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Tal Farlow


Guest JP Bouffard

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Guest JP Bouffard

Hi--

 

Looking at a guitar on eBay.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1997-Gibson-Custom-Tal-Farlow-Wine-Red-Hollowbody-El-Guitar-w-Case-91167017-/191981465524?hash=item2cb2fcafb4:g:1TwAAOSw4shX6sPF

 

Listed as a Tal Farlow model, serial number 91167017

 

This serial number ends up saying that the guitar was built in Bozeman, MT.

 

I thought that factory was ONLY their acoustic guitars.

 

It's a 1997 Tal Farlow. Can anyone help me in determining whether this guitar is legit? Were Tal Farlow models made in Bozeman in 1997?

 

Or is there something fishy about the listing? Everything looks legit, but that serial number doesn't make sense to me. I thought ALL of the high end archtops were made in Nashville in the Custom Shop.

 

Thank you.

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Hi--

 

Looking at a guitar on eBay.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1997-Gibson-Custom-Tal-Farlow-Wine-Red-Hollowbody-El-Guitar-w-Case-91167017-/191981465524?hash=item2cb2fcafb4:g:1TwAAOSw4shX6sPF

 

Listed as a Tal Farlow model, serial number 91167017

 

This serial number ends up saying that the guitar was built in Bozeman, MT.

 

I thought that factory was ONLY their acoustic guitars.

 

It's a 1997 Tal Farlow. Can anyone help me in determining whether this guitar is legit? Were Tal Farlow models made in Bozeman in 1997?

 

Or is there something fishy about the listing? Everything looks legit, but that serial number doesn't make sense to me. I thought ALL of the high end archtops were made in Nashville in the Custom Shop.

 

Thank you.

 

Its a Gibson Tal Farlow.. I own a few of those.. .. not that exciting of a guitar.. tals were not a high end guitar.. just a plywood guitar.. and its just a custom shop decal. Nothing custom shop about it.. unless you are able to get one with Outrageous Flames shell and gold hardware.. :) L5 is way better.. but youll pay alot more..

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Not unusual for guitar dater project to be wrong as my Nashville made Tal from 1996 also shows up as made in Bozeman on guitar Dater...

That wine red one appears legit and it was definitely made in Nashville.

Produced in limited runs since its revival in the early '90s, Tals for sale are even scarcer up here in Canada and Quebec, I needed to buy mine from USA couple years ago but it was worth it.

Don't let the laminated top fools you in thinking they are not real custom shop worthy instrument, they are fabulous instruments with a distinctive tone.

Like something between the jazz player favorite laminated 175 and an L5; more assertive than a 175 because of the scale and dryer and more focussed than an L5.

It is a matter of taste to prefer an L5 over a Tal, personally I don't care about carved spruce top, I prefer the Thunk of the laminated maple...

They get plenty of love from jazz players, just have a look on jazzguitar.be and search for Tal Farlow :)

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