# Which travel guitar?



## david henman

...a friend is looking for a travel guitar.

i have a baby taylor, which i quite like, but i'm hesitant to recommend it. the neck is very unstable, and the guitar just feels overly delicate, although i love the sound.

any recommendations?

-dh


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## JaySimon

Ive been through a better portion of canada with my yamaha F310. It was cheap,so that if it ran down a river i wouldnt really care, and several years later it still sounds fine. It'slargely used as my beach/party guitar.

I met a guy from Nelson who has been playing his F310 for years now, the back is held together by stickers and he could pull some good sound outof it.

The only downfall being that it is a full size guitar. 

Just something to keep in mind


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## Yerffej

JaySimon said:


> Ive been through a better portion of canada with my yamaha F310. It was cheap,so that if it ran down a river i wouldnt really care, and several years later it still sounds fine. It'slargely used as my beach/party guitar.
> 
> I met a guy from Nelson who has been playing his F310 for years now, the back is held together by stickers and he could pull some good sound outof it.
> 
> The only downfall being that it is a full size guitar.
> 
> Just something to keep in mind


yeah, we sell the f310 for 150, yamaha makes a smaller one too that is super cheap and ok sounding. there is a tiny, tiny guitar (maybe washburn?) anyway it is also very cheap and about 2 and a half feet overall, comes with a case too (not gig bag). sorry I am being so vague, I cannot remember specifics right now and I dont want to quote a price without seeing it for sure


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## Yggdrasil

I use a Larrivee P-05 parlour; formerly had an Art & Lutherie Parlour, which is great bang for the buck!


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## Mike MacLeod

*I know you are going to laugh, but....*

The best travel guitar is a ukulele. 
It's not trying to be something it isn't. It's tuned in in 4ths like a guitar, and so, much of your music is accessible.

If you think a uke is a toy, then you need to check out James Hill, Jake Shimabukaru and Lyle Ritz. 

My uke is US$3500.00.


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## mandocaster

Mike MacLeod said:


> The best travel guitar is a ukulele.
> It's not trying to be something it isn't. It's tuned in in 4ths like a guitar, and so, much of your music is accessible.
> 
> If you think a uke is a toy, then you need to check out James Hill, Jake Shimabukaru and Lyle Ritz.
> 
> My uke is US$3500.00.


Not Laughing, Mike. Seeing what else you have stashed away there among the Mandos.

My travel guitar is that F5 I was comparing to the others a few weeks back....


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## Crossroads

*Beaver Creek*

I just picked up a Beaver Creek travel guitar ( chinese made )on the weekend, traded a acoustic guitar even in on it, that I just picked up off ebay.

The Beaver Creek, features a resin bowl back, slim design of course, with a cut away, and a passive pickup system, ( tone and volume). and came with a gig bag. My is natural colour, but can be bought in a variety of "metal flakes" like red, blue

the tone and volume as can be imagined is not the best, but it is comfortable to play, and doesn't sound too bad plugged in.evilGuitar:


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## Tarbender

If you can find a Yamaki buy it. These low end guitars have phenomial sound for the price. I sold mine last year and have some regrets. This is the guitar that I took on the road with me, from camping trips to ski trips, on the bus or in the trunk of the car, and never in a case. This thing was durable and yet sounded and played like a guitar costing $100.00's more. Another good one is a Sigma - the Japanese built ones. Again great bang for the buck and a seet sounding instrument.


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## Chito

How about a Martin 00015? Amazing sound from a small bodied guitar.


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## Mike MacLeod

*000-15 a small guitar?????? *

Jeepers Chito. What ever made you think a 000-15 is a small guitar?? It is only slightly smaller than a Dread. 

I have a '37 0-18 and '63 0-18 and I don't even think of them as small guitars.
A small guitar would be a Terz or a 2-series.


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## Mooh

The smallest steel string I have is a classical sized House - www.houseguitars.com - and though it was built as an instructional axe, wanting something smaller to have on my lap all day, it's not a bad travel guitar. However, most of the time if I just want something smaller to carry, a mandolin will suffice.

The best actual travel sized guitars I've tried were the Tacoma Papoose and the Baby Taylor depending on woods. The Martin Backpacker is without tone but makes a nice lapsteel in a pinch. 

In a perfect world I'd have a favourite builder make me one...I can dream, can't I?

Peace, Mooh.


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## elindso

http://www.nextag.com/travel-guitar/search-html


There is a bunch here. I've played most of them and they are ok. Nothing special but ok. I don't like the long skinny Martins.


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## gevans378

I've got a Koa Larrivee parlor. Fits in the overhead bin and sounds like a guitar.


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## shoretyus

Ditto in the parlour geetar. I have had since 86 a Suzuki "Three's" . A lovely cedar top parlour sized box. Just as loud as those D35's and 28's:rockon2: . I have just about wore it out. I actually bought a guitar for when it does die. I did see one like it on ebay once and forgot to bid ... darn thing went for $10. 

The funny thing too is that the original owner of this Suzuki traded really expensive guitar ( $1500 ) for it.


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## Marccd

Brunner Outdoor Guitar


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## lolligagger

Where in the world did you come across that? More importantly, have you ever played one, and what did you think? Looks like the darnedest thing...


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## Marccd

Quite the hot travel instrument as discussed on other forums.


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## Wesley

Yggdrasil said:


> I use a Larrivee P-05 parlour; formerly had an Art & Lutherie Parlour, which is great bang for the buck!


Was thinking of picking up an Art and Lutherie parlour guitar. The nylon string version looks like it could be a fun little guitar for cheap. Can anyone else chime in on these things?


Friend of mine has a smaller sized yamaha (don't know the model #) and it sounds and plays pretty good. Its always the first guitar I pick up when I visit his studio, I think he bought it for 100 bones in a pawn shop.


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## Guest

I'd get myself one of THESE


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## Chuck Lawson

*Re travel guitar*

Washburn makes a nice travel guitar for a very good price.:tongue:


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## nataliejwong

Marccd said:


> Brunner Outdoor Guitar


That's a really neat guitar.


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## Marccd

The luthier is in great demand right now. This model has really become popular with customers requesting exotic upgrades in woods, sunbursts, electronics, etc.


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## BrownID

Check out the carbon fibre travel guitars made by Blackbird Guitars.

www.blackbirdguitar.com


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## Gtrminator

^^^^ the blackbird looks like a nice one. You could probably get it wet/freeze/bake it in the trunk/ use it for a spare paddle etc, and it wouldn't move a millimetre. I've played the Martin backpacker, and the washburn one; which I thought had a better sound than the martin. If I take any guitar I presently own travelling, it's always my A&L 12 string. It's not exactly a travel guitar, but it's the only acoustic I have that I wouldn't die if something happened to it.


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