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What is the best travel guitar?
August 19, 2009 by Best Travel Guitars
Filed under Headline
So, you probably came here with this very question and your in search for the best travel guitar. Unfortunately, this question can not be answered with just one answer. There's likely to be many factors which make the best travel guitar for you different then the best travel guitar for someone else.
This is especially evident in our review pages. We asked people like you to give a honest take on the travel guitar they have and list why they like or dislike their particular model. We received some pretty interesting responses.
Some people were relatively positive while describing their guitar and almost seemed to praise it. Then at the same time they would turn around and rate certain aspects on a scale of 1-10 with a brutal honesty that did not bode well for the review.
So why the discrepancy? Well, although nobody is a psyche major here at "Best Travel Guitars" we like to think we have answers. We concluded that given the chance to describe and relate their life experience with the guitar people were more likely to shape their review around personal needs. They took into account the reason they picked that model in the first place. Reasons like, it was inexpensive or it was the most durable and smallest one they could find. Within that context, they wrote the review with a positive spin because well, it filled the bill.
On the other hand, when rating the guitar on a impersonal system of 1-10 stars people rated the guitars based on what else is out there. They made comparisons with a careful consideration of available choices, A or B.
With this in mind lets look at what guitar fills the bill best when it comes to needs.
Best Travel Guitars
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Best Bang for the Lowest Buck - The Amigo AMT-10 When we think cheap we think under 100 bucks. There's quite a few choices here but we recommend the Amigo AMT-10 with a solid spruce top. Read the full review here. |
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Best little traveling buddy - The Martin Steel String Backpacker If size is everything like it is when your backpacking then nothing beats the backpacker by martin. This little guitar can take some abuse as well. Check out the full review here. |
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Best Buzz generator and most fun - The Washburn Rover We got a lot of feedback on this guitar when developing Best Travel Guitars and apparently a lot of people have it and love it - the buzz!!! This is funny because I have 7 of these, yup 7, haha. I got addicted to buying them on eBay and every time I see one for cheap I have a hard time resisting. They are just fun to play and I love the sound. I have to confess I play the rover more then I play any of my other guitars. When my friends come over they all pick up the rovers and we jam. We can't help it - we are sick with the washburn fever. Read the full review here. |
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Winner of 4 Awards - The Composite Acoustics Cargo Travel Guitar
OK, I've heard this called the holy grail of travel guitars and its a easy choice for BEST OVERALL. Nothing says durable like the Composite Acoustics Cargo Travel Guitar and the sound is just simply astounding. Out of the box it was actually in tune and the action - PERFECT!!! Its truly in a league of its own and this 3/4 size guitar sacrifices nothing for size. It's a bit expensive but not overpriced considering the product. If you have the cash the best travel guitar is a easy choice. Check out the full review here. |
UPDATE: OK, this post has been heading our front page for a while. Still I think its probably the most important question people want to know when looking to purchase a travel guitar. For that reason I decided to add the dynamic leaderboard right here. These are the travel guitars leading the way as voted by you, our valued readers.
If you want to place your vote click on one of the guitars below and go to the post, at the end of the review you will see interactive stars to cast your vote for such things as fit & finish, sound, playability, etc. Remember, we are working to get more reviews but I'm not rich and don't have every travel guitar out there. I rely on you. Please help us and Add a Guitar Review or tell us which one we should try to get our hands on to review. Thanks.
Acoustic Travel Guitars
Electric Travel Guitars
Don't be shy, were interested in what you have to say. So, what is the Best Travel Guitar according to you?
More From Best Travel Guitars
- Washburn Rover Travel Guitar | Best Travel Guitars
- Ministar Castar Travel Guitar Review | Best Travel Guitars
- Ministar Rokstar Travel Guitar Review | Best Travel Guitars
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- Know And Learn More About How To Play The Guitar (Guitar Blogger)
- CTC Travel Fair 2011 (GoingPlaces)
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best travel guitars's answers on Yedda - People. Sharing. Knowledge. on Tue, 15th Sep 2009 7:54 pm
Yedda: RE: What’s the best “travel” guitar?…
best travel guitars answered: re:What’s the best “travel” guitar? …
Dan Coplan on Sat, 5th Dec 2009 12:57 pm
I did a lot of research before I bought my travel guitar. I ended up going with an Aria Sinsonido (http://www.adirondackguitar.com/electrics/aria/as-100.htm) which I love! It’s been all over the world with me and I’ve played it on buses, trains, waiting for flights, etc.
But travel guitars continue to fascinate me and this is a great article!
Best Travel Guitars on Sat, 5th Dec 2009 4:11 pm
Thanks Dan, that’s awesome that you’ve been all over with your travel guitar and you stand by your choice. That’s what travel guitars are all about. Maybe the Aria Sinsonido is the best choice for you then, haha. I’ve never got the chance to play it but as my collection slowly grows I’m hoping to get the chance to try more travel guitars. Its really impossible to pick the best one I think as more and more options turn up. I think there is just a nice crop of really good ones that all look promising.
Thuy on Thu, 25th Feb 2010 2:31 pm
Best Travel Guitars,
I’m looking to buy a travel guitar either at $100, $150 or $200. What’s the best one for each price (based on sound only)? I’d appreciate it if you can also give each a grade from 1-10 (10 is the highest).
Thank you very much!
Thuy on Thu, 25th Feb 2010 2:34 pm
I forgot to mention that it’ll be acoustic, steel strings.
Nami Neybar on Thu, 25th Feb 2010 7:17 pm
I’m curious to know whether you can comment on the Traveler guitar series…I’m particularly interested in how the EG-1 stacks up compared to the others…
Thank you!
Nami
Thuy on Thu, 25th Feb 2010 8:56 pm
Please never mind. I’ve decided to go with Washburn Rover. Thank you for creating this cool website.
Best Travel Guitars on Fri, 26th Feb 2010 7:02 pm
Thuy, the Washburn Rover is a great choice for the price range your talking. It’s actually one of my favorite travel guitars.
Nami, There are 2 reviews up, one on the traveler speedster and one for the EG-1. Its hard to comment on all these guitars because I don’t personally own all of them but I currently have some people working on some reviews in the traveler series.
A new batch of reviews should be up soon, I’m waiting for a few more to roll in then I need to put them together. Thanks
Thuy on Sat, 27th Feb 2010 2:12 am
Best Travel Guitars,
You have 7 Washburn Rover guitars, would you sell me one?
Nami Neybar on Sun, 28th Feb 2010 10:34 am
Best Travel Guitars,
Thanks for pointing me to the EG-1 review, I appreciate it!
mike on Mon, 26th Jul 2010 6:21 pm
this guitar is awsome, very portable, perfect craftmanship.
Patrick McGrotha on Tue, 5th Oct 2010 11:34 am
By far the new GS Mini Taylor guitar is the best sounding travel guitar on the market. It comes with a gig bag that fits in overhead storage on airplanes, and this lil thing has the sound of a $2000 guitar.
Best Travel Guitars on Tue, 12th Oct 2010 5:40 pm
Thanks Patrick, I’m very interested in getting my hands on one of these (Taylor GS Mini) or getting someone to submit a review. So I’m working on this. Anyone feel free to help me out.
Jiro on Sat, 16th Apr 2011 1:23 pm
Where is the Amigo travel guitar made?
Are there any travel guitars not made in China?
Best Travel Guitars on Wed, 20th Apr 2011 8:38 pm
Jiro, the Amigo is made in Romania I believe. Martin backpacker>mexico, rover>china, taylor gs mini>mexico. blackbird>san fran, usa.
Jonny Capes on Fri, 17th Jun 2011 6:45 am
You NEED to review the Lapstick guitar!! These are absolutely amazing short scale electric guitars, beautifully made & engineered. I’ve had one for about 3 or 4 years now & I absolutely adore it & in fact play it more than any of my other guitars. I believe its THE smallest proper electric guitar in the world, & mine plays like a dream. Fabulous customer support from the maker, Phil Neal, too. Have a search & see what you think, but I feel the owners of this website are doing an injustice to what I believe is the ultimate ‘travel’ guitar.
Rob on Tue, 26th Jul 2011 2:11 am
I had this made for me in 1995 by Andy Manson who made guitars for Led Zeppelins Jimmy Page, Jethro Tull – Ian Anderson, John Paul Jones, Foo Fighters etc etc and it’s unique – first one he made that was cutaway and would fit in a Violin box!
Sadly I only used it 2 or 3 times and it’s sat in the case ever since!
I had planned to take it to hotels with me but when checking in I always had a handful of stuff and was too lazy to go get it!!
Now I have to sell it and I can’t put a price on the value – I suppose it’s how much a collector would pay for this rare guitar?
I’ve added the link so you can see it – http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/manson-cutaway-custom-built-traveler-guitar-uniquerare/84584737
Rob (in England)
Esri Allbritten on Wed, 21st Sep 2011 3:02 pm
I don’t see the Yamaha GL-1 Guitalele on this list, possibly because it didn’t used to be available in the U.S. It’s a quarter-size guitar (the size of a tenor ukulele), with condensed frets and nylon strings. $100. People who own one (including me) think it’s the best thing since sliced bread.