NTGD - Enya Nova Pro Arrived Today

[casualmusic]

Originally Posted by Captain Jim

I guess I'm missing the point: is there a lot of call for leaving a guitar in a car? Under what circumstances is that a necessity? Traveling salesman? Even though carbon fiber can handle temperature and humidity extremes better than wood... why?

I like small guitars. And carbon fiber guitars. And wood guitars. But, I don't put any of them through "torture testing." I have had guitars that have traveled thousands of miles with me... just never had to leave them endlessly in a hot or cold car.

Anyone care to enlighten me? While I can certainly be a smartass, that isn't my intent here... just trying to learn. Wanting a small, inexpensive CF guitar - I get that. TIA.

The *only reason* I have carbon fibre guitars is so I can leave them in a summer hot car or rv while travelling and not have them come unglued during activities:
- attending concerts, presentations, museums
- attending music festivals, rodeos, powwows, Highland games, midways, boat races
- away on hikes, bike rides, horse rides, canoe rides, fishing charters, paddle wheel trips, whale watching, flying
- visiting friends and family, picnics, restaurants, bbq competitions
- running errands en route to folk circles, music sessions, bluegrassing, lessons

?? Isn’t this why you switched to carbon fibre guitars in your rv.

Otherwise wood guitars offer much wider and better selection. .

[RJVB]

Originally Posted by casualmusic

The *only reason* I have carbon fibre guitars is so I can leave them in a summer hot car or rv while travelling and not have them come unglued during activities:
<snip>
.

Makes sense - currently it would make more sense to me to leave without instrument(s) on that kind of vacation trip. I wouldn't have time or be too tired, or it wouldn't be appreciated.

For $150 this Envia certainly sounds like a lot more guitar than you'd probably get for a similar sum in most pawnshops.

[casualmusic]

Originally Posted by Goat Mick

Knowing that my Enya was scheduled to be delivered today, I went down to my local Mom & Pop (Campbell’s Music, Johnson City, TN - great store!), and played every travel guitar they had in stock from little Yamahas, Baby Taylors, and everything else I could find. I gotta tell you this little Enya sounds as good as any of them. Very thin, easy to hold and dang near indestructible. I’m very impressed. It is a little zingy but I think a lot of that is because the stings are new and haven’t been played. It by no means sounds like my J-45 or CEO-7 but for what it is I like it! And I can throw it in the car on summer trips and not worry about it at all. This thing is a lot more than just a guitar shaped object. The fretwork is clean, it’s set up well and the finish is perfect. I got it on Amazon during Prime Days for $159.00 with free shipping. Dang good semi-hard gig bag too. Pics to prove it happened.

Great news. I’m okay with zingy given the size, durability and price. Looks like a 7/8 scale Les Paul but half the weight. I’m not going to wait for the AI version with pickup that will be available this autumn. At only $200 it’s no problem to give it away if I change my mind.

[Captain Jim]

Originally Posted by Goat Mick

There have been several times that I thought having a guitar with me would be nice but not worth the trouble of carrying it with me every time I got out of the car. I understand you’ve never felt this need but that doesn’t negate my reasoning for wanting one.

That certainly wasn't why I asked - not my place or intent to negate anybody's anything. Goodness knows I've bought guitars just because. As far as I'm concerned, any reason is a good reason to buy a guitar. I was just curious as to the circumstances. Sorry if my question offended you.

[Captain Jim]

Originally Posted by casualmusic

The *only reason* I have carbon fibre guitars is so I can leave them in a summer hot car or rv while travelling and not have them come unglued during activities:
- attending concerts, presentations, museums
- attending music festivals, rodeos, powwows, Highland games, midways, boat races
- away on hikes, bike rides, horse rides, canoe rides, fishing charters, paddle wheel trips, whale watching, flying
- visiting friends and family, picnics, restaurants, bbq competitions
- running errands en route to folk circles, music sessions, bluegrassing, lessons

?? Isn’t this why you switched to carbon fibre guitars in your rv.

Otherwise wood guitars offer much wider and better selection. .

I bought that first carbon fiber guitar while we were living on our boat and working for a whale watch company. We would switch from the boat to our RV and go from the humidity of the Gulf Coast to the desert southwest and to the Pacific Northwest. During all that, I never had occasion to leave a guitar (wood or carbon fiber) in a hot or freezing car.

I liked the sound of that CF guitar and added some others. We are currently out in our motorhome (3 months this time) - it gets the a/c or heat necessary to keep us comfortable. We do some of those things you listed above (not the horse thing - I don't trust something that moves you around but doesn't have an on/off switch... and that will probably offend someone).

It was 105º here yesterday, but a comfortable upper 70s in the motorhome. I brought a (gasp) wood guitar with me on this trip... because it was a new purchase before we left home. The other guitars are in a climate controlled undisclosed location.

I was NOT saying anyone should or should not do whatever they want with any guitar of their choosing... just asking what circumstances would have you leaving a guitar in a hot or freezing car for anything more than a couple hours.

With all those things you are doing, it is impressive you are able to find time to play a guitar.

Rufus the cat goes where we go. When we are out and about doing things, he is in the comfort of the motorhome (pretty sure he wouldn't enjoy riding on my motorcycle while we're day-tripping). My wife would leave me in a hot car before she'd leave that much-loved feline. We travel the way we do for the comfort of our cat. It's just an extension of that that any guitar I have with me lives in that same climate controlled comfort. We have other stuff in our motorhome that would melt (toiletries, medicines, food) if we left it in the heat. The guitar just gets the climate that keeps us comfortable.

All I did was ask a question. Out of curiosity, not making any manner of accusation. I miss the good ol' days when a guy could ask a question and no one had to get defensive. As far as I'm concerned, if anyone said, "Because I WANT to leave a guitar in a hot or cold car," that would have been an answer.

In the words of the philosopher Ringo Star: "Peace and love."

[jdinco]

Where you headed to this time Jim (if I may ask) ? I've been taking a cheaper wood guitar on trips lately too, or the Sable if we have some extra room. Which is like never. Since you are the regional sales manager for Emerald, I thought you may have been offended when he bought an Enya? ROFL....yes yes, I am kidding ! Like you I'm for everyone buying as many and different guitars as possible. Travel safe, and now I have this image in my head of you sitting in a hot car while Rufus is relaxing in the shade. Funny !

[Captain Jim]

Originally Posted by jdinaz

Where you headed to this time Jim (if I may ask) ? I've been taking a cheaper wood guitar on trips lately too, or the Sable if we have some extra room. Which is like never. Since you are the regional sales manager for Emerald, I thought you may have been offended when he bought an Enya? ROFL....yes yes, I am kidding ! Like you I'm for everyone buying as many and different guitars as possible. Travel safe, and now I have this image in my head of you sitting in a hot car while Rufus is relaxing in the shade. Funny !

Hi John,

When I looked on the GPS, it told me, "You are here." We are down for a few months in the Black Hills, enjoying riding motorcycles on all the great roads in the area. And playing the guitar I brought along any ol' time I want. We've been here for just under 4 weeks.

For full disclosure, I am not now, nor have I ever been employed by any guitar maker... something about them not wanting to associate with the likes of... yeah, kidding. I'm good with whatever guitar anyone wants... I've never been one of those "my guitar can beat up your guitar" guys.

I hate when Joan and Rufus go for hand-dipped ice cream and they make me wait in the hot car. Kidding again. When we got back from a ride today, the 3 of us laid down to take a nap (my favorite part about being retired). The a/c was blasting... the two of them shared a blanket, I had to lay there shivering. Kidding again... I could have spooned for warmth, but Rufus was between us. TMI?

I'm just having fun.

[casualmusic]

Originally Posted by Captain Jim

All I did was ask a question. Out of curiosity, not making any manner of accusation. I miss the good ol' days when a guy could ask a question and no one had to get defensive.

I miss the good old days when a person could answer a question and no one called the answer defensive. (Joke)

You asked why? why? why? (three times) and followed with “anyone care to enlighten me?” I wrote a list of pitstops when *my guitar* might be left in a hot car for a few hours.

[Captain Jim]

Originally Posted by casualmusic

I miss the good old days when a person could answer a question and no one called the answer defensive. (Joke)

You asked why? why? why? (three times) and followed with “anyone care to enlighten me?” I wrote a list of pitstops when *my guitar* might be left in a hot car for a few hours.

I had to look back to see if I actually said, "Why?" three times. I didn't. I appreciate the time you took to make out the list of activities. You keep busy. Do you leave a guitar in your car all the time, and then it is there in case you want to pull it out and play on your way to/from a powwow or a boat race? Or, do you think: "I'm going to go horseback riding - I better put a guitar in the car?"

(also kidding)

If I touched a nerve with my question, it sure wasn't intentional. I'll refrain from further comment on this thread. Oh, and congrats to Goat Mick on his NGD!

[Chipotle]

I haven't pulled the trigger on a Nova Go, but it's tempting for a camping guitar... tent camping, to be precise. If you don't have a temperature-controlled RV, a car is the only place to safely keep a guitar. (Usually people don't mess with others' campsites, but I still wouldn't want to leave a guitar in a tent.) And the car can get pretty hot sitting in the sun while we're out hiking or whatever for the day. Plus the size--a bit smaller than even a Baby Taylor or Martin LX1--means it takes up little space.

[jdinco]

Originally Posted by Captain Jim

I'm just having fun.

ME too ! I'd love to play that Enya of Mick's and that 12 string Taylor of yours. I'd ask you more about the Taylor, but this is a CF forum !

[Acousticado]

That’s a nice looking guitar. It reminds me of the CA Cargo (I’ve owned an ‘08 since new), but with a Florentine rather than Venetian cutaway. Seems like a great deal, especially at the price you paid. Even if it only has reasonable tone and playability, hard to go wrong with that one. I am curious how it compares to the Cargo, though likely I’ll never know.

[Goat Mick]

Originally Posted by Acousticado

That’s a nice looking guitar. It reminds me of the CA Cargo (I’ve owned an ‘08 since new), but with a Florentine rather than Venetian cutaway. Seems like a great deal, especially at the price you paid. Even if it only has reasonable tone and playability, hard to go wrong with that one. I am curious how it compares to the Cargo, though likely I’ll never know.

Thanks! I'm really impressed with it for what it is. I won't be picking it up as often as my "better" solid wood guitars, but it fills a niche that none of those guitars fill for me. And honestly it sounds just as good as all of the other travel size guitars I could find, plus its dang near indestructible.

[Chriscom]

Originally Posted by Goat Mick

There have been several times that I thought having a guitar with me would be nice but not worth the trouble of carrying it with me every time I got out of the car...

Same here. There are plenty of times on a hot day, or a cold day, when I've been out and about, including a mid-trip drop-in at a friend's place, where I'd love to bring a guitar but don't want to bring it into the supermarket or etc. as well.

I've also had an eye on these because our local jam & open mics are often cursed either with intermittent rain or high humidity, and I'd rather not subject my tonewoods to that.

[zeeway]

I have been looking for a travel guitar for a while, and while I preferred the carefree aspects of carbon fiber, I did not want to bite on a multi-thousands $ instrument that would get only occasional use. So, I ordered an Enya Nova Go, which our very kind mail lady brought today. No, I wasn’t aware enough to take advantage of the Amazon Prime deal, so I had to pay the full price, which is still modest.

The packaging was quite impressive, with even the strings protected from the fretboard (and vice-versa). I tuned it up, twice around and it seems to be holding nicely. I checked intonation at the twelfth fret and it is off about 6 cents on my tuner.

The tone is good…no, not as good as my Emerald X20, but I did not expect it to be. But the tone is reasonably good, somewhat ‘bright’, with surprising sustain. It does not sound ‘toy-like’, and I think it will work just fine as a travel guitar. I checked for any buzzing frets, and did not find any. The fretboard is narrow…I measure it at the first fret as 1.69 inches (17.48 mm), and while it is a bit cramped, I think it will be okay.

All in all, I am impressed. I am keeping it. Hmmm, maybe I should put a pickup on it…