Every father wishes nothing but to give only the best for his family. In the year 1998, driven by the burning desire to provide for his wife and newborn daughter, Richie Wagas thought of leaning into the realm of business. Inspired by his love for the arts and crafts, Richie spent countless days and nights in the backyard of their home, experimenting on woodcrafts. This later led to the development of Wagas Crafts, first famous for its unique collapsible baskets.

Not so long after, Richie’s desire to provide for his family rippled into this strong urge to provide the best for the community as well. His journey was not the most smooth-sailing. However, he remained steadfast and focused all his attention on innovating one of a kind pieces that would easily catch one’s eye and hook their soul.

Aside from woodcrafts, Richie is very passionate about music. After taking a quick stroll in the beautiful paradise of Hawaii, he stumbled across their ukuleles and learned that one of the best ukuleles in the place were from Cebu, his hometown. Right there and then, he first gained insight into how ukuleles are made. As soon as he arrived back home from their vacation, he researched, studied, and developed his own take on the instrument. In the year 2012, Wagas Ukuleles was established.

Along the way, Richie has always made sure to learn from experts, experience, and the common mass. He was never hesitant to extend a tap whenever necessary. Wagas Ukuleles has come a long way since it was first presented to the public. Now, it can be said that every ukulele made is a product of countless revisions, constructive feedback, consistent research, and deep thinking.

Unlike the traditional method of bending wood to create the ukulele’s body, Wagas Ukuleles offers instruments with bodies specifically cut to shape from solid blocks of mahogany. In this way, the instruments are more durable, considering there was no tension nor pressure involved in the whole creation process. Currently, Wagas Ukuleles offers 5 collections, namely: Travel Collection, Soprano Collection, Concert Collection, Tenor Collection, and its newest addition — Guitarlele Collection.

Another highlight of Wagas Ukuleles is that it offers limited edition designs from time to time. These designs are often matched to a specific theme and/or time of the year. Note that every design follows a thorough process of planning and creation. (Follow our social media accounts now to stay updated! FB: WagasUkuleles, Instagram: wagasukuleles, and YouTube: Wagas Ukuleles)

As you go through every collection, you would notice how much the company values uniqueness and creativity. Every instrument is designed to represent at least a piece or two of Richie’s life and his hometown. Wagas Ukuleles is not afraid of experimenting with shapes, all while not sacrificing quality.

More than just sound makers, Wagas Ukuleles creates pieces that have character. Often, our products are used as an aesthetic addition to people’s homes. Moreover, Wagas Ukuleles takes pride in saying that a big number of our customers come from different parts of the world, helping them celebrate Filipino craftsmanship in their homes through our ukuleles.

At its core, Wagas Ukuleles consists of local designers, artists, and artisans. Headed by Richie Wagas himself, along with the fresh insights of his daughter, and supported by the cooperation of their master craftsmen, the whole Wagas Ukuleles team work hand in hand in ensuring that precision and dedication translates into every product.

Every piece is delicately handcrafted. Ultimately, we can assure you that every instrument produced by Wagas Ukuleles is bonded by passion, heart, and soul.