Maybe you’re the next Eric Clapton or Jimi Hendrix.
Or maybe you don’t know an A-chord from an acorn.
No matter. All are invited to rush the stage at “Guitar: The Instrument that Rocked the World,” an exhibit devoted to one of the world’s most popular instruments. Opening this month, the Whitaker Center lineup features more than 60 rare and famous guitars, and more than 100 historical guitar artifacts.
“Find out how guitars are made, listen to the wide range of guitar musical styles and discover the science and technology of vibrating strings and amplifiers,”said Steve Bishop, Whitaker Center’s vice president of science and cinema programs. “Plus, play a 43-foot-long guitar!”
This guitar—the world’s largest functional guitar—spans the length of the floor, weighs 2,000 pounds and only plays in a low frequency. Using six hands, you and your friends can bang out the opening chord of the Beatles’ “A Hard Day’s Night.”
Like the rest of Whitaker Center, the exhibit is hands-on. If you can’t play a guitar of any size, don’t fret. You can strum, jam, pick, pluck, shred or even play air guitar. And no one will be checking to see if you have enough giant ‘80s hair when you give the whammy bar a try.
Rock Out
The guitar has played an important role in the history of music.
It’s a portable instrument that, centuries ago, allowed strolling minstrels to accompany their storytelling as they travelled about. In more recent years, it’s proven to be highly versatile for changing musical tastes, perfect for everything from simple, three-chord folk songs to complex classical compositions. It’s an instrument both of the street and the conservatory.
The exhibit delves into all aspects of the guitar, complete with explanations on pitch, tone, electromagnetism and amplification. If you wish, you can view the guitars as works of art or as a history lesson or as a technical marvel—or all of the above. One of the displays even features a cross-section of a guitar, all of its inner workings on display to show how the selection of different materials and strings creates distinct styles of guitars and distinct sounds.
One part of the exhibit shows a guitar being made using a 3D printer. 3D technology “prints” a guitar from a stored schematic drawing. Think of an old dot-matrix printer. Each time the print head zoomed across the page, it laid a layer of ink down until the typeface was complete. In 3D printing, the print head lays down a micro-thin layer of material, usually metal or plastic, until the object is fully formed.
“Guitar” has something for your inner showman, too. To inspire the Metallica in you, one display features an instrument that throws flames every time you strike a chord. The level of flame matches the noise level. Much less fiery, but still fun, is the soundstage for the kids to rock out.
Follow the Tour
“Guitar” is the touring exhibit of The National Guitar Museum, a nomadic collection that, much like those who play the instrument, travels from city to city.
HP Newquist, a former editor-in-chief of Guitar magazine, established the museum in 2009 after a friend saw guitars hanging on the walls of his house and commented that it looked like a museum. After some research, Newquist realized such a museum didn’t exist, so he decided to create one.
“Nothing told the history of the single most popular instrument in the world,” Newquist said. “In all its various incarnations, even to this day, past generations look to the guitar as a defining instrument.”
The museum takes its mission seriously. There is no permanent museum for its collection, at least not yet. Newquist hopes to find a home by 2020. Until then, the exhibit strings along from town to town, so fans must follow the tour.
“Whitaker Center represents a fusion of science and the arts,” said Bishop. “The ‘Guitar’ exhibit fits us perfectly for guests of all ages.”
“Guitar: The Instrument that Rocked the World” runs June 4 through Sept. 4 on the lower level of Whitaker Center’s Harsco Science Center, 222 Market St., Harrisburg. Whitaker Center members can see the exhibit for free all summer as part of their member benefits. Entry to the exhibit is included with general admission for non-members.
