Very special NGD: One of Tal's - Tal Farlow

**danishbacon** · 12-07-2020, 08:23 AM

I hadn't considered a Tal Farlow before when I was looking for an L-5, but a local friend decided to sell his and being a Tal fan as well I had to make it happen.

As a standalone instrument it's a special guitar, but even more so as it was the very last guitar Gibson delivered to Tal in early '98 before he went to play some gigs in the Sky.

**Lobomov** · 12-07-2020, 09:15 AM

If you actually are danish and ever get tired of it .. hit me up

It's been my dream guitar ever since I tried one in Aage Jensen back in 1998, but I couldn't afford it, so ended with a Howard Roberts Fusion instead

Big congrats from me!!

**danishbacon** · 12-07-2020, 10:13 AM

Tusen takk, Lobomov!

I'm not actually Danish though I lived in Aarhus for a time. I recall visiting Woodstock guitars and know that all I could afford as a student then was a simple guitar strap for a Washburn Eagle I picked up at a genbrug shop in Skagen!

All the best

Originally Posted by Lobomov

If you actually are danish and ever get tired of it .. hit me up

It's been my dream guitar ever since I tried one in Aage Jensen back in 1998, but I couldn't afford it, so ended with a Howard Roberts Fusion instead

Big congrats from me!!

**TOMMO** · 12-07-2020, 10:55 AM

Now that's a beauty and a very special instrument to boot! HNGD and play her in good health!

**Stringswinger** · 12-07-2020, 01:30 PM

All you need now are gigantic hands and you are set!

May that beauty of a guitar inspire your playing for many years to come.

**citizenk74** · 12-07-2020, 02:05 PM

An excellent and historic example of one of Gibson's finest (IMHO) designs. Congratulations, and play it in good health!

**John A.** · 12-07-2020, 02:29 PM

Wow, that's a beauty. Enjoy, and make great music on it.

John

**danishbacon** · 12-07-2020, 02:32 PM

It is indeed a fine design, a bit slimmer than the L-5 and the overall aesthetics are quite beautiful.

Here is the custom shop packing slip indicating Tal would receive two guitars per year (presumably from the year they reintroduced the Tal model?).

**Woody Sound** · 12-07-2020, 02:51 PM

That burst shade is to die for.

**Max405** · 12-07-2020, 02:56 PM

Oh boy..
That is really, really beautiful.
Enjoy it. You have a special guitar there, with some history.
Joe D

**QAman** · 12-07-2020, 03:37 PM

What a historical purchase - wishing you many years of enjoyment .

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**Greentone** · 12-07-2020, 04:55 PM

Wow! Uh, ... , wow! Goosebumps.

**Woody Sound** · 12-07-2020, 04:59 PM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

That burst shade is to die for.

Ps - That's got to be one of the most beautiful colors Gibson ever came up with. Interesting that they don't call it a burst.

Dutchbopper · 12-07-2020, 05:17 PM

Congrats. I have practically the same Tal. Same finish, same year. Great guitar.

DB

**vinnyv1k** · 12-07-2020, 06:24 PM

According to the invoice Tal didn’t get to enjoy it very long. He died 3 months later in July. A big Congrats !

**danishbacon** · 12-07-2020, 06:41 PM

Originally Posted by vinnyv1k

According to the invoice Tal didn’t get to enjoy it very long. He died 3 months later in July. A big Congrats !

That’s right Vinny, and during the time he would have been in New York City as it was closer to the hospital for his treatment with weekend visits to New Jersey. From an old interview with his wife and Lorenzo on NPR some 10 years ago, she mentioned that he played all guitars until is final days so I like to think he may have had a cursory strum. Irrespective, it’s a beautiful instrument and a joy to play

**vinnyv1k** · 12-07-2020, 08:15 PM

Welcome to the Tal club. One of the best Gibson’s ever !

Very special NGD: One of Tal's - Tal Farlow-aa400b56-b637-40b6-a451-fa00f3b70f72-jpeg

**Max405** · 12-07-2020, 08:25 PM

Oh my God..

**guido5** · 12-07-2020, 10:20 PM

That has to be the most beautiful Gibson Burst I have seen. Wow. Enjoy!

**lawson-stone** · 12-07-2020, 10:55 PM

Gulp. It's getting a little hard to breathe... and my mouth is suddenly really dry...

**50Hz** · 12-07-2020, 11:43 PM

That is a stunner, congrats and piigh.

**danishbacon** · 12-08-2020, 05:45 AM

Originally Posted by Dutchbopper

Congrats. I have practically the same Tal. Same finish, same year. Great guitar.

DB

I had seen yours before, DB. Beautiful

**danishbacon** · 12-08-2020, 05:46 AM

Originally Posted by vinnyv1k

Welcome to the Tal club. One of the best Gibson’s ever !

Thank you Vinny. That looks beautiful as well, even more flames than mine

Dutchbopper · 12-08-2020, 06:10 AM

Originally Posted by danishbacon

I had seen yours before, DB. Beautiful

Here's the Blog entry I wrote on mine years ago:

Dutchbopper's Jazz Guitar Blog: The Gibson Tal Farlow

DB

**silverfoxx** · 12-08-2020, 06:52 AM

It seems inconceivable that Gibson ceased production of the Tal Farlow, it has become
a very desirable guitar, especially since Dutchbopper has demonstrated his own model
alongside his ES 350, my own Custom Crimson shop , is the doppelganger of Vinny!K "s
and a superb guitar, he and I have no plans to sell ours.