1999 Gibson Tal Farlow

Status: Pricing and hold status for all instruments currently available is shown on our Instruments page here. If this instrument does not appear on the Instruments page it has been sold, and is no longer available. Photos and descriptions of Previously Sold instruments may by found here. To be notified of examples of this model or similar instruments in the future, please contact [email protected],. Please be specific on which instrument(s) you're looking for, and we'll be happy to contact you as soon as they become available.

Body size at lower bout: 17" Scale length: 25 1/2" Nut width: 1 11/16"

Materials: Tiger flame maple top, back and sides; three-piece solid maple neck with adjustable truss rod; solid rosewood fingerboard and compensated bridge; mother of pearl fingerboard and peghead inlay; triple bound body; bound headstock, fingerboard, pickguard and f-holes

Hardware: 100 % original nickel plated hardware includes twin '57 Classic PAF style humbucking pickups, Grover Rotomatic tuners and custom rosewood and pearl inlaid tailpiece; adjustable Tuneomatic compensated bridge; bound tortoise pickguard.

Notes: Talmadge Farlow came from humble roots in North Carolina to become one of the most accomplished and admired guitarists in jazz history. Combining blinding speed with his extraordinary reach, Tal pushed the limits of the instrument to the scariest of bop tempos. Throughout the 50's Tal played the popular ES-350 model, a long scale guitar dimensionally identical to the L-5CES but with greater feedback resistance. In 1962, Gibson revived the 350 with humbucking pickups, ornate woods, and custom inlays drawn from the J-200 and other historic models. Christened the Tal Farlow model, this guitar became an instant classic. Produced in very limited quantities, the Tal Farlow remains one of the most collectible Gibson archtops of the postwar era, with pristine specimens fetching in excess of $10K on the vintage market.

Demand for these remarkable guitars was so strong, and supply so limited, that Gibson revived the model in 1993, though the model is once again out of production as of this writing. This example is an outstanding specimen, with spectacular 3D tiger flame maple, highlighted by a subtle viceroy sunburst. The guitar is in superb condition, with whisper smooth action, and warm PAF style humbucking pickups. Apart from a bit of tarnish on the nickel plating, the guitar shows few signs of age altogether. Designed by a player, for players, the Farlow offers superb playability and distinctive design, within reach of a player's budget as well.

Setup: The frets have been precision leveled, crowned and polished; trussrod tension and neck relief adjusted; bridge height adjusted; bridge compensation set; string slots at nut and bridge inspected and recut as necessary; bridge foot contour inspected and fit to top as necessary; bridge radius inspected and recurved as necessary; bridge wheels and tuners lubricated; fingerboard and bridge oiled; body and neck cleaned and hand polished.

This instrument is strung with medium gauge flatwound nickel strings. The guitar will accommodate lighter or heavier gauge strings, according to preference. String action is set at 5/64" to 6/64" at the 12th fret, with moderate relief for acoustic playing with medium strings. The action may be lowered or raised to your requirements with the adjustable bridge.