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Location: south east Michigan | All of a sudden and out of the blue I just might need a travel guitar. By definition they fit in airplane overhead storage don't they?
What does the fountain of knowledge that is the OFC have to recommend? |
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Posts: 6197
Location: Phoenix AZ | Do what I do - I always travel with a ukulele!
But if you HAVE to have aguitar, I really like the soloette. My friend has one of the narrow-neck nylon string (kind of like a country artist). Very nice feel and great sound. Obviously it's plugged in only.
http://www.soloette.com/ |
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Maybe I have the term wrong. I'm thinking about a campfire, cabin porch type thing. |
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Posts: 1300
Location: Madison, Wisconsin | Al did a shameless plug for a Trecker recently that included a stool I think. It might have been in his newsletter. |
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Posts: 1071
Location: Carle Place, NY | Taylor Baby is the best of the bunch. No other small guitar for under $300 can match it. |
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Posts: 1300
Location: Madison, Wisconsin | It was Al's news letter. Great deal on a Trekker with a stool. The Baby Trailer is a nice guitar but nothing like the dew resistant Trekker. |
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Has anyone taken a Trekker or Baby Taylor on an airplane as a carry on? |
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Posts: 580
Location: NW NJ | Originally posted by Slipkid:
Has anyone taken a Trekker or Baby Taylor on an airplane as a carry on? Yep, had a trekker size in a gig bag. Not even an issue anywhere. Flipped it right up in the overhead, no problems. It was on Continental, I think. |
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Posts: 1071
Location: Carle Place, NY | Slipkid:
You brought up an interesting issue. Although travel size guitars will fit in the overhead, some airlines won't allow it. Some airlines have a template of the allowable size for carry-ons. If any of the dimensions of the item are over the limit, it has to be checked. For an interesting story from Steve Morse on his experience with this go to the March 4, 2005 road report in the "Got it in Writing" section at:
http://www.stevemorse.com/ |
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Posts: 15664
Location: SoCal | Adrian Legg has a custom made guitar built specifically to fit in the overhead.
Boy, what Morse wrote is scary. |
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Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | "More Legge Room?" |
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Posts: 171
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma | I've traveled all over the U.S. with my Ovation Balladeer in a gigbag... It fits into overheads in all full size airliners I've ever been on... The smaller planes usually have a hanging closet you can put it in... The only plane trip I've ever had to check it at the gate was recently on a prop job from Denver to Colorado Springs but the baggage guys were great and took super care of it... On a puddle jumper from San Juan to St. Croix I loaded into the back of the cabin... I think you'll find traveling with a guitar in a gig bag and carrying it on will be simple... I take a guitar everywhere I travel... As for the Baby Taylor... Try the new Little Martin... I've got one.. It comes with a great gig bag and has alot better sound than the Baby Taylor... IMO... |
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Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Have you looked at the steinberger copies? What I've experienced is it depends on the airline. My travel guitar is a CC57 in a gigbag. Call them up. Jetblue to florida or puerto rico, no problem. Continental to tokyo, they didn't seem to know what they were doing so she stayed home. |
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Location: closely held secret | Same here. Hawaiian Airlines let me carry on my Ultra Deluxe in a HSC to Honolulu in 2002. Alaska Air made me check it to Orange County.
Not sure how I'm going to handle getting my 6778LX to the Tour.
UA said "There are exceptions for violins and guitars, but they have to meet the 45 linear inch guidelines (height + width + depth)." When I asked what good is the exception when guitars are obviously larger than that, she got a little testy. |
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Posts: 6197
Location: Phoenix AZ | Ship your guitar FedEx (Hold For Pickup) to the FedEx depot at the airport. Almost all major airports have FedEx facilities right in the same complex. You just fly in and then go over to the FedEx office and pick up your guitar. I do this all the time with my bicycles. You can do the same with UPS but they have fewer depots at airports (and their trucks aren't as good looking). |
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Location: closely held secret | Hmmm. Wonder what the shipping would be from Portland to Bradley? (and back again??) |
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Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Dave, have you ever shipped your guitar overseas, say to asia? Or is it the uke that goes on the asian trips? |
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Posts: 6197
Location: Phoenix AZ | Ukulele goes with me on every trip. It fits right in my carry-on bag. What's a 'guitar' ? |
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Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Well, let's see, I got the sticker (thanks Standing O) but it's on my 1624 case! It looks good there.
http://www.ovationfanclub.com/photos/an4340_72012_uke%20sign.jpg |
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | O boy...would I like to find one of those stickers! I just don't have enough uke songs ready for public consumption.
Well...I went to Huber and GC yesterday to play some baby Taylors and infantile Martins. The Taylors sounded decent enough but the action was horrible. That could be fixed. The Martin did not sound quite as good but played much better. The little Yamaha they had was just awful.
I have to keep in mind what this guitar will be used for. A gig bag in the overhead and no worrys is what I need.
So..I pick up a Trekker. A cute little thing. Natural cut-away top and nice neck markings. Kind of looks like my AD-II. It was louder and played better than either the Martin or the Taylor. And I could feel the bowl working on my ribs. I'm not saying that this thing sounded like more than it is meant to be but remember, I am tone tolerant enough to enjoy my uke.
What brought this GAS about was some vacation planning. We are going to the Grand Canyon and Zion National Park with a one day stop in Vegas. At Zion I found a place that rents cabins amid 1000 acres of land. I just can't think of not having a guitar with me at a campfire in the desert night. And I bet the stars will be awesome. I certainly am not going to take My AD-II or my vintage Balladeer into such uncontrolled heat and dryness.
I did not buy it yet. Guitars have reached critical mass and my Danlectro will have to go to make room. Finally I have enough incentive to put it on e-bay. |
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Posts: 555
Location: Wooster, Ohio | Though probably bigger than a typical travel guitar, I just put new strings on my 97 collector parlor and I had forgot how balanced and beautiful sounding it is. Very compact being small bodied and 12 fret neck. And you have a great instrument.
Steve |
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Location: south east Michigan | I also thought about a parlor but in this case, size does matter. |
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Posts: 202
Location: Orlando, Florida | Hey guys...
Let me cast my vote for the Trekker! What a terrific guitar. I have the CS-212 Celebrity (Elite style top) and it remains one of my favorite guitars, traveling or not. I bought it as a new "second" off ebay about two years ago, and it's still going strong. It sounds fantastic plugged in or not. Great feel, great sound! There's a few on eBay, and they can't seem to give them away. That package with the stool and bag (a new one) is there as well. It's so nice, I was tempted to buy another one for the price!
Joe |
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Posts: 13303
Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | How does the trekker compare to the Applause 1/2 scale and 3/4 scale models? I had been looking at possibly picking up one of those due to size and cost. |
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Posts: 13987
Location: Upper Left USA | For the AA12, Applause 1/2 scale: It is small - use Silk & Steel strings to resist a "plunky" sound. Sounds best when strung two frets higher. It is a good compromise for backpacking though.
I would go 3/4 size. |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | Isn't the 3/4 size the same as the trekker?
What's the primary difference between the two? |
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Posts: 202
Location: Orlando, Florida | While I'm not too familiar with the Applause models, I'm pretty sure that the Trekker (at least the one I have, the CS-212) has a solid spruce top. I wouldn't think the Applause does. My Trekker also has the OP-24plus preamp system. No Applause has that. You would have to check the specs for the TS-012. I don't think it has any electronics. By the way, the older model, the CC-012 is a center hole model with out the electronics, but is also a 3/4 scale.
Joe |
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Location: south east Michigan | Ooooo...they can come with a pre-amp? |
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Location: Orlando, Florida | And I don't know if it's the size of the guitar, or what, but it is the best sounding OP-24+ preamp I've experienced.
Joe |
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Posts: 1071
Location: Carle Place, NY | Here's one on ebay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7323583270&... |
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Location: Orlando, Florida | That one on eBay looks good. It probably wouldn't go too high, either, because the seller is new (0 feedback). Could be a good opportunity for someone. I paid about $230.00 for mine two years ago, and it's a "stamped 2nd". Even at that price, I consider it a good buy.
Joe |
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | I'm going to try and get that one on e-bay. I have e-mailed the seller and he has responded quickly. |
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September 2004
Posts: 96
Location: Eugene, OR | Traveller Escape
http://www.elderly.com/new_instruments/items/TES.htm
This is the one I have and I love it. It's almost bulletproof, decent action and pretty good amp for headphones. I can't recommend it enough. They include a decent, soft case. I pack it in my carry-on, rollaboard that I had modified with a zipper in the top so the neck (with case) pokes out the top about 4 inches or so. |
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Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | I've never played an octive guitar, but this might fill the bill too.
http://www.larkinthemorning.com/product.asp?pn=GUI001&bhcd2=1116437...
I've heard, I think it's an olympia papoose electric that sounded pretty good. Did not play it though. |
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Location: Upper Left USA | The Papoose' are awesome.
A 12 string is on my want list. |
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Posts: 202
Location: Orlando, Florida | Originally posted by Slipkid:
I'm going to try and get that one on e-bay. I have e-mailed the seller and he has responded quickly. Are you still going to try for this one? If not, I'm thinking about it.
Joe |
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | I tried at the last minute, but someone pre-bid higher than I would go. Did you get it? |
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Posts: 202
Location: Orlando, Florida | I was trying - but if you look at the Bid history, I was bidding less than you. If I knew you wanted it for sure, I wouldn't have bid at all. I have one, but at $99.-$125. it was worth having two.
Joe |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | I try not to show my interest until the last minute. To bad one of us did not get it. I had hopes it would go for about $130. Oh well, ....that's e-bay for you. |
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Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Turns out that this trekker model sells for about $339. I guess $167 was not such a bad deal. |
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Posts: 2791
Location: Atlanta, GA. | B.B. King just buys the seat next to him for "Lucille".
Probably not an option for everybody! |
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June 2004
Posts: 271
Location: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | Are the 2 current "O" trekkers "SOLID" spruce tops or NOT ???
http://www.ovationguitars.com/?fa=series&sid=56
AB |
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Posts: 6197
Location: Phoenix AZ | I would guess NOT solid. But I don't know for sure. Dave |
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Travel Guitar