JuanCarlosVejar Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 Juan, I just spoke with Ren on the phone. He did confirm that he has resigned from Gibson. But as i said earlier as part of his resignation. He has agreed to stay and finish all of the guitars he has in process. I did not know that he had not been taking on new guitars for sometime now. He said all he has left to build is the last 7 guitars for us. Yours is included in that. These will be the last Ren Ferguson Gibsons made. As we are very sorry to see him go, This means your guitar will now be worth much more on the Museum series market. The Last Master museum model ever built! The others he is doing for us are super customs just one step below the master museum. He said he was moving quickly on them now that he has no other duties at Gibson. Just wanted to make sure you got the right information from the source
Red 333 Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 Juan, I just spoke with Ren on the phone. He did confirm that he has resigned from Gibson. But as i said earlier as part of his resignation. He has agreed to stay and finish all of the guitars he has in process. I did not know that he had not been taking on new guitars for sometime now. He said all he has left to build is the last 7 guitars for us. Yours is included in that. These will be the last Ren Ferguson Gibsons made. As we are very sorry to see him go, This means your guitar will now be worth much more on the Museum series market. The Last Master museum model ever built! The others he is doing for us are super customs just one step below the master museum. He said he was moving quickly on them now that he has no other duties at Gibson. Just wanted to make sure you got the right information from the source So sad to see him go. His leadership, craftsmanship, artistry, and knowledge is invaluable. Red 333
slimt Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 Ren will be Missed... I met him back in the very early 90s.. Ren, John Walker, Robbie , William, Greg ( a good friend of mine in Montana ) and myself all going over to John Walkers for Guitar picking, Fooseball and wobbly pops.. A Stand Up Person, Nice to talk to... Dang.. he was almost my Boss.. 100% the Best.. Those days are burned in my Mind... Sad to see this day happening... Ren,, If your reading... Take care and thanks for the memories..
livemusic Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 Wow, he's going to work for Fender? Bummer. (That's what I heard.)
Joe M Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 Wow, he's going to work for Fender? Bummer. (That's what I heard.) Yup, heard the same thing about him going to Fender.
ataylor Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 He will be missed at Gibson for sure -- he seems to epitomize Gibson Montana. If Gibson are smart they'll be checking (or have checked) with guys like John Walker and Kevin Kopp -- I can think of several others, but these two worked at Gibson with Ren -- to gauge their interest in taking his place.
Buc McMaster Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 Yup, heard the same thing about him going to Fender. What in the world would Fender do with Mr Ferguson?!? They have never been a real player in the acoustic guitar world and even with Ren on board it would be a tough nut to crack at this stage in the game. That just doesn't make sense........possible, I suppose, but nonsensical. Good luck to you, Ren, whatever the future holds! You done good, sir.
ataylor Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 What in the world would Fender do with Mr Ferguson?!? They have never been a real player in the acoustic guitar world and even with Ren on board it would be a tough nut to crack at this stage in the game. That just doesn't make sense........possible, I suppose, but nonsensical. Good luck to you, Ren, whatever the future holds! You done good, sir. Two things came to my mind if he really is with Fender. The first thing I thought was maybe he was wanting to try his hand at electric guitars and the Fender Custom Shop made him an offer he couldn't refuse. Then I realized that Fender owns Guild and they may have made him an offer he couldn't refuse. I think that's more likely. In any case, best of luck to Ren and many thanks for making Gibson acoustics great.
drathbun Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 Frankly, Fender, acoustically speaking, could use the help.
Danner Posted January 10, 2012 Posted January 10, 2012 Two things came to my mind if he really is with Fender. The first thing I thought was maybe he was wanting to try his hand at electric guitars and the Fender Custom Shop made him an offer he couldn't refuse. Then I realized that Fender owns Guild and they may have made him an offer he couldn't refuse. I think that's more likely. In any case, best of luck to Ren and many thanks for making Gibson acoustics great. Interesting. Guild could surely use some help in getting their name back to being synonymous with the quality and respect it used to command.
slimt Posted January 10, 2012 Posted January 10, 2012 Interesting. Guild could surely use some help in getting their name back to being synonymous with the quality and respect it used to command. Guild at one time made some work horse guitars.. Built well.. to bad now that there all made in China..
GotTheSilver Posted January 10, 2012 Posted January 10, 2012 Wow, he's going to work for Fender? Bummer. (That's what I heard.) Sounds like an internet rumor to me.
ataylor Posted January 10, 2012 Posted January 10, 2012 Guild at one time made some work horse guitars.. Built well.. to bad now that there all made in China.. Their entry level guitars are made in China. But I believe their higher-end guitars are made in Connecticut now, after being in limbo between the Fender and Tacoma (RIP) factories for a while. It would seem to me that Guild is enjoying a bit of a resurgence over the last few years, but I could be wrong. I played one of their "Bluegrass Jubilee" models not long ago and was impressed.
Rambler Posted January 10, 2012 Posted January 10, 2012 Things change. Any idea who's stepping up to the plate? Hope whomever it is has Gibson's traditions at heart.
J-1854Me Posted January 10, 2012 Posted January 10, 2012 Things change. Any idea who's stepping up to the plate? Hope whomever it is has Gibson's traditions at heart. True -- they have some talented folks at Bozeman who are fine builders in their own right. Although Val Bolitho does not work as extensively in Custom building as she used to, Jason Jones is an experienced Custom builder, and I'm sure there are other talented folks there who have the potential to 'carry the flag forward'. (Or should that be "Banner"...?) Fred
E-minor7 Posted January 10, 2012 Posted January 10, 2012 My thought is that maybe he felt he covered every corner of acoustic Gibsons and need fresh inspiration. It would be sad to come to a point where beautiful bursts, birdy pick-guards, unique curves and shapes, variations of sonic flavors and proud logos suddenly meant nothing. That can happen to anyone who stays in the same environment too long, in fact it's only natural/healthy if it does. After all these years, all these deeds, all these stones turned, it would be natural and human to notice an urge to move on. I know nothing, there could be complications with the administration too, but what I'm sure of is that the knowledge inside his brain is passed on to others in Bozeman by now. His hands is a different matter – with a 'Good Luck' from here he'll take the 2 with him to wherever. . .
Tman Posted January 10, 2012 Posted January 10, 2012 Wouldn't be amazing if we heard from him on this forum? I love his guitars and would like to know what's happening.
dubstar Posted January 10, 2012 Posted January 10, 2012 "Guild at one time made some work horse guitars.. Built well.. to bad now that there all made in China.. " except that they aren't all made in China and never were... "In a continuing quest for operational excellence, Guild has move again in recent times; from Corona, California to Tacoma, Washington in 2005, and most recently from Tacoma, Washington to a newly acquired facility in New Hartford, Connecticut in 2008"
onewilyfool Posted January 10, 2012 Posted January 10, 2012 Going to Guild doesn't even seem like a lateral move???? It would be interesting to see what Ren could do without the corporate shackles and the "tradition" limits of working at a Gibson OR a Guild.......hmmm....who would line up for a first edition Ren Ferguson guitar?
E-minor7 Posted January 10, 2012 Posted January 10, 2012 Going to Guild doesn't even seem like a lateral move???? It would be interesting to see what Ren could do without the corporate shackles and the "tradition" limits of working at a Gibson OR a Guild.......hmmm....who would line up for a first edition Ren Ferguson guitar? Heard ! Thought the same thing. What would come out without the references. . . .
JuanCarlosVejar Posted January 10, 2012 Author Posted January 10, 2012 I certainly will buy something of what ever he is doing (fender or guild) I hope he gets liberty and space :D
slimt Posted January 10, 2012 Posted January 10, 2012 I would be inclined as well to buy what ever he puts his name too... What is Gibson Thinking about ? I hope they dont stray away from what has been gifted to them, .. if they Do... Ill have to look into other Popular Guitars to keep me happy..
EuroAussie Posted January 10, 2012 Posted January 10, 2012 Just be carefuly Wily, maybe Ren always wanted to make a Taylor type guitar, but Henry never let him in the past ... ;-) Going to Guild doesn't even seem like a lateral move???? It would be interesting to see what Ren could do without the corporate shackles and the "tradition" limits of working at a Gibson OR a Guild.......hmmm....who would line up for a first edition Ren Ferguson guitar?
gotomsdos Posted January 10, 2012 Posted January 10, 2012 Just be carefuly Wily, maybe Ren always wanted to make a Taylor type guitar, but Henry never let him in the past ... ;-) I wonder why you say so ? Ren ---- Taylor inclination ? Any proofs or info ?
ParlourMan Posted January 10, 2012 Posted January 10, 2012 Wow, just yesterday on another forum where someone had posted the new Elvis Fender acoustic guitar I posted this: "Fender just doesn't seem to listen when it comes to acoustics, I'm almost convinced that if Chris Martin, Ren Ferguson & Bill Taylor quite their jobs and moved to Fender to sort them out they would be hard pushed to get decent acoustics out the door" ...then I wake up to this thread, haha. Crazy! Oh well, I'm glad I managed to bag 3 Gibson's from under his reign. Some thoughts I would add: While the strat headstock has become synonymous with 'classic design' in the electric world, it has become synonymous with 'pretty rubbish really' in the acoustic world, might be a prudent choice to drop that idea. Fender puts out enough units to have money to invest in this market, but it always seems to massively miss the point, going back to the drawing board and taking classics and giving them a very subtle Fender twist could be the solution, or maybe its best to focus on the Guilds and take it step by step, but even with a master luthier on-board it's going to take some doing to put Fender acoustics in the hands of the players in the acoustic scene.
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