I travel all over the world for work as a cinematographer (www.dancoplan.com) and for vacation. I’ve suffered guitar withdrawal enough that I decided it was time to find a travel-friendly instrument. I needed something light, compact, relatively indestructible, and quiet enough so I could play anywhere without disturbing other people. I also wanted something fairly inexpensive but still good enough quality that I wouldn’t regret the purchase. I’ll save you the details of my exhaustive search but I ultimately chose the Sinsonido by Aria (www.adirondackguitar.com/electrics/aria/as-100.htm).

Licensed by SoloEtte (soloette.com), the guitar is nearly identical yet less than half the cost. The main part of the guitar consists of a single block of wood including neck and body, minus the upper and lower bouts. The headstock and tuners are built into the base which saves inches off the length while maintaining full size playability. This single piece, similar to an Irish hurley (a field hockey-style paddle used in hurling) is all you need to play, though this would be awkward without the upper and lower bouts to rest against your body. Three lightweight metal rods covered in foam padding fit into the body and form the guitar’s body shape. Compact, lightweight, rugged – perfect! This also makes for a great conversation starter because it looks so unique.

A pickup is built into the bridge and a standard 1/4” jack lets you plug in to an amp or with headphones. An easily accessed 9V battery on the back supplies power to the jack. This is perfect for playing at volume without bugging anyone. Controls include volume and tone.

The guitar plays really well. I had to dial in the action at the bridge (thumbwheels on bass and treble side – easy peasy) and tweak the truss rod (allen wrench included!), but the neck and frets feel great and sometimes I don’t even put on headphones – I just pluck and strum away, satisfying my 6-string fix. The tuners are plastic – not the best quality, but for less than $20 I replaced these with a metal set that fit the peg slots and mounting holes perfectly. The volume and tone knobs are pretty cheap as is their functionality, but they work well enough. For the cost, travel-friendliness, and the way the guitar plays I’m willing to accept this as a compromise. Finally, I find the tone to be a bit twangy, but I’m willing to forgive juicy tone just to be able to put a guitar I feel good about in my hands while traveling.

The Sinsonido includes a pair of fold-up headphones with the proper 1/4” plug adapter, an allen wrench to adjust the truss rod, and soft padded carrying case. I’ve literally taken this thing all over the world and played in airports, on buses, boats, trains, on hikes, and countless other places where a standard guitar would be too cumbersome. As far as travel guitars are concerned, this one gets high marks.

Dan Coplan is a Los Angeles based cinematographer and staff writer for www.sharemyguitar.com. He can be reached through his website mentioned at the top of the article or at dancoplan@sharemyguitar.com.

Aria Sinsonido Travel Guitar Features:

• Back and Sides Mahogany
• Fingerboard Rosewood
• Hardware Black
• Neck Material Mahogany
• Nut Width 1 11/16″
• Frame Aluminum encased in soft rubber
• Pickups Soloette Original made of two stereo condenser
• microphones
• Controls Volume, Tone
• Controls Stereo, Built In
• Includes Includes headphones and free Aria gig bag.

I was tipped off about the Rider from a musician’s blog site.  The writer also owned the two nylon electrics which were at the top of my list but he personally recommended the Nylon Rider.  I decided to take the leap and ordered one from Joe Luttwak at Blackbird Guitars.  My Rider has the RMC gold pickups with Polydrive II preamp, I feed this signal into a 96K digital reverb and then into two KRK studio monitors.  The results in sound and playability are simply outstanding.

The Rider has a unique, one piece design with the vented hollow neck incorporated into the body resonance chamber. Also the interior surfaces all face each other at angles.  These design elements reduce the typical lower midrange resonance peak which is the reason most acoustics sound too boomy when amplified.  The ultra fast carbon top articulates the higher harmonic series of each note with an astonishing clarity and purity. Higher notes are warm and pure yet the crisp bass notes are supported with a true fundamental. This harmonic correctness has an ear candy result that really inspires my practice time.

The Nylon Rider’s sustain is superb.  Musical details, chords and polyphony retain clarity even in complex music like Bach.  Plugged-in, the guitar sounds natural and acoustic, not really possible with a solid body design.  This sound can be eq’d very effectively because the usual boxy resonances are not present.  Its like being able to dial in the sound that studio engineers strive for on recording sessions.

The construction of the carbon fiber top and the electronics in the Polydrive have all been specially tuned to eliminate feedback, I have experienced no problems in this area even when supporting over 50 singers.  The Nylon Rider is the most playable nylon guitar I have ever experienced.  The luthier work is excellent.  Carbon fibre construction makes the instrument impervious to temperature and humidity changes.  Perfect action is maintained regardless of season changes and the usual tendency of the bridge to rise due to string tension.  This also makes for more carefree use, I don’t have to worry about leaving the instrument in the car in summer or winter.

Another carbon fiber benefit is pitch stability.  Tuning time is much reduced, I really appreciate this when performing.  The neck is radiused which helps make a steel string player feel at home. Intonation is excellent all the way up the neck.  My Rider came with a neck-up support which is attached by a suction cup so the guitar is always perfectly balanced in my hands.  I am able to play standing up with perfect ease.  It is a featherlight 3.3 pounds; this is so comfortable.  I even practice walking around the house with the guitar strapped on.  In the gig bag I can take it anywhere on my back and I barely notice its weight!

The Rider is so ergonomic that it reduces stress on my body, Previously I had some signs of tendinitis in my left elbow, this has now subsided in a few weeks.  The physical balance is perfect due to the hollow neck.  A light instrument is a real joy but not if it is unevenly balanced to the neck.  In short, the Rider is comfortable and really fun to play!

Most of my hours of playing are practicing and having fun, for this the Rider’s acoustic performance is quite satisfying.  It has less volume than my (very expensive) concert classical, yet I find myself drawn to the tone of the Rider because of its purity.  I would not say this if there was no true fundamental on the low E string.  This is essential for long term playing satisfaction and the Rider delivers, size notwithstanding.

I am very grateful to have received this instrument from Blackbird.  The design is really excellent. The usual trade offs for tradition, marketing schemes and bean counters have been set aside so that all aspects of tone, playability, consistency and durability are optimized.  For example I know they are using the best quality carbon fiber and excellent tuners, these details are not obvious at first but are very important for long term playing satisfaction.

The RMC hex pickups and the Polydrive are the perfect setup for driving a guitar synth.  The Rider’s low action is entirely free of fret buzz so that synth tracking will be consistent.  I really look forward to exploring this exciting possibility.

The Blackbird Nylon Rider is a true synthesis of intelligent design, high technology and dedication to quality.  It is a really cool guitar!  Finally I can say that dealing with Joe Luttwak has been a real pleasure.

BlackBird Rider Nylon String Features:

• Carbon Fiber strength and environmental stability
• Body cutway to reach the higher frets
• 3 lbs. among the world’s lightest guitars
• Resonance-driving hollow neck and head with sound port
• 25.6″ (650mm) Scale Length
• RMC string saddle MIDI compatible pickups available
• Optional Guitar Support for enhanced comfort

So what are some quick songs you can pickup and learn for the campfire?  Some are old songs, some are new, and well some just aren’t anything you have listened to in a while.  Still for some reason, here at the campfire, with a beer in hand, everyone loves that song……..

Ten Easy Campfire Guitar Songs in no particular Order

1. Society – Eddie Vedder
2. The Scientist – Coldplay
3. Ain’t no Sunshine – Bill Withers
4. Time of your Life – Green Day
5. Hotel California – The Eagles
6. Throw your Arms Around me – Mark Seymour/Pearl Jam
7. Ring of Fire – Johnny Cash
8. Flake – Jack Johnson
9. What I got – Sumblime
10. Have You Ever Seen the Rain – Creedence Clearwater Revival

Here’s a few more I have heard around the fire, maybe not the easiest, maybe not traditional but they were fun.

1. Gangsters Paradise – Acoustic Coolio- nothing more fun.  Have the whole campfire goes sing the chorus  and bridge.  Chorus: “We’ve been spending most our lives living in a gansters paradise” Bridge: “Tell me why are we — so blind to see–that one ones we hurt- are you and me”  Good sample of acoustic cover here
2. I will Survive – Cake’s Version, Everyone knows the words
3. Tribute – Tenacious D – Still Easy to Play- Fun Crazy song you can get as carried away as you want.  Rock it!

So- whats your favorites?

I admit, at first I thought it was a joke or something until she explained why she bought it.  So many times we travel places or just end up in a situation where I would like to play a guitar but I either

A.) didn’t bring it because of space and storage issues
B.)  don’t feel like hauling it out and setting up
or
C.)  just don’t find it practical

Whats great about this little guitar is that the amplifier, speaker and distortion are all built into the guitar.  You have two separate knobs for volume and distortion to tune it just how you want it.  There’s  no cords, no boxes, just pick it up and play.  It also provides a headphone jack for those situations where you need a silent practice.

So what does it sound like?  Surprisingly, and I wasn’t expecting much, it sounds really good.  You get really decent clean tones out of this guitar but don’t expect the neighbor to call the cops on account of you playing to loud.  It has only the one humbucking pickup.  I really wish it was a little louder but when playing without a preamp the volume is pretty low.  Turning up the distortion helps and it does sound pretty cool.   If I need more volume I noticed there’s a 1/4″ jack that allows you to hook up your favorite amp and really rock out.

As far as playing it goes, well, this is where you realize your playing a fender and not just some toy.  It has a nice maple neck and rosewood fret board with 20 medium jumbo frets.  The body is lamenated hardwood and the hardware is all chrome.  It feels pretty sturdy, like it could take some serious abuse.  Even though its a smaller guitar it doesn’t feel awkward at all like some small travel guitars are notorious for.  It pretty much feels just like a normal guitar so playability isn’t a issue.

Overall, I would recommend the Fender Squier Mini Player to anyone who likes to travel, the portablity is just awesome.  Yes, there are smaller electric travel guitars but they do not offer a built in amp and speaker.  Whats interesting is I find myself picking up this guitar over my other guitars even when I’m just messing around at home.  Why?  Because I can just pick it up and start playing.  I really like having it around and I owe it all to by wonderfully smart girlfriend.

What about kids? Well we don’t have any together yet but  this guitar would be perfect for a kid.  A lot of times people buy their kid a guitar for 40 bucks at Walmart to see if they are going to stick with it.  The problem with this is that the guitar sucks and it rarely stays in tune if you can even get it in tune.  Of Course they give up.  This guitar is relatively inexpensive, a quality instrument (not a toy), and its small stature fits perfectly into the arms of a child.

Fender Squier Mini Player Features:

• Series: Affinity Series
• Scale length: 22.75″ (575mm)
• Colors: Black (polyurethane finish)
• Body: Laminated hardwood
• Neck: Maple, C-shaped, (polyurethane finish)
• Fingerboard: Rosewood, 9.5″ radius (241 mm)
• Frets: 20 medium jumbo
• Pickups: 1 humbucking pickup
• Controls: Volume, Gain
• Pickup switching: None
• Bridge: Hard-tail 6-Saddle Bridge
• Machine Heads: Covered tuners
• Hardware: Chrome
• Pickguard: None
• Width at nut: 1.61″ (41 mm)
• Unique features: Built-In amplifier and speaker system, Volume and Gain Controls, easy access 9V battery compartment (battery included), Headphone jack for Silent practice, 1/4″ Input, 9V DC adaptor Input, Black silkscreen Logo, White dot position inlays
• Strings: Fender Super 250L, (.009 to .042) Nickel Plated Steel p/n 073-0250-003

The Traveler Escape EG-1 is a travel-sized guitar with full size sound. The EG-1 is co-designed by John Carruthers for Traveler Guitar and the craftsmanship put into this axe shows it.

Whether it was tone, awkwardness, poor action or thin sound, travel guitars of the past have always been encumbered by something that just wasn’t quite right. That has changed with the EG-1. When I first pulled the EG-1 out of the shipping box, I was amazed at the size and weight. Obviously, since it’s a travel guitar that fits in an overhead airplane bin, it’s going to be small, but still, this thing is like a baby. However, we all know the old adage about how big things can come in small packages. The EG-1 delivers.

First, the guitar features a single humbucker pick-up, Alder body, maple neck with an ebonized rosewood fingerboard with 22 frets. I immediately needed to play this guitar, so I sat down with it and plugged in the Pocket Rock-It headphone amplifier and tuned it up. Let me say this, if you don’t have a strap, the EG-1 is a bit awkward when you rest it on your leg in a sitting position. However, beyond that, the sound is amazing. For a stock pick-up, the humbucker delivers big, warm sound. If you’re looking for a hotter sound, though, you may want to switch it out.

The action on the EG-1, for an electric, seems a bit high to me, but it’s really not bad out of the box. It’s also easy to adjust with the top-slotted bridge posts. The fat frets are also a plus. The overall feel of the guitar is pretty stout, even though the neck is relatively thin. I purchased the blue stripe model and I love this finish. From a looks standpoint, it reminds me of a fast car with a wicked racing stripe.

My one complaint about the EG-1 is how hard it is to re-string. After my first session, I decided to go with a lighter gauge set of strings. Due to the design of the guitar, re-stringing it is pretty tough, but after a call to their customer service department (thanks Dave!) I was able to get the job done.

Overall, this guitar is a great investment if you travel a lot. It stays in tune and has great sound, so you can rock wherever you go.

Traveler Escape EG-1 Features:

• Full 25-1/2″ scale
• 5 pounds light and only 29-1/4″ long
• Built-in Pocket RockIt headphone amp with distortion and clean tones
• Fits in airline overhead compartments
• Alder body
• American hard maple neck
• Fretboard: Ebonized rosewood
• 22 jumbo frets
• deluxe gig bag

Although the Traveler Speedster looks deceiving, the neck has the normal scale of 22 frets, with its width being narrower than a Gibson guitar, and closer to a Fender Stratocaster. It has a comfortable, detachable arm rest which helps it feel like a conventional guitar. The entire package comes with an attractive soft case(can be used as a carry-on), a pick, and a manual you will need regards to tuning and assembly.

This is not a guitar that I would use on a recording session or any gig situation, simply because of the single coil pickup which makes the tone sound deficient, if not a bit weak.   Overall, the sound quality is not that bad for a travel guitar, and as mentioned before, the neck is regular size, so players who have larger hands need not be concerned with any complications.  [UPDATE:  All New Traveler Speedster's come with a dual-rail Humbucker.  In no way is the sound or tone deficient but instead quite amazing.]

Although the action of the guitar was just fine as set by the factory, you can easily adjust the string action by raising the height and/or lowering the roller bridge. The tuning pegs are cumbersome, so extra care will be needed while tuning the guitar. The only disadvantage to the aforementioned roller bridge is the way the strings wrap around it provide an inconsistent tension distributed to the strings. This can make tuning this guitar a nightmare, but still easier to tune than any guitar with a floating tremolo bar.

Overall, I do recommend the Traveler Speedster, despite what I consider to be minor flaws in design. While the tuning system will take you some time to get used to, you will be able to adjust your tuning fairly easily within 2-3 weeks of practicing it. Even more encouraging is the fact that it can withstand knocks, bumps, etc. and still keep its tuning – thus reducing the fear of the tedious process of tuning this guitar. The easy portability of the Traveler Speedster, and full-size feel, make this an excellent choice.

Traveler Speedster Features:

• Full 24-3/4″ scale
• 4 1/2 pounds light and only 28″ long
• Fits easily in airline overhead compartments
• Dual-rail humbucker
• Volume and tone controls
• Upper armrest detaches for travel
• high quality gig bag

This guitar features a maple neck with a 24-fret fingerboard, an adjustable bridge and nut, master volume controls, an on/off switch, 3 single-coil pickups, die-cast tuners, a tremolo bar, a leg rest rod, and extension rods to resemble a full-sized guitar body. It also has a one-piece construction to allow for maximum tone, sustain, and strength. The Castar is packaged with a strap, should strap rods, a gig bag, and an amplifier lead.

Even though this a great travel guitar, it does have some flaws. The tremolo bar will frequently come loose while you play. Also, the volume control does not work like a volume control should. When the knob is set to high the volume will not change for most of the turn. Then the tone will change when the volume is almost set to “off”. Other than these two flaws the guitar is designed pretty well and the playability is impressive for something so compact.

The sound is pretty impressive as well. The tone is comparable to a regular sized guitar. The pickups are custom made and they give a clear quality tone making this guitar sound great through any amp. The bridge pickup creates a great “twang”. The neck even feels like a Stratocaster neck. The action is quite low and can be adjusted to reduce fret buzz. It also stays in tune surprisingly well. The Castar is very easy to assemble and comfortable to play because it is so light. The adjustable floating armrest works great to comfortably hold your arm in place.

This guitar is basically made from one piece of maple wood, which gives it durability and strength. This product is a quality instrument with the exception of the volume control and the tremolo bar. It is ideal for the traveler and is less expensive than some of the other travel guitars on the market. This guitar is unique, but simple and fun to play. If you want the ultimate in portability, this is the instrument for you.

Ministar Castar Features:

• 3 matched B-M-F pickups
• 25 1/2″ Scale
• 22 Frets
• 1 volume, 1 tone
• 1 5-position switch
• Micro-Adjustable Vibrato
• Sit Rod
• Carrying Bag
• Cord and Strap

It’s still difficult to call it a guitar, because it’s so super lightweight and there is no body, just a neck. It’s really strange and a little awkward to play at first, but now that I have gotten used to it I am still surprised by how easy it actually is to play! The neck holds twenty-two frets, and because I have rather small hands, I really like that the guitar is thin, too. It makes it so much easier for me that I am able to play for a lot longer. I find that I no longer miss the presence of the normal guitar body, and am enjoying more maneuverability while I’m playing.

Some full-size guitars come with way too many bells and whistles. The Lestar has just two: one button for volume, one for tone. Nice and simple, just like I like it. The action feels a lot like what you would find on a more expensive guitar, though. It’s slightly high, but still good. The sound I am getting out of the Ministar Lestar is surprising for such a small piece of wood. It’s gutsy and bluesy and is just what I need to play mini-concerts in my living room. I play a lot of classic rock and rock ballads and I am even able to get some funky distortion buzz out of it through my amp!

The Lestar seems like it’s going to hold up pretty well, too. The guitar feels solid and durable, and I think it’s going to last for a long time. My friends kind of made fun of me for playing it at first, at least until they played it. Even though they thought it looked really odd, they all admitted that it played well and sounded good.

Ministar Lestar Features:

• 2 Humbuckers
• 24 3/4″ Scale
• 22 Frets
• 1 Volume, 1 Tone
• 1 Selector Switch
• Sit Rod
• Carrying Bag
• Cord and Strap

The first thing I did when I pulled it from the package was check the craftsmanship.  For such a inexpensive guitar the fit and finish looked really good although there’s not really a lot to this guitar.  Even more surprising were the sides of the fretboard and fret ends, they were clean and smooth.  I had to play it right away and all I can say is awkward but mostly due to the fact that I hadn’t taken the time to assemble the rods and hardware.  You basically can’t play it until you do or if you try its difficult to say the least.

Once I took  the time to set the guitar up properly and started playing I was instantly exicited about my new purchase.  Sometimes when you buy something online it comes in the mail and within the first few minutes you think to yourself, what did I buy?  Not this time.  I love the Rokstar.  It still took a little getting used to but soon I was jamming freely like I had owned the guitar for ever.  It felt good to hold, not like another travel guitar I own that feels heavy in the neck and not really balanced.  The playability is just really a lot better then what I originally expected.

Another thing I really liked was the quick setup.  The adjustable bridge allows for optimized play, with a neck tension rod that is adjustable as well and an adjustable nut that sets strings easily without buzz or rattles.  I made very little adjustments and the sound and tone were better than a lot of full size electric guitars I have played within the price range.  Still, it is a travel guitar and if you compare it to your Stratocaster or something the tone might sound a little deficient.  The Rokstar is great for travelers, those just learning how to play guitar and for seasoned players with a true understanding of how simplicity adds to the charm of this instrument and how it is played.

Some guitar aficionados find the Ministar Rokstar awkward and complain that although it is small; it is not quite short enough to fit easily into a suitcase. But for those who like to play electric guitar while on the road, the Rokstar is designed to transport easily, meant to be carried like a backpack or placed easily in an overhead rack on a bus, train or plane. It’s meant for those looking for adventure around every corner and will hold its own in any notable jam session. And, there are those aficionados that argue there is no better sound than the Ministar Rokstar that comes equipped with an arm rest and rods that allow for playing whether the user is sitting or standing. Ready to rock and roll whenever and where ever, the Rokstar is a lot of guitar in a mini body that packs a powerful sound that will leave a lasting impression no matter where it is played.

Ministar Rokstar Features:

• 25 1/2″ Scale
• 24 Playable Frets
• p-90 Pickup
• Die-Cast Tuners
• 1 Volume, 1 Tone
• Sit Rod
• Carrying Bag
• Cord and Strap

I must confess, I’m not the best teacher but I figured if I could show him some basics he would just catch on. This was sort of the same way I learned and I figured you either show some interest or you don’t.

So about two months ago while doing some research I ran into some literature about Jamorama. For 39 dollars I figured what the heck and ordered the very basic online version. There is also a physical version, books and dvds, that cost more. It came with a 8 weeks money back guarantee so I figured it must be descent. If I felt like it was a scam and they gave me a hard time with a refund I would chalk it up as a learning experience that I could blog about.

My observations through my son: OK, so this is my take on the product before I actually looked it over.  I installed it on my sons computer, took a brief look through the first lesson and encouraged my son to give it a try and then I forgot about it.  Two weeks later my son comes out and tells me he is on the second lesson and wants to show me something.

This was exciting in itself because he had taken to practicing and I heard him in his room.  I was trying not to pressure him, he’s real sensitive to that type of thing.  Like, if I push him I push him right out of being interested so I was trying to show as little interest as possible.  This seems to work with him for some reason, haha.

So, I go to his room and he shows me what he has learned.  First he plays something on his computer from the Jamorama lessons.  Its a small track that sounds like a complete band with drums, lead, rhythm and bass.  Then he tells me he is the new band member and plays the track over this time without the rhythm guitar and he fills in.  Wow I thought, that’s awesome and I could tell he thought so too.  What a fun way to learn!

I mean, lets be honest.  He was playing A then D, A then D and that’s it but this really made it fun.  I remember when I was first learning guitar I was always thinking, when is this going to sound like something?  When am I going to be able to play a song?  With these lessons it makes the simplest of practice sessions fun and exciting.

I think the other thing that sparked my sons interest is the fact that his life revolves a lot around his computer.  We are tying to fix this bye creating a few time limit rules.  Still, I honestly think that by some weird association of the guitar lesson on his computer he became more open to it.

My observation after digging through the lessons: So, upon deciding I was going to give a little review of the product on my blog I decided I needed to dig through it a little bit.  Here’s what I found.

First, I noticed there is a lot of stuff here.  The online members area has a active blog with all kinds of useful guitar news including pointers and tips.  The members only forum is filled with novice and experienced players alike offering  the beginner answers to their questions.

The actual lesson plans are very well thought out and the structure is better then I could of hoped for.  Every lesson is filled with images, clear crisp videos of finger positions and the audio of how it should sound.  Nothing is left to the imagination.

One thing that really stood out at me was the support plan built into each lesson.  The lessons are not just do this, now do this.  Each lesson comes with some words of encouragement and some truly important life philosophies and how they relate to guitar.  Things like eating a well balanced diet and how its important to get enough sleep at night so your brain can process what you learned.  Again, more then I hoped for considering a price tag of under 40 dollars.

Who is Jamorama for? Jamorama is pretty complete and there’s a lot of lessons and a lot to learn.  Beginners and Intermediate players alike would benefit from the course.

Bottom line: I would recommend Jamorama to anyone interested in learning guitar.  The advertising on the site can be a little over the top like “play like Hendrix” but that’s understandable.  I mean, “play guitar like a star” is a lot more exciting than “learn guitar with 84 step by step lessons”.  I don’t think my son is going to end up Hendrix but hey, who knows.

What I do know is that so far he likes the guitar lessons and it seems to be working for him.  Its keeping his interest and when your learning guitar maintaining a active interest is half the battle.