There are several reasons for choosing a travel guitar: first of all, the trip itself involves travel, sometimes by car, train, boat or plane, which means shaking, or even worse. Secondly, musicians are particularly fond of their guitars, especially if they are of well-known brands and have been expensive, so they will prefer a cheaper guitar to travel with.
Features of a travel guitar
When we talk about travel guitars, we are talking about guitars that are smaller in size than so-called “normal” guitars and weigh less too. Indeed, the body is less bulky and the handle is shorter, making them easier to transport. The squares are also smaller and the frets are closer together, which gives different playing sensations.
The pitch is also shorter, which makes the strings a little softer and makes the accuracy a little less precise.
In short, travel guitars are easier to transport due to their light weight, they are less bulky due to their reduced size and there are even foldable versions with a retractable handle.
The different types of travel guitars
There are of course different types of travel guitars. If you prefer folk guitars, you can opt for Martin’s Backpacker guitar, which is perfect for travelling. Its sound is extremely good for a price of around 300 euros. The Rover Washburn model will offer a very good quality for about 180 euros.
The parlor guitar is a folk guitar with steel strings, a shorter neck and a smaller body. It is not very well known, but it is ideal for travel, such as model CP-100 by Fender.
If you are tempted by classical guitars, you can choose sizes ¼ or ½. It should be noted that the smaller the guitar, the more modest the sound will be. So you have to know if you want to make a difference between the volume of the guitar and its size.
One can be tempted by electric guitars, even if this choice is less privileged, since the amp is not easily transportable. The ideal solution is the Traveler, since these electric guitars have an integrated preamplifier and just plug in your headset.
Finally, you can choose to prefer folding or dismountable guitars. The idea is simple: fold the neck of the guitar towards the body, which reduces the length of the guitar by half. This type of guitar keeps the same sound power as a standard guitar. Another rather exceptional invention: the one that allows you to play the guitar and train to make chords just with a neck… ideal for beginners and very practical to carry.
Choosing the right travel guitar
To choose a travel guitar, you can also look at the type of strings. If you prefer nylon strings, you can opt for classical guitars with a body ¼, ½ or ¾. Even if these guitars are more for children when they start their apprenticeship, they will do just fine for the holidays! You can also choose small guitars, called guitalélés, whose sound is similar to the ukulele.
If you prefer steel strings, there are many guitars that will make for the trip, such as the famous Little Martin, the Fender Newport Traveler, the Silent Yamaha or Martin’s Backpacker, to name a few.
Other criteria to consider when choosing a travel guitar
Price, of course, remains a criterion to be considered. This varies according to the acoustic quality of the guitar, the model, the type of materials used and the brand. In general, you can find a good travel guitar between 100 and 600 euros. On the other hand, for the folding models, which have a retractable sleeve, it will be necessary to count a few hundred extra euros, since the prices vary between 1000 and 1500 euros.
