Hogeye Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 So.... I'm out at the local supermarket and am pushing a big load off groceries. I looked up and there he was just standing there with a big grin on his face. Ren Ferguson has turned in his resignation and is in the process of moving back to Bozeman. He is retiring after all these years. We are going to have lunch as soon as he gets his stuff back home from California. I'll keep you posted if any of you even know who he is or are interested. Hogeye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J-200 Koa Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 Very interested. Keep us posted! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fullmental Alpinist Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 Definitely keep us posted. Why not talk him in to joining in here? And don't be so scarce around here yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimt Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 Cool... Bout time he got out of that plank factory.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rev Roy Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 Thanks for the report, hogeye. Interesting. Looking forward to hearing the rest of the story... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
62burst Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 It's good that Ren F was with Guild for as long as he was- some nice guitars came out of it. But you gotta be where your heart is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissouriPicker Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 I hope that in some way he plays a role with Gibson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duluthdan Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 Good for him ! The guy deserves a little rest and less travel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedzep Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 Guess I bought my M20 in the nick of time. The new model sounds every bit as good as my '59 and '64 did, only now the wide nut lets me play the dang thing all day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobouz Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 I'm sad to see Ren leave Guild. It is a brand that has given me decades of musical enjoyment, and having USA-made Guilds return to a viable niche in the guitar market could only be a good thing for players everywhere. I will hope that Ren is leaving the Oxnard facility in good hands, and that his efforts in that endeavor will continue to grow and prosper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 I've never been to Bozeman, but have researched it a little and it looks like beautiful country and would be a great place to retire. I would surely pick it over California. Here's wishing him the very best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E-minor7 Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 Definitely keep us posted. Why not talk him in to joining in here? Good idea - but an even better could be to establish a Ren's Corner* - fx like a pinned thread - where he once or twice every fortnight chose to answer Q's from this bunch. Those questions should be posted as behind-curtain messages he then could pick after relevance etc. and bring like Q & A's on the page. It would be a hit, , , , , , and a splendid way for Ferguson to refresh all those details from the trail behind him. *Could also be called Ren's Ring, , , or even Ren's Rosette. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MorrisrownSal Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 Every time I have watched or read an interview, I have come away with respect for a genuine man, an artisan, and just a gentle soul. Having never been to Bozemon, it also seems to be a place of beauty, with natural and organic men and women who live life pretty nice. So this seems like a good reunion... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 Ren may be credited with a "Golden Age of Gibsons" decades from now when the ones we have that he directly influenced come to be appreciated in the cold, hard light of the eyes of players many years from now. I wish him the peace and joy and sense of fulfillment that comes with our personal "Golden Years" of retirement. I looked forward to leaving the tedious trials and tribulations of work behind and doing new, different and exciting things I hadn't had time to in the past. Acoustic guitars was #1 on my list. What does a Guitar Guru look forward to when he retires? Maybe just immerse oneself in the joy of playing without having to fight with Nashville over pic guard material? Coming here to hear about "runout" might be very low on his bucket list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hall Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 :huh: Huh? Must be a bit more to the story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hall Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 ..................... I'll keep you posted if any of you even know who he is or are interested. Hogeye Quit being so damned friendly, Hogeye! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fp Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 I'm curious, if someone can tell me if Ren was still with Gibson when the guitars as part of the John Thomas run were made in 2013 ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hogeye Posted September 10, 2016 Author Share Posted September 10, 2016 Definitely keep us posted. Why not talk him in to joining in here? And don't be so scarce around here yourself. I'll try to see if he will join but don't hold out to much hope. He missed bow hunting season and will spend the rest of the fall with a rifle in his hands. He won't admit it but his wife is the better shot. I hope he doesn't read this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PickitPaul Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 I'm curious, if someone can tell me if Ren was still with Gibson when the guitars as part of the John Thomas run were made in 2013 ? I think he left towards the end of 2011. He was not there in 2013 though, he was in New Hartford, CT with Guild, building Orpheums, great guitars by the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dotneck Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 I think he left towards the end of 2011. He was not there in 2013 though, he was in New Hartford, CT with Guild, building Orpheums, great guitars by the way. I didn't realize he was gone that long. Time flies.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bayoubengal1954 Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 Interesting. I just received a notice from Chicago Music Exchange about Pre-Ordering the new Guild USA D40s. Might be the last models he oversaw. https://www.chicagomusicexchange.com/collections/guild/pre-order?utm_source=mailchimp&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20160909-new-arrivals Here is a video demo of them below. I thought they sounded pretty good but the guy playing had a really heavy attack which caused some buzzing (at least to me): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s31v1nqSVZ0&feature=youtu.be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mojorule Posted September 11, 2016 Share Posted September 11, 2016 Interesting. I just received a notice from Chicago Music Exchange about Pre-Ordering the new Guild USA D40s. Might be the last models he oversaw. https://www.chicagomusicexchange.com/collections/guild/pre-order?utm_source=mailchimp&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20160909-new-arrivals Here is a video demo of them below. I thought they sounded pretty good but the guy playing had a really heavy attack which caused some buzzing (at least to me): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s31v1nqSVZ0&feature=youtu.be Do you think they asked him deliberately to rock a Ritchie Havens look for the D40 video? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mojorule Posted September 11, 2016 Share Posted September 11, 2016 I thought they sounded pretty good but the guy playing had a really heavy attack which caused some buzzing (at least to me) Describes Ritchie Havens too... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JuanCarlosVejar Posted September 11, 2016 Share Posted September 11, 2016 Good to know he is moving back . Keep us posted HE JC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse_Dylan Posted September 11, 2016 Share Posted September 11, 2016 Sad news for Guild, but he gave them the start they need to do everything right. I hope he feels good about leaving and good about retiring. I know he will never "retire," but he deserves for his time to be his own. He gave Gibson Acoustics their golden age and set Guild off to have their own. His fingerprints are all over several guitars I own, not least of which a new Guild D-20, a Gibson WM-00 from his time there, and of course my three other Gibsons that would never have existed if not for him. Very pleased I grabbed my Guild D-20 when I did so I can say it's not just from the house Ren built but while he was building it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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