The students came from as far as Washington D.C. and Singapore for a long weekend crammed with activities, performances, and instruction, seeking to nurture a musical passion that for most began many years ago. At $6,500 plus airfare, the weekend doesn’t come cheap, but for the two bassists in the Class of ’08, the vitality of the experience easily trumped the cost. “I always wanted to be a bass player,” says Jeff Thomas, a student at Hollywood’s Musicians Institute who left a long career in television and film post-production to focus on bass. Russ Castione’s musical pursuits had also taken a back seat to his role as a business development manager. He had designs on the new 5-string Precision when he came across a web ad for Fender U. “I thought it would be a great way to reinvigorate my interest in playing bass,” he says.
On the first night, they acquainted themselves with their new instruments—Jeff chose a sunburst Precision with a maple fingerboard, while Russ scored his black maple-neck 5- string P—and got familiar with tunes for the Sunday jam session. Things got underway with an early-morning bus trip to the Fender factory in Corona, for an extensive tour of the 177,000 square-foot facility and lunch with the Fender Custom Shop builders. Then, they were off again to the nearby Fender Center for another tour and a clinic with Dweezil Zappa.
The Fender Center houses classrooms, recording studios, a small museum, and a large club-style performance space were the students would put their instruction to the test come Sunday—but for now the weekend was young and the pace was heating up. After a Q&A and photos with Dweezil, there was a quick hotel stop and a trek to Irvine for a surprise event: drinks, hors d’oeuvres, and a meet-and-great with Steve Winwood, who was opening for Tom Petty. Backstage at Verizon Amphitheater, students chatted it up with the legend before watching him hit the stage, and taking in Petty’s performance from a VIP vantage point.
The next morning in Corona began with instrument setups and minor adjustments, with Fender’s Ryan Zelinsky putting a new set of flatwounds on Jeff’s Precision Bass before the two headed into a clinic with Anthrax bassist Frank Bello. Then it was off to class with Reggie Hamilton, who held court along with Tony Franklin and MI instructor and Cosmosquad bassist Chris Maloney. Each gave mind-blowing performances after lunch, but in the morning Jeff and Russ could pick their brains and home in on aspects of their own playing. The vibe was of a cool hangsession with the cats, but it was also imbued with a serious focus on learning. “I try to copy everybody,” said Hamilton at one point. “Not to stand in their shoes, but to learn about the style.” Displaying a firm grasp of varying approaches to technique and tone, Reggie demonstrated how one scale on the bass can be played several ways, eventually offering a unique two-octave major-scale fingering that required multiple stretches and shifts, but emphasized economy of motion and discipline in execution. “Don’t teach your bass mistakes,” he says.
There were several more clinics and special presentations, a museum tour in Fullerton, and several good meals and great hangs. The culminating events were the jam session and a graduation dinner, but for Jeff and Russ, these were simply icing on a very substantive cake. “The things we learned were remarkable,” says Jeff. “Working with seasoned bass players, and Reggie’s got these nuggets of information— that’s what will really stick with me. When you’ve got people like that teaching you, it really gives you the confidence to go out there and bang out the notes with feel.”
“What they really impressed on me was to embrace the fundamentals and understand what you need to do with the music,” adds Russ. “But more important, to define your own style.”—
FENDER UNIVERSITY
A hands-on learning experience designed for players, builders, and enthusiasts that balances interactive learning with fun and entertainment. Curriculum includes over eight hours of workshops and clinics, concerts, and tours of the Fender Factory, Custom Shop, and Fullerton Museum.
Cost $6,500 tuition includes lodging, meals, and transportation to facilities and events, tickets & VIP passes, and a limited-edition American Standard instrument.
When The next session is slated for March 4–8, 2009. For details, visit www.fender.com/university.