Waylon Kepa, left, is all grin with his new ukulele. His brother Keaka shares his happiness. Photo by Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin

It was a happy ending to an all-too-familiar island story. Some punk had stolen the Waimanalo youth's old ukulele several months earlier. Waylon had been preparing for a talent contest; he performed with a borrowed instrument.

The theft was mentioned in passing when Waylon and his father were profiled in a Star-Bulletin feature on the popularity of ukuleles among youths. That seemed to be the end of the story - just a little less aloha in Hawaii, folks - at least until late last week when a letter arrived for Waylon c/o the Star-Bulletin. The envelope was postmarked Binh Thanh. The return address was Ho Chi Minh City.

"Sometimes aloha comes from strange places," Vietnam-based ukulele maker Jim Tully wrote, explaining that he had received a copy of the article and translated it for his Vietnamese craftsmen.

"They were impressed by Waylon's father's descriptions of the importance of an instrument having the right sound and feel, but when they learned that you had your uke stolen just before you were to enter a contest ... they insisted on making you a new one for free."

So it was that Waylon, proud father Milton Kepa, and younger brother Keaka came into town last weekend to pick up the uke from Tully's son, Blackford "Tangi" Tully, Hawaii representative of Tangi Ukuleles. The Kepa men didn't come empty handed; a heavy home-strung crown flower lei was their ho'okupu.

An impromptu garage jam session ensued as Waylon shared his new mahogany, teak and rosewood uke with his dad and brother. Tangi broke out a larger instrument he'd been refinishing for a celebrity client.

The first song was Waylon's original, "Daddy I Love You" - written while his father was hospitalized; the first public performance of it outside Waimanalo had made Waylon a finalist in the Oceanic Kiddieoke-Plus Talent Search. Tangi improvised a counterpoint to Waylon's melody. A cassette recording of the performance is on the way to Vietnam.

"Some people hear 'Vietnam' and wonder about quality," Tangi acknowledged between songs.

"There have been instruments manufactured elsewhere in Asia where they use plywood veneer or cut corners in other ways, but my name is on each of ours and most of our sales are face-to-face. I play professionally and I'm not going to sell someone an instrument I wouldn't play myself."

A full-time Waikiki musician by night, Tangi coordinates entertainment contracts and runs the Hawaii end of the ukulele business by day.

Manufacturing in Vietnam cuts production costs, but those savings have been largely offset thus far by import tariffs and duties that currently run 45 percent or more of the invoice value. (The Tangi line includes the familiar standard and concert-size instruments, also 4-, 6- and 8-string tenors, and a baritone).

Tangi and his father expect the long-term financial equation to improve as trade agreements between Vietnam and the United States are formalized.

"Excellent tone, " Milton Kepa said when Waylon let him take a turn on the new instrument.

Waylon didn't say much. His expression - and the music he was making - said it all.

Left to right, Waylon Kepa, brother Keaka, dad Milton and Tangi Tully. Waylon and Tangi play a song Waylon wrote for his dad. Tangi gave Waylon a ukulele to replace one that was stolen. Photo by Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin