Ren Ferguson has left Gibson & gone to work for Fender

[HHP]

Originally Posted by devellis

That was Charlie Derrington.

I obviously overloaded my musical micro trivia memory bank.

[llew]

Thankfully he fostered two great luthiers in their own right: Kevin Kopp and John Walker to keep that vintage Gibson vibe going. I'm sure Gibson's loss is Fender's gain. I hope he gets a chance with Guilds too!

[Jeff M]

Originally Posted by llew

Thankfully he fostered two great luthiers in their own right: Kevin Kopp and John Walker to keep that vintage Gibson vibe going. I'm sure Gibson's loss is Fender's gain. I hope he gets a chance with Guilds too!

Yep. Just not with Gibson.

I'm glad for Ren.
Can't help but think this does not bode well for Gibson.

[Kitchen Guitars]

I just read insight from a couple folks that we will find in no publication. Thanks for sharing history.

[bohemian]

Interesting news. I'm hoping Ren gets involved with Guild.

IIRC Lloyd Loar did not build instruments, he designed and tested.

[Wade Hampton]

First, Dru wrote:

Originally Posted by Dru Edwards

Great post Wade. I wonder what Fender has planned for their acoustic line? Perhaps some of his projects will take him to Guild (owned by Fender) or do you think it's only with the Fender name?

Dru, you now know precisely as much as I know. This came from a source "close to the company" (interpret that any way you like) who can not speak publicly or with attribution.

What I do know is that Ren will continue to live in the Bozeman area and will be finishing up some projects at Gibson - clearing off his workbench, so to speak. But at the NAMM show this month if you want to talk to him he'll be at the Fender booth, not the Gibson booth.

Then Zombywoof wrote:

Originally Posted by zombywoof

I have enormous respect for Ren but saying he was "greater" than Loyd Loar - that might be going over the top just a bit.

Well, that wasn't me who said it, I was just quoting my friend's email. But I understand your reservations.

The truth is that, quite literally, only time will tell whether Ren Ferguson's name will ever reach the same sort of iconic stature as Lloyd Loar's. That's the sort of thing that will become evident only forty or fifty years from now, and I, personally, doubt that I'll be around to notice.

But Ren's impact on the acoustic lineup at Gibson is arguably as important and even more wide-ranging than Lloyd Loar's. So, as I said, time will tell.


Wade Hampton Miller

[GibbyPrague]

But what interests me the most now is .... who will take over at Montana, and will they continue the tradition and momentum that Rens build up over 25 years ??

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by GibbyPrague

But what interests me the most now is .... who will take over at Montana, and will they continue the tradition and momentum that Rens build up over 25 years ??

Good question, and my answer is that I don't know. I'm sure they've got someone capable stepping into the position, because whatever anyone thinks about Gibson CEO Henry Juskiewicz being the Prince of Darkness, the truth is that it's not in anyone's interest to let the quality of the product they're making decline.

But whether Mr. Ferguson's successor is able to maintain and carry on Ren's good work in the face of idiocy from upper management and the uncertainties of the acoustic guitar market will remain to be seen.


whm

[jomaynor]

I'm very pleased to hear this news, Wade.

I admire Mr. Ferguson's work, which put Gibson's acoustics back on the short list of A-grade guitars which one should audition when making a purchase. But the current Gibson company, is, ahem, difficult to admire.
So, congratulations to both Ren and FMIC.

One supposes he'll make guitars with the Guild logo (although it would be cool for FMIC to finally have a first-rate build on one of their odd duck Strat headstock Fender acoustics, too).

[lennylux]

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.

[harvl]

Originally Posted by dkoloff

Harv,

Don't hold back...tell us what you really think.

Not in a public forum

[zabdart]

Originally Posted by Wade Hampton

Good question, and my answer is that I don't know. I'm sure they've got someone capable stepping into the position, because whatever anyone thinks about Gibson CEO Henry Juskiewicz being the Prince of Darkness, the truth is that it's not in anyone's interest to let the quality of the product they're making decline.

whm

Well, Wade, it wasn't in Norlin's interest to cut corners and build lousy guitars (especially acoustics) and nearly run the Gibson product out of business, either, but that's exactly what they did.
By all accounts, Henry J. is a difficult guy to work for and get along with, and I'm sure that had something to do with Ren's decision. But I'm sure Gibson's problems with the Justice Department over obtaining quality hardwoods had something to do with it too.
I'm just happy I was able to get my AJ reissue before all of this happened.

[lennylux]

Originally Posted by zabdart

Well, Wade, it wasn't in Norlin's interest to cut corners and build lousy guitars (especially acoustics) and nearly run the Gibson product out of business, either, but that's exactly what they did.
By all accounts, Henry J. is a difficult guy to work for and get along with, and I'm sure that had something to do with Ren's decision. But I'm sure Gibson's problems with the Justice Department over obtaining quality hardwoods had something to do with it too.
I'm just happy I was able to get my AJ reissue before all of this happened.

On the other hand, Ren (& his team) have put Gibson acoustics back on the market, as much of an old spike as Henry may be, business is business and you don't shoot the who's laying you golden eggs. So, as we're all playing guessing games here, my guess is that even old Henry wasn't daft enough to compromise the relationship that gave him a whole new business division again.

I highly doubt we'll find out but it just as easily could have soured (if it was) on either side. Guild seems the logical choice and if he goes and revamps the guild line making them as good as the 3 Bozeman Gibson's I have then I'd likely add a Guild to my hoard too.

[AronW]

Originally Posted by Jeff M

Yep. Just not with Gibson.

I'm glad for Ren.
Can't help but think this does not bode well for Gibson.

I've met Ren and hung out with him while at the 'Gibson Acoustic University' I went to a few years ago, very nice and humble guy. His workshop is very small, he showed us a number of guitars he was working on, amazing stuff.

I got to sit and talk with him while at dinner a couple nights, he was saying how much he respected Taylor guitar, and had wanted to try numerous things that they do, but he knew he'd never be able to fully at Gibson. The canadian Gibsons I'd be willing to bet were designed by Ren, he had wanted to do bolt on necks, UV cured poly finishes.

It'll be interesting to see what happens to Gibson now, I've said for the past 5 years that the guitars made right now will be looked at as another golden era for Gibson, maybe we just saw the end of it

[JoeCharter]

Sad news. I'm glad I snatched a couple of the top Gibson acoustics while Ren was still there.

I wonder what can be done about the Guild line that hasn't already been done. They're already great guitars.