Tē tōia, tē haumatia
(Nothing can be achieved without a plan, workforce and way of doing things)
Straight to work
Kia ora reader,
It's been a week of ground work.
Often if you need something to happen, you need to start the small stones rolling, so this week I've reached out to several people and groups.
Tool time
Setting up the classes will require tools for the students, so my dream supplier would be Crimson Guitars in the UK. Ben and the team make great luthier tools and they are the result of hands on R&D. I love his YouTube channel and maybe one day I'll start my own. Reach out if you're interested in being a video editor.
Until I get a tool supply sorted I'm working in the grand tradition of making one's own tools. First off the list is the notched straight edge, used to measure and set the relief on the neck by reading directly off the fret board. Lots of measuring and note taking from the Crimson Guitars tool, so I can create a set of 10 wooden versions from a piece of reclaimed oak from a builder friend in Tawa. Next workshop day I'll make the practice piece from plywood. If all goes well the oak versions will be true enough and sturdy enough to last.
He tangata, he tangata, he tangata
(It is the people, it is the people, it is the people)
The other part of running a class is having students, so that means marketing the classes. If you drop into Wellington's guitar shops you'll see a Wellington Workshop Set Up Class poster on the notice board and of course a new classes page on the website.
To spread the net wider, I set up an Eventfinda account and published the class and ticket sales through them. They have a reasonable cost for the marketing service, around 5% of the ticket price, but personally I dislike buying tickets advertised at a price, then have to pay more due to fees, so I set it up to cover the fees. This means that students pay the same, no matter which channel they come through.
"There ain't no such thing as free marketing" apologies to Heinlein.
First class on Saturday 31st August.
Have a great week,
Richard
