Rick and Mark, I've really been enjoying this thread. Are either of you familiar with the Puget Sound Guitar Workshop? It's a heavenly week in the Northwest woods (actually 3 successive weeks) with some of the best acoustic musicians and teachers around, focused mainly but not exclusively on guitar. Daily classes, nonstop jamming and informal instruction, faculty and student concerts, and swimming in lovely lake Flora. Some of the faculty I remember from the late 80s: Eric Schoenberg, Gordon Bok, John Knowles, John Cephas, Del Rey, John Reischmann, Betsy Rose, Scott Nygaard, Linda Waterfall, Bob Brozman... Sounds like both of you guys should be on the staff some summer. If you'd like to learn more, drop me a personal message and I'll put you in touch. Same for anybody who wants to give their musical ability and enjoyment a huge jump start.

Aloha,
Mark