Ren Ferguson: Montana Rivers Masterpieces #3

The [#3] model recently arrived at Advance Guitars features a Montana Jumbo (MT) shape, equivalent to Gibson’s J-200.

This single instrument embodies the philosophy of “functional art” that Ren Ferguson infuses into his guitar-making, along with his uncompromising craftsmanship, down to the very finest details.

The Wood for "The Watchman" (Custodian): Neck and Body from a Single Tree

One of the most distinctive features of this guitar is that the neck, as well as the sides and back, are made from a single piece of Western maple. This wood has a special history.It comes from a tree over 100 years old that grew on the grounds of a dam in Kalama Falls on the Columbia River. The dam’s caretaker, a Japanese man named Mr. Watanabe, harvested the tree and, rather than kiln-drying it, stored the highest-quality sections in his personal collection for many years, allowing them to air-dry naturally.Entrusted to Mr. Ren with the words, “You’ll make the world’s finest instrument with this,” the Ferguson family respectfully refers to this wood as “The Watchman.” This material, which Mr. Ren himself declares to be “the finest Western Maple I’ve ever handled,” is used generously throughout the instrument.

A philosophy of internal structure and "sound" inspired by the good old days

For the top and bracing, Mr. Ren used Adirondack (red) spruce with a uniform grain pattern that he acquired in the early 1990s. Notably, the guitar’s bracing is intentionally “not polished too smooth.”
This concept stems from Mr. Ren’s experience repairing guitars in the 1960s. “The old guitars from the 1930s and ’40s that we cherish and collect often have rough planing marks on the inside or glue drips all over the place. Yet they still sound wonderful. I learned that by repairing old guitars in the ’60s, when new guitars weren’t available,” he says.
Based on this experience, he leaves a slight texture on the inside of the guitar.Since a surface that is too smooth allows sound to travel too quickly, he deliberately slows down the sound’s speed slightly, creating time for the sound to mature inside. This internal structure, which Ren likens to “the interior of a warm and cozy cabin,” adds a thick, warm, and rich roundness to the fast response characteristic of maple.

Intricate inlays recreating scenes of fly fishing

The fly-fishing inlay is not merely a design; it accurately depicts fishing on the Gallatin River, located just 5 km from the Ferguson family home.

Pickguard:
It meticulously recreates, using gold, silver, brass, and abalone, a creel (fish basket) used by Len’s grandfather in the 1930s and 1940s, a Hardy reel from the 1920s and 1930s, a Tonkin cane bamboo rod, and a cork handle.

Neck Heel Carving:
The carving is carved directly from a solid block of wood, rather than being applied to a veneer.
By applying extremely thin layers of watercolor paint over the carving, adding a touch of glitter to the speckles, and finishing with lacquer, we create a visual effect where a "rainbow trout wet in the water" appears to be visible through the deep, curly grain.

Fingerboard:
The fingerboard features a mosaic design using abalone and mother-of-pearl depicting nine types of flies actually used for fishing on the Gallatin River.This design was not chosen at random; Mr. Ren, an avid angler, asked his son-in-law, “Which fly actually catches the most fish in this river?” and carefully selected these patterns from among many, truly expressing the essence of “real fly fishing on the Gallatin River.”

Bridge:
The bridge (and fingerboard) is made of the finest African Gabon ebony.Gabon ebony is a high-grade wood with a deep jet-black hue, often referred to as "tuna" (due to its pitch-black color). It is extremely hard and dense, possessing acoustic properties that clarify the sound’s contours and further enhance the responsive qualities of the maple body. This bridge also features hand-carved engravings and is adorned with inlays symbolizing fly fishing.

The "Body Rebuild" in Pursuit of Perfection and the Blue River Binding

In fact, this [#3] body is actually the “second” one. The first body produced was already ready for the finishing process, but Mr. Ren rejected it at the last minute on his own judgment because the finish of the binding at the body joint was “not perfect” (it was slightly raised). Even for such a subtle nuance that a typical mass-production factory might have covered up with a thicker coat of paint, he would not tolerate it.
The current body, rebuilt from scratch, features a new design element: “blue wood” has been added to the binding, beautifully transforming it into a design where a lovely “river” flows along the guitar’s sides.
Furthermore, following the flow of this river along the sides, the inlay depicts rainbow trout swimming upstream—a behavior they naturally exhibit—and eventually being caught by the angler depicted on the headstock, weaving a single, magnificent story across the entire guitar.Utilizing every aspect of its materials, ornamentation, and design to embody the world of "fly fishing," this instrument is an extremely rare guitar and boasts a finish truly worthy of being called a supreme work of art.

The Ultimate Expression of "Functional Beauty": Introducing the 2026 Custom Model by Ren Ferguson Guitars and Advanced Guitars

Introducing a Miraculous Encounter and Ren’s Historic Career

I traveled to Montana, where these truly top-tier acoustic guitars are actually crafted. I believed it was essential—as a distributor in Japan delivering these instruments to our customers—to meet the master craftsman Ren Ferguson and his family and witness firsthand the environment in which the guitars are made.

The skill and teamwork that surpassed my imagination, along with their dedication and love for the instruments, truly touched my soul.

As the manager of Advance Guitars, I can say with pride that I am convinced these are the finest guitars available. They are truly masterpieces that will move you—please experience the crisp, pure sound of these instruments, the crystallization of the Ren Ferguson family’s love and the atmosphere of Montana, with your own hands.

Ren Ferguson explaining Masterpiece #3 at NAMM

Inoue chatting with Ren