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#1
08-01-2020, 07:34 AM
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who is the king of mini/travel guitars?
Looking to get something for camping trips and am wondering what is generally considered the best of the mini/travel guitars? Mini Martin LX, Marting Dread Jr, Sheeran by Lowden, baby taylor, mini maton etc etc...
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>>---> '97 Martin 000-28EC <---<< >>---> '13 Martin D18 Authentic 1939 <---<< 
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#2
08-01-2020, 07:49 AM
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I played or owner a number of them, gs mini, martin dred jr, gretsch jim dandy, cordoba mini, so on and so on.
For outdoor stuff like camping.....mmm...do not laugh, the jim dandy fits that bill very nicely....at 169.00 with a set of martin retros, you be surprise how nice it is. For a “high quality” not sure I would take it camping though, small body travel guitar here are my personal favorites Martin Dred Jr or OOOJr. ,,,,,,,very nice travel guitars that sound great.., kind of plain jane looks though, 1.75 nut....all solid woods $499-599 Gs Mini....great guitars for sure, no question, but I never loved the narrow nut 1 11/16 $500-700 and found them a bit cramped to play there are so many options, eastman ecg1, guild mini jumbo, alvarez little jumbo, the list is endless today
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Maritin OOO-15sm 12 fret Martin Shawn Mendes ooojr Martin IZ tribute Tenor Ukulele Martin Custom Shop OO big leaf maple/alpine spruce Last edited by Guitartanzon; 08-01-2020 at 03:37 PM.
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#3
08-01-2020, 08:00 AM
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Taylor GS Mini hands-down, especially the hog and koa versions...
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"Mistaking silence for weakness and contempt for fear is the final, fatal error of a fool" - Sicilian proverb (paraphrased)
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#4
08-01-2020, 10:10 AM
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My CA Cargo (carbon fiber) is my favorite travel guitar. More expensive, but given the way I travel/places I go, it's the best for me.
J
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~~~~~Bird is the Word~~~~~ Martin D-41, Larrivee L-19; Gibson L-130; Taylor 614-ce-L30; R Taylor 2 H&D Custom OM; Bauman 000 Cervantes Crossover I; Kenny Hill 628S; Rainsong Shorty SGA; CA GX Player, Cargo; Alvarez AP70; Stella, 12-string; 2 Ukes; Gibson Mandola; Charango, couple electrics
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#5
08-01-2020, 10:22 AM
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Best in what sense? The Little Martin is my camping guitar, thanks to the laminate construction and ease of finding one for $250 on CL. Pretty sure any guitar with a solid neck or top would warp with the heat and moisture and temperature changes of camping in the South Eastern US, so this one is perfect for me. It sounds like a cheap small body laminate though, so if best sounding is what you meant, look elsewhere.
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#7
08-01-2020, 10:52 AM
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I use a Little Martin LXK2 for kayak camping. It's just small enough to fit into a drybag, and I can strap it on top of a yak without having to worry about damaging it. I picked mine up used on consignment for $200, and the HPL doesn't have a single scratch or ding.
The 23" scale is a bit cramped at first, but easy enough to adjust to. I wouldn't want to capo too high on it. The laminated birch neck is a bit heavy if compared to mahogany, but not a problem. Tone is surprisingly good for what it is. On the plus side, I have no problem allowing others to play it around a campfire. Here's a guitar that cost less than half of one of my Werner carbon-fibre paddles. That's pretty sweet.
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1 dreadnought, 1 auditorium, 1 concert, and 2 travel guitars.
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#8
08-01-2020, 11:29 AM
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I used to use my GS Mini for road trips, and it worked OK. But I wanted something smaller so I bought a Furch Little Jane. Much smaller and easier to carry. Plus it has a wider nut (1-3/4") and longer scale (24.2"), than the mini (1-11/16", 23.5") which I find easier to play. But as someone else mentioned, it depends a lot on what you're planning to do with it.
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#9
08-01-2020, 03:10 PM
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I have two I take: a mahogany GS-Mini and a Voyage Air VA-OM4. Both are really good for travel and sound great. I'd recommend either one.
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#11
08-03-2020, 09:02 PM
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Taylor GS Mini
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Be nice.
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#12
08-03-2020, 09:15 PM
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I've had a few.
I had a Go Guitar. Sounded small. It was small. Sold it. I had one of those Martin paddle guitars before the Go. Sounded pretty bad. Sold it. Voyage Air full size dreads: VAD-04 and 06. Both great, but both too big for almost every flight I took. I live in Columbus, Ohio and the cases for the Voyage Air guitars were too big for carry on regulations on every single flight. I was able to be accommodated by nice flight attendants, but it was stressful every single leg of every flight. I sold the 04 to a friend and I still have the 06 and play it around campfires or outside at singalongs when we're drunk. I had a Taylor GS mini. It just did nothing for me. It was just a meh guitar. I had an Emerald X5 Life. Great size for even smaller regional jets, weak sound. Never satisfied with it. Now this is not the current X5 or X7 (if they even make these anymore), so I am not commenting on them. This was a center round hole model. Nicely made, but not satisfying for me to play or listen to. Ok plugged in though. Bought a Journey OF660. It's regulation carry on size. It sounds great with excellent low end. It's satisfying to play and listen to. It sounds good plugged in and I stick a Fishman Stage preamp in the case since it only has a passive sound board transducer in it. I just love this travel guitar. It's been to Jamaica several times, on a 17 day Mediterranian cruise where I played it in a talent show to a large crowd and I forget where else I've taken it. I've never been disappointed with it. Now a wood model might make me as happy for less money, but I don't think they existed when I bought this one and I haven't seen or heard one in person. As with all things, your mileage may vary.
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#13
08-03-2020, 10:33 PM
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It all depends on what makes for "best". I got Baby Taylor when they first came out. Later played a Martin with the all HPL body, and thought it sounded better. The one I like best these days is a Harley Benton that looks almost identical to the Baby Taylor, but with a glued in neck. And the cost is a fraction of either the Taylor or Martin. I'm sure if you want "best", the sky is the limit on cost.
But for "travel/camping", I'm increasingly going guitalele. My fave steel string is a weird almost generic 19" scale Carlo Robelli branded one that's strung with heavy strings for decent standard E tuning. And now, a Harley Benton that appears to be a copy of the Yamaha guitalele, basically a 1/8 classical guitar, also strung heavy in E tuning. For travel/camping, I'm finding the ultra tiny guitalele offers greater advantages. Neither of these were expensive. Well under $100. Even a genuine Yamaha guitlele will only set you back $100. If you need even more compactness, you'll need to retool your skills to accommodate a real soprano ukulele.
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#14
08-03-2020, 10:51 PM
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I use a RainSong parlor when I travel and love it.
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#15
08-03-2020, 10:55 PM
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I think we're looking at popularity alone, at least from what I've seen, the Taylor GS mini is king in that respect. The GS mini has great sound, great build but I think it's name is what adds to the price. I've seen someone else say that the GS mini is about $200 too expensive for what it is, and I'd have to agree with that. It has some great times and it is an amazing guitar, but like I said before I think you're paying for the popularity and the name on the headstock more than anything. But when it comes to best bang for your buck, I think the Martin dreadnought junior is a darn good deal. It's a solid wood guitar, that has the option of electronics for only $599, I think I'm biased because I am buying one later this week. But if the guitar is used strictly for travel purposes and not like a stage guitar, I think the little Martin is a really good choice.
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