Ren Ferguson Co. × Advance Guitars Signature Lineup

■ A figure who cast “magic” on the guitar once again in an era of advancing science and efficiency

To truly convey his greatness, we need to take a brief look back at the background of the acoustic guitar industry at that time.
From the 1970s through the early 1980s, before Ren joined Gibson, the company’s acoustic division was going through a very difficult period.At the time, the top priority was “making sure they didn’t break,” in order to prevent warranty claims and repairs. As a result, the wood was thick, and the internal bracing was designed to be excessively rigid. Consequently, the vibration of the top—the very lifeblood of an acoustic guitar—was suppressed, leading to a situation where the instrument’s rich, natural resonance was lost—a complete reversal of what an instrument should be.

It was Ren Ferguson who emerged to break through this slump. He reviewed all previous blueprints and returned to the labor-intensive pre-war “ rich-sounding structure.”The passion of a single craftsman revived a prestigious brand that had been on the verge of losing its former glory. It was also the moment the brand reclaimed its pride in its mission: “to build the world’s finest acoustic guitars.”

Furthermore, to clearly illustrate his position, I would like to deliberately highlight his “polar opposite.” That person is Bob Taylor, the founder of Taylor Guitars, another top brand in modern acoustic guitars. Bob Taylor was an early adopter of computer-numerically controlled (CNC) machinery and bolt-on neck joints, establishing a remarkable engineering system that ensures “perfect, consistent quality every single time, regardless of who builds it.” He is truly a revolutionary figure who elevated guitar-making to the level of precision manufacturing.

If Bob Taylor “scientifically” engineered the acoustic guitar, then one could say that Ren Ferguson is the one who has re-cast “magic (art)” upon the acoustic guitar once again.

As a wave of efficiency swept through the entire industry, Ren chose to steadfastly preserve traditional, labor-intensive methods such as “hide glue” and “dovetail joints.” Rather than making everything uniform, he keenly discerned the individual character and expression of each piece of wood and hand-carved it (voicing).In this way, he passionately drew out “the ultimate tone and soul unique to that guitar.” This was the very embodiment of the theme Gibson championed at the time: “Tone, Feel, Appearance.”

Typically, crafting such “one-of-a-kind” guitars—true works of art—is considered the domain of individual luthiers who can produce only a handful of instruments per year. However, what makes Ren truly remarkable is that he achieved this pinnacle of quality within a large factory employing hundreds of craftsmen. He was not only an artist with exceptional technical skill but also a brilliant leader who guided his team of craftsmen.By changing the mindset of each individual craftsman and sharing his own techniques and philosophy with the entire team, he produced one masterpiece after another—guitars that could be called “miracle instruments”—right from the mass production line.

■ The Artisans Who Saved Two Major Brands:

In addition to the differences from Bob Taylor, there is another figure who is indispensable when discussing Ren Ferguson in the history of acoustic guitars. That person is Mike Longworth, a craftsman who made a tremendous contribution to the history of Martin, which stands as a counterpart to Gibson.
While both were pivotal figures in supporting America’s two major acoustic brands, there was a clear difference in the “roles” they played within their respective companies.

Mike Longworth was recruited by Martin in 1968 to revive the pre-war top-of-the-line “D-45” model, which had been out of production for some time. He oversaw the intricate pearl inlay work and masterfully brought the D-45, the pinnacle of the brand, back to life.Furthermore, he thoroughly researched Martin’s history firsthand and authored the historical book *Martin Guitars: A History*. It can be said that he fulfilled the role of a “historian” by reclaiming the craftsmanship of specific top-of-the-line models and properly preserving and passing on the legacy of the past.

On the other hand, Ren Ferguson did not limit himself to reissuing specific models; he took on the role of general supervisor to rebuild not only the factory but the Gibson Acoustic brand itself, which was suffering from declining quality and stagnation at the time.From reviewing blueprints to internal structures (bracing), finishes, and quality control, he rebuilt the entire brand from the ground up. While respecting history, he was a “practical craftsman” who constantly created new structures and designs on the shop floor.

■ History Woven by His Hands Even Today

And what we at Advance Guitars most want to convey to you is the difference in how they “preserve and pass on their craftsmanship.”
Mike Longworth deeply researched Martin’s history and left his vast knowledge and achievements for the world in the form of a “book.”
On the other hand, Ren Ferguson continues to build guitars right this very moment.

Now that he has stepped away from the massive Gibson brand, he has returned to his roots at “Ren Ferguson Company.” Together with his family, he enters the workshop, shapes the wood, and applies inlays. Rather than simply preserving skills and knowledge in books or data, he is actively engaged in the “direct transmission of craftsmanship and spirit” by literally working side-by-side in the same space.
While respecting the history of the past, he never stops moving forward, continuing to build new guitars with his own hands alongside his family.
I believe that this very approach represents one of the purest and most beautiful ways to be a craftsman.

〜 Artists 〜

If you want to convey his “true greatness” to those unfamiliar with him, the quickest way is to look at the famous artists associated with him.

■ John Lennon
It was Ren Ferguson who was entrusted with the task of creating a tribute guitar for John Lennon at the Gibson Acoustic factory, following a direct invitation from Yoko Ono herself. He visited the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, retrieved John’s beloved instrument (the J-160E) from the exhibition, and conducted a thorough analysis of everything from the instrument’s condition to the artwork John had painted on it. The result was a “trio”—a set of three guitars tracing the evolution of a single instrument. The first guitar is a reproduction of the illustration drawn during the “Bed-In” peace protest (featuring Ren’s own initials hidden among John’s drawings).The second is a vivid psychedelic model featuring blue and purple tones with hand-painted orange lines. The third is an early standard-spec model from before John stripped the finish and applied his own paint. As a testament to this great project, Yoko Ono brought one of the guitars back to Japan and donated it to the “John Lennon Museum.”

■ Paul McCartney
An original guitar belonging to Paul McCartney, who created numerous Beatles classics, including the hit "Yesterday." Len crafted a special guitar that perfectly recreated its mid-1960s specifications. This guitar, which even replicated the scratches (aged finish) exactly as they appeared on Paul’s own instrument, was later signed by Paul himself and sold at a charity auction for an astronomical sum.

■ Ron Wood (The Rolling Stones)
We have also received a direct commission from Ron Wood, a living legend of the rock world. In response to Ron’s request for “something like a flame,” Ren crafted an artistic instrument (SJ-200) featuring a burning flame inlay on the fingerboard made from abalone and mother-of-pearl, along with a hand-carved pickguard.

■ Johnny Depp
While watching the movie *Pirates of the Caribbean*, Ren was inspired by the line “A ship is freedom” and thought, “A guitar, too, is freedom itself—it can take you anywhere.” He then crafted a pirate-themed guitar. It is said that when Johnny Depp received this guitar at a film studio in California, he never even strummed a single string; instead, he simply sat on a curb and silently gazed at its incredible details and ornamentation for a full two hours. Needless to say, he grew to deeply love that guitar—so much so that even film producer Jerry Bruckheimer placed an additional order, asking, “Make me one just like it.”
Thus, behind the countless classic songs and historical cultural moments we have come to know, there lies the deep bond of trust between the guitars he crafted and the top stars. Furthermore, many of the world’s leading guitar luthiers today honed their skills under his tutelage. He is truly the “Master of Masters” reigning at the pinnacle of the industry.

~ Builders ~

Furthermore, numerous renowned builders currently active on the world’s front lines—such as John Walker and Kevin Kopp—learned their craft under him before striking out on their own.
He is truly a figure who deserves to be called the “Master of Masters.”

〜Works〜

The guitars he creates go far beyond the boundaries of mere musical instruments.
His signature intricate and dazzling inlay work, and his uncompromising selection of woods based on both acoustic properties and visual appeal.

Combined with his exceptional vision for constructing the most beautiful guitar structures and world-class technical skills to bring them to life perfectly,
The works born from this fusion can truly be called works of art.

In fact, the flagship models he crafted during his time at Gibson are now extremely rare to find,
and continue to increase in value as supreme collector’s items that owners refuse to part with.

The story between us at Advance Guitars and Ren Ferguson
began when our shop acquired the exquisite J-200 collection he crafted in the 1990s.
*For details on how this came about, please refer to the column below.

To be honest, I myself had always held a certain image of him as a “former heavyweight from a major manufacturer.” However, as I exchanged words with him personally and came into contact with the instruments he is currently crafting, I was keenly made aware that introducing him solely through the lens of his past brand would be woefully inadequate.

He has now launched his own brand, "Ren Ferguson Co.," and crafts guitars alongside his family.

While he was with the manufacturer, he created masterpieces within the “constraints” of cost, production efficiency, and brand tradition.
But now, he has been freed from all constraints.

His experience, his sensibility, and his pure passion for “making what he wants, the way he wants.” The sheer brilliance of the guitars into which all of this has been poured may no longer even need to be described in words.
Just by touching it, you’ll understand everything.

1946
Born in Detroit, Michigan
–1961
Like many others, Len started playing guitar with his older brother and friends.
-1962
During high school, Len was deeply fascinated by F-style mandolins and ornately carved banjos... Click below for more details

And so, the story began.
The setting was the 2024 NAMM Show, followed by a private dinner with him and his family.

There, we deeply shared our mutual love for guitars and our philosophies on craftsmanship.
In that conversation, the words we entrusted to him were a simple yet ultimate request.

“Please push Ren Ferguson to his absolute limits.”

He accepted our request and promised to craft three special guitars exclusively for Advance Guitars.

It took about two years from then until completion. A project that took time and to which he devoted all his energy.

The result is the custom model created through the “Ren Ferguson × Advance Guitars Signature Lineup ” collaboration.

The request we entrusted to him was extremely simple, yet it demonstrated our complete trust in him.
It was: “Rather than focusing on a single specific shape (such as the Super Jumbo), use a variety of other shapes, and leave everything else entirely up to your free imagination and inspiration, Ren.”

This reflected our strong desire at Advance Guitars: “We want Japanese players to actually hold the wide variety of guitar shapes created by Ren Ferguson in their hands and experience their immeasurable appeal firsthand.”

With all constraints removed, he selected the woods and shapes guided solely by his career and passion. The result is the following three guitars.
Each is a genuine one-off model—the only one of its kind in the world.

As for the beauty of the design, the photos speak for themselves. However, what surprised me most about these guitars was their "sound."

Despite being a New, it simultaneously possesses the aged nuances of a vintage guitar and the rich harmonics of a modern instrument.

I wonder how this guitar will develop as it is played over time.
Even I cannot experience that process of change.

It is a privilege beyond compare, one that only the owner who holds this guitar in their hands can experience.
To be honest, I’m incredibly envious.

Author: Inoue, Manager of Advance Guitars – Vintage Guitar Expert

An expert who has been involved with musical instruments since childhood and has appraised and sold over several thousand vintage guitars. He maintains strong connections with collectors and dealers overseas. Guided by the belief that “the history of a guitar can change with a single color or stamp,” he strives to provide detailed and passionate commentary.

A Note: This is the long-awaited new guitar by Ren Ferguson. We have been in communication with him for several years leading up to this. I have written this description carefully to convey its appeal, but you cannot truly experience this sense of wonder until you hold the actual instrument in your hands. It is undoubtedly one of the finest guitars of our time.
Please look forward to future updates as well.

Qualifications & Experience: 8 years as a musical instrument appraiser; contributor and consultant for Guitar Magazine and other publications

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