Travelerguitar.com

[airborne1]

Anyone with any experience with the above guitars? Novel idea!

[raysachs]

I tried a couple of their electrics a year and a half or so ago. Didn't really like em. They played well enough and one of them sounded OK (the other sounded pretty horrible but that may have been the pickup configuration). But they were just impossible to play comfortably. Just holding them in such a way that you could decently play it was just too difficult to be fun. I returned them both and just used a cheap tele I had that I could remove the neck from and stick the whole thing is a suitcase. Actually fit more easily than either Traveler because the neck wasn't as long as the entire Traveler guitar...

-Ray

[fazool]

here was my experience

[MikeB1]

I was traveling quite a bit for some time so I went through 4 different models.

I was always able to get them set up to be very comfortable to play. The neck on the Speedster and Escape Classical were really easy to play. I wanted to keep the classical but I couldn't manage the dreaded piezo quack.

Changing strings was not as much fun.

The one I kept the longest was the acoustic AG105E. Changing strings on that one was easier than any guitar I've ever had.

[Sax Player Guy]

I bought a used Traveler Escape Mark III acoustic model. I did not experience the balance issue that Fazool suffered, and that is because Fazool was kind enough to warn me of his experience with a different model of Traveler that I had been considering (the one with the curved metal rod thingy that makes a place for it to rest on your lap).

The Escape is well balanced in terms of weight (headstock & neck vs. body). I like how you get a full-sized fretboard in an instrument that fits in a suitcase. I like how all you need is a pair of headphones. Simply plug in and you are good to go. There's even a built-in tuner that's fairly accurate, and an aux in for jamming along to tunes or lessons or whatever.

I agree with raysachs on both of his assertions. 1. The sound is adequate. Nothing to write home about, but fine for practicing. Besides the volume knob, there's adjustment for tone, too. 2. It's not a cuddly instrument built for long sessions on the couch or in bed. The edge kind of cuts into my right arm. For what it is, though, it's pretty great. An excellent choice if you travel, IMO.

[perttime]

What about http://www.skateguitar.com/ ?

Basically, they make compact guitars out of skateboards.

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by Sax Player Guy

I agree with raysachs on both of his assertions. 1. The sound is adequate. Nothing to write home about, but fine for practicing. Besides the volume knob, there's adjustment for tone, too. 2. It's not a cuddly instrument built for long sessions on the couch or in bed. The edge kind of cuts into my right arm. For what it is, though, it's pretty great. An excellent choice if you travel, IMO.

I think the sound really depends on the model. I tried one that’s basically the same as the one shown in Fazool’s thread, but with a humbucker instead of a piezo in that bridge position. There was just a volume knob, no tone control. And it sounded awful no matter what I did with my pedals and amp. I gave that one about a day before I trudged back down to Guitar Center.

When I returned that I tried their version of a Stratocaster. That had the strat’s full three pickup, 5-way switch, one volume and two tone knob setup. And, not shockingly, it did a reasonable job of sounding like a strat - not the best strat you ever heard, but more or less how it was supposed to sound.

But again, the problem was finding a comfortable way to play for more than five minutes, and I couldn’t. I fashioned a couple of different little attachments that sort of almost gene me a place to rest / anchor my right arm while playing, but they might make it tolerable for ten minutes instead of five. It was a few days into that process that I was playing my cheap, P90 telecaster thinline and I realized I could just unbolt the neck and stick THAT in a suitcase even more easily than the traveler, so I gave up and returned the second traveler.

Glad I tried em, but ultimately they weren’t for me. Ultimately, if I wanted an acoustic to travel with, I’d just for for a Backpacker and one if the little plastic extensions that allows you to rest it a bit more comfortably an yourleg and gives your arm a place to go. They’re not great either, but for me, much preferable to the traveler...

-Ray

[perttime]

Finnish Luthier Anders Liljeström made an electric with detachable wings some months ago.



https://www.facebook.com/pg/Liljestr...=page_internal

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Some like to travel with a telecaster with its neck removed.

[Marley]

I always need a travel guitar that can fit in my normal size backpack and especially fit in an overhead compartment.

For years I used a Cordoba guilele. Basically a Uke with 6 strings tuned up to the 5th. I've always liked it but all it truly provides for me is something to hold in my hands and mess around with while I'm away from home. A guitar to me is like a security blanket. As long as I have one around I'm fine even If I don't play it. Just to know it's there is good enough.

I figured I needed more so I bought a Traveler EG-1. And for what it is, I love it. I have a full scale neck. It's only 28.5" long which is only 1/2" longer than the guilele (half the guilele's length it god forsaken headstock) I can plug it and play through an amp. But the best is, I can actually practice songs on it. I bought it used on Reverb for $150. Best 150 I've spent in a long time. Goes right into my backpack and a little of the neck sticks out.

[Sonics]

I own one of the more upmarket Steinbergers with a composite maple/carbon fiber neck, active EMG pickups and a piezo bridge. However you can get one of these entry level instruments, used on EBay, for peanuts...

[Mark L]

Mine works just fine for what it is. I just use it as a neck to practice on when I’m traveling light. I couldn’t care less how it sounds. I have no problem balancing it on my lap when seated. It hangs on a strap just fine for me. I often play it lying down on the road after a long day.

I got mine cheap in a pawn shop years ago, I would not pay new price. I take it on trips regularly.

If I really want to hear an acoustic when traveling, I take my CA Cargo CF guitar.
Emerald X7 would also do the trick, or their short scale 12 string Amicus.

I’m not as finicky as some, apparently. I’m glad to have anything with me. Uke, mando.....

[s2y]

I have an old USA Steinberger. I seldom travel these days. Since Steinberger is no longer made, I'd probably try to get a Strandberg that I could also use in the conventional setting.

[Sonics]

Originally Posted by s2y

I have an old USA Steinberger. I seldom travel these days. Since Steinberger is no longer made, I'd probably try to get a Strandberg that I could also use in the conventional setting.

The good news is the new owners over at Gibson have decided to reissue the entry level Steinberger Spirit series. This is probably due to the rekindled interest in headless designs (...thank you Alan Holdsworth!).

A certain 'someone' who sold his company to Gibson in 1990 is happy about this new development.




Perhaps if these instruments do the numbers, then Gibson may consider reissuing other Steinberger models?

[Dadzmad]

I use an Earlwine Chichquita through a Joyo American Sound for this. This guitar hangs well with a strap and comfortably tucks against your thigh when in a plush chair. A quality piece and sounds good too.

[Marley]

The biggest thing for me is overall length. What are the lengths of some of these? I don't want to go half an inch over 28.5" I really didn't want to go over 28" but I gave into the extra 1/2"