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April 2008
Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | When you are going away and have limited space and/or weight allowance, what guitar would you take with you? What are people's experiences with the various travel guitars that are advertised on EBay and the like? |
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April 2006
Posts: 2491
Location: Copenhagen Denmark | None !!..if there`s no space for a guitar , why bother , travel guitars do not even deserve to be called guitars , a Ukelele might be rewarding...
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August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | I have a Traveler Pro guitar, and for what it is, it is great. There are some previous threads about this that go into detail. I travel nearly every week, and take the Traveler with me about half the time. It has a full size fretboard, truss rod, and therefore really works well. I keep a Pandora in the pocket so I can play both acoustic and electric. ProfBB has a deluxe model which is really nice. |
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October 2005
Posts: 4081
Location: Utah | I'm an airline pilot, so I travel a lot. What works great for me is a Hohner G3T headless electric guitar. It has a full length scale, but because there is no headstock and a small body, it is only the length from the nut to the bridge. It is a copy of the original Steinberger broomstick. If money is not a concern, the new Steinberger Transcale might be an interesting instrument.
I plug into a Korg Toneworks PX4, which is a stereo digital effects box with headphones output and MP3 input. Just plug in lightweight earphones and your MP3 player. The PX4 comes with a strap clip, so if you buy off of eBay be sure to get one with the clip (many are missing it on eBay).
If you are going to travel frequently, I would go ahead and get the hard sided case. The soft case is fine for me because the guitar sets down the side of my seat. But if you are putting it in the overhead compartment on airplanes, I'd want the hard case.
The reviews on harmony central are pretty accurate. It's a good guitar, but I found the pickups a bit weak for gigging. They are clean and neutral, with a mid or vintage output level. If you want a more classic PAF sound, or a classic Strat sound, or screaming metal sound, you will have to replace the pups or use a digital effects box.
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March 2005
Posts: 12761
Location: Boise, Idaho | I bought my daughter a little Applause AA13 or maybe a 12. It's in a case about like a tennis racquet. Unfortunately, she didn't take it with her on her planned trip and it sat in the basement with my guitars this fall. |
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August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | Flysig ... that set up is almost identical to what my Traveler setup is like. Your Hohner looks to be about the same size as the traveler ... same deal ... full size from bridge to nut but that's all there is! What the Traveler has is a stethescope device which connects to the maple body ... gives a fairly realistic acoustic sound so I don't have to use my Pandora PX4 and deal with all the cable connections ... but when I want to it uses the built in single coil pup and doesn't require anything but a cable to the PX4 and headphones. But the strap clip is key! The Traveler folks say that it was developed and patented by an airline pilot. The DR Zebra strings are ideal for this guitar. |
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June 2006
Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | Now that looks like a slick little set up Flysig. Bob, got any pics of yours? |
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June 2003
Posts: 1792
Location: Rego Park, NY, | Originally posted by stonebobbo:
I have a Traveler Pro guitar, and for what it is, it is great. There are some previous threads about this that go into detail. I travel nearly every week, and take the Traveler with me about half the time. It has a full size fretboard, truss rod, and therefore really works well. I keep a Pandora in the pocket so I can play both acoustic and electric. ProfBB has a deluxe model which is really nice. With Stonebobbo sugestion I also have a Traveler guitar and a Pandora. I drive to work every day and use it during my lunch hour. It's about the size of a tennis raquet. |
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Joined:
November 2007
Posts: 125
Location: UK | I suppose it depend on what you want your travel guitar to do. If you want to entertain the bar/camp, or whatever, then I doubt that any travel guitar will be “great”. I use mine to entertain myself and practise my licks while away from the trusty bowl backs. For this I have an Aria Sinsonidio. Full size fretboard but it packs up small enough to fit an overhead plane locker and is comfortable to play, with a nice action. It is a piezo electric and I did buy a small belt amp but have scarcely used this or the set of headphone that come with it.. The volume un-amped in limited but adequate for my practicing needs. If I am travelling by car, then who needs a travel guitar, a slim bowlback does just fine. |
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January 2005
Posts: 4903
Location: Phoenix AZ | Ukulele |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Classical |
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Paul makes a good point. If your purpose is for your own personal enjoyment or to practice, then the Traveler Pro is about as small and compact as they come and they're darn reasonable on the used market. However, it is not a campfire guitar. Most owners use a small modeler with earphones. If playing with others is in the plan, I'll pack up the Frontman 15R amp in a suitcase as well. The tone on these Traveler Pro models is pretty good for what they are. They have both the single coil that you see and a piezo hidden under the bridge, with blending capability between the two.
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October 2005
Posts: 4081
Location: Utah | Yamaha also makes a travel guitar with a built in headphone amp. It's not as small as the Hohner or the Traveler, but almost. |
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April 2008
Posts: 2336
Location: Brighty in Blighty | Was planning on bringing back my 6778 as hand luggage on the plane (US --> UK), I was lead to believe that as long at the case is not longer than 52" I could take in on as hand luggage...
Fingers crossed |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Dweezil, the trick is to be very, very polite to the flight crew.
Don't let the ticket counter staff or gate staff talk you out of it, or tell you you can't. Be firm and tell them you will ask the flight crew and abide by their wishes (cabin or gate check).
The final decision belongs to the flight crew, and politeness goes a LONG way.
Ask nice and chances are they'll treat it like a baby. I've found stews willing to completely unload the first class closet and repack it just to make room for my guitar. They may ask you to wait a few minutes till other passengers can board, but it's worth it! |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Find a different way of traveling so I can take the 2 or 3 guitars with me. |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | WhatWabbittSaid. Be Friendly, Polite but Firm. And . . .
Select a seat that's in the section that gets BOARDED early on . . . being one of the last ones ON puts you in a precarious situation. If y'get on early, you have a good chance of your guitar being the FIRST thing in the compartment right over your own head . . . |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 4833
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | The following is a picture of a known musical terrorist. If seen, do not approach. He has gear, and he knows how to use it.
If you see this individual, report the sighting to the nearest independent music dealer or music teacher.
This is a free public service announcement from
silenceintheskies.org |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | flying the plane??? :eek: > |
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June 2006
Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | Supposed to be. |
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August 2005
Posts: 3736
Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Originally posted by Mark in Boise:
I bought my daughter a little Applause AA13 or maybe a 12. It's in a case about like a tennis racquet. Unfortunately, she didn't take it with her on her planned trip and it sat in the basement with my guitars this fall. Is she interested in parting company with it permanently, Mark?
I've been after one for a while.
FWIW, the 13 has an 'Ovation' headstock, the 12 doesn't have the snowplough. |
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October 2005
Posts: 4081
Location: Utah | Originally posted by The Wabbit Formerly Known As Waskel:
Dweezil, the trick is to be very, very polite to the flight crew.
Don't let the ticket counter staff or gate staff talk you out of it, or tell you you can't. Be firm and tell them you will ask the flight crew and abide by their wishes (cabin or gate check).
The final decision belongs to the flight crew, and politeness goes a LONG way.
Ask nice and chances are they'll treat it like a baby. I've found stews willing to completely unload the first class closet and repack it just to make room for my guitar. They may ask you to wait a few minutes till other passengers can board, but it's worth it! Yeah, be polite. Unofficially, I've heard stories of guitars travelling up in the cockpit, although officially it doesn't happen because all bags are supposed to be in approved bins. But don't lie and tell the crew that you have some expensive custom made guitar, cause when they peek inside and see it's a run of the mill wood box, well, they won't be happy!
This summer the two girls of "Rebekkah" will be flying with their O's to the east coast. Hopefully there will be room for both in a closet somewhere. |
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March 2005
Posts: 12761
Location: Boise, Idaho | Muzz, I think she still uses it. This one has the old Applause headstock that's angled across the top with a U in the middle. I think it's pretty old.
I just brought her 83 Collector's back from the luthier. Fret level and neck tweek for $85. That was more than I spent on the little Applause, but it was a nice job. It plays really well now. |
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Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 214
Location: Stratford, Connecticut | For about $350 shipped I LOVE my Pignose Custom!
Here's the link:
http://www.aampselectricguitarstore.com/pignose/pignose_mini_electr... |
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Joined:
March 2008
Posts: 354
Location: nashville | I debated about a travel git. but didnt like the sound of any of the acoustic. Since I am not much into electrics I got a Mandolin, so now I play 2 two things poorly. But Wait, I guess for a Mandolin player I play a pretty mean guitar.
Start w/ Copperhead Road, Losing My religion, Lucy in the sky. Not ready for any Zep yet. |
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Travel Guitar