Travel Guitar Choices
Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2010 8:32 pm
First off, I know there is an older thread on the Voyage-Air guitars, so don't flame me about using the search tool.
I'm sitting in a hotel room off I-5 in the wasteland between LA and San Diego without a guitar. Went out to the shops this afternoon and played a mahogany Baby Taylor thinking it might fill this gap. But I was disappointed. The tone wasn't as bad as I'd expected, but the neck was too narrow for my hand size and style of playing. It's also still too big to seriously consider carrying as hand luggage.
Looking at all the travel guitars that are down-sized standard designs, I don't think any of them represent a satisfying compromise. They remain too small to sound or feel good and too big to be really portable.
And although the folding neck of the Voyage-Air is a step in the right direction, these are still too bulky for the type of last-minute-booking-grab-your-passport-and-toothbrush travel I do regularly. If it becomes a separate piece of checked luggage, it might as well be a proper full-sized guitar.
So I'm looking into alternatives and wonder whether any of you have any experience with any of these travel guitars.
Woody Stewart Stow-Away (http://www.stewartguitars.com/)
Basically a Strat with a removeable neck that fits into a slot in the back of the body. I'm leaning slightly towards this option as it has a full scale neck and yet fits into my laptop bag and I don't already own an electric guitar. Circa $500.
Traveler Guitar (http://www.travelerguitar/)
Also full scale neck, but not removable. Tuners in the body, so no head stock. They have various steel and nylon strung variants. Internal headphone amplifier. About 30in long, so that's a separate piece to carry on. Circa $300.
Lapstick (http://www.lapstick.com/)
3/4 scale length, so typically tuned five half steps up (to A), but standard neck width. One piece neck. Just under 20in long. Steel string only; also has internal headphone amp. Its name would appeal to the ultra-sleazy sales team with whom I'm often stuck travelling. Circa $700.
Or maybe a mandolin?
- Stuart
I'm sitting in a hotel room off I-5 in the wasteland between LA and San Diego without a guitar. Went out to the shops this afternoon and played a mahogany Baby Taylor thinking it might fill this gap. But I was disappointed. The tone wasn't as bad as I'd expected, but the neck was too narrow for my hand size and style of playing. It's also still too big to seriously consider carrying as hand luggage.
Looking at all the travel guitars that are down-sized standard designs, I don't think any of them represent a satisfying compromise. They remain too small to sound or feel good and too big to be really portable.
And although the folding neck of the Voyage-Air is a step in the right direction, these are still too bulky for the type of last-minute-booking-grab-your-passport-and-toothbrush travel I do regularly. If it becomes a separate piece of checked luggage, it might as well be a proper full-sized guitar.
So I'm looking into alternatives and wonder whether any of you have any experience with any of these travel guitars.
Woody Stewart Stow-Away (http://www.stewartguitars.com/)
Basically a Strat with a removeable neck that fits into a slot in the back of the body. I'm leaning slightly towards this option as it has a full scale neck and yet fits into my laptop bag and I don't already own an electric guitar. Circa $500.
Traveler Guitar (http://www.travelerguitar/)
Also full scale neck, but not removable. Tuners in the body, so no head stock. They have various steel and nylon strung variants. Internal headphone amplifier. About 30in long, so that's a separate piece to carry on. Circa $300.
Lapstick (http://www.lapstick.com/)
3/4 scale length, so typically tuned five half steps up (to A), but standard neck width. One piece neck. Just under 20in long. Steel string only; also has internal headphone amp. Its name would appeal to the ultra-sleazy sales team with whom I'm often stuck travelling. Circa $700.
Or maybe a mandolin?
- Stuart