Hello. This is Inoue from Advance Guitars.
From March 20th to 24th, I went on a five-day business trip to Nashville, the mecca of the guitar, and to Montana, where my beloved family awaits.
Here’s a look at my trip, which was full of inspiration and new learning!
■ Nashville Edition! The Amigo Guitar Show and a Tour of Famous Shops
First up: Nashville! I visited the “Amigo Guitar Show.” The venue was packed with rare electric and acoustic guitars, and the atmosphere was electric.
I took a commemorative photo with George Gruhn and Gary Scott from Gruhn Guitars 📷
It was around 3:00 PM when I left the venue, and the temperature was about 28 degrees—Nashville is really hot, even in March.
Next up was a tour of Nashville’s famous guitar shops!
I went to “Carter Vintage Guitars” and “Gruhn Guitars.”
These are must-visit shops if you ever go to Nashville.
Gruhn Guitars
Carter Vintage Guitars
My impression from touring guitar shows and famous shops was that, while there are certainly custom and pre-war models you wouldn’t see in Japan, what really stood out—especially at the guitar shows—was that I didn’t see a single Martin D-45.Even in the shops, the number of D-45s isn’t that high. Also, when it comes to Gibson, the number of J-45s is limited, and it was difficult to find ones from the “Banner” era. Thinking about it that way, it really makes me realize that there are still many wonderful acoustic guitars left in Japan. Especially since our store is currently focusing particularly on carrying D-45s and J-45s, I hope you’ll all take advantage of this excellent opportunity.
■ Nashville Edition! Museums to Broadway
This time, I also visited the Johnny Cash Museum and the Country Music Hall of Fame. Both were simply amazing, but at the Country Music Hall of Fame, I was able to see legendary guitars up close, so I couldn’t take my eyes off them.
Johnny Cash Museum
Country Music Hall of Fame Museum
Then, off to Downtown Broadway—the very reason Nashville is called “Music City”!
Music echoes throughout the city...
The area is packed with gig venues where you can come and go as you please, letting you enjoy a wide variety of musical genres.
The fiddle playing is irresistible—it really feels like authentic country and bluegrass
Then, on to the main event of this trip: Len Farguson’s workshop
I took a connecting flight to Montana, home to the Gibson acoustic guitar factory ✈️
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■ Yellowstone, Montana: A Visit to Ren Ferguson’s Workshop
Despite the late-night flight, Ren and Virginia (Ren’s daughter and a key member of the Ren Ferguson Co. team) were there to welcome us.
They’re just such a warm, welcoming family...
After that, we took a breather at the hotel
Montana is much colder than Nashville
Mornings and evenings are colder than Tokyo at this time of year (with highs around 12 to 14 degrees and lows at minus 5 degrees).
It’s warm indoors, but the humidity is only 30%, so the climate is very dry.
Off to the workshop!
Before the studio tour, we had a bite to eat
Believe it or not, Ren’s wife had made a crustless quiche for breakfast
It was absolutely exquisite—the best meal of the entire trip.
Here’s what the workshop looks like
The interior of the workshop is also a wonderful space where you can feel the warmth of the wood
We listened to explanations of the production process and talked about past orders
This is Timothy, Ren’s son and a luthier.
The small guitar Timothy made is one of my absolute favorites.
We also selected the wood andmarketry for my next custom order
Of course, the inlays are also handmade from scratch.
Please look forward to future updates!
For information on the current availability of the Ren Ferguson model, please see below
■ Total Chaos on the Last Day!? The Trap of Jet Lag and a Mad Dash at the Airport
Our wonderful time in Montana flew by, and before we knew it, it was our last day. For the trip back, Timothy was supposed to pick us up by car early in the morning and drive us to the airport. However, an unexpected major mishap occurred…
I’d been wondering, “Timothy hasn’t shown up yet—neither yesterday nor today…,” but it turned out my smartphone’s time setting had been stuck on “Nashville time” the whole time! Nashville is one hour ahead of Montana. In other words, Timothy wasn’t running late—I was just living in a world that was one hour ahead of his (lol).
I even made the mistake of ordering an Uber (which I frantically canceled later!) and only realized my watch was off while rushing to the boarding gate at the airport—by the end, I was in a total panic. Since I was rushing the whole time, Timothy might have thought, “She’s kind of a strange one…” I really wanted to thank him properly and say goodbye, but it ended up being a chaotic farewell.
■ Heading back to Japan with the best experience of my life!
Although things got a bit chaotic at the end, my stay in Montana was absolutely the best! This trip to the U.S. allowed me to once again experience the warmth of the Ren family and feel the authentic atmosphere of Nashville firsthand. It has undoubtedly become a tremendous asset for me. I set off on my journey home, vowing in my heart, “I’ll definitely be back!”
I’ll make sure to put the experiences and connections I gained on this business trip to good use in the future development of Advance Guitars! Stay tuned for more updates!
