The Untold Story of Gibson Acoustic

Before moving to California to work at Guild, Ren Ferguson was a long time Bozeman, Montana resident and worked as the Master Luthier at Gibson Acoustic.
More here: acousticlife.tv/gibson-acoust...
What can I say, this conversation is nothing short of riveting. Ren goes deep in Gibson history and how he first got involved with Gibson, tells some amazing stories, and then gives us the scoop behind why he ultimately escaped Gibson.
Does this give insight to Gibson's recent news headlines about a potential bankruptcy? You be the judge.
I’m so happy to be able to give you access to this rare account. I wish it could be re-made into a History channel special. It’s that good.
Ren is now the VP of Manufacturing and R&D at Guild, who no doubt appreciate what he brings to the table. He now has the freedom to lead the team and design some amazing guitars.
What are your favorite takeaways from Ren? Leave a comment below!

[@johnmackie1518]

Thanks Ren Ferguson for building the Songwriter that i now own ,manufactured in 2003 , im so glad i bought that guitar model ✌️🏆

[@williamspropertymaintenanc5570]

Just got my Left-handed J45 acoustic in Toronto Canada 🇨🇦 That's why I'm here What an amazing sounding guitar Now to learn the history

[@jsphillip60]

Enjoy! I love my J-45!

[@Phobosmusic]

I had the untold luck of plucking a 1991 Gibson Nick Lucas signed by Ren out of a trash bin in my neighborhood a few years ago. It was very beat up and damaged. I had it restored and even wrote to Ren who graciously wrote me back with wonderful comments and memories of building this instruments

[@davidlaurence4323]

So much passion, insight, history, and energy in this man. Thanks for the lesson in guitar life, backstage.

[@beanotraffini681]

I own a Gibson "Ren Ferguson" 'Early J-45' from circa 1998 - a seriously excellent example of Gibson's famous slope shoulder acoustic: light as a feather; nice full neck; wide at the nut and loud and bright (for a J-45...)

[@Jess_Jones]

I'm so glad this exists. Great interview.

[@boydbc]

This interview is quite revealing. It's sad to see iconic brands like Gibson go down this rabbit hole, but I've seen it in my own industry. I can only imagine the frustration Ren had to feel about working at a place he loved that essentially drove him out of doing what he loved. His description of the Gibson mentality reminds me of my old place of employment in that the chain of command was the rule and you had very little (if any) chance to move up in the company. I'm glad he found a place that actually wants him involved as a Master Luthier. I'm not really a Guild person, but Ren would be the guy to change that. Cordoba cares about the quality of their guitars, so I could see it being a great fit for him. Gibson has a lot of work to do to right the ship.

[@sgcitizen1063]

This interview with Ren is valuable as what Ren has shared his views are really happening in many corporations like resistant to change, oversight of the whole process to the end output etc.

[@rmzzz76]

People don't understand how important Mr. Ferguson is to Gibson's history. While there is much love today for the early 1960's Gibson J-50, J-45 and J-200, by the late 60s the company was in big trouble financially. CMI (Chicago Music Instruments, owner of Gibson at the time) was taken over by another company (ECL) who redesigned a lot of the iconic models and implemented quality-cutting cost savings measures. In 74' Norlin took over and the quality took another hit. The company faced bankruptcy once again in the early 1980s but that's when current ownership took over (84) the Gibson Montana plant opened in 91 and Ren Ferguson was there from the start helping the company bring back their quality and return these icons to the market. His tale of departure is difficult to hear because of what he did for the brand and how the company ended up treating him.... This is why I often say Gibson is the players brand because it's been the factory workers and the players love of this brand that has kept it alive in spite of decades or horrible business management.... Today it remains the only big builder of the three that builds exclusively in the USA (also the only builder of the big three to still stamp "made in the USA" on their guitars. They are also the only big builder to have a USA built $1200 all solid wood, spruce top option with pickup (J-15). To me it's a brand that represents perseverance and passion. Gibson remains my favorite guitar brand even if I don't care much for the current management.

[@LotharOfTheHillPeople]

rmzzz76 Agreed, although you’re forgetting about the few years in the early 00s when Garrison made models for them in Canada.

[@marksc1929]

...very well said ...cheers

[@merseybeat1963]

Montana Factory opened in 1990 I believe.

[@georgebetor2943]

In the late 90s into 2006 I was blessed enough to be endorsed by Gibson with my artist relation person being Ren’s son Matt. Both Matt and Ren are true gentleman, and I still have all the custom guitars that Ren designed, and built for me. Again, thank you sir, so much.

[@thomascampbell5755]

AWESOME! Keep us all up to date! I have an old Guild acoustic given to me by a dear friend I cherish no just sentimental but, it plays beautiful.

[@LotharOfTheHillPeople]

Revisiting this great interview 4 years later -- such a cool guy. The way he's helped overhaul Guild has been incredible.

[@rider132]

I own the CL30 and CL 40, tremendous guitars. I watched this interview a couple years ago at least and recently looked it up to share the video. This is a great historical video on Bozeman plant. What a talented, down to earth man.

[@bradanderson3828]

Ren is a great cat. Gibson’s loss is Guild’s huge gain. We are better for it.

[@rmzzz76]

This interview is a few years old I think. Ren has moved on from Guild.

[@Lookup2Wakeup]

@@rmzzz76 I think he is building guitars under his own name now.......

[@PaulWilliamGibson]

My ‘97 Custom Line CL-20 is the best acoustic guitar I’ve ever played, and my number one gigging and writing companion. I’ll keep it forever.

[@alfredsenteno327]

I've got a 98' CL rings like a bell.

[@brianrenenielsen923]

What an incredible person.. learned a lot today.. guitars, work ethics, life view, passion..... Thanks for sharing

[@kotaoshio]

AS a Martin player earlier in my guitar experience, I was astonished by the piece Mr Ferguson made, a repro of Gibson L1. , it is still the best guitar I own by now.. beyond compare

[@jsenear]

This is great you guys. To listen to Ren Ferguson and the history he knows is a real privilege. Thanks.

[@edeaton9]

awesome interview with a great builder

[@marksc1929]

...I own a Guild and a Gibson Custom Hummingbird ...I love both ...but the Guild is my special child ....so I'm really glad for him ....great guy / builder ..... congrats Guild

[@morelia21701]

Great interview

[@arthurogle7581]

Ren. You are a class Act!!! Guild was smart to hire you. I like your Guild D125 or the D55. Gibson's loss is Guild's gain.

[@bassyboii]

I have a songwriter and thank you for that design. I LOVE that guitar.

[@JoeKyser]

Guild has always made a pretty nice guitar. I have had all different years land in my hands. Recently a real early one came through. It was cracked through the back, despite that, it sounded amazing. It had such a rich warm tone. It really liked to sing. This story here is neat

[@garrywright3566]

Oh my God what a wonderful story I love sitting in hearing things like this storytelling has begun to fade I wish it would come back Ferguson reminds me so much of myself now I have the joy a building guitars from a kid sweeping up chips to a prototype machinist to a truck driver for Federal Express breaking his back loving the company that could not return to I recall my first experience with guitars was when I was a pre-teen in the folks from the Palomino Club would come to my house and my father would speak to them about Electronics by the way my father was electronic technician developer for the Saturn space program that led into the NASA Moon rocket have a picture with my father and the natzi rocket scientist that took over the American Space Program I learned a lot about wood from my father he learned it from my grandfather my grandfather making Cotton Gins in Wills Point Texas back to this wonderful interview this man has a tremendous remember it's and what a beautiful thing that he's learned to teach himself my stepfather was a gunsmith I love this story so much thank you for doing such a wonderful job I'll be saving this and showing it to my Apprentice which I had turned from our Apprentice to a Millwright at American Standard Plumbing Torrance California and yes I lived in Venice Beach when Ferguson was there small world loving it loving life 73 years old in not going nowhere till 85.

[@bitsiphon]

My Left Handed SJ200 vintage tint is the finest instrument I have ever owned. The boys from Bozeman are doing it right.

[@banzospod]

Fabulous interview.maximum interviewee, minimum ( but relevant) interviewer.thanks

[@cherrypickerguitars]

This is why I have several “Wren” era Guilds in my collection! My fav luthier!

[@miamistomp]

How old is this? Tony is not tatted up I have one of the newer M20s- very nice

[@baindon719]

Wonderful interview a very interesting and valuable part of American history Thanks for sharing. Guild build some wonderful guitars in the past the F-112 and F-112 by fare some of the best twelve string built besides there six string D 25 D35 and D 40 have been going up in value . There new line of guitars is quite impressive and a good value

[@jimschlott2442]

When was this interview actually recorded?

[@jimwilson9498]

I did see an article that indicated that Fender was closing the New Hartford factory in April of 2014. Ren said in this video they closed it 1st or 2nd quarter of last year which would make this 2015.

[@trollstjerne]

It's from october 2014

[@petedonaghyguitar]

So now in 2020. Is Guild up and running? Building guitars in California?

[@plumiegirl47]

what was the actual date of this interview because Tony does not have the tattoos that he has now... Timeline via tattoos. Oh Tony’s hair is short and less beard too lol. Good interview and I love my cherry sunburst hummingbird

[@trollstjerne]

This video was originally posted at Acoustic Letter in october 2014, Tony used to work there back then. You can still find the video on their channel.

[@edyue1]

In the early 90’s pre-internet, pre-Craigslist guitar shopping, I had to grab a copy of the Sacramento Bee on a Saturday morning to search through the back section of the want ads. I happened upon what appeared to be a vintage Hummingbird with disgustingly gunky crud covered strings. It was listed for $900 at a pawn shop. It was a fabulous looking vintage guitar and I was immediately drawn to its striking cherry red sunburst top, large rectangular mother-of-pearl fretboard inlays and classic hummingbird pick guard. I learned early on that it’s best to try and resist being enamored by aesthetics when it comes to buying guitars. After tuning it up I did a few strums with a D-A-G chorded song and it sounded awful. It was dead, dull and had high action. That was the 1st and last time I played a hummingbird. Sadly that experience is forever seared into my memory. I later read about the acquisition of the Gibson company by Norlin from 1969-1985 what I affectionately refer to as the “dark years”. Rumor has it that the quality control was atrocious. This guitar must have been one of those that slipped past the person at the end of the assembly line. I tried to rationalize that maybe it would sound better with new strings but I wasn’t willing to take the risk of buying it and taking it home to find out that it was still a dog. To this day I wonder if all it needed was a fresh set of strings and I should’ve grabbed it but at the time. But then I’m reminded that a great sounding guitar should sound great regardless of old crappy strings right? Back then I was a starving young teacher on a limited budget and my dream guitar was a Martin HD-28 which I later found for $800 weeks later. I have been a Martin HD-28 fan ever since that fateful day. TLDR: if I could afford a Gibson today I would consider buying one 🤪

[@yuyobravo2768]

I special ordered my left-handed J-45 Western model with a natural top back in 1994. The Banner series year and still have it today. I never liked the dark brown finishes, I like to see the wood. It has aged into a nice amber naturally. This was back when you could call in a special order to the factory. Not anymore.

[@georgescannelli3814]

Hi Tony. Hope all is well. Is it true you don’t like Martin guitars? I’ve seen you do comparisons with Taylor, and your verdict at the end was always Taylor coming out as the victor. I was just curious why? Maybe it will help me make a different type of decision in the future.

[@staleyexplores]

The songwriter is a stunner imho. I’d like own one, one day!

[@tbeau6663]

Top man

[@arthurogle7581]

One things for sure. Gibson Bozeman will never have flooding in their Bozeman!!! I've read Gibson has 86'd selling 5 string banjos completely.

[@TogaManGuitarViols]

Legend. That's all.

[@tonyrandazzoe8210]

YAY

[@randalclarke5487]

I have a 2000 L-130... wonder if that's from his era

[@nerfnerfification]

I have an early (1992) Ren Ferguson Gibson custom shop guitar and it is superb - whoever the idiot manager was who would not keep him going/go to Henry to get approval there should be fired!! Mind you it says a lot about modern business that Ren goes out, sets up the Gibson Monatanna factory, recreates some Gibson glory instruments then finally gets some complete wally put in charge of him who is not fit to lick his boots! No wonder modern managers are mostly regarded as having dung for brains.

[@sgcitizen1063]

Ren is great luthier; Ren and those making guitars are talents and they deserved to be paid for their talents and experience. Gibson lost Ren is a gain to other guitar makers Guild in this case. There is this teaching - keep and attract talents cos if you don't, they will be with your competitors, and your company will be gone in times to come. Good heath to Ren. (fr SIngapore)

[@davidreeves3396]

He’s saving the American made acoustic guitar.

[@JD-sr3ym]

But why custom shop and not standard line

[@revisionist3824]

" Only a Gibson is good enough ", that's it !

[@juhan9117]

The missing part!

[@LotharOfTheHillPeople]

It’s too bad Gibson stopped doing custom orders. I’d love to get a J-200 with a big, fat neck and rosewood back.

[@tacguitar]

Yea I'm not sure what they are up to. They continually change their custom shop protocol. To the best of my knowledge they are doing customs at the acoustic factory this year (2019), but again that may very well be subject to change.

[@LotharOfTheHillPeople]

I'll have to give them a call! I haven't inquired for a couple years now, if they're back to customs that's a damn game-changer!

[@ezgregory7794]

That will be 7000$

[@jesseman123]

I will say that to me the only real and best Gibson J200, is the style they made in the 50s. The ones before were good. But really only the 1950s. The style that they pretty much use now. But I don't understand or like the two strip inlays on the mustache

[@arthurogle7581]

My biggest gripes with Gibson (and I love their J200 and J45s) is their habit of being so Letigious. They've sued many other companies like Deen and Epiphone for what seems trivial issues. Deen for their headstock design and Epiphone (a company they once owned) over the Flying Vee design..It's idiotic business practices of issuing bonds of $350,000,000.00 and loans of another $100,000,000.00. There was no way they could satisfy these debts by July 2019. What guitar maker sells out to 3 cement companies in Brazil? You don't improve your business model by downing your competition!!!

[@ErraticFaith]

Gibson are going from strength to strength. So please forgive me if I just laugh. We'll drink to your complain crusade in Montana though don't you worry. Considering how many people described Gibson Acoustic as their best in show this year, after the Martin A/E perhaps...I think we'll be just fine.

[@wildbill8175]

Shut up, you elitist, stupid sounding asshole.

[@Thelionatays]

The Advanced Jumbo is pretty but Gibson’s are WAY too expensive for what you’re getting. They all feel awful.

[@deborahmcalister3936]

your arms sure look a lot better before all those really bad taste Tatts!

[@Contact_Info]

Shame on prior Gibson CEO

[@arthurogle7581]

Gibson guitars. Too big to fail? Didn't we hear that stanza in the bailouts of auto companies? If any company seems destined to fail? Let them just fail. If Joe the barber fails, they let him fail. Same formula for poorly ran guitar cmpanies, no matter their age and reputations. End of rant.

[@howabouthetruth2157]

Don't forget THE BANKS. Everyone thought they were also "too big to fail". That cost the American tax payer a hell of a lot more than the auto makers.

[@arthurogle7581]

Gibson. Ask yourself why nobody but nobody in BG heirarchy plays Gibson. Martins? Yep! What? 99% of pickers?

[@paul29671]

Just a note: Gibson built a great BG guitar in the J-60, but nobody seemed to know about it. I played one for over 20 years, & it's still my favorite guitar I ever had in my hands (I needed money & sold it, but I still intend to own another one. As a friend of mine once told me, "It's a lot easier to sell 'em than it is to get 'em back." He was right.)

[@keithhunter3910]

@@paul29671 The J60 is a great guitar. John Lowell built the prototype.

[@roberthadam548]

I once worked for Guld in the early 90’s on the production line in Westerly Rhode Island i that was an old furniture factory . If there was some minor flaws in the guitar even after it was built it would be cut up and thrown in the dumpster. They were nearly completely handmade instruments in the quality was great. To this day I still love guild guitars and many of them are as good in quality as any Gibson. In those days they were a terrific bargain as far as price goes but now they cost about as much as a Gibson and will not hold the value that a Gibson does . It still amazes me how little the Guitar 🎸 companies pay there skilled employees. Thank goodness for the casinos that have popped up in Connecticut and Rhode Island where a worker can make a decent wage .🥱🤟👽

[@nerfnerfification]

Until recently the used USA made Guild aoustics were compelte bargains - you paid 2k for a used Gibson or Martin - but under 1k for a used Guild - I snapped up 3 before the prices final;ly went up and still regret not gettign a F50 as well - they sure are pretty!