Ki-lin Reece was raised in the mountains of coastal California, just north of Santa Cruz in a small mountain community called Bonny Doon.

At the age of 12, he apprenticed with a guitar restoration specialist. Eventually he worked in the finish department for the legendary Richard Hoover at the Santa Cruz Guitar Company.

After studying Jazz and music theory with Ray Brown at Cabrillo College in Aptos California, Kilin embarked on several years of touring and singing, playing guitar and mandolin through the Midwest and South before settling in the beautiful beach town of Kailua, Hawaiʻi.

While working at the esteemed Koʻolau Guitar and Ukulele Company, he built and repaired some of the finest acoustic instruments in the world. Additionally, he became immersed in the musical culture of the islands.

Eventually he purchased the restoration side of the business from Koʻolau and founded KR Strings—which has evolved into Hawaiʻi’s premier restoration house for fine vintage stringed instruments.

Kilin’s interest in the intersection of luthiery and history led him to found the Kealakai Center for Pacific Strings, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to the research, restoration, and celebration of Hawaiʻi and the Pacific Region’s enduring legacy in the musical arts and luthiery.

In 2019 his research into 19th century Hawaiian string band traditions led to the concert series: A Night of Sovereign Strings-Celebrating the Musical Legacy of Mekia Albert Kealakai, followed in 2020 by his curatorship of the historic exhibition: Kaula Piko - The Source of Strings in collaboration with Honolulu’s Bishop Museum. This exhibition featured legendary instruments from the last two centuries, including the stringed instruments of HRH King Kalākaua, Eddie Kamae, Gabby & Cyril Pahinui, Johnny Cash, the first electric guitar ever made, and the Tavares Stratocaster.

A special feature of the Kaula Piko exhibition was the debut of Ki-Lin’s research and collaboration with the C.F. Martin Guitar Company and the C.F. Martin Guitar Company Archives, the re-creation of the ancestor to the modern Dreadnought guitar, 1915 Kealakai model Martin Guitar.

When not at the writing desk, Ki-Lin keeps busy building custom flat top acoustic guitars, ‘ukuleles, archtop guitars, and mandolins, and directing an upcoming documentary film: Dreadnought Hawaiʻi Nei.

KR Strings serves the local and international acoustic community as a leading authority on vintage stringed instruments as well as museum-quality, period specific restoration techniques.

KR Strings also offers consignment services to discerning collectors, players and connoisseurs of acoustic stringed instruments.