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I think you can get very close to the 175 sound with the L4 and you will find it more versitle (if that is what you are looking for in a single guitar). A great choice you have. Each model is unique in its own way and eventually, you may end up with All. Otherwise, The L4CES is a great choice
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02-05-2017 06:53 PM
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The 175 sound is fundamentally different than the L4 sound. The L4 is a great guitar but does better at pseudo L5 tones than 175 tones.
Originally Posted by rhoadsscholar
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I guess I'm gonna have to pull out my 175 and L4CES and do a tone comparison test ... and see if I can get the L4 to sound like the 175
They're both great guitars .... if I had to give up my L5 and other nice archtops I'd still be very happy with either the 175 or L4
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Well....I was impatient and ended up buying this one. I just couldn't pass it up. It should be here next week.
Note: The price was not $1,000 (although I wish it was!)
Gibson Tal Farlow Archtop Electric Guitar !! No Reserve Auction !!! 711106422114 | eBay
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Congratulations! So how could the auction price be different than the price that ended the auction? What did you pay? Originally Posted by geese_com
Well....I was impatient and ended up buying this one. I just couldn't pass it up. It should be here next week.
Note: The price was not $1,000 (although I wish it was!)
Gibson Tal Farlow Archtop Electric Guitar !! No Reserve Auction !!! 711106422114 | eBay
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You just hit the ball out of the court ! A big Congrats. People that make negative comments on the TF guitar do not own one. You just bought one of the best jazz boxes in the world.
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Could not agree more. I'm considering buying my 2nd. Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
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i don't think the statement about negative comments about the tal is true. That's just chest beating/strawman arguments.
I've had a couple Tals. They are nice guitars but like anything else, there are pros and cons. I don't know why folks here think things are so black and white. I love the 175 and think it's overall the best jazz guitar in history but there are plenty of things I dislike about it.
I think when we wax poetic about how perfect everything is (just because we happen to own it) we water down the discussion in general.
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The seller wants $3200 for this Natural TF, if someone is interested:
1995 Gibson Tal Farlow Custom Natural 842041012419 | eBay
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Though I'm not in a position to doubt the wide knowledge and opinion of people like Dutchbopper, I would say the ES-775. Since only recently I have one, a custom order 1994, and it is by far the most astonishing guitar I ever had or played. Everything, literally everything is in her, from the wooden sound of the L4 at strumming, to the ultra fat tone of Lee Ritenours (floating PU!) smaller L5.
But she has a character of her own. The tremendous playability (smooth and hard ebony with a very, very low action and 0,11 flatwounds) challenge to play more than my -admitted- limited capacities allow. But the wonderful warm tone, the familiar body shape and the fluid action, put the L4's and other smaller body archtops aside. Sorry, I love them too, but this little miracle has it all, and looks wondertful.
Often referred to as a weird decision by Norlin or Henry J., it is not. It is taking the finest workhorse of the stable (the ultimate jazz guitar, 175) and cross breed it with Totilas, the gold medal winning horse and caress the fine results. Shown to fine jazz guitarists caused sheer amazement, and I can understand why! GJ/SG2000
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Do you know if it’s still available? Originally Posted by Dutchbopper
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Chest beating or bragging about anything is something I find hard to tolerate. It is something I would never do.
The point I was trying to make is that every TF guitar owner I run across really seems to love the TF guitar. My shelf included.
If you love a 175 more than a TF ....well God blessed you also with a guitar you really love. I am a huge 175 fan too.
A true example of chest beating would be if someone was to say 98.9% of JGF members cannot play jazz guitar and to post slanderous remarks about a fellow musician on there Facebook. That would be the King Kong of chest beating.
The best musicians are the ones that are very humble like our beloved Tal Farlow was. I met Miles Davis in the 70's. He was such a Jackass that I never listened to his music again.
Back to the OP. TF guitars may not be everyone's cat's meow but they make me purr. 175, L4, TF, 775....all great jazz boxes.
Of course I can't think of any Gibson archtop that I dislike. I'm a Gibson boy.....when you can find a good one.
You really can't say which guitar is better just which one is better for you. You get a "good" Gibson you will be happy period. LOL !
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Hey geese_com, congrats! You got yerself a nice jazzbox. The latest Gibson take on Viceroy Brown looks orange in photos but in the flesh (in the wood?) it is a nice cat-doo-doo-coffee-brown. Cat-doo-doo coffee is the best coffee there is. The Tal Farlow is one Gibson I want to own...All that flamey maple goodness.
SG2000, alles kits? Good first post. Welcome to JGF. Nice write up. The ES775 is one of those unicorns that Gibson breeds occasionally on its secret farm. Show a photo if you have got the time and inclination.
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The hard thing on taste is, I do not even know my own taste! Let alone any one else's taste for that matter. The Tal Farlow is a beauty, I would be the happiest man this side of the Atlantic if I'd have one. Now, just a month ago, I was blessed to find this 775, I hope the pictures come through as I am not very experienced at fora, and I guess I am as happy as I would have been with an L5 WM. Or L5 LR. Or L4.
The remarks made on 'humble' and 'chest beating' (Dolly Parton is not member of this forum?) are correct. Seeing Biréli playing at the (his) age of 11, made me seriously consider to burn all of my guitars. Listening to Wes, with only an guitar and an old amp, teaches what it all is about: the player. True ingenuity is fingers, strings and a little amp. Django with his remaining two fingers in his nose, would play circles around me. And now I have a more beautiful guitar than he ever had. The times are a-changing.
I love these disputes on taste, on better where there is none: Clapton on his Les Paul was God, he still is, on Fender. Santana created something, on SG, LP Custom, SG2000 (
), PRS. Let's all feel fortunate that there is that much choice, through eBay and Fora, etc. If it were for the local guitar shop we had, I'd still be playing an Eko 12-string with 6 thin strings in order to keep the neck only partly straight.
I'll reveal the beauty that recently tango'ed into our house, enjoy!
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SG,
Beautiful Guitar. Congratulations.
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Maybe the 775 is the Holy Grail.
Is that what Joe P. played in the Baltica clips with Niels-H., Orsted Pederson? He sounds really, really good.
Beautiful instrument.
PS: All these guitars are like beautiful women (or attractive men, for our lady members). So many different ways to be beautiful (attractive).
Agentsmith is right. There is no ultimate truth in guitars, but these all offer a lot of pluses.Last edited by goldenwave77; 02-25-2017 at 12:30 PM.
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Well said brother. Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
I might add, the best people are the ones who don't disparage others for the purpose of bolstering themselves.
I am sorry that we constantly have to go through this crap. This is a great place without the drama.
Joe D.
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JD,
I was typing a response as you posted, so I cancelled,
It was a long winded version of yours! Isn't it
irritating to have this recurring theme ? I feel sure
we are not alone in our indignation. One does not
expect to hear of disparaging remarks made on
the diatribe ,of Social Media relating to a large
number of members here and particularly
targetting a very popular member, who also
happens to be a friend of you and I.
This extreme disloyalty and spitefulness mars
the Esprit de Corps that exists.
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Beautiful 775 ! I really dig those axes. Like Marc always says : Gibson's rule. There are a lot of former models that I would love to see return also. Yes I have been known to bash Gibson's QC but they will always have me by the short hairs.
I have been listening to a ton of Benson lately. IMO his best sound was when he was playing his Gibson JS.
That was a great sounding axe. Of course George could make a Montgomery Ward guitar sound great.
My dream come true would to be able to spend a day with Mr.Benson. God dumped a 5 gallon bucket of talent on that man for sure.
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Foxman, well, it sure the hell seems like we are alone in our indignation. That's alright. I understand that a lot of folks don't like muddying the waters. That's fine. Originally Posted by silverfoxx
But every time I think about it, I get infuriated.
Thanks for sticking up for us.
Joe D
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What a lovely instrument! Congratulations, and play it in good health! Originally Posted by SG2000
The hard thing on taste is, I do not even know my own taste! Let alone any one else's taste for that matter. The Tal Farlow is a beauty, I would be the happiest man this side of the Atlantic if I'd have one. Now, just a month ago, I was blessed to find this 775, I hope the pictures come through as I am not very experienced at fora, and I guess I am as happy as I would have been with an L5 WM. Or L5 LR. Or L4.
The remarks made on 'humble' and 'chest beating' (Dolly Parton is not member of this forum?) are correct. Seeing Biréli playing at the (his) age of 11, made me seriously consider to burn all of my guitars. Listening to Wes, with only an guitar and an old amp, teaches what it all is about: the player. True ingenuity is fingers, strings and a little amp. Django with his remaining two fingers in his nose, would play circles around me. And now I have a more beautiful guitar than he ever had. The times are a-changing.
I love these disputes on taste, on better where there is none: Clapton on his Les Paul was God, he still is, on Fender. Santana created something, on SG, LP Custom, SG2000 ( ), PRS. Let's all feel fortunate that there is that much choice, through eBay and Fora, etc. If it were for the local guitar shop we had, I'd still be playing an Eko 12-string with 6 thin strings in order to keep the neck only partly straight.
I'll reveal the beauty that recently tango'ed into our house, enjoy!
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Anybody have any suggestions of where to add a strap button to the Tal Farlow?
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Don't do it.
Get a strap and wind it around the head stock. Gets rid of "neck dive" issues, as the guitar will never move.
See Wes M. and Sister Rosetta Tharpe who did this.
No need to mutilate your instrument.
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If the headstock style is not your cup of tea, another solution without drilling a hole is something à la Johnny Smith involving some leather strip passing right under the elevated fret board at the neck joint.
Personally I would not mind to have a hole drilled as long as the location is right and properly executed.
Means first slowly drill a pilot hole big enough so the screw doesn't split the maple, probably using some wax on the screw treads also to minimize friction while screwing in.
Where's the best spot for your strap button? | stewmac.com
I personally usually prefer #2, then #1 or maybe #3 usually when it comes this way from factory (needs a wood block behind), on the Tal I would avoid that one.
On my Tal it was already drilled at spot #4, not my favorite but functional enough and it seems it was done properly, no crack or even finish check at that spot and the guitar is 20 years old.
Wherever you will choose to put it is personal and there will be guys who will like it or not.
Just don't put it at a weird location like one of the Tal that we have seen here on the forum
could make it a bit more tricky to sell to some guys later on if its not a keeper.
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Just read through the entire thread - very fun read. Congrats! You got a good life long partner there. I miss my Tal. Originally Posted by geese_com
Well....I was impatient and ended up buying this one. I just couldn't pass it up. It should be here next week.
Note: The price was not $1,000 (although I wish it was!)
Gibson Tal Farlow Archtop Electric Guitar !! No Reserve Auction !!! 711106422114 | eBay
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