McConville Guitars : After 23 years of support and encouragement the GRAD courses continue online!

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Jackson Guitar
CGCFAD Tuning

Video: TechDeck Tips / Components

https://youtu.be/ufZyR-crOPI

After 23 years of teaching ...
Guitar Repair and Design Courses,
it has become clear,
without exception, that
the students who purchased
TechDeck workstations,
are the ones who have
succeeded and endured
in the trade ... opening
up music stores, working for
music stores, starting up their
own guitar shops, either building
or repairing guitars,
( in many instances both )
or picked up
gigs as touring Techs.

Taylor Guitar Neck Re-set Video:

https://youtu.be/uIG0254cg4Q

Thanks goes out to the 300 + students
who came to study with me
over this past couple of decades.
Wishing joy and prosperity to All.

Thanks also goes out to the100's of
TechDeck Workstation customers,
from around the World.

We are very excited to be rolling out
the new Family of Workstations
over the next few months.

We look forward to meeting many of you
on our travels as we hit the road this coming year.

Be sure to check the blog and the
StringTech Workstations YouTube channel
... we'll keep you in the loop ...
as the story continues to unfold.

No-nonsense Guitar Fret Dress Video:

https://youtu.be/JMvzBajvD4g

Steve Vai's Guitar Tech

https://youtu.be/Vt2d4wYfhLE

The guitar family extrapolates in many directions ...

12 string / Arch top / solid body /
fretted and fretless basses / nylon string classicals
Strats / Tele / Les Paul / etc... etc ...

This opportunity, see you to examine
and adjust so many different types of guitars,
and to observe the idiosyncrasies and "rules of physics"
for each member of the guitar family;
this is what has made these videos so endearing.

Restoring, repairing, building, teaching and playing guitar

has been my journey, this past 45 years.

Every year we continue to "raise the bar",
in a constant quest for new and better ways to
Elevate the the Art of Guitar Repair and Design.

It has always been my mission, to enlighten and inspire

all of those who have taken the time to attend
the Conestoga College courses,
and to those from the Global community
who continue to peruse my musings
observations and instructions

here on the McConville Guitars Blog,
and now through the

Patreon Channel

My heartfelt thanks goes out to all,
for years of support and encouragement.

Dear Michael,

You have been delivering this training through Continuing Education at Conestoga College for over 15 years ( actually 23 years ! ) now. The quality of your courses and the feedback from your students is nothing but exceptional. Your passion is contagious. Your students respect your knowledge and you inspire them to further develop their skills and allow them the opportunity to apply what they have learned. Conestoga College is proud to have you as a Professor. You are expert in your field, reliable, punctual and a pleasure to work with!

Sincerely,

Sandra Schelling

Dean, Continuing Education and Corporate Training

Conestoga College
( October 2010 )

Back in the mid 1960's, when I first got into the guitar repair scene, there wasn't much to choose from as far as supplies, information and tools. The only places I could find at that time were Franz Dotzauer in Erlangen West Germany and Bill Lewis Musical in Vancouver ( which was eventually bought out and moved to California and re-named Luthiers Mercantile ).

When the early Guild of American Luthiers issues came out (1972 ) , things finally started to open up. Now of course, thanks to the internet, there are numerous sources to choose from for tools, wood, bodies, necks, hardware, fret supplies, finishing supplies and instructional videos on various repair and fabrication techniques. Realistically, like any trade or craft, it still takes hands-on experience to develop these skills to a level of excellance.

Like any other trade or craft,

it is not enough to be good ....

you need to be good and efficient

in order to turn over the work

in a timely fashion.

These old shots ( before the advent of digital cameras ) taken at my Brunswick St. shop, will give you all a glimpse into a time ( 25 years ago ) where I had just started to teach my first Conestoga College "Guitar Repair and Design" courses and had retro-fitted an old chair-factory into a fully functional Guitar Design / Restoration and Teaching facility .