Hello from a family in Montana.
My name is Timothy Ferguson and I am a member of the Advance Guitars family.
I am a master luthier.Ren FergusonI am the son of
He is thrilled that you are offering some of his work from his time at Gibson Guitars. My father and I were both involved with the company he founded in the 1970's asRen Fergusoncompany and produced under the brand name of
I hope this message reaches you all!
Thank you so much for all you do for our industry!
Best regards, Len & Timothy Ferguson

"This is one of the four guitars made for the 1994 NAMM show.
In the early 1970s, he cut out his own Brazilian rosewood (hakaranda) at his small guitar workshop in Venice Beach, California. He still had some of the wood from that time on hand, so he selected a set from it for this guitar.
Based on the sketches I had made, I tried to compose the decorative elements by combining inspiration from everyday "objects" such as floral arrangements, chair fabric, wallpaper, oriental rugs, and coffee cups. Although they were seemingly disparate, they were strangely connected somehow and eventually came together in a very organic form."

"This beautiful SJ-200, made of bird's eye maple and Sitka spruce, was one of four made to be exhibited at the 1994 Winterum.
At that time, the decision was made to produce it in a cranberry red color with sparkle binding, and the cherry sunburst finish on the body was applied by Van Feldner, who painted over it until it was perfect. For the inlays, we used only selected gold-colored mother-of-pearl for all the decorations."

※Van Feldner
Skilled Painter.
Nitro cellulose lacquer, the foundation of Gibson acoustic guitars, is finished using traditional techniques used by successive generations of Gibson builders. His touch of sunburst, in particular, has earned him a worldwide reputation for excellence and beauty.
The tried-and-true, uncompromising finish of this work would have a profound influence on his later career.

"When the wood arrived from my supplier, I had the opportunity to select a set of curly koa, all cut from the same tree. It was like an invitation I couldn't refuse. The tropical landscape inlay of mother-of-pearl and avalon, starting at the bridge and tracing down to the headstock, looks to me like a 'Hawaiian rainforest'."

"For this J-200, I wanted to give the body back and sides two-tone accents in light and dark, and came up with a design I named 'Black Hills Gold Sparkle'. It goes very well with Ziricote. The inspiration for this piece came from an idea I got from an Art Nouveau era book I own. Incorporating the letter "G" into the design was as much fun as drawing the motif of smoke billowing up the fretboard. Not only is this guitar one of my own favorites, but master inlay artist Larry Robinson told me it was his favorite as well! The neck heel carving is also done in the artistic style that flourished in the early 20th century. The beautiful translucent tobacco brown sunburst finish is by Van Feldner."

※Black Hills
A mountainous area on the border of South Dakota and Wyoming in the United States.
It is famous for Mount Rushmore National Monument, where the faces of four U.S. presidents (George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln) are carved on the mountain face.
The beautiful mountain scenery of light and shadow is beautifully expressed by the giricote and sparkle binding on this SJ-200.

※Art Nouveau
An art style that was widely popular in Europe from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th century.
When Japan opened its borders to the West and Japanese art (ukiyoe, etc.) and crafts became known in the West, "Japonisme" became popular, and its unique aesthetic sensibility became a focal point for those seeking new artistic expression in the West. It is said that Art Nouveau was nurtured in the midst of this trend, and Japanese art was seen as an important source of inspiration in the formation of Art Nouveau.

"This was the first guitar I was allowed to personally build for Gibson to showcase at the annual winter NAMM show. All materials used were sourced within Gibson and this was also the first guitar I co-built that Henry Jaskiewicz (then CEO of Gibson) allowed me to build.
I call this guitar "Chrysanthemum. It is one of many flowers I like to choose, and I stylized it into the design. This guitar was one of the first in what would later become the "Master Museum Series". For the binding, I used the original gold sparkle that I usually make for myself for use in banjo restorations.
This guitar was scheduled to be sold at the NAMM show, but was actually purchased the night before. This instrument and all subsequent guitars were displayed and sold at the NAMM Show until the early 2000s. The sunburst finish on this guitar was also done by Van Feldner and it was just amazing. It was a real pleasure working with him. He is a true artist and a great friend!"

"This J-200 is part of the VINE series with CNC machined floral inlays on the headstock and fingerboard. The pickguard for this series was hand engraved by me based on artwork I designed myself."

"This instrument was one of the last models built just prior to the complete removal of the acoustic department from the Nashville factory. At the time, it was necessary to free up space in the acoustic department to expand production of the Les Paul, which was in high demand. Henry Jaskiewicz, along with two associates, acquired the Gibson brand in the mid-1980s, and this instrument was probably built just before or just after that acquisition. The actual date of manufacture is not known, nor do I know if the Julian date system was used at that time. However, these instruments are usually considered to be among the highest quality made at the Nashville factory. In addition, those guitars were built before I began my involvement with Gibson in 1987."

Ren FergusonWhat do you think of the wonderful guitars that have been produced by
His deep knowledge of art and aesthetics allows his instruments to captivate people all over the world.
It was a precious experience for me to be able to touch a part of it this time.

As mentioned above, starting in 2019, Len will be launching his own brand, "Ren FergusonCompany (Ren Ferguson Co.) in 2019.
It is remarkable that he has left a major manufacturer and is still producing top-quality guitars without being restricted by his status.
It is as if a musician who has achieved mass success has gone back to his roots, and has accomplished the task of leaving behind for the world the work he has been pursuing.

What kind of works will he produce in the future?

ADVANCE GUITARS went to the U.S. and had a chance to see the guitars that he is making now.

Stay tuned for the next article.