NEWS CLIPS
A Class No One Skips: the Fender University Experience
BY CHRIS KIES Bello; and intimate, instructional workshops
with top-flight Fender clinicians. As part of
It’s that time of the year again. Baseball play-
their experience, each student received a
offs are nearing, football is around the corner,
Fender American Standard instrument of
summer music festivals will be wrapping up
their choice, with a special commemorative
and school is in session for youngsters across
Fender University neck plate and custom
the nation; it’s a sad day for kids, a relief for
engraved pickguard, among assorted other
parents. However, for one weekend in mid-
goodies. The cherry on top of this Fender
August, adults became
the pupils, as Fender
University offered a
crash course in gear
production, private
lessons and marquee
artist performances.
artists who participated encountered unex-
pected benefits from the special occasion.
“I’ve always been a big fan of Fender and
the history of Fender. I love having my name
associated with Fender and being part of
their history,” said John 5, Fender endorsee
and Fender U professor. “I would have killed
to have done something like this when I was
a kid. I’ve just started
doing clinics similar to
this and they’ve been a
big success – I’ve really
enjoyed doing them.”
The prestigious
private institution,
located in Corona,
California, unlocked
its doors from August
21-24 for 20 attendees – 18 guitarists and
two bassists – collected from a broad
geographic area.
Attendees came from
Romania, Singapore,
the U.K. and Canada.
After signing up for
pre-registration on the
company’s website,
fender.com/university,
Fender University student Gordon Logan of Nashville, Tennessee exchanges
the hopeful scholars licks with Dweezil Zappa during Zappa’s clinic.
had to wait to hear a confirmation that they
sundae was allowing students a chance to feel
had made the final cut.
like real stars as they were photographed by
renowned rock photographer, Robert Knight.
As the weekend extravaganza wrapped up, the
Fender students were
ushered into graduation
with a stunning performance by Willy Porter
and a cordial address by
Phyllis Fender, wife of
the late Leo Fender.
“We’re really looking for opportunities to
open our doors to the community. For Fender
University we wanted to create an incredible experience for our diehard fans and
introduce them to the Custom Shop and to
our friends,” said Richard McDonald, Fender
Senior Vice President/Global Marketing. “And
we wanted to keep it as intimate as possible
so that attendees come away feeling inspired
about their music and their playing and see
that Fender is basically a handful of people
just like them who are passionate and love
what they do.”
Even though the experience was intended to
give a handful of fans
an inside look at the
company associated
with the birth of rock n’
roll, participants walked
away with a weekend
full of memories. “It’s
a dream come true. It’s really an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I think Fender
has done a marvelous job,” said Theseus
Chan, a Fender U student who traveled from
Singapore. “It’s a company that’s sincere and
where people are passionate. And suddenly
you realize that, yeah, it’s really worth being a
fan of these products and the amps and guitars that I’ve bought.”
The Fender U scholastic adventure included
a tour of the Fender production facility in
Corona, California and its Custom Shop; clinics from world-class artists such as Dweezil
Zappa, Yngwie Malmsteen, John 5 and Frank
Although it was a mystical experience for
the 20 attendees, the Fender brass worked
towards a much more practical goal than
the overwhelming awe-factor created by
this unheard of event and access. “At the
end of the weekend, we’d love for them to
come away feeling that they belong to a
bigger community; if they carry that torch
and share the experience with their friends,
that means more to us than if they simply
bought a guitar or toured the facility,”
said Jennifer Burton, Fender’s Marketing
Communications Manager. “That feeling in
their hearts, that inspiration is something
they’ll keep for a lifetime.”
While the reactions and attitudes of the
lucky attendees were rather predictable, the
While Fender U was initially only seen as a
one time event, the success and chatter created at its conclusion has sparked the possibility
of Fender U events in the future. The company would like to add different versions of
the event, all based on the same template but
tailored to specific audiences, including youth,
bass and women’s versions. Other possibilities
are still in the works, meaning that you still
may have the opportunity to live the dream.
That is, after all, what Fender U is all about.
