Looking for a Travel Guitar..

[theWhiteKeys]

Hey guys, first off I want to say thanks so much for all the help I have got so far on this forum. Very helpful

Second, I am going to be going on a lot of vacations this summer and will not be able to go a day without practicing guitar! So I was wondering if you guys could recommend a good travel guitar.

I have been looking at the Washburn Rover, and the Martin Backpacker, but have read mixed reviews. Was wondering if you all could be so kind to chime in and recommend me something somewhat decent without breaking the bank.

Just looking for something with a full scale neck and sounds halfway decent!

[Alex W]

No personal experience but the Highway 61 model from Republic looks like fun. It's a short scale metal body reso. I think the scale is in the neighborhood of a regular guitar capoed at the 2nd fret.

[tap4154]

A Telecoustic is a great choice

I've played the Martin Backpacker (PITA to hold and play, and sounds like a banjo) and had a Washburn Rover for years, which is very nice indeed for a small guitar (much better sound, and easier to hold and play than the Backpacker) but a Telecoustic is what I use now as a travel guitar. Standard Tele neck, decent enough acoustic sound for camp or hotel room, and fits in a standard Fender gig bag. You can also capo and remove the neck to carry it in a small suitcase.

[theWhiteKeys]

Originally Posted by tap4154

A Telecoustic is a great choice

I've played the Martin Backpacker (PITA to hold and play, and sounds like a banjo) and had a Washburn Rover for years, which is very nice indeed for a small guitar (much better sound, and easier to hold and play than the Backpacker) but a Telecoustic is what I use now as a travel guitar. Standard Tele neck, decent enough acoustic sound for camp or hotel room, and fits in a standard Fender gig bag. You can also capo and remove the neck to carry it in a small suitcase.

i will look into the telecoustic, but seems a bit big for me to travel with

glad to hear the washburn rover can hold up

[studio1087]

I wouldn't buy the Martin Backpacker or a Rover.

I had a Martin Backpacker when they first came out. The volume is so low that two people have a hard time singing along with one. The ergonomics of trying to play something as small as a 2x4 sitting across your legs is very uncomfortable.

It's tiny but it's very unsatisfying to play.

You can get a Martin LXM or a Baby Taylor used for $200 with the nice gig bag. Either of these modles feels like a guitar when you play them. They project. They are comfy.

I put a few miles on this one. It went to Mexico at leats 20 times.




It went from -10 F at O'Hare to +85 at the beach....many times. Never a problem. Fits overhead on any plane. Find an LXM or a Baby Taylor.

[davechen]

I have a Traveler Guitar EG-1. It's an electric and has a built in headphone amp. Full scale neck. The design is kind of cool. The tuners are in the body of the guitar and the strings run backwards from a normal one. It's great for traveling because it's so small.

Here's a link.

http://www.travelerguitar.com/products/electric-2/eg-1/

[tap4154]

The LXM, BT and similar guitars are great, and I had a Laguna Little Brat that sounded and played great IF you mainly wanted to play acoustic style stuff/cowboy chords, and a little lead stuff up the neck. The reason I went to a Telecoustic is that it's basically like playing a Tele, or you can play basic acoustic style.

On the short-scale travel guitars like the Baby Taylor, Little Brat, and Little Martin it can get pretty cramped higher up the fretboard, however the Rover was great for playing lead stuff up the neck, and has a very nicely-finished, wide, fat neck, and a 24" scale (almost seems full scale). The BT and other 3/4 size are around 22 3/4" scale, and of course the Telecoustic is full scale 25.5"

Many choices, and it just depends on your playing style, and size limitations.

[Michel347]

Originally Posted by davechen

I have a Traveler Guitar EG-1. It's an electric and has a built in headphone amp. Full scale neck. The design is kind of cool. The tuners are in the body of the guitar and the strings run backwards from a normal one. It's great for traveling because it's so small.

Here's a link.

http://www.travelerguitar.com/products/electric-2/eg-1/

These look cool, didn't knew them.

[jimd]

I have the traveler ultra-light model.

http://www.travelerguitar.com/produc...a-light-steel/

It is very small and easy to carry around. I use a vox amp plug for sound. Pros are size durability and portability. It also has a nice playable neck. Cons are it is awkward to play sitting down. If you play standing with a strap it would be no problem. My solution is to use a strap cinched up tight and attached at the nut even when sitting to prevent the neck from diving.

[Tarnisher]

The travel guitar niche is one of my faves, and I've owned or tried a lot of them. They are all compromises in some way, but there are so many out there now that you stand a good chance of finding one that works for you.

First, consider which of the following is most important to you:

• portability
• scale length
• acoustic volume
• pickup
• tone
• durability
• length
• depth
• playability
• price

The Martin Backpacker gets points for portability and durability, and price, but loses out on playability, acoustic volume, and tone.

The Larrivee Parlor Guitar and the new Taylor GS Mini win on acoustic volume, tone, and playability, but lose when it comes to portability, durability, and price.

So it really comes down to what kind of traveling and what kind of playing you intend to do with it.

BTW, I've decided to sell one of my travel guitars that wins for playability (Tele scale length), acoustic volume, portability, and durability: my all carbon fiber Emerald X5 (it's the one on the right).


Let me know if you're interested!

[telleutelleme]

Galveston also makes an inexpensive electric travel guitar. Humbucker Pup, full scale neck. I take mine when I travel along with a Pocket Rokit Amp and normal MP3 headphone. Good enough to practice with. Its awkward to sit and play and you need a no slip strap.

[Morty76]

Xaviere JTT Travel Guitar from GFS, $119.

Mine plays great, it's pretty cool and worth the money. Add a Vox headphone amp and you're set. Get the gig bag for it too.

[bigmuff113]

I use a Squier Mini Strat.

[JohnSS]

A very underrated and under the radar travel guitar that I am a proud to own is a Vagabond. Solid top, about the size of a Steinberger.

http://stringsmith.com/zenCart/index...1fb960adc042f3

[ROADMAN]

Backpackers suck....too awkward and sound $hiddy..for about the same price a used Baby Taylor works great...I got one on C/L for $150

[ac15]

A few years ago I was in Arizona for a week on vacation and wanted to be able to play while I was there, so I went to the Guitar Center fully intending to buy a Backpacker. The action was horrible so I decided to just buy a really cheap Tele and just check it as luggage, with the idea that it could probably withstand it, and if it didn't I wouldn't really care too much. So I guess for now my travel guitar is a Squier Vintage Modified thinline Tele (and it did make it through luggage intact).

[ITSGOTQUACK]

My nasty review of the Backpacker......or "Fudge-Packer" as I refer to it.

[c.winn]

I have a Washburn Rover, bought new on Amazon for $100.

Solid spruce top, full scale length. Shipped in a GREAT case with a strap, picks, learn to play dvd, extra saddles & shims and case straps.

I immediately threw away the strap it shipped with as the glue emitted a toxic stink. I left the case outside for a couple days, and aired out the case straps. Guitar doesn't stink, case is OK for smell.

i love playing this guitar. I play it on the couch, camping, on beach vacations (27 more days - YES!) and I take it to the park. I play it in jams - hard strumming provides good rhythm. If it's in a duo setting, I open tune and play bottleneck on it. Sounds awesome.

I really am very impressed with how great this guitar & package is for $100. I really wanted a travel guitar, didn't want to break the bank and wanted a decent case to boot. I couldn't have done better than to get the Rover.

-C

[superchicken_VI]

I got my Backpacker used for under $100 and had some issues with it, namely the intonation was poor and it sounded like a mandolin. Also, I felt like the strings felt overly stiff with any kind of ultra light strings. I changed it out to Silk and Steels, and fell in love with it. Yes, it's not loud. But the sound and playability is so much improved. Intonation gets a bit hinky as you go up the neck, but as long as you're chording under the 7th fret, it's fine. The sitting position isn't a problem for me, I just always wear a strap with it. I would be disappointed in it at full retail price, but for $90 and a set of strings, I'd say it was a great purchase.

[charlie chitlin]

Art and Lutherie Ami.
For electrics...I have a Gretsch Bo Diddley Junior.
Way cool.