Chad Ruloff decided, for his Masterworks Project, to build an acoustic guitar. During his Grade 9 year at Island Pacific School (IPS), Chad researched, planned and executed the task at hand with the support of his advisory committee. For his advisors Chad chose musicians David Graff and Teun Schut and IPS teacher Adrian van Lidth de Jeude who met five times during the year. In order to complete the Masterworks Program, students have to prepare a 12 to 30 page paper as well as a 10 to 20 minute presentation in front of their advisory panel, teachers, peers, attending family and interested members of the public.
How did Chad get from raw pieces of mahogany, sitka spruce and rosewood in his workshop to cradling a guitar which looked, from 10 feet away, just like any other fine guitar you'd see at a music shop? By touring music stores, reading, researching, drafting his design ideas and even watching YouTube videos for tips. He scaled up his favourite design and kept a detailed journal of his endeavour.
Chad wasn't quite sure how many hours were spent in total but said it was at least an hour every day plus several full days during the school year. Patience was key. Wielding an array of tools from chisels to micrometers (used for precise measurement of small distances) and at one point just a simple pocket knife, a guitar began to take form. He even soaked and painstakingly formed the mahogany to follow the contoured sides of the instrument by hand over a hot metal pipe. He explained each step in detail, divulging why each component was composed the way it is. He even bent the frets by hand. He cut, carved, sanded and stained until his project was ready for the strings. His vision had become a guitar. "Playing it was amazing," Chad said.
Chad spoke with conviction and honesty. What was his biggest lesson? "Patience was a big part. After rushing [on certain things], I learned I should have spent more time." And making guitars is something that is of great interest to Chad for the future. "I'd be interested in experimenting with other materials," he said.
The range of topics chosen by the graduating class covered a broad spectrum of personal interests. From the emotional brain, the fate in the stars, the possibility of perpetual motion, teaching the Moonwalk and exploring how soccer can change lives, each of these earned the students their final grade at IPS.
JANIS TRELEAVEN
