Help me pick a travel guitar please

[Beakybird]

Originally Posted by Ukulele_Eddie

Blackbird Savoy is 3/4 size due to its efficient body shape. Very full tone. And as it is made from “eKoa” (a flaxseed linen based composite), it is worry-free.

Also as another recommended, a guitalele might be an option. Romero Creations just came out with some that are based on Pepe Romero’s custom ones. The guitalele is typically tuned A-A instead of E-E and will have a 17 in scale. Here’s a video from the good folks at Hawaii Music Supply (known as The Ukulele Site):

https://vimeo.com/287243884

I love the sound of that Pepe Romero guitalele.

[MChild62]

Originally Posted by Mattyfatz

Hi All,
I travel for a living. In and out of airplanes, in and out of hotels and taxi cabs...
I’m looking for something that’s portable on that level, yet still provides a decent sound and playing experience.

If you travel like me, then you also face the problem of having to check a bag unless you can fit changes of clothes and guitar into a bag small enough to get past the airline carry-on nazis, ie, 9 inches x 14 inches x 22 inches (22 cm x 35 cm x 56 cm). To do that, there's inevitable compromise.

I'm currently on my fourth Snap-Dragon, which have never been a problem getting on planes plus clothes, shoes, and bathroom kit to last 3-5 days. My current, the Traxe Noir, is super lightweight, has a plastic body and maple neck with an acoustic string spacing. The sound quality at low volume is pretty decent. But strumming or plucking hard (unless plugged in) isn't great, especially if you play it side by side with a full bodied guitar. The low-volume approach works for me as it's mainly for hotel use, where loud would be a problem.

I have found nothing that approaches the Snap-Dragons in their fit-to-carry-on ratio, and have literally taken hundreds of flights on every continent except Antarctica and never had an issue. (Cultural note: most airport security personnel ignore or seem unimpressed by a folding guitar in my carry on. The one exception is Russia, where security folks often ask me to show them how it unfolds and where I got it and how much I paid.)

If tonal quality is a higher priority than meeting the carry on restrictions, or if you will usually be checking a bag when flying, then probably the full-bodied collapsible acoustics you mentioned or that others here suggested are the better bet. A compromise to consider might be a more full-bodied folding acoustic that Snap-Dragon has just introduced called the "Picnic" that still leaves lots of room in the rest of your bag.

https://www.snap-dragon-guitars.co.u...uitars-7-c.asp

[Shades of Blue]

I discovered the purpose of a travel guitar during my summer vacation this year. I went with another family to the beach and we all took our guitars and had a great time. I'm going to do this in sort of a story telling manner, but keep in mind that I have always viewed travel/parlor guitars as a waste of money. Just play your regular guitars, or don't take them!

So, I had the Jeep all packed and ready to go to the beach. The only issue was that I didn't have any room for a guitar. My buddy called me and made sure I packed the guitar for the week. I told him, "I'm too packed down I can't." After some heckling, I made it fit.

I took my J-45 and we were PACKED tighter than sardines in the Jeep. It's a Grand Cherokee, and for a full week with the family, it was tight. Of course, we had to take pots and pans and sheets because we rented a house.

When we got to the beach, I unpacked and carried in the J-45. I fully expected to see my buddy walk in with his D-28, but he had a small Martin bag. I figured it was his son's guitar. Nope, it was a brand new LX1 he bought for the trip. I laughed and picked at him, but he shrugged it off and we headed to the beach.

Over the course of the week, we played guitar every night (with our fair share of beer). Sure, the J-45 was more full sounding and louder, but we played mostly after the kids were down and I had to play quieter. He wanted to play on the deck facing the ocean, but I didn't want the J-45 exposed to ocean air for more than a few minutes. When we left for dinner each night, I made sure the house was locked up tighter than Fort Knox and he just laughed and said, "My guitar isn't $2000+" so I don't have to worry as much.

Packing down the car for the trip home was worse because we had so much more stuff to take home. Another friend had more room in their car, so they had to take some of my stuff home for me.

I learned my lesson. I still haven't purchased a travel guitar, but I plan to. I don't know what I want exactly, because while I did like the fact that the LX1 is all laminate and easier to maintain, I just didn't think it sounded great. I'd personally prefer a GS Mini, but I don't even know if I'd be comfortable with that out in ocean air.

Bottom line, I was wrong and I need a travel guitar now. Sound vs convenience? I guess I will take convenience on the road...

PS: I will say that the J-45 transformed during that trip. It must have opened up because the sound improved GREATLY when we got home. So while a travel guitar would have been better, it wasn't a waste for sure!

[mkatz]

Depending on what type of traveling I am doing, I either take a Collings Baby in a Blue Heron Gig Bag, an Emerald X7 or an ukulele.

I know it's expensive but if I am flying to one destination and staying for a while and want a great sounding guitar, it's the Collings Baby. It's quite compact in the gig bag and I have never had a problem getting it onboard a flight.

If I am traveling on business and going from place to place with the guitar in the trunk or a plane, I take the Emerald X7. It's very full sounding for its size, doesn't take up a lot of space and I don't have to worry about the temperature or humidity.

And sometimes I just feel like having an ukulele with me or traveling light and a uke fits the bill.

If I am gone for more than a night, I always take something with me and any of the above will work.

Mitch

[Dreadfulnaught]

Try a Martin oooX1ae. I think these are under appreciated. Sound good, well balanced, won’t break the bank, fit most anywhere. HPL back and sides impervious to changing temp and humidity. Don’t let top dry out and you’re set.

[$ongWriter]

Rainsong shorty (12 fret)....perfect!!

[dwh]

http://www.journeyinstruments.com/pr...-sapele-of310/

[Earl49]

Originally Posted by Shades of Blue

......I learned my lesson. I still haven't purchased a travel guitar, but I plan to. I'd personally prefer a GS Mini, but I don't even know if I'd be comfortable with that out in ocean air.

Bottom line, I was wrong and I need a travel guitar now. Sound vs convenience? I guess I will take convenience on the road...

If you can stretch your budget, the CA Cargo will acoustically outperform the GS Mini, and being carbon fiber is impervious to humidity or temperature issues too. My wife had a Mini (not for travel, just for the petite size) but once she tried a Cargo, the Mini went up for sale within a week.

For reference, the GS Mini has a 23.5" scale length and 1-11/16" nut width, and the Cargo is a tighter 22.75" - roughly equivalent to a capo on the second fret of a full scale guitar. Cargo also has a 1-3/4" nut width.

Another option is to go cheaper with something like a Yamaha FS800 series. It is essentially full size, but at under $300 it is not much to lose if something happens.

[Rev Tim T]

If you're going to look at a Little Martin or a Baby Taylor consider a Luna Safari Supreme (Supreme has a solid spruce top) and will save you $100 to $125.00 depending on the model you were looking at.

[gitarro]

No budget was mentioned in the first post by the OP. Subject to budget, I would suggest Brunner outdoor guitars. They are made by a luthier as opposed to a factory guitar and they come in parlour or OO size. The neck completely detached but yet it can be snapped into place and be ready to play in less than a minute.

[AZLiberty]

Originally Posted by $ongWriter

Rainsong shorty (12 fret)....perfect!!

I decided my shorty was too large for convenient air travel so I bought a CH-PA as well. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

If I were traveling "a lot" by air, and needed to bring a guitar, I would spring for a Journey OF660 with the removable neck.

[Klimski]

Be sure to check out the Furch Little Jane. Interesting concept!

[MChild62]

Originally Posted by Steve Zitelli

The Traveler headless acoustic guitar,full scale neck and nut width and not much bigger in the gigbag then my wife’s concert uke in it’s gigbag.

When I was in the market for the guitar that would leave me room to carry all my clothes to business meetings in the carry-on, I came down to this and the Snap-Dragon. While I went with the latter, I really liked the Traveler. It's well-built, had an ingenious design with the tuners, and the necks I tried felt really excellent, and despite the size/form factor it seemed surprisingly comfortable to play. (I also have a much more expensive LapAxe, which is a similar concept to the Traveler but smaller and requires using a strap, and I don't think they have an acoustic's string-spacing.) Unlike the SnapDragon, the Traveler doesn't require unfolding and tuning each time you unpack it, which is an advantage.

Ultimately my choice was driven by the fact that the Traveler, since it does not fold, has a length that still exceeds the 55cm limit of carry-on bags. Not by a huge amount, but enough that it could be a problem on crowded flights on particularly stingy airlines.

Another great option for the 1-5 day overnighters when you aren't checking your luggage and/or don't want to lug a second bag with your instrument to hotels and meetings.

[catdaddy]

Originally Posted by BT55

+1 for the Voyage-Air. Full size, fits in a backpack, airline friendly, solid top with laminated sides and back and good sound. Airline carry on friendly and fits in overhead storage. I travel nationally and internationally with mine and have never had to gate check it.

That pretty much sums up my experience with my Voyage-Air VAD-04. A no-compromise solution at a reasonable price.

[LP Tyler]

I travel a lot, so I wanted something portable and easy, and not too expensive so if it gets lost or smashed, it wont be the end of the world. I got the Snap Dragon SnapAxe Silent which has been great. It really needs to be plugged in to be very loud, but I mostly play in hotels at night, so quiet is great for me. It folds up small enough to fit in my suitcase, so on most trips I don't worry about it at all.

I don't see having to tune when you un-pack it as a disadvantage. I check the tune on my guitar every time I take it out of the case, and expect it to change when I travel from place to place.

If space wasn't a huge problem, I would look into one of the smaller carbon fiber guitars, but that isn't what I need in a travel guitar.

https://www.snap-dragon-guitars.co.u...paxe-a-8-p.asp