what do you call a small guitar?

[patticake]

i notice a lot of smaller guitars that aren't really travel guitars get referred to as travel guitars including parlors. do you consider all smaller guitars from parlors on down as travel guitars - and do you refer to smaller guitars as small guitars or travel guitars?

[Sordid Tales]

I call them small guitars.

[Dotneck]

Originally Posted by patticake

do you consider all smaller guitars from parlors on down as travel guitars?

no...............

Originally Posted by patticake

do you refer to smaller guitars as small guitars or travel guitars?

no.................

[AZLiberty]

For me:

A Dreadnought or Jumbo is a "large guitar"
000 or OM is a "medium size guitar"
00, GA, 0, Parlor, or smaller is a "small guitar"

To be a "Travel Guitar" it would have to be smaller than an 0/Parlor, something like the Little Martin or Baby Taylor would count, neither of which can hold a candle to a Parlor sized instrument sound wise.

(IMHO of course)

A bigger guitar like the Voyage-Air is obviously a "travel guitar" by function.

[Fliss]

I'd call an OM or anything smaller than that a small guitar, including parlours and travel guitars.

To me, a travel guitar is something specific within that, a guitar that's been designed for travelling, e.g. to fit in as carry-on luggage on aeroplanes, or in some cases with a folding neck for ease of carriage.

Fliss

[bfloyd6969]

I call a parlor guitar a small guitar but I don't call it a travel guitar. Sure the parlor will more likely travel great, but I believe the mfg. term "travel guitar" is a specific model made just for travel purposes.

[theEdwinson]

After all the horror stories I've heard of the bloodsport that baggage handlers routinely have with guitar cases, I'd say that a travel guitar is one you're not going to cry and gnash your teeth over when it gets smashed on the way to your sister's wedding. Or, if you're a touring pro, you have the wherewithall to travel with your guitars and have them handled like nuclear warheads. And heads will roll if they're damaged.

I have really been noticing this great surge of interest lately in smaller, shorter scale guitars amongst discerning guitar players. I'm building them now, so I've paid a lot of attention to what people are asking and saying about them. Larry Pattis has given me a lot of very well considered and experienced input, to the point where I'm going back into my designs and addressing his erudite observations about the best form and function for "small guitars".

Larry and I are both of the opinion that there need to be more top-level choices available in smaller instruments. We're talking professional quality concert guitars. I think that this category of guitar should be given a chance to earn just as much respect (both by luthiers and musicians) as any other size of guitar. Just as with violin family instruments.

I totally love the idea of the Terz, the 3/4 size, and any of a number of designs that are built on a smaller platform, and have a use, sound, and brilliance unique to their larger-than-life stature. I mean, imagine having a wide choice of small guitars that are in every way, as fully realized as your high-end OOO or Dreadnaught or Jumbo.
One thing I've noticed with my own small guitars, they have the most winning personalities. Everyone who plays them, loves them. There's a whole new universe to explore in the small guitar. Jus' say'n. -edwinson

[Fliss]

Originally Posted by Cminor7sus4

... One thing I've noticed with my own small guitars, they have the most winning personalities. Everyone who plays them, loves them. There's a whole new universe to explore in the small guitar. Jus' say'n. -edwinson

I've noticed that about the small guitars I own; they make people smile

Fliss

[michael s]

I call a travel guitar anything but late for dinner. For example, "Get in the car sweetie. We have to go now." Or, "Why" is a great name to call a travel guitar, as in "Why do I always have to wait for you?"
Oh sorry Patticake, I got confused between a travel guitar and my wife.
Seriously, I only play small bodied guitars and play no dreadnaughts. Thus, I call my Martin 00015 and 00018 "small" bodied guitars. Whereas I call my CA Cargo, a travel guitar. It's much smaller than the 000. michael s.

[stratokatsu]

Considering the size of me, anything less than a jumbo is a small guitar.

[llew]

In my little collection the dreads are big, the grand auditoriums are more medium size, and the OM is the small fry in the bunch? I guess I think of a "travel" guitar as a 3/4 size like a CA Cargo?

[Brent Hutto]

I recognize three categories of guitars:

Too Big (i.e. dreadnoughts)
Too Small (i.e. parlors and "travel" guitars)
Just Right (i.e. something approximately the size of a traditional classical guitar)

As much as I'd love to love parlor or Martinesque "0 size" guitars I've yet to find any way to comfortably hold and play them. When my forearm completely "floats" without occasionally rubbing against the lower bout it just throws my timing and touch out of whack. But letting my arm touch the bout on most parlors puts my right hand out of position.

[ewalling]

I thought the name/category of those much smaller guitars was defined by their size. I've noticed some guitars being sold as "3/4 size" guitars, or "1/2 size" guitars.

[gary0319]

For me...

Lower bout 16" or more, large guitar
Lower bout 14" or less, small guitar.

Everything else, just right.

Gary

[patticake]

it appears there's a variety of opinions on both terms. hmmm...