In Guitar Engineering, students trade textbooks for tools and Chromebooks for hands-on construction. As the course description puts it, students explore “the design elements, manufacturing and assembly of solid-body electric guitars” through a combination of studio time, lab work, and lecture.
Each guitar is able to be almost entirely customized or built from a “kit” for those seeking less of a challenge.
It isn’t just a class about guitars, though. Students learn to solder circuits, shape wood, and understand the physics of string tension and intonation.
The final third of the year offers even more freedom— students choose their own projects, from benches to wind chimes. Whether making guitars or ping-pong tables, student consensus is that Guitar Engineering has been an enjoyable class even outside of physically building the guitars.
For senior Bosco Lorin, the highlight of his guitar-building elective came at the very end.
“My favorite moment was probably today when I finished the guitar,” he said. “I finally cut the strings and that was the last thing I had to do. And it’s working, sounds pretty good.”
The journey to that moment, had its setbacks, especially when it came to painting.
“I had to do a bunch of rounds of paint because it would not dry right… it would leave textures on it,” Lorin said.
One early paint choice didn’t turn out as he hoped, prompting him to start over with a new color.
“My first color wasn’t the right blue I wanted,” Lorin said.
Despite the challenges, Lorin is proud of the rounded shape and soft baby blue finish of his guitar. Now finished, he’s moving on to a foldable ping pong table for his final project— another hands-on creation he’s excited to complete.
For senior Torsten Olsen, the guitar engineering class offered a chance to create something personal and ambitious.
“I kind of based it off my favorite guitarist, Tony Iommi from Black Sabbath,” he said. “He plays this style of guitar… it’s the famous red look, so I was like, ‘That’d be pretty sick if I could make my own.’”
Olsen’s experience wasn’t all smooth sailing though.
“By far the hardest part was the finish and the paints,” he said. “It was a complete nightmare, and it took so many tries.”
Despite this, Olsen was able to create a fully functional (and stylish) guitar,
“It was exciting when it came together—painting, shaping—actually starting to see what it was gonna look like,” Olsen said.
Olsen also said he takes pride in making his guitar stand out.
“I did a shape not a lot of other people did, and a stain not a lot of people used,” Olsen said. “One of my favorite parts of the class is that you can make something really unique.”
Now, for his final project, he’s replacing the neck with custom parts featuring abalone inlays, aiming for a finish as bold as the music that inspired it.
Junior Amina Greene said that the guitar engineering class turned out to be much more than she expected.
“My favorite moment has been painting the guitar and personalizing it,” Greene said.
However, the process came with challenges.
“It’s definitely a lot more complicated than I thought,” Greene said, referencing the technical aspects like circuitry and soldering.
What stood out most for Greene wasn’t just the building, it was the people.
“This class has made me talk to a lot of people I normally wouldn’t,” Greene said. “Everyone’s really engaged with what we’re doing… the class is definitely a community.”
Greene said that despite initially assuming it would be an easy elective, she now sees the value in the effort it requires.
“I’d recommend it— if you’re willing to actually do the work,” she said.
Junior Alison Atanasio described her guitar-building elective as a unique blend of creativity and hands-on learning.
“For the first two-thirds of the year, you’re working on building your guitar and designing it how you want it to look,” Atanasio said.
From cutting and sanding wood to drilling holes and installing frets, Atanasio made her guitar from scratch.
“You’re given a big slab of wood that has a couple things already done on it, but there are different types of wood, paint colors, and designs you can play around with to make it your own,” Atanasio said. “You literally make it from scratch.”
She also learned technical skills like soldering, which allows the guitar’s electronics to function.
“It’s really fun, and I have a great time with my friends in class,” Atanasio said.
According to Atanasio, one of the best parts of the class is the unique learning environment.
“We have so much freedom to create, and we’re outside all the time, and we’re learning skills that you can actually apply to things,” Atanasio said.
Atanasio’s favorite moment was seeing her finished guitar.
“When I finally saw that I finished my guitar and I could play it… that accomplishment felt really good,” Atanasio said.
The Guitar Engineering class unveiled their custom-built guitars in a musical showcase featuring the students’ guitars, a snack table, and even a live student band.
The atmosphere of the showcase was dominated by the student-lead band “Free Earplugs,” who performed hits like “Should I stay or Should I Go” by the Clash, “Basket Case” by Green Day, and “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen.
The group dedicated hours to preparing—two couple-hour rehearsals and one three-hour session—to bring the performance together.
“Mrs. Chamberlain mentioned it’d be cool if a band could play at the showcase, and I kind of… volunteered us,” said senior Will Tretola.
Their original plan was to include the classic “Rock Lobster,” but the complex arrangement—featuring bass playing lead guitar lines and guitarists doubling on piano parts—proved ambitious.
“We realized it might be a bit much, so we decided to just set up and play what felt right in the moment,” said Senior Julien Porter.
“It’s kind of magic when it all comes together.”
The organizer of the event, Mrs. Chamberlain, emphasized her excitement by saying that it was fun seeing everyone and hearing the band play. She also said that this was only the [third] annual showcase the class has done, and that she hopes the class will continue the tradition.
