The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    I've just watched to some Gibson Tal Farlow video posted on ypu tube . It seems that the 2015 even if much expensive are better than the Gibson Tal farlow. 90s . Did anyone had any experience with those models . I cannot afford a 2015 so I wonder if the 90 s models are still enough good . Or Could be considered The late 90's gibson Tal farlow a totally failure ?

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  3. #2

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    I've NEVER heard anyone call a 90's Tal anything but a great guitar, maybe not for everyone but a failure? This is the first... where did you hear this?

  4. #3
    I mean that in 2015 the Tal Farlow model costed twice / three times the 90, s . You can easily Find a 90s model for 4000 - 5000 . I consider that an excessive price difference .
    In my opinion and for my tastes the Tal farlow shoud be one of the very best jazz guitar ever made . Because it is not very difficoult to find a used 90s, for that reason I assumed that the 90s model were not as good as the 2015 model . Also from listening to you tube it seems that the 2015's model are much closer to the original 60's . Just a guess ...
    Other than that a guitar collector ( who indeed i cannot consider a reliable person ) said me that the 90s deoesn't play close to the original 60s gibson tal sound . He sold his 90s model .

  5. #4

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    Bottom line is there’s a few of us here with late 90’s TFs. If you can grab one I suggest you do! Let’s talk about it!

    I had a 93 and have a 98.

    The 93 was one of the worst guitars I have had. Neck wasn’t right, Gibson said it was. Neck was a baseball bat. Finish had the early 90’s famous Gibson stickiness.

    My 98 TF is one of the best guitars I’ve had. Not anything on it can be faulted. Beautiful finish, fast neck, great fret work. Sounds like a TF should, good thunky resonance.
    (you can see it in my Ibanez NGD post titled. ‘George meets Tal’.)

    Comparing the sound of guitars built 40 years apart isn’t going to work. The older 60’s instrument will have aged and settled in giving a very different sound than one that’s 10 years new.

    your concern over pricing does not take a couple factors into a count. Are yours US or rest of world prices? My 93 cost 1400 US in 93. When I bought my 98 last year prices even in Covid ranged from high 2’s to 5.

    One other item is the so-called “Gibson Custom” and “Crimson Custom”. The heavy marketing of the Custom shop started in the early 00’s. Even then,all that meant was a case. COAs appeared a few years later. So I can see a collector valuing a 2015 with special red COA and the rest of the BS in the case at a higher price.

    Your comment “ 2015 the Tal Farlow model costed twice / three times the 90, s” is correct. If you multiply my 1500 93 times 3 its 6500. Given you’re including the 2008-2010 “market adjustment “ (ok, crash) that’s not an unreasonable increase at all from 1993 to 2015.

    Unless Gibson did something really creepy with the 15s, like changing the wood, or way different pickups, we are back to the difference of 15-20 years of aging.
    YMMV
    IMHO
    IMNHO
    and
    WTF do I know lol)))

    jk



  6. #5
    Thanks for your anwer JK . Now I understand many things .

  7. #6

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    I have owned Gibson archtops from 1963 up to 2017.

    IMO, the Gibson archtops from the 90's are the best. I currently have 6 Gibson archtops in the harem. 3 are from the 90's.

  8. #7

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    One thing that a lot of the 90's Gibson's have that after 2000 doesn't have is pearl delamination on the headstock. The Gibson logo and whatever is below it. Flower pot or Holly or whatever.
    Also the early 90's upside down J200 fretboard inlays were sloppy.

    IMO 1998-2018 were the best made Tal's. I bought the very last Tal made in 2018. I also have a 2014.
    Both stellar bought new but I had to send the 2014 back to Gibson for the neck to be refinished under warranty as the walnut strips shrunk causing the lacquer to crack badly. They did a flawless repair though and the neck profile came back even better. Tal's rule !!!

  9. #8
    I just looked at a Gibson Tal Farlow for sale on Craigs list under musical instruments in Nashville call Joe at 615-922-8030. It is a 1998 for 4699$ . He describes it as excellent condition . There are pictures on CL. I do not know this person but he sounds like he knows about guitar equipment very well. I hope someone can find it a good home.

  10. #9

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    I have played several TFs from the reintroduction in the ‘90s into the 2010s. Some have been better than others, but all have been good. That said, one from 1993 was the standout. For playability, it was easily in the top 1% of electric archtops I’ve ever come across. It did a have one slight flaw though. The neck pickup was slightly askew.

  11. #10

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    A 93 as best! I’m just such a lucky guy with the doggie one I got.

  12. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by jazzkritter
    your concern over pricing does not take a couple factors into a count. Are yours US or rest of world prices? My 93 cost 1400 US in 93. When I bought my 98 last year prices even in Covid ranged from high 2’s to 5.

    One other item is the so-called “Gibson Custom” and “Crimson Custom”. The heavy marketing of the Custom shop started in the early 00’s. Even then,all that meant was a case. COAs appeared a few years later. So I can see a collector valuing a 2015 with special red COA and the rest of the BS in the case at a higher price.

    Your comment “ 2015 the Tal Farlow model costed twice / three times the 90, s” is correct. If you multiply my 1500 93 times 3 its 6500. Given you’re including the 2008-2010 “market adjustment “ (ok, crash) that’s not an unreasonable increase at all from 1993 to 2015.
    As a comment on the math, $1500 x 3 = $4500, not $6500.

  13. #12

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    Oooopsies. Said it before, it’s the drugs.

  14. #13
    The Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion is to me one of the most overllooked Gibson guitars. Tons of sustaiin as old Gibson 345 but with a jazzy and fusion sound.. It was the right answer to the Ibanez George Benson . The HRF deserved more luck .

  15. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by belfagor
    The Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion is to me one of the most overllooked Gibson guitars. Tons of sustaiin as old Gibson 345 but with a jazzy and fusion sound.. It was the right answer to the Ibanez George Benson . The HRF deserved more luck .
    That's hard to argue with, so I won't :-)

    Players are funny about what's "correct" on a git. The HRF was too fat for a semi, but a fully hollow is OK if it's thicker... Waayyy thicker. Chromite block? NEVER!!! The tailpiece is OK or at least tolerable on a Le Grand or Super V but not on the HRF. Strange no?

    Poor Gibson they get crucified for every idea they float then players crab that they survive on the Les Paul and 335.

  16. #15

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    A lot of 90's Gibsons are really good.

    As usual with Gibson, check the neck, check the truss rod.

    At least a 90's one has settled in. Would you trust a neck and the finish on a new Gibson? I'm not saying you can't but it adds an element of 'what if'

    Weigh up the pro and cons and what you can or can't play before buying.
    Last edited by Archie; 08-27-2021 at 12:21 PM.

  17. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by belfagor
    The Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion is to me one of the most overllooked Gibson guitars. Tons of sustaiin as old Gibson 345 but with a jazzy and fusion sound.. It was the right answer to the Ibanez George Benson . The HRF deserved more luck .
    Regardless of its functional merits, the HRF simply looked too stupid to live.

  18. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by ArchtopHeaven
    A lot of 90's Gibsons are really good.

    As usual with Gibson, check the neck, check the truss rod.

    At least a 90's one has settled in. Would you trust a neck and the finish on a new Gibson? I'm not saying you can't but it adds an element of 'what if'

    Weigh up the pro and cons and what you can or can't play before buying.
    I have both a 2014 TF and a 2016 L5 that had warranty neck refinished due to severe walnut strip shrinkage. Green wood. I will say the neck refinish on both are flawless and they are fine now but a big hassle to deal with. Luckily I bought them new w warranty.

  19. #18

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    Vinny I had a neck finish problem on a new 92 350T. As the neck warmed up from playing it got sticky. Like you I was lucky it was new under warranty it went back three times: one denial of the problem; second it was repolished but still sticky, and finally a refinish and problem solved.
    No wonder I like Gibson but love Ibanez
    jk

  20. #19

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    I had a 1993 335 that had that sticky neck. With Gibson it is never the year it is just the guitar. Some of the best Gibson’s I had were Norlin era. Gibson has always been a dice roll but when they get it right they really get it right.

    Like I always say you might have to step on a few turds to get to the yellow brick road.

  21. #20

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    Agree! My best 175 was a 79 Norlin, volute and all. Tal liked it too, a “working mans guitar”, he never liked my L5. What a Super example of a 175, I just loved it.
    (until the truss rod snapped)

  22. #21

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    Quote Originally Posted by belfagor
    I've just watched to some Gibson Tal Farlow video posted on ypu tube . It seems that the 2015 even if much expensive are better than the Gibson Tal farlow. 90s . Did anyone had any experience with those models . I cannot afford a 2015 so I wonder if the 90 s models are still enough good . Or Could be considered The late 90's gibson Tal farlow a totally failure ?

    I have owned three Tal Farlow models over the period 90's to 2015
    my current model , a Crimson Custom is superior to the two of earlier
    build. It has no faults whatsoever, flawless and plays very well.

    Silverfoxx

  23. #22

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    I have a 98 Tal and it’s one of the best guitars I’ve played. (I’ve played everything from early L5s and ES-175s to more recent ones). The finish is great, the wood is beautiful. It’s a little heavier that the 50s and 60s Gibsons I’ve played but I’ve never played an original Tal. It sounds great. It’s definitely a long term keeper! I unfortunately didn’t buy 90’s ES-175 that I saw in a shop (don’t remember the year but post 96). It was beautiful and a great guitar too. I definitely have a fondness for 90s Gibsons.

  24. #23

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    Quote Originally Posted by Donkeyhead
    I have a 98 Tal and it’s one of the best guitars I’ve played. (I’ve played everything from early L5s and ES-175s to more recent ones). The finish is great, the wood is beautiful. It’s a little heavier that the 50s and 60s Gibsons I’ve played but I’ve never played an original Tal. It sounds great. It’s definitely a long term keeper! I unfortunately didn’t buy 90’s ES-175 that I saw in a shop (don’t remember the year but post 96). It was beautiful and a great guitar too. I definitely have a fondness for 90s Gibsons.

  25. #24

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    Thank you!