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 recap of my trip, which was full of inspiration and learning!
■ Nashville Edition! The Amigo Guitar Show and Visiting Famous Shops
First up is Nashville! I visited the “Amigo Guitar Show.” The venue was packed with rare electric and acoustic guitars, and the atmosphere was electric.
A commemorative photo with George Gruhn and Gary Scott of Gruhn Guitars 📷
It was around 3:00 PM when we left the venue, and the temperature was about 82°F—even in March, Nashville is incredibly hot.
Next up: a tour of Nashville’s famous guitar shops!
We visited “Carter Vintage Guitars” and “Gruhn Guitars.”
These are must-visit shops if you’re ever in 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 stuck with me—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, it really makes me realize that there are still many wonderful acoustic guitars left in Japan. Especially since our shop is currently focusing particularly on carrying D-45s and J-45s, I hope everyone will 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.
The Johnny Cash Museum
Country Music Hall of Fame Museum
And then, on to Downtown Broadway—the very reason Nashville is known as “Music City”!
Music fills the air throughout the city...
The area is packed with gig houses where you can come and go as you please, allowing you to enjoy a wide variety of musical genres
The fiddle playing is irresistible—it really feels like authentic country and bluegrass
And now, on to the main event: Len Farguson’s workshop
We took a series of flights to Montana, home to the Gibson acoustic guitar factory ✈️
↓↓↓
■ Visit to Ren Ferguson’s Workshop in Yellowstone, Montana
Despite the late-night flight, Ren and Virginia (Ren’s daughter and a key member of Ren Ferguson Co.) were there to welcome us.
They are such a warm and 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 (highs were around 12–14°C, and lows were -5°C).
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 trip
Here’s what the workshop looks like
The interior is also a wonderful space where you can feel the warmth of the wood
We listened to explanations about the production process and talked about past orders
This is Timothy, Ren’s son and a luthier.
The small guitar Timothy made is my absolute favorite
We also selected the wood and marquetry for my next order
Of course, the inlays are also handmade from scratch.
Please look forward to future updates!
For information on the current Ren Ferguson models, please see below
■ A Major Panic on the Final Day!? The Trap of Jet Lag and a Frenzy at the Airport
Our wonderful time in Montana flew by, and before we knew it, it was our last day. Timothy was supposed to pick us up by car early in the morning to take us to the airport. However, an unexpected major mishap occurred...
I kept wondering, “Why isn’t Timothy here yet? He was late yesterday and today too…” but it turned out my smartphone’s time zone was still set to “Nashville time”! Nashville is one hour ahead of Montana. In other words, Timothy wasn’t late—I was just living in a world that was one hour ahead of his (lol).
I even went so far as to order an Uber by mistake (which I frantically canceled later!), and then realized my watch was wrong while rushing to the airport boarding gate—by the end, I was in a total panic. Since I was rushing the whole time, Timothy might have thought, “She’s a bit of a weirdo…” I really wanted to thank him and say goodbye properly, but it ended up being a chaotic farewell.
■ Back to Japan with the best memories!
Although things got a bit chaotic at the end, my stay in Montana was absolutely amazing! 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 vowed to myself, “I will definitely be back!” as I set off on my journey home.
I’ll make sure to put the experiences and connections I gained on this trip to good use in the future development of Advance Guitars! Stay tuned for more updates!
