What I did was call the music store that sponsers the only bluegrass music radio show here (sponsers cause it is public radio and the comercials are a little shorter therefore) Asked about instructers. they have several, so then I picked the one that I've heard playing on that show. It worked, but they did have other avaiable, so that I could switch if we didn't get along.

Practice is very important. There are two big advantages to an instructure: keeps you from learning the wrong way to do things, and gets you to practice. This latter one could be more important then you think. I know my familly would tend to tell me to do chores when I should be practicing if I didn't have to get the practicing done. Self tought doesn't work in my family for that reason. (I moved back home after college, which isn't all good. Sometimes I consider moving out just to avoid the above mentioned additude)