1963 Gibson Tal Farlow, Serial Number 62515
Shipped from Kalamazoo, Michigan, on July 19, 1963, this Gibson Tal Farlow is a unique example of one of our most distinctive and collectible jazz guitars. Introduced only a year earlier, the Tal Farlow remained a low-production model, with shipping totals indicating just 39 examples leaving the factory in 1963. While many examples shipped with nickel or chrome parts (post-1965) and a standard bound "Tortoiseshell" celluloid guard, this one feature gold hardware and a marbled celluloid pickguard. The beautifully figured two-piece maple top and striking single-piece maple back display dramatic, wide three-dimensional flame from virtually every angle, making this one of the most visually impressive Tal Farlows we have encountered. Distinctive Tal Farlow appointments, including the model's signature faux-scroll cutaway, further set it apart from any other Gibson archtop of the era.
The Viceroy Brown finish exhibits moderate, even lacquer checking throughout along with light wear consistent with decades of careful use. Minor nicks and dings are present around the body and neck, with the most notable wear concentrated around the heel and binding edges. Light buckle rash, scattered scratches, and handling marks are present on the back of the body, while light wear is visible around the pickup selector switch. The headstock edges remain notably clean, and the guitar presents exceptionally well overall. A stabilized crack at the output jack has been professionally addressed and remains secure.
The original gold hardware remains in good condition throughout with light, even wear to the plating. The wired ABR-1 bridge with nylon saddles remains in excellent working order, as do the original Kluson® Waffleback tuners. The marbled celluloid pickguard remains in excellent condition with no evidence of deterioration or off-gassing. While the original pickup mounting rings and strap button had been replaced at some point (with a second strap button added on the heel) in the guitar's life, the instrument has since been restored using vintage, era-correct black butyrate M-69 pickup rings and Gibson gold strap buttons. Distinctive details include the custom "Cirly Walker" engraving on the gold tailpiece and the original Brazilian rosewood tailpiece insert featuring the engraved "Tal Farlow" mother-of-pearl inlay. Although we do not know who Cirly Walker was, it is clear he had excellent taste in guitars.
The slim taper maple neck features the desirable 1 11/16" nut width and remains exceptionally comfortable in hand. The fretboard underwent a previous plane and refret, while a small area of binding shrinkage is present at the treble side of the nut. The neck angle is excellent, playability is outstanding, and the guitar performs exactly as a great vintage Gibson archtop should.
The electronics remain fully original throughout. The Patent Applied For neck pickup retains its original decal and double black bobbins, reading 7.68k ohms, while the bridge pickup retains a largely intact Patent Number decal and reads 7.90k ohms. Original dust covers remain on the potentiometers with clean solder joints visible throughout, and the pickups retain their original solder joints. The original wiring harness also retains a unique Tal Farlow feature in which the pickup selector switch operates opposite the standard Gibson arrangement, with the upward position selecting the bridge pickup and the downward position selecting the neck pickup while retaining the familiar four-knob control layout shared with models such as the Les Paul™ and ES-335™. Tonally, the guitar delivers the warm, articulate voice expected from a great Tal Farlow, with excellent dynamic response and a remarkably wide range of usable sounds available through the controls.
Housed in a non-original vintage brown and pink hardshell case and accompanied by a Gibson Deluxe Protector case for shipping and transport, this is a rare and highly attractive second-year Tal Farlow that combines exceptional visual appeal, desirable early features, originality where it matters most, and outstanding playability.
This instrument has received a professional setup and thorough inspection from Gibson Certified Vintage and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity, Letter of Appraisal, new Limited Lifetime Warranty, and exclusive Gibson Certified Vintage accessories including a brown leather guitar strap, matching brown leather luggage tag, and vintage-style Gibson pick container.
Weight: 7.26 lb.
Neck Depth: 1st Fret: .81", 9th Fret: .90"
Guitar Specifications
Body Specs
Body Specs
Back Laminated maple
Binding Multi-ply cream top and back, single-ply cream fretboard and peghead
Body Finish Nitrocellulose lacquer
Body Material Laminated maple
Body Shape Venetian cutaway archtop
Body Styles Hollow
Side Laminated maple
Top Laminated maple
Neck Specs
Neck Specs
Fingerboard Material Brazilian rosewood
Fingerboard Radius 304.8mm / 12.0in
Fret Count 20
Frets Medium Jumbo
Inlays Upside-down crown
Joint Glued-in, set neck
Neck Material 3-piece maple
Nut Material Nylon
Nut Width 42.8mm / 1.69in
Profile SlimTaper
Scale Length 647.7mm / 25.5in
Electronics Specs
Electronics Specs
Bridge Pickup Patent Number Sticker humbucking pickup, double black coils (7.90k)
Controls 2 volume, 2 tone Centralab potentiometers with ceramic disc capacitors
Neck Pickup Patent Applied For humbucking pickup, double black coils (7.68k)
Output Jack Switchcraft 1/4" mono output jack
Pickup Selector Switchcraft 3-way selector switch
Hardware Specs
Hardware Specs
Bridge ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge (wired)
Control Knobs Gold Top Hat knobs with gold inserts (tall wall)
finish Gold
Mounting Rings Black butyrate M69 pickup rings
Pickguard Marbled celluloid pickguard
Pickup Covers Gold humbucking pickup covers
Plastic Parts Black
Saddle Material Nylon
Strap Buttons Gold strap buttons
Switch Tip Cream plastic switch tip
Tailpiece 3-Bar trapeze tailpiece
Truss Rod Adjustable
Truss Rod Cover 2-ply black/white stepped bell Custom truss rod cover
Tuner Plating Gold
Tuning Machines Kluson Waffleback tuners with metal keystone buttons
Misc Specs
Misc Specs
Accessories COA, LOA, Limited Lifetime Warranty, GCV leather guitar strap, GCV leather luggage tag, vintage-style Gibson pick container
Model: GCVP0195
Case Lifton 5-latch brown/pink hardshell case, Gibson Deluxe Protector Jumbo Acoustic Case
Headstock Open book
Headstock Inlay Gibson logo, mother-of-pearl with double crown, mother-of-pearl
Strings Gauge 13-56 flatwound
Gibson Certified Vintage 1963 Gibson Tal Farlow, Viceroy Brown
Gibson Certified Vintage 1963 Gibson Tal Farlow, Viceroy Brown
Free & Fast Shipping
Free & Fast Shipping
Orders placed by noon CST Monday-Friday (excluding holidays) will ship the same day. Orders placed after this cutoff will ship the next business day. All orders over $100 receive free ground shipping within the United States.
Limited Lifetime Warranty
Limited Lifetime Warranty
Shop and play with confidence knowing that your instrument is protected by our limited lifetime warranty. Learn more about warranties and exclusions here .
Case Included
Case Included
Your instrument ships with a factory-supplied hard- or soft-shell case for safe storage and transportation. Please refer to the product specifications for details.
Setup Included
Setup Included
Our craftory-trained technicians perform a final thorough inspection and detailed setup moments before your instrument is packed and shipped to you.
Three Free Months of the Gibson App
Three Free Months of the Gibson App
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1963 Gibson Tal Farlow, Serial Number 62515
Shipped from Kalamazoo, Michigan, on July 19, 1963, this Gibson Tal Farlow is a unique example of one of our most distinctive and collectible jazz guitars. Introduced only a year earlier, the Tal Farlow remained a low-production model, with shipping totals indicating just 39 examples leaving the factory in 1963. While many examples shipped with nickel or chrome parts (post-1965) and a standard bound "Tortoiseshell" celluloid guard, this one feature gold hardware and a marbled celluloid pickguard. The beautifully figured two-piece maple top and striking single-piece maple back display dramatic, wide three-dimensional flame from virtually every angle, making this one of the most visually impressive Tal Farlows we have encountered. Distinctive Tal Farlow appointments, including the model's signature faux-scroll cutaway, further set it apart from any other Gibson archtop of the era.
The Viceroy Brown finish exhibits moderate, even lacquer checking throughout along with light wear consistent with decades of careful use. Minor nicks and dings are present around the body and neck, with the most notable wear concentrated around the heel and binding edges. Light buckle rash, scattered scratches, and handling marks are present on the back of the body, while light wear is visible around the pickup selector switch. The headstock edges remain notably clean, and the guitar presents exceptionally well overall. A stabilized crack at the output jack has been professionally addressed and remains secure.
The original gold hardware remains in good condition throughout with light, even wear to the plating. The wired ABR-1 bridge with nylon saddles remains in excellent working order, as do the original Kluson® Waffleback tuners. The marbled celluloid pickguard remains in excellent condition with no evidence of deterioration or off-gassing. While the original pickup mounting rings and strap button had been replaced at some point (with a second strap button added on the heel) in the guitar's life, the instrument has since been restored using vintage, era-correct black butyrate M-69 pickup rings and Gibson gold strap buttons. Distinctive details include the custom "Cirly Walker" engraving on the gold tailpiece and the original Brazilian rosewood tailpiece insert featuring the engraved "Tal Farlow" mother-of-pearl inlay. Although we do not know who Cirly Walker was, it is clear he had excellent taste in guitars.
The slim taper maple neck features the desirable 1 11/16" nut width and remains exceptionally comfortable in hand. The fretboard underwent a previous plane and refret, while a small area of binding shrinkage is present at the treble side of the nut. The neck angle is excellent, playability is outstanding, and the guitar performs exactly as a great vintage Gibson archtop should.
The electronics remain fully original throughout. The Patent Applied For neck pickup retains its original decal and double black bobbins, reading 7.68k ohms, while the bridge pickup retains a largely intact Patent Number decal and reads 7.90k ohms. Original dust covers remain on the potentiometers with clean solder joints visible throughout, and the pickups retain their original solder joints. The original wiring harness also retains a unique Tal Farlow feature in which the pickup selector switch operates opposite the standard Gibson arrangement, with the upward position selecting the bridge pickup and the downward position selecting the neck pickup while retaining the familiar four-knob control layout shared with models such as the Les Paul™ and ES-335™. Tonally, the guitar delivers the warm, articulate voice expected from a great Tal Farlow, with excellent dynamic response and a remarkably wide range of usable sounds available through the controls.
Housed in a non-original vintage brown and pink hardshell case and accompanied by a Gibson Deluxe Protector case for shipping and transport, this is a rare and highly attractive second-year Tal Farlow that combines exceptional visual appeal, desirable early features, originality where it matters most, and outstanding playability.
This instrument has received a professional setup and thorough inspection from Gibson Certified Vintage and comes with a Certificate of Authenticity, Letter of Appraisal, new Limited Lifetime Warranty, and exclusive Gibson Certified Vintage accessories including a brown leather guitar strap, matching brown leather luggage tag, and vintage-style Gibson pick container.
Weight: 7.26 lb.
Neck Depth: 1st Fret: .81", 9th Fret: .90"
Guitar Specifications
Body Specs
Body Specs
Back Laminated maple
Binding Multi-ply cream top and back, single-ply cream fretboard and peghead
Body Finish Nitrocellulose lacquer
Body Material Laminated maple
Body Shape Venetian cutaway archtop
Body Styles Hollow
Side Laminated maple
Top Laminated maple
Neck Specs
Neck Specs
Fingerboard Material Brazilian rosewood
Fingerboard Radius 304.8mm / 12.0in
Fret Count 20
Frets Medium Jumbo
Inlays Upside-down crown
Joint Glued-in, set neck
Neck Material 3-piece maple
Nut Material Nylon
Nut Width 42.8mm / 1.69in
Profile SlimTaper
Scale Length 647.7mm / 25.5in
Electronics Specs
Electronics Specs
Bridge Pickup Patent Number Sticker humbucking pickup, double black coils (7.90k)
Controls 2 volume, 2 tone Centralab potentiometers with ceramic disc capacitors
Neck Pickup Patent Applied For humbucking pickup, double black coils (7.68k)
Output Jack Switchcraft 1/4" mono output jack
Pickup Selector Switchcraft 3-way selector switch
Hardware Specs
Hardware Specs
Bridge ABR-1 Tune-O-Matic bridge (wired)
Control Knobs Gold Top Hat knobs with gold inserts (tall wall)
finish Gold
Mounting Rings Black butyrate M69 pickup rings
Pickguard Marbled celluloid pickguard
Pickup Covers Gold humbucking pickup covers
Plastic Parts Black
Saddle Material Nylon
Strap Buttons Gold strap buttons
Switch Tip Cream plastic switch tip
Tailpiece 3-Bar trapeze tailpiece
Truss Rod Adjustable
Truss Rod Cover 2-ply black/white stepped bell Custom truss rod cover
Tuner Plating Gold
Tuning Machines Kluson Waffleback tuners with metal keystone buttons
Misc Specs
Misc Specs
Accessories COA, LOA, Limited Lifetime Warranty, GCV leather guitar strap, GCV leather luggage tag, vintage-style Gibson pick container
Model: GCVP0195
Case Lifton 5-latch brown/pink hardshell case, Gibson Deluxe Protector Jumbo Acoustic Case
Headstock Open book
Headstock Inlay Gibson logo, mother-of-pearl with double crown, mother-of-pearl
Strings Gauge 13-56 flatwound
Overall rating: 0.0 / 5 from 0 reviews.
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