Travel guitars?
02-11-21, 07:55 PM
#26
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Be happy you don't play double bass...
02-11-21, 08:46 PM
#27
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02-12-21, 01:35 AM
#28
aka Timi
02-12-21, 11:34 AM
#29
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Thread Starter
I pulled the trigger on the Journey Overhead CF guitar, the nylon string version (this one). The body is small (same size as my parlor guitar) and the neck comes off easily to make acompact package. Carbon fiber cares nothing about heat or humidity and little about vibration and shock (I would like to see what Pete Townsend could do to a CF guitar).
It plays well, with a neck a little narrower and action a little lower than my wood classical guitar. Maybe a little string buzz, but that may be my technique. Sound is okay for a small body, but kind of thin. One surprise, not mentioned in various online reviews, is that it is very NOT loud. I would expect that the steel string version would be better for group sing-alongs.
The bag that comes with it is optimized for air travel (and well thought-out for that purpose) but is rather bulky, with lots of padding and outside pockets. I think it is the same bag they supply with their wood guitars, but I don't think the CF guitar needs that much padding and I don't need the outside pockets. So I am considering other options for bagging the guitar. The longest part of the disassembled guitar is the neck which is just about the same length as my tent, and I hope I can come up with a packing solution that allows them to coexist on top of the rack. I will report back.
Thanks for the discussion and good information.
It plays well, with a neck a little narrower and action a little lower than my wood classical guitar. Maybe a little string buzz, but that may be my technique. Sound is okay for a small body, but kind of thin. One surprise, not mentioned in various online reviews, is that it is very NOT loud. I would expect that the steel string version would be better for group sing-alongs.
The bag that comes with it is optimized for air travel (and well thought-out for that purpose) but is rather bulky, with lots of padding and outside pockets. I think it is the same bag they supply with their wood guitars, but I don't think the CF guitar needs that much padding and I don't need the outside pockets. So I am considering other options for bagging the guitar. The longest part of the disassembled guitar is the neck which is just about the same length as my tent, and I hope I can come up with a packing solution that allows them to coexist on top of the rack. I will report back.
Thanks for the discussion and good information.
02-12-21, 12:45 PM
#30
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Congratulations!
Perhaps sub-optimum for group sing-alongs but just the ticket for crowded campgrounds.
Perhaps sub-optimum for group sing-alongs but just the ticket for crowded campgrounds.
02-13-21, 06:42 AM
#31
aka Timi
Cool! I would love to see pics of how you end up carrying it. Do you have a pannier (Backroller) to see if it would fit in one? My Yamaha 3/4 nylon just fits in one in a thin gig bag (sticking up of course) but is horribly unprotected if the bike falls to that side.
02-14-21, 04:53 PM
#32
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Thread Starter
... So I tried to get an idea of how the folding guitar would pack on the bike.
As I noted before, the bag that comes with it is somewhat bulky, but maybe viable. The bag and guitar total about 8 1/2 pounds (3.9 kg).
However, the guitar will fit in a much smaller bag. This is a duffle I use as a carry on. If it were a little larger, the neck could sit next to the body rather than on top, so the package would not be as tall. A plain fabric duffel would be about a kilo lighter than the manufacturer's bag.
Tent on top.
Tent in front.
As I noted before, the bag that comes with it is somewhat bulky, but maybe viable. The bag and guitar total about 8 1/2 pounds (3.9 kg).
However, the guitar will fit in a much smaller bag. This is a duffle I use as a carry on. If it were a little larger, the neck could sit next to the body rather than on top, so the package would not be as tall. A plain fabric duffel would be about a kilo lighter than the manufacturer's bag.
Tent on top.
Tent in front.
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02-14-21, 10:18 PM
#33
aka Timi
Great pics. Thanks Sluggo 👍
01-25-22, 06:07 AM
#34
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Steinberger GTPROBK1 works fine for me. This article has reviews on it. Love the reaction in the airport to what appears to be a rifle case. 
Don’t travel as much now that I’m retired. Used to travel extensively when I was working. COVID stopped it last year, but I used to bring that stuff up to my daughter’s home. Made some noise while the grandkids were in school.
Don’t travel as much now that I’m retired. Used to travel extensively when I was working. COVID stopped it last year, but I used to bring that stuff up to my daughter’s home. Made some noise while the grandkids were in school.
Last edited by RihanaB; 02-02-22 at 02:11 AM.
03-30-22, 06:24 AM
#35
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I bought the Airpannier probably 2 years ago but due to various hillarities did not get to use it until yesterday. I finally tested attaching it to my bike and rode 4 miles while carrying my ukulele. I am happy to report that I feel completely comfortable with the instrument on my bike even over bumps and jittery gravel. The net provides ample cushioning and there are no hard surfaces to impact during the ride.
03-30-22, 10:19 AM
#36
Full Member
I have been trying for years to find a suitable option. Almost every backpack and travel guitar I have played are either small enough for travel - but sound like crap, or sound good - but too big to lug around (baby taylors). I am kicking myself now for selling my tacoma papoose in the late 90's/early 2000's. It played and sounded amazing, and was not much larger than most ukeleles. I haven't seen one in years, and if I can find one for sale now - the cost is way too high.
