I need help teaching high school musicans about electric guitars.

[VonRutter]

I have the privilege of teaching a month-long workshop for high school students each year. This year my course is called "Musicians & Makers United", and students will get to learn about a wide variety of audio gear as well as build some that they will take home at the end of the course.

Because Warmoth is only a 20-minute drive from my school, I wanted to ask if a local hobbyist/luthier could visit our classroom and share about how they used the website to design & build their own custom guitars. My goal is to have someone with experience & knowledge building guitars out of the custom parts that Warmoth makes come to our class and teach a lesson / do a demonstration, and then let students have some fun designing their own custom guitar...even if they can't afford to buy one just yet.

Here is a breakdown of what I would like the students to learn about:
- Body & neck types
- Tonewoods (very, very brief overview)
- Pickup types & configurations
- Electronics

This course will be throughout the month of January, so I can be flexible on timing. That said, I do have a rough draft schedule that currently has a day focused on guitar & bass on Tuesday, January 11.

Please email me (Peter) at prutter@tacoma.k12.wa.us if you would be interested & available to visit my classroom in Tacoma (IDEA High School - 6701 S Park Ave) to help teach students more about guitar & bass.

 

[stratamania]

You may have more possibility if this could be done remotely also as an option.

 

[VonRutter]

Remote is an option, but it would likely make for a very dry & boring interaction. My limited knowledge in-person is better than someone with greater knowledge who is on a computer screen. I was hoping to find for someone local given that Warmoth is located less than 10 miles away from my school.

In order to do this remotely, it would either take someone relatively famous or someone deeply knowledgeable in making guitars & experienced in facilitating learning remotely in order to keep the student's interest in a remote learning experience.

 

[Seamas]

It'd be cool to demonstrate --even with crude supplies--how a pickup is made and how it works. Best if they could make one on their own.

 

[Rick]

You're looking for someone who has the hobby of building guitars to talk about how they use the warmoth website to build a guitar?  I have a feeling once you explain the build process, the kids will know how to navigate the website better than any of us.

 

[VonRutter]

It'd be cool to demonstrate --even with crude supplies--how a pickup is made and how it works. Best if they could make one on their own.

Yes, and I'm so excited that Jason Lollar from Lollar Pickups will be visting us one afternoon to teach about pickups! I've been asking various local contacts in the music industry if they would be able to be a guest teacher on a topic of their own expertise within the wide realm of audio gear (not just guitar/bass).

On that note, another topic that would be perfect for a guest speaker is on microphones - a basic overview + fundamental principles for mic placement.

 

[VonRutter]

You're looking for someone who has the hobby of building guitars to talk about how they use the warmoth website to build a guitar?  I have a feeling once you explain the build process, the kids will know how to navigate the website better than any of us.

It would be more about teaching what all the various options mean (how they affect tone & feel), as well as what tools & other resources they would need to build the guitar. This is the one DIY aspect of the class that I can't supply materials for, but I was hoping to point them to resources for making their own custom guitar. If it doesn't work out to find someone locally, we'll be OK.

 

[TBurst Std]

You are so hooked up. Jason Lollar?
He’s an authority on pups.  More so than the major brands.

 

[Rick]

If it were me I'd start looking within my local music community.  Start with your local guitar repair shops.

 

[Verne Bunsen]

Yes, and I'm so excited that Jason Lollar from Lollar Pickups will be visting us one afternoon to teach about pickups!

As I was reading through this thread I was thinking, "I wonder if he's reached out to Jason Lollar?" Awesome! I took his pickup winding class a few years ago, he will be a great guest. This sounds like a fantastic course you are putting on, I hope everything comes together!