Specimen 914

HF-3i Koa Tenor Slothead

A Hawaii-built koa tenor with a slotted headstock and a hard case included, from the oldest continuously made ukulele line in Hawaii.

Watch

Terry Carter Music Store's short features an HF-3 tenor, and Ukulele PuaPua's clip shows one HF-3 from stock — both are other examples, not this instrument.

Why it matters

The HF-3i is Kamaka's tenor in solid Hawaiian koa, with the slotted headstock added as a newer variant of the HF-3 — the headstock style Jake Shimabukuro helped make popular. It has a Honduran mahogany neck, a rosewood fretboard and bridge, a semi-gloss finish and 18 frets (14 clear of the body) on a 17-inch scale. Kamaka's line is the oldest continuously made ukulele line in Hawaii, and the HF-3 is a reference instrument for professional players. It is $2,395 at The Ukulele Site as of September 2026, with a Kamaka deluxe hardshell case included.

Note

Hawaii-built Kamaka HF-3 tenor with the recently added slotted headstock that Jake Shimabukuro made desirable; the reference professional tenor and the oldest continuously made ukulele line in Hawaii. $2,395 at The Ukulele Site in September 2026, hard case included.

Specifications

• tenor, 27.5-inch overall length
• solid Hawaiian koa body
• slotted headstock (a newer HF-3 variant)
• Honduran mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard & bridge
• semi-gloss finish, mother-of-pearl logo
• 18 frets (14 to body), 17-inch scale
• Kamaka deluxe hardshell case included

Before you buy

• $2,395 at The Ukulele Site as of September 2026, hardshell case included
• koa grain varies between individual instruments, so ask for photos of the actual ukulele
• the videos are of other HF-3 examples

Sources

• theukulelesite.com