TALON IV

 

 

The Talon IV has a basswood body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard, two DiMarzio humbuckers (DP152 Super 3 in bridge and H 3 in neck position), one Fender single coil pickup (mid position), Floyd Rose Pro tremolo system and 24 frets. Ultra slim "U" shape neck radius is 17" (431.8 mm), scale length is actually 25.5" (648 mm) despite all documentation stating 25.1". The differences with the Talon III are that it has sharkfin fretboard inlays and 24 frets. The differences with the Talon II are that it has sharkfin inlays and a Floyd Rose Pro tremolo. The sharkfin inlays are not pearloid as with other models. They are made of a flat metallic silver material. Also, there is a red accent to the upper left of the sharkfin on the 12th fret. This accent is red metallic material, similar to the sharkfin material.
Talons with a Kahler-labelled tremolo had no screws all through the neck at the nut, and no string retention bar. Other tremolos did.

It used to sell for $1169.99.

Heartfield colour codes available for this guitar: Black (506 - available from late 1991), Montego Black (564), Midnight Blue (573), Chrome Red (574), Frost Red (577) and Mystic White (589).

First documented month of manufacture: December 1990 (serial number L90601, not pictured on this site). Last documented month of manufacture: December 1991 (serial number L10177, not pictured on this site). The guitar appeared in Fender Frontline first in winter (i.e. early) 1991 and last in autumn 1993.

Click on a serial number to view an instrument's known history.

 

 

Type: 1989 Talon IV prototype
Serial #: Not applicable
Remarks: The colour is Frost Red. Note different controls, different positions of the first few fret markers and "Heartfield" on the truss rod cover instead of on the headstock.
Above photo credits: Scanned callously and illegally from the excellent "Electric Guitars - The Illustrated Encyclopedia" by Tony Bacon, a book no electric guitar interestee should be without.

Type: 1990 Talon IV
Serial #: L90672
Remarks: The colour is Mystic White.
Above photo credits: An Ebay auction.

Type: 1991 Talon IV
Serial #: E91264
Remarks: The colour is Frost Red.
Above photo credits: The owner, Paul S. Abrams.

Type: 1991 Talon IV
Serial #: F91734
Remarks: The colour is Montego Black. This guitar was previously owned by Mike Keneally and appears in the concert video "Zappa's Universe". Modifications: All pickups replaced with EMGs; volume & tone knobs now black steel; output jack cavity modified to hold 9v battery (for active EMGs).
Above photo credits: The owner, Kevin Druck.

Type: 1991 Talon IV
Serial #: F91855
Remarks: The colour is a rather unique two-tone purple, which looks factory. This guitar was found in Japan.
Above photo credits: The owner, Paul S. Abrams.

Type: 1991 Talon IV
Serial #: G10114
Remarks: The colour was Montego Black, however it was then refinished transparent-red, with a new pickguard and Schaller Floyd Rose 15370 bridge added.
Above photo credits: The owner, J. Gabriel Navalón.

Type: 1991 Talon IV
Serial #: H10969
Remarks: The colour is Frost Red.
Above photo credits: The owner, John Simmons.

Type: 1991 Talon IV
Serial #: I10338
Remarks: The colour is Montego Black.
Above photo credits: The then owner, Paul S. Abrams.

Type: 1991 Talon JIIID
Serial #: J10165
Remarks: In Japan, an instrument very much like a Talon IV was sold as the Talon JIIID. The difference was that it had a Floyd Rose Original tremolo (instead of the usual Talon IV's Pro). This is one of them.
Above photo credits: The current owner, Austin Hutchinson.

Type: 1991 Talon IV
Serial #: K10053
Remarks: Refinished Ocean Deep Decay by GuitarPaintGuys, new pickguard by Pickguard Planet, DiMarzio Super Distortion in bridge, True Velvet in middle and X2N in neck, FU-Tone big brass block, silent springs, and brass tremolo claw, Mad Hatter Guitar Products SVST electronics system.
Above photo credits: The current owner, Zane Peters.

Type: 1991 Talon IV
Serial #: K10057
Remarks: The colour is Black, not Montego Black (no sparkles).
Above photo credits: The owner, Joey Carvalho.

Type: Talon IV (maybe prototype)
Serial #: Unknown
Remarks: Where to begin? It's in the Talon IV gallery because it has "TA IV" in the neck pocket (see here). But the neck is really out there: The inlays are unusual and even the angle/shape of the headstock seems different from usual. And, obviously, it has a reverse headstock which the IV normally didn't. The electronics are all stock Talon, but it has Dimarzio X2N's at bridge and neck. The middle pickup is simply labeled "2BP", manufacturer unknown. Tuners are Grover & appear original. It originally had a Floyd Rose Pro on it and was routed for such, but that trem was damaged, so the owner put a Floyd-licensed Kahler (USA) on it so it could be played. Not possible to tell if this is a prototype or, instead, a regular Talon IV body that had its pickups, control knobs and neck swapped out. But definitely an unusual axe!
Above photo credits: The owner, Mike Clouser.

 

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