

Other limitations (not covered under warranty) include fret wear, tuners, and final coatings, more commonly called finishes. Amplification systems are covered for one year.

Also a limitation includes the fact that when there is an issue requiring care, you are responsible for costs incurred in returning the instrument to our factory in Hawaii, and then the cost of return shipping. Thus we encourage you to examine an instrument you have received from us or from a dealer, and to notify the dealer immediately of any problems or issues that require repair or replacement. A sales receipt will be necessary to validate that the instrument was purchased new and that you are the original owner.

Again we want to stress the purpose of a “warranty.” It is not an extended musical instrument insurance policy. Instead it is a claim that we, the manufacturer have endeavored to make a high quality instrument, and in the rare event that mistakes were made, or faulty materials or craftsmanship were employed, we will stand behind our product.

If there are any questions regarding our Warranty Procedures please feel free to contact us at any time.