www.allstarstrings.com
  
 
 
 
 
  Allstar Guitar
  3226 Harborview Dr.
  Gig HarborWA 98332
  (253) 853-5610
 
Store Hours:
  Monday thru Thursday
  11am - 7pm
  Friday & Saturday
  11am - 6pm
 

Allstar Academy - Guitar Instructors


Billy Shew 		Billy Shew has been playing the guitar for approximately 34 yrs. He got his first guitar when he was 5 and soon after that started taking lessons. His first guitar hero was John Denver. However, it didn't take too long before the Sounds of Rock-N-Roll to exasperate his parents. While in high school, Billy played in rock-n-roll bands including the high school concert band, of which he played Tuba, Baritone, and Bass Drum. Within his 34 years devoted to the guitar, Billy has studied classical guitar, music theory, experienced session work, and performed in various clubs through out the United States. At present, he has been performing with the Billy Shew Band in the local club scene around the Pacific North West.
   

Jessy Savage
As long as I can remember, I have always had a deep affection for music. Although I tried other instruments early on, I fell for guitar when I was fifteen years old. I believe in pursuing hobbies or jobs - or anything you set out to do - with the intention of doing your best . This means learning what you can from others, keeping an open mind to new concepts, and always taking time for independent study of your chosen passion. My personal studies have focused on rhythm and lead guitar, music theory, sight reading, and notation.  I always try to put it all together with some heart and soul.  I have played in numerous rock, blues, and country bands in which our bands opened for various mainstream artists.  I have played a lot of other types of music as well.  I worked at Ernie Ball/Music Man for 3 years as a set-up technician.

The bottom line is, no matter what you know, or who you have played with, or what gear you have, the whole idea is to have fun. Play what sounds good to you.

   

Dan Wilson
Read Dan's bio in the about us page
   

Kregg Mattson
 15 years in the music business.  Worked a  a single, duo and group format.  Preformed with the show group, "NORTHSHORE" throughout  the west coast, Reno, and Florida as an Entertainer and Vocalist. Responsible for vocal and musical arrangements.
   

Randall Ireland
Based on reports from my parents I started playing music between age three and four. My instrument of choice was drums (select pieces of "Tupperware") that I would beat to death with wooden spoons while the radio was blasting away.  Fast forward to 5th grade and a brief stint playing trumpet where I learned how to read music and found that my lips reacted to the metal in the mouth piece.  I switched to snare drum and my lips returned to their normal size within a few weeks.  By junior high it was obvious that the music program at school wasn't enough to keep my interest so I began private lessons, got my first drum set, and started playing in a garage band called Red Ball after our $7.00 mic we purchased at Radio Shack.  By high school I was a veteran of the garage band scene and moved up to a top 40 band.  We played for dances at the junior highs and high school in the Gig Harbor area.  It was during this time that I started playing Bass and Guitar, mainly because we practiced at my house and the other guys in the band would leave their instruments from time to time.  After a few months plunking away I decided that the bass would be my next venture.  I took to the bass quickly because of my foundation in rhythm and my experience playing with other bass players.  By the end of high school I was playing in the school jazz band, backing the vocal jazz group, and gigging on a monthly basis.

After graduation I went to Western Washington University in pursuit of a performing arts degree.  I studied music theory from Bach to Blues, worked on jazz improvisation, and played with some great musicians.  When I returned to the Gig Harbor area I continued to play with a variety of artists while holding down an "real job".  About 15 years ago I started giving private lessons and enjoyed experience so much that I pursued a career in teaching.  I taught at the junior high level four years.  During the past few years I have focused on home schooling my children and teaching part time for the Peninsula School District.

   

Geoffry Klok
 Geoffry Klok has been a student of the guitar for more than 9 years and a pupil in music for nearly 20. Though originally inspired by the likes of Stevie Ray Vaughn, he is classically trained in the lineage of masters such as Julian Bream and Christopher Parkening.  His tastes constantly expand to include jazz, blues, rock, folk, bluegrass, and everything in between.  He is an active solo and ensemble artist and performs frequently in the South Sound area at public and private functions.  He is a graduate of the University of Puget Sound '02 and has been teaching his instrument of choice for almost 4 years.  He is the resident private teacher and performer for the Parks Department of the City of Tacoma.  His curriculum is an amalgam, including the Noad and Shearer methods, supplemented by dozens of personal transcriptions and compositions, and frequently draws on the requests of students as new material.
   

Chris Meadors
 From the mosh pit to the orchestra pit, and most points in between, versatility is one of Chris’s major strengths.  A full-time instructor and performing musician, he has studied at Mira Costa College and has been making his living with his guitar for over 10 years. 
As a teacher, Chris provides personalized, flexible lesson programs designed to help the student learn to play what they want to play, while mastering the skills necessary to explore any style of music. 

Chris recently relocated from California to the Pacific Northwest and is proud to join the teaching staff at Allstar Guitar.