Martin LXM Review

One of the best travel sized guitars on the market, the Martin LXM has the classic looks of a standard Martin guitar and the sound quality to match.  Small and lightweight, this little Martin is a versatile and handy instrument that lends itself to impromptu jams.  Weighing in with a 23 in. scale length the Martin LXM Little Martin is a best sound per pound contender.

A spruce top gives the guitar a bright tone while the mahogany back and sides add a warmer depth to the guitars voice.  Because of its size, the LXM is easy to play and even provides a new approach to guitar playing, enabling you to stretch between notes normally out of reach.  Although small, its unique construction creates a big voice and as a result, the LXM can hold its own against the bigger, standard sized instruments.

Martin have a reputation as one of the finest makers of acoustic guitars in the world and the LXM serves to support that reputation.  Although it is amongst the budget models in the Martin range, the build quality is still exceptionally high with thoughtful additions such as chrome tuning pegs and a textured finish to the spruce top.  The fingerboard is plainly finished and has no dot markers on the frets.  This minimalist design gives the guitar a look all of its own and reinforces the impression that players of this little instrument are looking for a no thrills guitar that delivers.

Another feature that may endear the LXM to players is the inclusion of a strap on the neck and another on the bottom of the body.  This little addition enables the guitar to be a true travel guitar and no doubt conjures up images for many people of being strapped to someone's back as they hitchhike across the globe.

There are many features about the guitar that make it so appealing.  First of all, the inclusion of a gig bag is a nice addition and saves the owner trying to find an appropriately sized gig bag themselves.  The addition of touches such as the strap buttons, chrome tuning pegs and high quality woods for the body make the LMX stand out amongst other models in its class.

Whether you are a serious musician looking for another guitar for your collection or merely someone who wants a small bodied guitar for recreation, the Martin LXM is a guitar worth considering.  Affordable for most budgets yet still part of the prestigious Martin family, this little Martin is fun to play and has a great sound.

Martin LXM Little Martin Acoustic Guitar Features:

• Modified 0-14 Martin body
• Wood-pattern HPL top
• "1-style" Sitka spruce bracing
• Micarta fretboard and bridge
• 23" scale
• Stratabond modified low-oval neck
• Martin's patented neck mortise
• Gotoh nickel-plated tuners
• C.F. Martin script logo on headstock
• heavily padded travel bag

Wechter 1720 Elite Travel Guitar Review

Thanks to Abraham Wecther’s commitment to providing quality at an affordable price, the Wechter model 1720 Elite stands alone among travel guitars. With a solid mahogany top, sides, and back, it produces a warm, full tone comparable to its traditional sized counterparts.

This model also features a nato neck, rosewood fingerboard, and Plek Pro Setup, a technique which gives each guitar a personalized setup that is accurate as well as perfectly buzz-free. Wechter uses the Plek Pro Setup on all of his guitars.

The Plek Pro machine is computer controlled and has the ability to level frets to .001 mm accuracy. This adds to the guitar’s playability and eliminates problems caused by high string action. Though this feature is not usually offered on an inexpensive travel guitar, Wechter, once again, has proven his commitment to quality.

It is this Plek Pro Setup, which gives the Wechter 1720 Elite a low action. Stated simply, action on an acoustic guitar refers to how high the strings are from the fret. The higher the strings, the more difficult the instrument will be to play.

High action on an acoustic guitar will compromise the playability of the guitar, and can actually be painful for the picker. High action also makes it difficult to keep the guitar in tune.

Because the Wechter Elite is a travel guitar, durability is important. The mahogany wood it is fashioned from is a type of hard wood, used in furniture and boats. This wood’s strength makes it the perfect choice for a travel guitar.

The satin finish, while detracting a tiny bit from the tone, is also an important component when building for durability. It is a given that a travel guitar is going to get knocked about at some point, and the satin finish makes it even more durable.

Though the Elite is among the smallest of Wechter’s guitars, 23.3” scale as opposed to the normal scale of 25.5”, there is not enough difference to make it awkward to switch between the normal sized acoustic and the 1720 elite. That makes it a perfect guitar for professionals to use when practicing or traveling, as well as an excellent first guitar for beginning players.

Overall this is an amazing travel guitar from one of the supreme guitar makers, Abraham Wechter. He brings the same innovation and insight of his high end models to this compact 1720 Elite travel guitar.

Taylor GS Mini Review

Excitement abound - the GS Mini was in at the local store and damn it, I had to buy it.  I'm in no way financially ready for this investment especially with Christmas coming but I couldn't resist.  The powers were to great and my only comfort is holding the beautiful guitar and thinking, "It delivers".

Guitar players looking for a big sound in a deceivingly small package should look no further than the Taylor GS Mini Acoustic - seriously!  Completely different from Taylor's “Baby” guitars, this Mini is a treasure that will not disappoint even the pickiest player.

Small enough to fit into the overhead compartment on a plane, this six string guitar's impressive tone can be taken virtually anywhere to be played at any given time.  Extremely lightweight, this guitar fits comfortably in the my lap, and gives off a rich, full sound when finger picked.

The way the body is designed allows the player's arm to be bent at a less severe angle while playing, which is an extreme advantage to this model. The NT neck makes it easy to play – even for children and people with small hands, and the fret board's ebony inlay makes for a fantastic visual, as well as making it easier to place fingers correctly.

Very few bad things can be said about this guitar, and the biggest complaint is that it does not sound as “bassy” as its larger counterparts; but it isn't supposed to. For its size, price, and design, this GS Mini is everything that it needs to be, and more.

While not designed to reach the far corners of arenas, the tone and volume produced by this instrument's full-sized sound hole are perfect in medium to large rooms.  A deeper body allows the Mini to be tuned to standard, taking away the “high strung” feel and sound from a smaller guitar.

This guitar comes with a hard case bag, which helps to protect the gorgeous back and sides of this guitar – which are made of laminated sapele, and gleam like gold in bright light.

Though most definitely not the same as a full sized guitar, this Taylor Mini offers many advantages to players. From the way that it fits on a player's lap, to the simple, refined look of this model, Taylor has broken the boundary between large and small acoustic guitars wide open.

The first chord played on this model will highlight this guitar's ability to stay in tune, carry across a room, and hold its own with the larger models. The fact that this is not a full sized guitar should not be a focal point; in fact this can sometimes be forgotten when concentrating on the way that this Taylor GS Mini looks, handles, and plays.

Bottom Line is I love it and definitely recommend this purchase to anyone with the extra cash.  I know Christmas is coming but it's a great investment.

Hofner Shorty Travel Guitar Review

The Hofner Shorty Travel Guitar is a great little Guitar that doesn’t feel or sound like a mini model. The beginner will enjoy the low price, high quality and tremendous value, while the most accomplished player will notice immediately that it has a standard sized neck. The Hofner sports a 24 ¾ scale neck and in the hand it feels a lot like a Les Paul except there is not as much body weight. The neck is fairly identical to other popular guitars but the body is smaller and lighter for easy handling and portability.

The Hofner Shorty is actually a redesign of a popular guitar built from 1982 -1986. In those days the Hofner was made in Germany. It was a fine example of German craftsmanship. The new design is practically identical to the original. The buyer can choose from four colors, black, blue, pink and red, just like in the 80’s.

Not Just another Practice Guitar
The Hofner Shorty TG is not just another practice guitar. It actually looks great and is suitable for public performances. It looks absolutely stunning and the sound quality is competitive with other electric guitars and far exceeding the sound quality of most guitars in its price range.

Excellent Performance Guitar
The lighter weight actually feels great once one becomes accustomed to it. It certainly makes those on stage moves a little easier and more comfortable. The Hofner Shorty Travel Guitar weighs less than ten pounds, has an overall length of only 32 ½ inches, and yet has a full sized neck. For this reason, the Hofner can become so comfortable that it actually does feel like an extension of the musician. Musician and instrument just meld together, and it feels very natural to hold.

Caring for your Hofner Shorty Travel Guitar.
The Hofner Shorty is durable but care should still be taken in storage. Just as with any guitar, the neck is a major concern. Whenever resting your guitar for more than a few hour, be sure that it is put in a case that provides proper neck support. Definitely consider a hard case for storage and travel. The Shorty is extremely portable, but always be careful when packing. This is true of any guitar.

Restringing the guitar can be a bit tricky for some people. Unless one has owned dozens of guitars, the task always feels a little strange the first time. If in doubt about the process research or enlist the help of a more knowledgeable friend the first time it is strung. It’s always good to have an extra pair of hands on this operation anyway. Beginners might consider asking a reliable music store to do the job the first time, and allow them to watch.

The Hofner Shorty Travel Guitar can be a Musician’s Favorite
Since the current version (2005 to present) is a slightly updated 180 its styling is reminiscent of the 80’s rockers. It is comparable to much more expensive guitars in sound, and overall quality and appearance. It features a standard 32 ¾ inch neck and all the features one would expect on a new guitar including a Humbucker pickup and output jack. It can be customized further by an experienced guitar technician, and it is a joy to hold. It’s truly an easy guitar to become attached to.