Small inexpensive guitar to leave on boat

[ataylor]

Jim Dandy.

[Limpias]

Baby Taylor. Sounds better than the Little Martin and is cheaper to get used...

[GuildF20Guy]

Ukulele. That’s why they exist!!

[ifret]

I'll second (or 3rd or 4th) the Little Martin. The Little Martin LXK2 is HPL and holds up to everything, plus it looks nice. I'm a Taylor fan and once owned a Baby Taylor, but think the Martin has a better sound. Plus, the Baby is wood, which is something I'd avoid leaving a boat. Just my $.02.

[Robin, Wales]

Originally Posted by Hollybrook

Thanks for the great suggestions!

I definitely want an acoustic guitar and one that is not valuable or important to me. I want to be able to take it to a campfire or picnic without needing electricity.

It needs to be compact and if it breaks down, quick to assemble. I forsee having it ready to play most of the time. 1-11/16" nut is fine with me and I prefer a short scale length.

I'm surprised nobody had suggested a Yamaha FS800, but that is actually a bit larger than I want.

I've travelled with "baby" size guitars (canoe trips, Alpes and Himalayas climbing trips). They were OK but the short scale can be a PITAS and really limited what I could do with the guitar. Quite unsatisfying really. I now travel with small bodied but full scale length guitars - much more satisfying. If you can get away without having to compromise by getting a short scale then go for the FS800. When you are sitting around that campfire with a beer you'll be glad that you have a full size guitar.

[Jim in TC]

Agree with those that suggest CF is best for this, but pricey even used. Recording King has some nice little guitars that may come in at your price point and are good value (though any of those suggested, including this, you should try out if possible, since consistency is not high).

[ssynhorst]

I would just get a cheap but nice looking laminated guitar from the used market, Craig's List or a pawn shop. Then get a packet of bone saddles off eBay, and learn how to measure and sand them to fit. And learn to adjust a truss rod. I have been through several of these and once your get them set up to play nicely the generally sound just fine in a small space, like a boat.

Then get a spare, or if the first one goes bad just get another. It becomes fun to make a $40 guitar play well and sound good. - Stevo

[tinnitus]

https://www.guitarcenter.com/Fender/...itar-L44601.gc

Fender FA-135CE
My 5'0" daughter is learning on this concert size guitar. Sounds great, onboard pickup/preamp, tuner. Straight neck and fretboard way up past the octave, very playable.

[Aspiring]

The Klos travel guitar does a lot of what you are looking for except for the price and the original non full carbon is a little cheaper and probably fine for your use case. Some of the others like the gs mini have a fuller sound but are also larger and not carbon.

These are cool options as well:

https://snap-dragon-guitars.com/coll...gon-mini-traxe

[Hollybrook]

To follow up on this, I was gifted a Jim Dandy for my birthday.

I immediately removed the pickgaurd and the setup was pretty good out of the box, but the guitar sounded quite jangly to me. After a month I switched to a bone saddle, tusq nut and Martin silk and steel strings. Now I am much happier with the sound for a fully laminate guitar and it has been moved onto the boat for the summer.

[Oldguy64]

Originally Posted by Hollybrook

Thanks for the great suggestions!

I definitely want an acoustic guitar and one that is not valuable or important to me. I want to be able to take it to a campfire or picnic without needing electricity.

It needs to be compact and if it breaks down, quick to assemble. I forsee having it ready to play most of the time. 1-11/16" nut is fine with me and I prefer a short scale length.

I'm surprised nobody had suggested a Yamaha FS800, but that is actually a bit larger than I want.

A new Journey Instruments Puddle Jumper (PJ) is right at $400. And it packs even smaller than an Overhead.

[AndUandI]

Jim Dandy.. I havent done anything to mine and I think its a great cheap guitar

[AndUandI]

[QUOTE=Hollybrook;6759798]To follow up on this, I was gifted a Jim Dandy for my birthday.

I immediately removed the pickgaurd and the setup was pretty good out of the box, but the guitar sounded quite jangly to me. After a month I switched to a bone saddle, tusq nut and Martin silk and steel strings. Now I am much happier with the sound for a fully laminate guitar and it has been moved onto the boat for the summer.[/QUOTE

how did the bone saddle help?

[EZYPIKINS]

My local guitar shop has one he took on trade.

Don't recall the name of it. I'll fid out next time I'm there.

Not only is it completely made of carbon fiber.

It's also shaped like an oar.

So double duty.

[Tahitijack]

Used Ovation, probably Celebrity. Good luck