Anyone have a travel guitar?? Advice?

I've got a Montana that I wouldnt trade for most anything. When I bought my newer guitar I let the Montana set for atleast a couple months and when I returned to it, it was still in perfect tune. It amazed me.

Dont know if you would classify it as a travel guitar or not but I saw the Montana listed and thought I would give you my experience.

Geoo

I don't have a travel guitar as such, but I took an acoustic to Benidorm, no problems at all...took my Epi LP to Texas, bought a brand new hard case, it took a real battering....the guitat survived, but the case is ruined..baggage handlers are NOT my favourite people!!!!

Travelling with a guitar is a pain....travelling with TWO was a nightmare, especially as we had two humungous great suitcases and two heavy bags we took on as hand luggage and Marilyn had enough problems trying to walk...

But I don't think I could bear to be guitarless for more than a couple of days......!!!!

:D :D :D

Vic

I don't have a travel guitar but I'm interested to hear others' experiences with them. I have a hardcase for my acoustic which was recently cracked from airline travel. The guitar is okay but I think it would take a lot of abuse to put a crack in my case (makes me wonder what they do with my luggage :( )

I looked at the website for the Vagabond guitar - looks interesting but I'd be nervous checking a guitar in only a gig bag (despite the testimonial on the homepage).

Iv'e got a Martin backpacker, to be honest I use it as an emergency guitar only like when there is absolutely no room for anything else. Sounds not very good and is extremely awkward to hold, impossible without a strap and even then still very awkward. You do get used to it after a while but I wouldn't recommend one unless you really do need something that narrow.

Basically if it doesn't have at least some body to it then you are going to have problems getting comfortable holding one as they tend to roll away from you which leaves you using your left hand to stop it tilting while you are trying to play.

Of all the ones Iv'e tried the baby Taylor was the best one and very playable. I can't remember what make it is but somebody told me last week that another company has made one very similar to the baby Taylor for half the price and it's supposed to be very good, if I remember what one I'll let you know.

Lee

The hard case I bought wasn't a particularly expensive one, but like Laoch's, it must have taken a real pasting to end up with a broken hinge at the back, and a fastener hanging off the front.....come the revolution comrades, it won't be the politicians who'll be first against the wall, it'll be the bloody BAGGAGE HANDLERS!!!!

:D :D :D

Vic

I have a Backpacker and pretty much hate it. But wait, I have found a musical use for it. When I have time, it will become a lapsteel -- I just need to add some string guides and a raised nut insert.

I have a Tacoma Olympia 3/4 and find it more than playable, with a large enough body to get good sound out of. Not like a dreadnought but more than adequate.

I've been looking at these also as I'd like to have a travel acoustic guitar. However, I am specifically concerned with airline travel. It seems to me that many of the travel guitars are just scaled down in size.
While size is part of the problem - I'm more concerned with sturdiness.

A lot of the travel guitars come with gig bags - fine for the car but no way am I letting baggage handlers get hold of that! I bought a hardcase for my dreadnaught size acoustic but the airlines even managed to damage that (luckily my gutar was fine).

Aside from the smaller size (which is easier to carry and "may" be allowed as airline carry-on), are any travel acoustics ruggedized to survive rough handling? If not, sounds like I'm better off investing in good hardcases. Any thoughts?

The Olympia Travel guitar comes with a gig bag. Fits nicely in the overhead bin, and if you have a nice flight attendant, they will let you store it in a closet up in first class. Only problem with overhead bin is space allocation. If you get on last you run the risk of not having enough space to put the guitar. If you are a frequent flyer on an airline, getting on first shouldn't be a problem, the only thing you have to worry about then is some idiot who decides to place his 50lb lead weights in his carryon on top of the guitar. If you are not a frequent flyer, then one way around it is to get a seat in the back of the plane, cause they board from the rear of the craft forward. This will get you on behind 1st class passengers and frequent flyers, giving you ample room to store your axe.

The only way I would ship a guitar in baggage is in an ATA rated case, which is quite expensive. Even then, loosen the strings completely so that there is no tension on the neck, wrap the neck in towels for extra padding, and do not store anything else in the case that might rattle around (tuner, extra strings, capo etc). Even then, if somebody throws it around you risk damage. Always have the intrument inspected (if you check it) at the counter is prove that the instrument is undamaged before shipping, and get a form or statement to that effect from the counter agent. Then, upon arrival, open the case immediately in baggage claim and inspect it. If there is damage, file the claim immediately. They may chargeyou more for fragile gear, or excessive weight (if in an ATA case) so be prepared.

Well I have travelled with my guitar in a hard case on many flights. I have never had a problem. I have a hard case that is becoming beat up, but thats what its for right.

Good advice from Jbrown

Although I don't know about the agents inspecting it, I had to sign a waiver every time that I have flown which stated that the airline was not responsible for any damage.

One thing to add - If you do fly with your guitar, take some packing tape and put it over all of the buckles on the case. This will prevent them from opening during the handling and possibly breaking.

Guitar in the overhead?

Almost all major airlines now have a baggage box to check the size of your carry-on. If you cant fit your bag in - it can't go on the plane. None that I have seen would fit a travel guitar.

I wasn't even allowed to take my two piece pool cue onboard. The said it could be used as a weapon. Luckily I had a good case for that as well.

I used to keep an inexpensive guitar for travel. That way I wouldn't be as worried about it getting damaged. Now my brother has it.

Anyway I would consider a cheap full sized guitar for travel, if your worried.

I travel a lot on business and I've seen those "does your bag fit in this space?" containers. Unless there is someone really picky, or the flight is unusually full, I've never seen them actuall y use it. In fact, it seems that most travellers these days seem to think it is their God given right to pack their entire life story and bring it on board the plane.

They succeed in whacking everybody in the aisle with their belongings before trying to jam their bag in the overhead bin. It is almost funny, if it wasn't so annoying to listen to them whine when it doesn't actually fit (or come close).

I was in Indiana for a jam recently and brough my travel guitar on board. No problems. On the way out I was able to store it in the closet. On the way back, in the overhead. The way I get them to store it in the closet is by couching my request in terms they understand, like, "Excuse me, is there any chance I can store this in the closet as it is fragile. It would save an awful lot of room for someone to place their bags in the overhead and speed along our departure." Said that way, many flight attendants will go out of their way to help you out.

Bottom line, if your worried, take a cheap guitar you don't care about, or just don't take one, and borrow or rent when you get there.

I was in Hawaii on business (yes I know, life is rough). I had the afternoon's free and they had all these hammocks strung out along the ocean front; which to me is an open invitation to play. Not having a guitar, I asked at the concierge desk if there was anyone willing to lend me a guitar, or rent one. She dug around for a couple of hours and found a local musician who had experienced a chainsaw accident (no joke) and was unable to play. For $25 I had a guitar for the week. You would be surprised how easy it will be to find an axe at your destination for a modest sum or even free. Good luck. :P

jbrownstein

Good advice. I've brought my full size acoustic on airlines several times; once in the overhead on a relatively empty flight. Normally though, I gate check it where it doesn't go through the normal baggage handling.

My guitar isn't very expensive but I like it and don't want it broken.

Oddly enough, I too was on business in Hawaii (and I'm also in NJ - small world :wink: ) and that return flight is where my hardcase was damaged. I caught it in the terminal but after a 10 hour red-eye flight and a driver waiting, I was just happy my guitar itself was fine.

As for borrowing or renting a guitar, I'm a lefty and figure I'd have a tough time with that one.

I think my best option is to find a reasonably priced travel guitar with a hardcase; but, carrying my current guitar is still very doable.

Thanks

After playing a Backpacker I think I'm going to opt for a small classical . The Baby Taylors do play nice but I seem to recall them being pretty expensive. Right now I travel with my Squire Strat clone and a headphone amp.

When I was looking for a travel guitar the only ones I could find to check out were the Martin Backpacker and the Washburn Rover. I ended up purchasing the Rover.

In the last year and a half it has accompanied me to countless trips to other states and 14 different countries. It came with a soft bag that had heavy foam inserts. It normally fits in the overhead bin. On the few rare occasions when a flight attendant could not find room for it, I checked it plane side. If you do this it saves it from being thrown, bounced and dragged through the luggage system. It was a very dependable little guitar I could practice with while traveling. Keep in mind, I have never heard a travel guitar guitar sound as good as its full sized brothers. That is the compromise if you want something small and portable.

Sadly, I lost my rover several weeks ago. No, not to miss handling by an airline, but to a drunk driver who crushed it when he smashed into the back of my parked rental car at 60mph.

-J