Since 1994, Allstar Guitar in Gig Harbor has been proudly owned and operated by Dan and May Wilson. Allstar Guitar is a multi-faceted operation - it serves the community as a custom guitar shop, instrument repair and music academy. This month it's celebrating the grand opening of its new location at 3110 Harborview Dr. The move marks a doubling in its retail and music academy space, which means 400 students can now rock it.

Dan Wilson got his start in music in Southern California in the early 1960s. As the singer of a junior high school band - not yet a guitar player - Wilson began playing at dances and teen clubs. His musical career transcended high school gigs and entered the realm of bar shows after a move to Northern California. There, Wilson played with the likes of Gene Parsons (Flying Burrito Bros, The Byrds), Billy Kreutzman (The Grateful Dead), Joel Scott Hill (Canned Heat), Johnny Barbata (The Turtles) and many others. It was also at this point that Wilson became infatuated with the guitar.

Wilson's career of restoring instruments can be traced back to his discovery of the parts to his grandmother's C. Bruno Parlor acoustic guitar. Wilson returned the guitar to playable condition - the first of many restoration projects. He is now certified by Gibson and Fender, and with the right tools and skills can restore guitars, mandolins, banjos, basses, violins, charangos, requintos, ukeleles and resonators. Wilson's restoration skills have also come in handy producing new instruments.

What was once a hobby became a career in 1994 he opened Allstar Guitar in Gig Harbor. The new, 4,000 square foot Allstar sits above Spiro's Pizza on Harborview Drive.

The Wilsons sell almost every stringed instrument imaginable, as well as custom-made guitars, drums, and all wind instruments.

Along with sales, Allstar Guitar also offers music lessons. The music academy is run by May Wilson - a fiddle player - and 18 instructors (soon to be 22) overseeing 10 rooms for teaching. Currently, 220-240 students are exploring guitar, voice, bass, piano, banjo, all wind instruments, drums, cello, violin, mandolin and other instruments.

"Every kid should have something in the arts and something in sports they can enjoy. We are trying to make music available to everyone," says Dan Wilson. He is heavily involved with United By Music, a program for intellectually challenged kids and adults. He also is involved with Crime Stoppers, so don't event think of lifting an instrument.

The new Allstar Guitar celebrates its grand opening 4-7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23. During this time visitors can receive coupons, as well as enter a drawing for a month of free guitar lessons and rental. The celebration also falls in the middle of its Feb. 22-24 sale.

ALLSTAR GUITAR, 11 A.M. TO 7 P.M. MONDAY-THURSDAY, 11 A.M. TO 6 P.M. FRIDAY, 11 A.M. TO 5 P.M. SATURDAY, 3110 HARBORVIEW DR., GIG HARBOR,