Strength of Emerald Guitars (travel)
 

Been researching a bit on the CF guitars for travel. The Emeralds do seem like the nicest of the bunch (also more expensive), but I was curious about travel.

I had a Furch Little Jane and it was very neck heavy with the latching mechanism, might be similar with the Journeys.

I currently use a GS Mini as a travel guitar, so the Emerald X7 is roughly the same size. However, I'm curious how strong the guitar is, and how much of a beating it can take.

If you HAD to check it, would you be safe it'll get to your destination in one piece, in a padded gig bag? HSC is out of the question for me, I need to be able to put it on backpack style.

I'd have no problem gate checking my X7.

The OF660 is the best option for airline travel I can think of for the price, and far exceeds all others for the worry-free factor. I only chime in becaise you mention that a HSC is out of the question for you, but I personally would never travel with an acoustic guitar, carbon fiber or otherwise, in the $1500--2000 range sans a HSC. I need a guitar that can withstand cargo pressure, extreme shifts in temperature and humidity, and does not draw attention to itself. The OF660 does all those things and for $600 less.

Emeralds are tough but also gorgeous works of art and I would be worried about gate checking one in a gigbag, especially a one of a kind woody custom.
Own both sure- but travel by plane with the OF660 IMO.

I think the X7 is reasonably tough, but I’d still be pretty nervous about gate checking my new model woody X7 just because I wouldn’t want to subject that nice a guitar to the punishment it COULD take in that situation. It’s my only acoustic guitar and I take it on car trips all the time, but I probably wouldn’t choose to fly with it. That said, the previous model X7 is even smaller and presumably a bit tougher and you should be able to find a used one for under $1000. I saw one on eBay recently for $800, I sold one earlier this year for a little under $1000. So I might look for something like that as a travel guitar more than a new one. Then again, if it was me, I’d probably get a $300 Yamaha or Alvarez so I wouldn’t worry about something happening to it or freak out if something did...

-Ray

If your GS Mini is serving your needs (as far as travel) the X7 should have no issues. Or any other CF guitar as far as that goes.

I put over a million air miles on my GS Mini before going to CF. I did own an X20 that is now with a forum member here, had to let it go do to pain in the fretting hand with the standard neck carve. Otherwise, Emerald makes awesome travel instruments.
Full disclosure, I fly the plane so only very rarely do my guitars get checked, but it is a constant threat/worry. That said, your X7 would be fine for any normal airline handling. There is nothing you can do to protect against someone throwing it on the ground and running it over with a tug or belt loader, but no instrument will survive that and the odds of that are so slim.
I found the Mini fretboard a bit small, so my CF instruments have become my travel instruments, and the Emerald, Rainsong and Blackbird have all travelled very well. The mini is a fantastic travel guitar too though, but you really can’t go wrong with any CF I know of unless the price of it is going to cause you extra worry when you check it in.
Go for it!

I fly frequently with my X7 and have never had a problem getting it on the plane. Often the flight attendants will store it in the coat closet and the rest of the time it goes in the overhead.

As much as I like the sound of the X7, the main reason I own one is for travel and in the unlikely event that something was to happen to it, they are easily replaceable.

Mitch

I have an older x5 that I've traveled with quite a bit. Most people thought it was a tennis racket in its case. I would frequently sit down forgetting that it was strapped to my back it was so light. The guitar held up perfectly, fit easily in overhead spaces and it was nice to have a guitar wherever I went.

JR

Due to heel and older neck/cutaway design?

No, not specifically, just smaller boy in the same gig-bag, probably a bit better padded and protected. Having had an older X7 before my current one, I don't actually remember if the gig-bag was better padded, but it strikes me that it must have been - it was a notably smaller bodied guitar in the same bag. Smaller and more compact just seem inherently a bit stronger to me, which doesn't make it so, just an impression.

I am a non-current pilot; if you aren't in the cockpit, you are cargo. My wife and I avoid traveling by airline. That said, a GSmini was my travel guitar for several years (bought one when they first came out and you had a choice of: spruce top), traveling by boat and RV. A previous generation X7 bumped that Mini out of contention. The X7 sounds more full, is more durable, and is way more comfortable than the Mini. I have an X20 and an X10, but my X7 still gets plenty of play time. The newest version of the X7 is larger in each dimension in the body, same scale (24") and nut width (1.75") on the neck... I would assume the new one is even better sounding, but I haven't had the opportunity to try them side-by-side. The previous gen X7 is just a delight and still the most comfortable acoustic guitar I've played.