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Some of you may remember, Several months ago, I bought one of Vinny's Tal Farlows. UPS broke the headstock during shipping and refused to pay the insurance claim. Vinny "The Tiger", and his never say die attitude took them to court and after some ups and downs, won his court battle.
In the end it worked for me and my friend Vinny and thankfully that is all behind us. I am not one for naming guitars. But, we decided our poor baby needed a name. We called her, Booboo.
Getting Booboo fixed..
My plan was to meet Patrick Amato (Patrick2) at Pastore Music in Union City, NJ on August, 18 so we could hand the damaged Guitar to Ronaldo Orlandoni. The night before, Patrick called me and told me he couldn't make it. Instead, he wanted to come with me when I picked up Booboo. Then tragically, early on the 18th, Patrick passed away. Ronaldo loved Patrick. He told me Patrick would come to visit Him at least once a month for the last 45 years. Ronaldo told me that he still doesn't feel like Patrick is gone. He expects Patrick to walk into the shop at any time. In a strange way, it felt like Patrick was with us the day I picked up Booboo.
It took a little more than 2 months to complete the repair. When Ronaldo opened the case, I was amazed by the beauty of this guitar. He pointed to the spot of the repair and I swear he called Gibson and had them send him a new neck for him to install. You cannot tell the neck was ever broken. Only if you use hi intensity LEDs you can see faint black brush strokes above the stinger under the nitro. The master took his time gluing the neck, then sanding it, then blending the color tone. The stinger, which was severed in half is now perfectly, yet faintly visible through the reddish black/brown into yellow burst under perfectly applied nitro cellulose lacquer. I swear to you guys, I didn’t think it was possible but the neck repair is totally invisible. This can only be achieved by the hands of a master who by his own account has done more than 400 such repairs. My guess is he's done many, many more. There were 4 such repairs in his one man shop during the time Booboo was there. All Gibsons...
Now that Booboo is fixed, how does she play? Early on, Vinny told me, wait until you play a Tal. You will wonder why they are not the most popular guitar in the lineup. He was right. The guitar plays itself. It has the first class playability and amplified sound of an L5, with the added comfort of a slightly shallower body. Guys, this could very well be the best guitar I've ever played. I have it setup with insanely low action, with no buzz anywhere. This is a guitar made to be amplified. It is a classy, full sounding, daring departure from the usual archtop designs. I love the pickguard. The dimensions are perfect. 17" Lower bout, 3" deep. 25-1/2 scale, 1-11/16 wide at the nut. The inlayed swirl in the lower cutaway makes this guitar one of the more uniquely attractve archtops I've seen. Multi-layer bindings throughout, bound F-holes with a bound headstock. The figure on the top and back is not the perfect straight across "10 top" variety. Instead, it looks more like a beautiful cloud formation at sunset. The sides are quilted perfectly tying everything together. The full but comfortable 5 piece tiger flame neck makes you think that you were mistakenly sent the neck that was intended for gods guitar. Looking down at it while your playing makes you feel fortunate and it demands that you step up your playing a notch to deserve such an indulgence.
Guys, if you haven't already done so, spend a couple of days with one of these masterpieces. You will soon understand what the Gibson name on the headstock really stands for. It's the original. The benchmark. An instrument that pampers its owner with first class feel, sound, elegance and the sensation that it can't possibly get any better. This Gibson Tal Farlow is an extraordinary guitar.
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10-23-2015 09:08 PM
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Here are pics of the headstock repair.
A special video will follow tomorrow..
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like tal..like the tal guitar..like that you fixed it..like that a master repaired it..and like that you are diggin it...
win win
tho ups is scary!
enjoy
cheers
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Last edited by neatomic; 10-23-2015 at 10:52 PM. Reason: ps-
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That's a great story. Amazing Ronaldo.
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Ditto. Thanks for sharing, Joe. Boo-boo is beautiful!
Originally Posted by Jabberwocky
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Thanks for sharing. In addition to your masterpiece guitar and all the affection you demonstrate for her, you are a great storyteller.
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Just stunning.
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Nice story Joe. Thanks for sharing and congratulation to a gorgeous guitar. You made me very curious to hear it!
Enjoy the new beauty!
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Congrats Joe!!!
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That looks like expert work indeed.... Great guitar and I hope to hear you play it soon !
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Congratulations, Joe! That beautiful guitar is in good hands! Play it in good health!
Last edited by citizenk74; 10-24-2015 at 01:20 PM. Reason: Punctuation
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Welcome to the Tal appreciation club Joe !!!
Booboo got repaired by a master no doubt; I am speechless looking at the before and after pictures.
A very nice story, that guitar represents Vinny's fight against Goliath !
Enjoy it in good health!
Can't wait to hear you soon with it
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Boo boo, what a name... I love it! It's really great to see the way your bad experience turned out.
Every detail you wrote was written as if you were writing an ad for a high and guitar players shiny sheet mag. :-) Best of luck with Booboo.
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that neck is identical to the neck on my brand new l5 ces
i've never seen a neck so lovely - or felt one so perfectly shaped
looks like a stunning guitar - i love the long scale and large body size - no sound like it
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Beautiful repair. And beautiful instrument. And great story behind it.
This instrument has so much more significance than buying a new one or getting one from eBay. You have a rich cast of characters, the laughter and the tears, and David slaying Goliath all rolled together.
I find that once you go through something like this with a guitar, you're joined at the hip with it.
What kind of pups? 57's?
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Hi Guys,
Here is the Video as Promised.
I hope you like it.
I missed all you guys during the time the site was down.
Joe D
Last edited by Max405; 10-24-2015 at 11:25 AM.
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thick, thicker, thickest. wunderbar tone. repair? what repair?
and good playing on an old chestnut..... "even Basie had me to tea......"
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Awesome tone and playing Joe. Originally Posted by Joe DeNisco
Can't get enough of that tone, you make it sounds like mine should sound thanx to your skills lol
On the Tal I particularly like the way the bass strings sound, the 25.5 scale is truly behind that.
I find myself using them very often in single line runs
Nice woody and warm tone you got Joe; are these TI JS112 ? It is my favorite set on that specific guitar.
It is the only guitar I play flat on the amp with the blanket knob to 10 without it being too bright.
Again great playing Joe, you make booboo truly sing!Last edited by vinlander; 10-24-2015 at 11:41 AM.
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one thing though Joe
it's ok to wear the teal tank @ home, but it's a no-go for videos.
;^)
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Beautiful playing, sir.
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Superb tone and playing my good friend. That video blew my socks off. I never made BooBoo sound that good. It is definitely in the right hands now. Bravo JP oops I mean JD.....ahh same thing.
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Joe, at this point, your name is one I mention when people ask: "So what guitarists do you like?" Originally Posted by Joe DeNisco
By the way, YouTube apparently has a name change suggestion:
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Great playing Joe! You are part of an American tradition that celebrates freedom through music. Jazz is America's gift to the world. That Gibby is in the right hands for certain.
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My wife said the same thing! Thanks Wintermoon. Originally Posted by wintermoon
Joe D.
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Thank you Gary. It was MY PLEASURE to share it with all my buddies. Originally Posted by GNAPPI
For sure Groyniad. My Tal is your L5's baby sister. They make a beautiful guitar for sure. Originally Posted by Groyniad
MG, yeah I am happy with Ro's work. Originally Posted by Marty Grass
Vinny is the sweetest giant slayer you'll ever meet. Something good needs to comes his way some day..
i think they are 57's yes.
VL, I still like the Viceroy better.. Yes they are TI 12's. They sound nice when they are new. I'm sure you have mad skills bro. Originally Posted by vinlander
Vinny, I can't thank you enough for the great friend you've been. I don't know how your heart fits in your body, really. Your my boy. Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
Marwin, that was beautiful thing you said. I cherish those thoughts. Makes me want practice more so I don't let you down! Originally Posted by Marwin Moody
Joe, at this point, your name is one I mention when people ask: "So what guitarists do you like?"
By the way, YouTube apparently has a name change suggestion:
SS, you are an inspiration to me buddy. Joe will always be viable, even decades after he was taken from us because of his greatness and guys like us won't let the world forget about him. He and Ella are tearin it up behind the clouds as we speak! Originally Posted by Stringswinger
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Tone, touch, taste. Just beautiful. Thank you!
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Hey tanks are a dress code for guys in NJ.
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yes. Anything other than pinstriped suits, tanks, and flip flops are a dress code violation.. Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
thanks always for your nice words C74. Your all class.. Originally Posted by citizenk74
Tone, touch, taste. Just beautiful. Thank you!
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This is the first time I noticed how many Tal Farlows are in an avatar. VERY cool!
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Joe,
Great playing on a great guitar. The tone on the Tal is awesome. What amp were you using, if I may ask?
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thanks gt Originally Posted by Greentone
no amp. Zoom G3 straight into my of pc. No amp sim. Just a touch of reverb.
Thanks JD
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JD,
That's a great setup. I have used the G3--belongs to my son. Good rig to play right into the computer with.
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Joe, Mon ami,
I could not agree more with your views on the TF .Having recently decided to reduce the
number of instruments for a variety of reasons ,I have chosen to keep only
an L5CES, a TF, and a ES335TD '60 VOS plus two acoustic electrics.
The ES175TDN '59 VOS. Guild Bendetto X700, and L4CES are being moved on
( the least used guitars) I concur with you on the perception of the TF being very
near in tone quality to the L5CES. plus the comfort factor due to it's shallower body
depth. Your great rendition here on I Can't Get Started proves the point. your playing
isn't too shabby either LOL
Talk again soon buddy
Alan
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Thank you foxman.
i hope everything is good with you.
in the last day, (wouldn't ya know), I've developed a little gremlin inside the guitar. When I play Bb and Eb Firmly, I hear a faint fuzz box/reverby kind of sound coming from the inside of the guitar. You can hear it acoustically and through the pickups. Probably change of seasons. I have to put a rubber on the pickup springs. I just really didn't want to take it apart so soon. Oh well..
I wonder who the genius was who decided to add a fully functioning reverb system to the inside of a guitar!?!?
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Thanks for your thoughts Joe all is well, when i have more time
i will PM you on the rationale behind that decision.
I haver experienced similar problems with not only the TF but
another guitar ,I think your suspicions are well founded and you
may find the problem may disappear as suddenly as it manifested
itself
Best , Alan
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I agree with Alan. Great version, Joe D. Full disclosure; I'm working on the same chart and I'm going to nick some of your voicings, or try to. I very much like the way you subtly change the alterations whilst still staying melodic, instead of going way outside. Very classy.
My experience had been that nearly all gibson arch tops have sympathetic resonances, which do shift around. I used to
fiddle around with the pickup springs, but a better cure was often to wedge a bit of black hard foam against the pickup body; that usually worked. These days, I just live with it
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Great video,story,repair,playing,sunburst,and even the wall. And don't pay any attention to wintermoon. The T shows off your arms. Thanks for the thread and for the rescue guitar Booboo.
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Franz, thank you sir.
Re: the arrangement. You will find as you go on with it, it's quite long and a lot to remember. JPs arrangements are complicated and long. That one has it all. Lush chords, beautiful changes and tasty runs. If it wasn't for the dropped D, the Johnny Smith stuff would be easier because the pieces are shorter.
I couldn't think of a better guitar to play this with. I gave my L7c some love last night and found it to be difficult to play. You get spoiled with the Tal. It's the somewhat affordable high end.
Thanks, Joe D
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AG, that was good. Problem is, all the time I put to playing lately, my arms are getting kind of soft. So at this point I should take his advice! I'll spend more time in the gym and then wear no shirt at all. Problem is, the next video will be "smoke on the water", or something easy that I know already... Originally Posted by Archtop Guy
Thanks for your nice words. JD
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Love the playing Joe! Tals are great guitars. I had a cherry one and stupidly sold it a few years ago. I never regretted selling a guitar until that one. There was just something special about them. I too experienced the reverb tank effect. I just lived with it. Thanks for sharing and that guitar looks like it never was repaired, amazing!
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thank you TonyD! Originally Posted by TonyD
this brings back memories of 175's giving me the same problem. I need to snug up the bridge saddle screws and give the pickup height screws a turn. And then stop Bitchin about one of the greatest guitars I've played in years. It's a keeper. Thanks again, JD
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My Tal is doing the same Joe, once in a while the neck pickup start to vibrate sympathetically, I just slightly wobble it on the springs and it stops. Probably the pickup ring springs would need to be slightly extended to make them tighter when screwed or replaced by tubing. Nothing I consider a problem because the playability and tone of that guitar is just simply gorgeous.
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Hey, I shouldn't make this into a Gibson Tal Farlow problem because the same problem occurred in my JP20 just last week. It's that damn GREMLIN I have in my house. JD
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Re: gtr. neck repair---
Congratulations to Joe DeN. on his new Tal. It sounds great, and his playing, as always, is wonderful.
I've been reading Harold Schonberg's The Great Pianists: From Mozart to the Present which I highly recommend. I have never played piano, but this seems to be a well-documented history of its players and the development of piano style, along with the perpetual debate about virtuosity vs. "musical feeling". (Schonberg was formerly chief music critic for the NY Times.)
In reading about Mozart, Mozart had the following quotation about Johannes Stein, one of the leading makers of "pianofortes", as they were then known:
"This time I shall begin at once with Stein's pianofortes. Before I had seen any of his make, Spath's claviers had always been my favorites. But now I prefer Stein's for they damp ever so much better....the tone is always even. It never jars...it is always even....His claviers really do last. He guarantees that the sounding-board will neither break nor split. When he has finished making one for a clavier, he places it in the open air, exposing it to rain, snow, the heat of the sun and all hell, in order that it may crack. Then he inserts wedges and glues them in order to make the instrument very strong and firm. He is delighted when it cracks, for he can then be sure that nothing more can happen to it. Indeed, he often cuts into it himself and then glues it together and strengthens it in this way. He has finished making three pianofortes this way."
(The above words come directly from a letter, evidently famous, that Mozart wrote to his father, Oct. 17-18, 1777.)
Maybe the danger of a cracked guitar neck (properly repaired) is not all that it is cracked up to be?!Last edited by goldenwave77; 10-25-2015 at 12:29 PM.
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" Maybe the danger of a cracked guitar neck (properly repaired) is not all that it is cracked up to be?! "
I've heard that a repaired head / neck crack is stronger than before it was broken.
I have no problem buying a guitar with "issues" As a matter of fact, my fave 335 of all I own or have owned had a head neck problem repaired by a hack and I wouldn't trade it for another without the problem :-)
I've been asked why I don't have it "properly" repaired... well because:
A. It's not a high end guitar
B. The finish is just black, and it doesn't bother me
C. The repair would cost more than the guitar did and not increase its resale value
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gw77,
thanks for the nice words buddy.
seeing this guitar with a broken headstock was heartbreaking for sure.
It made me bond with the guitar way before I even played it.
Maybe you're right. The neck on this guitar is stronger than it was before. And because the repair is invisible, that's an added bonus.
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My '98 TF also had a few gremlins inside, most of which I managed to chase down. My favorite one took me a while to locate: the wooden insert and the metal frame of the tailpiece vibrated against each other on certain notes. I cured the problem with a few drops of superglue... but more importantly, I agree with the assessment, gorgeous tone! Originally Posted by vinlander
N.
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Funny, but my TF developed a weird thing today... the D string popped out of the TP while it was sitting on the bed next to me. It was plugged in and I about crapped my pants with the noise the string made thru the amp!
I put the string back in and played for a while, set it down and, BOING, out it sprung again. I looked carefully at the TP and the string and it all looked fine. I re-set the string again and for the last 5 hours or so of sitting and me playing it, this hasn't happened again. I'll change the string and call for an exorcist if it happens again :-)
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GNAPPI,
The TF tailpiece is a pretty tried and true component. I had a similar thing that used to happen with an old Gretsch 6015 Synchromatic guitar that I owned with a Synchromatic tailpiece. The D or G string would escape the tailpiece. If you have ever seen a Synchromatic tailpiece, this is almost inconceivable. Unlike the TF tailpiece, in the Gretsch the string has to go down a tube cut into the tailpiece and out through a hole. The only way out is through the hole.
It turns out that I had strings that were separating from their ball ends and launching through the hole in the tailpiece. I guess the strings were defective. Getting the ball end out without the string attached involved pins and prayers, too.
I changed brand of strings and the problem disappeared. You are correct, though. The noise made by a string detaching from a tailpiece in a quiet room will levitate you right out of your seat.
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Lucky for Joe that he was making them up as he went along, eh? ;-) Originally Posted by Joe DeNisco
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