Looking for a 6 string instrument that it is 22" in total length
 

I travel on regional airplanes and am looking for a 6 string instrument that it is 22" in total length or shorter-could be a guitar or guitarlele.

Thank you for any assistance you can share. I have been searching and searching and haven't found anything small enough yet.

A Guitarlele may still be too big, as would a Terz Guitar. To meet your size requirements you might have to look at a Ukulele or a Mandolin.

Cordoba mini. $200 including gig bag. Sounds ok and same size as a baritone uke. Has classical sized neck w nearly 2 in width. String set available for std guitar tuning. Mine has been carried on several times on Southwest air with no problems.

My home instrument is a Blueridge parlor with 1-7/8 neck and switching between the two is effortless.

I generally buy a set of baritone uke strings and add 042 and 048 wound classical strings for the E and A. A thin felt pick from Micks picks sounds really good on it and they are only 3 mm thick.

Something like this maybe:
https://travelerguitar.com/all-models/
https://travelerguitar.com/speedster-red/

I just shipped off a Speedster yesterday that has been living in my closet for years. But even this is 27-30" long in its gig bag, depending on the model.

A Martin Backpacker, while not much of a guitar, can be an acceptable practice tool on the road. Their web site doesn't list the overall length, but looking at the pictures, I would guess about 32".

After that you are into a ukulele of some flavor, be it baritone, tenor, or Guitalele.

22" in total length (endpin to tip of headstock) is smaller than a 1/8 size classical guitar. It'd be almost doll-sized. Even a uke would be much too big.

Have you looked at the Journey Overhead folding guitars?

Voyage-Ain travel guitars might work for you.

http://www.voyageairguitar.com/

yep, the mini is 30" long.

but so far no ticket agent has said NO.

Have not taken it on a small regional air flight yet.....

A lot of people travel with the Journey OF-660 in carbon fiber, or the various folding models in wood. They are specifically designed to fit in overheads when the neck is detached and stowed in its backpack bag.
https://www.laguitarsales.com/index....y-guitars.html

I take a beater guitar. I wear a lightweight case on my back looking as small and ninja like as possible. I don't ask. I get on the plane as early as possible. I place it in the overhead.

Although, this day and age...who knows?

Voyage air is my choice;
Others like the Journey for the same reason - it folds in half and fits nicely in the overhead

And best of all

You don’t sacrifice tone or playability.

Voyage Air has been my choice too, but it doesn't fit in the overhead compartment of some of smaller planes now used for shorter flights. In fact, most carry-on bags don't fit (and can't be carried on even if they arguably might fit) on the planes that American is flying between DC and New Orleans. What would fit is a Klos, which has a smaller body than a Voyage Air OM and a fully removable neck. Unassembled, it could be placed in a bag or backpack that would fit under the seat or in the overhead compartment. The Cordoba Mini, previously mentioned, is longer than the OP's requested 20 inches, but also should fit under the seat or in an overhead compartment. I have all three (though I've given the Klos to my daughter) and on my next trip to New Orleans, next week, I'll try to carry on the Cordoba.

Ok, it's a 12-string and neither is it a guitar, but it's tuned an octave higher than standard guitar tuning so chords will be fretted the same. A friend had one and it was a lot of fun to play. It's also very small at 23":

https://www.hobgoblin.com/local/sale...lho-bandurria/

Not acoustic, and meant to be a practice tool, but it looks to be very compact, under 22" long.


https://jamstik.com/

Also Lap Ax
https://www.lapaxe.com/specifications

https://www.elderly.com/cordoba-mini...and-gigbag.htm

or

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/EWP14OPN

Did you get the optional hard shell case?

I found that using the hard shell *without* the zipper pocket add on allows the case to go in more often then not.

But you are correct that it can be impossible sometimes . Or it has to go in sideways and inefficiently use the space and annoy others .


The island puddle jumpers for example have zero space for it.


The hard shell case gives me a little more secure feeling in the event it has to be gate checked or tossed in the wing compartment of a puddle jumper.

And worst case is $500 to replace it.