Gibson ES-175 vs ES-775 vs L-4 vs Gibson Tal Farlow?

[goldenwave77]

No, I think you're right, and I'm wrong.

Joe Vinikow's description talks of figured "maple top", "back and sides", which I read to mean carved top, but I suppose it is laminate, though nowhere in his description does he mention that fact. It also mentions the re-placed neck PU (closer to the neck) and an ebony bd.

In fact, this sounds like exactly what Joe P. is playing in the Jazz Baltica clips toward the end of his life.

Maybe those 775's are worth looking for. I think Joe P's tone in the Jazz Baltica clips is amazing. Wonder how that guitar would sound in a group setting?!

[Woody Sound]

The things I love about my Tal are the neck, the comfort and the fact that it doesn’t really sound like anything else I’ve ever owned. The neck is basically an L5 neck, without the cupids bow. It is sized perfectly for my hand, is elegant in its appearance and it inspires me. Like the L5 neck, it doesn’t react to seasonal changes like the 175 neck does. I have yet to have to tweak the truss rod in my Tal. The 17” body and the 3” depth are the heavenly dimensions of the beloved Johnny Smith. Need I say more..
The sound of the Tal is very difficult to explain. To me, it’s more subdued and its not as “acoustic” as my 175. In a band setting it is a more substantial feeling and sounding guitar. Its sound is more focused, if you will. Therefore it cuts through better, for me anyway. I don't do many live shows anymore but of the 3-4 I did last year, my Tal came with me every time.

The Tal is also probably the closest Gibson you can get to an ES-350.

[vinnyv1k]

Your killing me..
It would be soooo cool if they made a WesTal. One pickup. Right where the neck ends.. In Viceroy Brown.
Booty..

Amen bro ! I have been thinking about a custom single pu gold hardware VB Tal for a long time. I may sell a L5 and do it.

[ThatRhythmMan]

Let's keep this Tal love train rolling. I have only played one L5 CES that I really cared for at all, but.........




The blonde is a 1993 and the wine is a 2005. The wine red looks more cherry in this pic for some reason.

[ThatRhythmMan]

Oddly enough, that one L5 had the neck pickup replaced with a Lindy Fralin Pure PAF.

[silverfoxx]

Amen bro ! I have been thinking about a custom single pu gold hardware VB Tal for a long time. I may sell a L5 and do it.

Vinny.
may i suggest making a mockup pic of how that might look ?
actually I use mainly the neck pick up with a hint of the bridge
pu. Provides a fat sound , but in reality perhaps a custom one
pickup would have a different tone altogether.
We know that you are itching to play, patience ,my friend don't
even think about it yet,

007 & M

[GNAPPI]

ThatRhythmMan, Wine and Cherry are very hard to take a pic of, and it is made more difficult with lots of flame without natural lighting from the sun. Mine sometimes looks brown, others wine, and still others red.

One day I'll go outside with mine or let some sun into my dark Florida house and take some fair pics of it.

For reference, my leather sofa is wine red, and its color is perfect in the pic, but the Tal, not so much so.

[Burrellesque]

Bah humbuckers....

[2bornot2bop]

A nice '93 Tal Farlow in Ice Tea Burst

1993 Gibson Tal Farlow arch top guitar with tags | eBay

[tonedeaf]

I would suggest buying all of them. You would instantly become the king of NGD postings --- people would speak about it in revered tones for decades.

[tonesofpgh]

Bah humbuckers....

That is a beaut! I find the tone of the ES-350 to be superior than the Tal Farlow. A French guitarist whom I went to school with, Michael Valeanu, plays one and it sounds fantastic! He's a phenomenal player and also a very good teacher, check out his material on soundslice.


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[Burrellesque]

That is a beaut! I find the tone of the ES-350 to be superior than the Tal Farlow. A French guitarist whom I went to school with, Michael Valeanu, plays one and it sounds fantastic! He's a phenomenal player and also a very good teacher, check out his material on soundslice.


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I haven't had the opportunity to play a Tal Farlow model yet. I imagine there would be quite a bit of difference considering the pickups, tune-o-matic bridge and slightly slimmer body.

Checking out Michael Valeanu and his ES-350 now....

[goldenwave77]

I haven't had the opportunity to play a Tal Farlow model yet. I imagine there would be quite a bit of difference considering the pickups, tune-o-matic bridge and slightly slimmer body.

Checking out Michael Valeanu and his ES-350 now....

How many recordings did Tal Farlow do with his signature model? Couldn't have been many. He was inactive when the instrument was introduced (1962), and on a lot of later clips I see him using other guitars.

I wonder what a Tal F. would sound like if you swapped out the neck humbucker for a low-wind, humbucker-sized, P-90 ?!

[Dutchbopper]

That is a beaut! I find the tone of the ES-350 to be superior than the Tal Farlow. A French guitarist whom I went to school with, Michael Valeanu, plays one and it sounds fantastic! He's a phenomenal player and also a very good teacher, check out his material on soundslice.

It's not realistic to compare a non vintage Tal to a vintage ES 350. An ES 350 will cost you somewhere between 7-10 k. A Tal will go for 3k typically. You are comparing apples and oranges.

For the money and within the contemporary Gibson catalog, the Tal is unbeatable.

DB

[tonesofpgh]

No doubt the Tal is a great value and certainly is a good guitar. I'm comparing the style of guitar...the Tal model is inspired by the 350. I like that deep warm sound from a thicker body...call it personal preference is all. As the Tal stands on its own nobody is doubting the value or its quality.


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[Dutchbopper]

No doubt the Tal is a great value and certainly is a good guitar. I'm comparing the style of guitar...the Tal model is inspired by the 350. I like that deep warm sound from a thicker body...call it personal preference is all. As the Tal stands on its own nobody is doubting the value or its quality.

The 350 is pretty much my dream guitar. But there's no way I'll pay 10k to get one. My Tal will do just fine meanwhile.

DB

[tonesofpgh]

The 350 is pretty much my dream guitar. But there's no way I'll pay 10k to get one. My Tal will do just fine meanwhile.

DB

I hear you on that man. There's actually a really sweet one from 1951 on reverb for $6,500, but obviously still more than double the price of a Tal. I know you are a proud owner of a Tal as you should be I'm on a 335 myself for the time being and love it.


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[Max405]

How many recordings did Tal Farlow do with his signature model? Couldn't have been many. He was inactive when the instrument was introduced (1962), and on a lot of later clips I see him using other guitars.

I wonder what a Tal F. would sound like if you swapped out the neck humbucker for a low-wind, humbucker-sized, P-90 ?!

Wasn't there a brand new in the box Tal Farlow for sale a few years back that was basically never opened and the ship too address was Tal's home in Sea Bright? I vaguely remember that.
I wonder what happened to that one.
JD

[vinlander]

Wasn't there a brand new in the box Tal Farlow for sale a few years back that was basically never opened and the ship too address was Tal's home in Sea Bright? I vaguely remember that.
I wonder what happened to that one.
JD

Was on Archtop.com
1998 Gibson Tal Farlow: Artist Owned, Tal's own last guitar, with original factory invoice and shipping carton, highly flamed, a stunning piece of history SOLD
1998 Gibson Tal Farlow, Artist Owned

[vinlander]

The 350 is also my ultimate dream guitar, if DB can't justify shedding that kind of money for one, I definitely can't even less.
Have to be noted that Tal was one of the few endorser that actually played his signature instrument both the reissue and his prototype until his death, it was good enough for Tal...

[Dutchbopper]

Was on Archtop.com
1998 Gibson Tal Farlow: Artist Owned, Tal's own last guitar, with original factory invoice and shipping carton, highly flamed, a stunning piece of history SOLD
1998 Gibson Tal Farlow, Artist Owned

I think I know who owns that particular Tal. And it is for sale!!!!!!!!

DB

[goldenwave77]

Have to be noted that Tal was one of the few endorser that actually played his signature instrument both the reissue and his prototype until his death, it was good enough for Tal...

So now wait a second, I took another look at some post 1962-clips that have Tal F. playing a blonde guitar with no "scroll" in it. But it looks thinner than a full-thickness Gibson. Is that the prototype?

[vinlander]

So now wait a second, I took another look at some post 1962-clips that have Tal F. playing a blonde guitar with no "scroll" in it. But it looks thinner than a full-thickness Gibson. Is that the prototype?

Yes the first prototype which faded to blonde.
He had to revert to that one as his 2nd prototype got stolen at an airport, I guess the one featured on the Trilogy album cover.
To be noted like the Tal reissue, the first prototype does not have the thick binding in the cutaway, as opposed to the 2nd prototype and original Tal from the '60s.

[goldenwave77]

Boy, this is complicated.

The visual "hook"---the thing you see from 20 feet away is the scroll inset. Funny that he played that prototype without the scroll.

I bet he could have painted one on.


I still would like to hear one of these guitars with a low-wind, humbucker-sized P90 in the front pu location.

The truth is, Tal F. sounded good whatever he played, and whichever one of these guitars the OP chooses, if these are his choices, will serve him well.

[vinnyv1k]

I asked the Crimson shop to build me a exact replica 1951 3 knob 350. $9k ! I will stick with my beloved TF also which cost me 1/2 that new. Still first generation ES350's are the coolest archtops ever IMO.