Ren Ferguson Co. × Advance Guitars Signature Lineup

■ A Figure Who Brought “Magic” Back to the Guitar in an Era of Advancing Science and Efficiency

To truly convey just how remarkable he was, we need to take a brief look back at the context 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 an extremely difficult period.At the time, the top priority—to prevent warranty claims and other complaints—was “making sure the guitars simply wouldn’t break,” so the wood was made thicker, and the internal bracing was designed to be excessively rigid. As a result, the vibration of the top—the very lifeblood of an acoustic guitar—was suppressed, causing the instrument to lose its naturally rich tone and creating a situation that completely defied the purpose of a musical instrument.

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

Furthermore, to clearly illustrate his position, I’d like to deliberately highlight his “polar opposite”: Bob Taylor, 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 “perfectly consistent quality, down to the last detail, no matter when or by whom the guitar is made.” He is truly a revolutionary who elevated guitar-making to the level of precision manufacturing.

If Bob Taylor “scientifically” approached acoustic guitar making, then wouldn’t it be fair to say that Ren Ferguson is the one who has once again infused acoustic guitars with “magic (art)”?

Amid a wave of efficiency sweeping the entire industry, Len deliberately chose to preserve traditional, labor-intensive methods such as “hide glue bonding” and “dovetail joints.” Rather than making everything uniform, he keenly assessed the unique 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 independent luthiers, who can produce only a few per year. However, what made Len truly remarkable was 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 a team of craftsmen.By changing the mindset of each individual artisan and sharing his own techniques and philosophy with the entire team, he was able to produce, one after another, masterpieces—which could be called “miracle guitars”—right from the mass production line.

■ The Artisans Who Saved Two Major Brands:

In addition to the differences with 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—a brand that stands alongside Gibson as one of the industry’s twin pillars.
While both were key figures who supported 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 “D-45,” a pre-war top-of-the-line model whose production had been temporarily discontinued. He oversaw the intricate pearl inlay work and masterfully brought the D-45—the brand’s flagship model—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,” restoring the craftsmanship of specific top-of-the-line models and properly preserving and passing on the company’s legacy.

Ren Ferguson, on the other hand, went beyond simply reissuing specific models; he took on the role of general manager responsible for rebuilding “the factory and the brand itself” of Gibson Acoustics, which was experiencing a decline in quality and struggling at the time.From reviewing blueprints to internal structure (bracing), finishing, and quality control, he rebuilt the entire brand from the ground up. He was a “hands-on craftsman” who, while respecting history, constantly created new structures and designs right on the shop floor.

■ History Still Woven by His Hands

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 conducted in-depth research into Martin’s history and left his vast knowledge and achievements to the world in the form of a “book.”
On the other hand, Ren Ferguson continues to build guitars actively even as we speak.

Now that he has stepped away from the
Gibson brand, he has returned to his roots at the “Ren Ferguson Company.”He works alongside his family in the workshop, shaping wood and applying inlays. Rather than merely preserving his skills and knowledge in books or digital formats, he is actively engaged in the “direct transmission of craftsmanship and spirit” right now, working side by side with his family in the same space. While respecting the
past, he never stops moving forward, continuing to build new guitars with his own hands alongside his family. I believe
this is one of the purest and most beautiful expressions of what it means to be a craftsman.

~ Artists ~

For those unfamiliar with him, the quickest way to understand his “true greatness” is to look at the renowned artists he has worked with. ■

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

■ Paul McCartney: An original guitar belonging to Paul McCartney, the man behind countless Beatles classics, including
the iconic “Yesterday.” Ren crafted a special guitar that perfectly recreated the specifications of a mid-1960s model. This guitar, which even replicated the scratches (aged finish) exactly as 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) Ren has 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 guitar (SJ-200) featuring a blazing 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.” Thinking, “A guitar, too, is freedom itself—it can take you anywhere,” he crafted a pirate-themed guitar.When Johnny Depp received this guitar at a film studio in California, it is said that without even plucking a single string, he simply sat down on a curb and silently gazed at its incredible details and ornamentation for a full “two hours.” Needless to say, he came to deeply love that guitar; in fact, even film producer Jerry Bruckheimer placed an additional order, asking, “Make one just like this for me, too.”
Thus, behind the countless famous songs and historical cultural moments we’ve come to know lies the guitars he crafted and the deep bonds of trust he forged with top stars. Furthermore, many renowned guitar builders currently active on the world’s leading stages honed their skills under his guidance. He is truly the “Master of Masters”—the mentor to the masters—reigning at the very pinnacle of the industry.

~ Builders ~

In addition, numerous renowned builders—including John Walker and Kevin Kopp, who are currently active on the world’s front lines—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, coupled with his uncompromising selection of woods based on acoustic properties and aesthetic appeal.

And then there is his exceptional vision for constructing the guitar as a structural masterpiece, coupled with world-class technical skill that brings that vision to perfection. 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 come by, and as supreme collector’s items that
owners are reluctant to part with, their value continues to rise.

The story between us at Advance Guitars and Ren Ferguson began when our shop acquired a piece of
his exquisite J-200 collection from the 1990s.
*Please refer to the column below for details on how this came about.

To be honest, I myself had always held onto the image of him as a “former heavyweight at a major manufacturer.” However, as I exchanged words with him personally and came into contact with the instruments he is currently crafting, I realized all too keenly 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 is crafting guitars alongside his family.

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

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

Born in Detroit

, Michigan, in 1946—In 1961,
Len began playing guitar alongside his older brother and friends, just like everyone else.—
In 1962, while in 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.
During that conversation, the words we entrusted to him were a simple yet ultimate request:

“We want you to push Ren Ferguson to his absolute limits.”

He embraced that sentiment and promised to craft three special guitars exclusively for Advance Guitars.

It took about two years from then until completion. He devoted his full energy to this project, taking his time and pouring his heart into it.

The result is the custom-made models 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 this: “Instead of limiting yourself to a single specific shape (such as the Super Jumbo), use a variety of other shapes, and for the rest, we leave everything entirely up to your creative vision and inspiration, Ren Ferguson.”

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

Freed from all constraints, 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.