Travel guitars are great way to practice on the go. But what to consider when buying a travel guitar?
– Will you be playing alone, or in groups?
– How will you transport it? (plane, car, bus, etc.)
– What kind of music do you want to play?
Consider these questions, and choose a travel guitar that will best fit your needs.
What to consider when buying a travel guitar:
I recently picked up a discontinued Music Man Silhouette Special from Guitar Center, and I absolutely love it! So much so that I want to share my experience with you, and encourage you to consider the option of a travel guitar.
What is a travel guitar? Well, that’s what we’re here to talk about! A travel guitar is actually just another name for a short-scale guitar. The scale length refers to the length of the strings between the nut and bridge. On a 6-string electric guitar, the scale length is generally 24.75″ or 25.5″. A short-scale guitar can range anywhere from 22.5″ all the way down to 21″. Here are some examples of different makes and models of travel guitars:
Gibson L-00 Studio: 24.75″
If you are a guitarist, you’ve probably experienced the hassle of traveling with your guitar. Gig bags aren’t much help and risk damaging your instrument, while hard cases can be bulky and inconvenient. More importantly, they do not offer much protection when you are on the move.
Fortunately, there is a solution: travel guitars. While many people argue that nothing is better than having a travel guitar for your trip, it is important to note that the market is flooded with different brands and models. This could make choosing one that suits your needs difficult if you don’t know what to look for.
This blog will walk you through what you need to consider when choosing a travel guitar.
Size matters
One of the first things to consider when buying a travel guitar is its size. The ideal size for a travel guitar is between ¾ and ½ of a regular guitar size. Travel guitars come in different sizes ranging from 3/4 size to 1/16 size of regular guitars.
The smaller the size of the guitar, the higher its portability, but this could sacrifice playability in some instances. This means that if you have large hands, it would be better to go for larger models as they will be more comfortable to play on and
When it comes to travel guitars, less is more. But before you can actually buy a travel guitar, you need to do some research. There are several things that you need to consider when buying a travel guitar, and it might take several tries until you find the right one for you.
The first thing that you need to decide when buying a travel guitar is what material do you want your guitar to be made out of. Most travel guitars are made out of wood, but there are other alternatives such as plastic and metal that are becoming more popular.
Wooden guitars produce a richer and more natural sound than their plastic or metal counterparts. Moreover, due to their size and portability, travel guitars are mostly acoustic, so wood is the best material for them.
The most common type of wood used for travel guitars is mahogany because it produces a warm sound with great mid-range tones. On the other hand, spruce gives a brighter sound with more clarity, which makes it a better choice for folk music or blues. The downside of spruce is that it has a shorter lifespan than mahogany. However, if properly treated, spruce can last longer than mahogany.
Another thing to consider when buying a travel guitar is the size of
Travel guitars are designed to be smaller than a standard guitar and to be able to pack away easily. Most travel guitars will have a smaller body and neck, and may even have fold-away components that let you reduce the size of the guitar for transportation.
A travel guitar is going to be less expensive than a full size guitar, but also may have worse sound, due to its reduced size. When buying a travel guitar you need to consider how much you are willing to compromise on sound quality in order to get something small enough to travel with.
Another consideration is whether the travel guitar has extra features that make it easy to transport, or whether it is simply a smaller version of a standard guitar. The most common feature here is having a foldaway neck that lets you collapse the guitar into a compact size.
There are many options for travel guitars out there, but some are better than others. Before you buy a travel guitar, make sure you have considered the following:
1) Size matters. Most people recommend a ¾ size travel guitar, because it is the same scale length as most guitars, making it easy to play for anyone who has experience playing a full-size guitar. If you’re buying for a child or someone with smaller hands, consider looking at ½ size guitars instead.
2) Quality counts. Some travel guitars are less expensive than others, but if the quality of the instrument is poor then it will be difficult to play and may not hold up to regular use. Therefore, I recommend spending more money on your instrument to ensure that it is one of good quality.
3) It’s all in how you carry it. Some travel guitars come with their own carrying case while others do not. The benefit of having a carrying case is that you can protect your guitar from damage that could occur during traveling and storage. However, some cases can be bulky and make traveling difficult. Consider how you will transport your instrument before buying one without a case if this is a concern for you.
I am going to be traveling a lot this year, and realized that I need a travel guitar. I’m getting a Gibson SJ-200 Vintage Custom Shop Acoustic/Electric Guitar in sunburst. It’s not cheap ($7,499), but it’s worth it.
The Gibson Super Jumbo 200 was introduced in 1937 as the top-of-the-line Jumbo Acoustic guitar in Gibson’s lineup. Referred to as “The King of the Flat Tops,” the SJ-200 is considered by many to be the most iconic acoustic guitar ever made. All of this makes Gibson SJ-200 Vintage Custom Shop Acoustic/Electric Guitar an instant collectable that will only appreciate with time.
One reason people like guitars is because they are hard to play well. With the SJ-200 Vintage Custom Shop Acoustic/Electric Guitar you don’t have to worry about playing it at all because you can just send your roadie out there with it and let him do all the work!