There are so many new travel guitars being produced. Travel guitars are easier to take on trips. These are usually smaller and lighter than a regular guitar. For example, the Martin Backpacker guitar.
Martin Backpacker Guitars
Years ago, when I did a lot of backpacking, I used to bring an old beat up guitar. It was just used for backpack and camping trips. It’s nice to have a guitar that you don’t care about for using in wilderness settings. I strapped it on my backpack and didn’t worry about it. It was fun to have an instrument to play on these trips.
The Martin Backpacker came out right before I was leaving for a month long vacation to Europe. I brought 3 of the Martin Backpackers with me. They easily fit over one shoulder and at 2 pounds each were very light.
PROS
- Very light weight. Weighs just 2 pounds
- Comes with a little guitar case
- Easy to swing over your shoulder and carry other luggage at the same time
- Fits in the overhead compartment of an airplane
- Easy to take backpacking
- Has both nylon string and steel string guitars.
- Easy to tuck anywhere in your car, boat, plane, etc.
Cons
- Takes a while to get used to
- Feels funny with no body
- Not as loud as a full size guitar
Although it takes a while to adjust to, it certainly worth the effort. I was on a month trip and as a professional guitarist didn’t want to be without an instrument for that length of time.
What helped me play it was to look in a mirror while holding a regular guitar, then adjusting the strap of the backpacker to fit where my hand normally played a full size guitar. That worked. It took probably 2 or 3 days before it felt ‘normal’.
I am most familiar with the Martin Backpackers since I have owned and played them for years. Here are a number of other travel guitars that you might like to know about. I have not played them yet, but wanted to share them with you.
Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Acoustic-Electric
This is cool looking travel guitar, the Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Acoustic-Electric. It’s similar in size to the Martin Backpackers, but includes a wire body shape that can be added to the wood body. This would make it easier to play sitting down. Unlike the Martin Backpacker, there does not appear to be an option for nylon strings. It’s just a steel string guitar.
PROS
- Very light weight. Weighs 3 pounds
- Comes with a little guitar case
- Easy to swing over your shoulder and carry other luggage at the same time
- Fits in the overhead compartment of an airplane
- Easy to take backpacking
- Includes a wire attachment to make it more comfortable to use while sitting
- Easy to tuck anywhere in your car, boat, plane, etc.
- Includes electrical pickup. (This is also an option on some Martin Backpacker Guitars)
Cons
- Not as loud as a full size guitar
- No nylon string option
Besides the acoustic travel guitar, they also make the same concept for a light bass guitar… Travelers Guitar Ultra-Light Acoustic-Electric Travel Bass.
Yamaha Silent Guitars
The above guitars are guitar for backpackers or carrying on trips with a lot of walking. This one caught my attention because there are times when you may be in a hotel and don’t want to disturb the people around you. I thought this was a brilliant idea. You can still practice, but not worry about the time or your surroundings. These clever guitars come in both nylon strings and steel strings, the Yamaha Natural Silent Acoustic-Electric Steel String and the Yamaha Silent NW (Nylon Wide) Acoustic-Electric Guitar
PROS
- It is a full size guitar and feels very comfortable to play
- Great for practicing without disturbing others
- Comes in both nylon strings and steel strings
- Has a mode with the wider nylon strings as on classical guitars
- Includes the ability to wear a headset so you can listen at any volume
- Perfect to use in hotels or late at night
Cons
- Not as compact as the smaller backpacker guitars for carrying
- Cannot fit in the overhead of an airplane
This guitar should have any adjustment period since it is a full size instrument. The main advantage is the fact that you can practice without worrying about disturbing the people around you. Then, you can plug it into an amp if you want other to hear you.
Aria Sinsonido Nylon String Guitar
This is a very clever and thinking outside the box guitar. The Aria Sinsonido Nylon String Guitar is like the guitar above, but the machine head is located in the middle of the guitar which makes the instrument shorter. It only comes in nylon strings.
Unlike the Yamaha Silent Guitar, this one can be disassembled to fit in a smaller bag. Very clever thinking!
PROS
- It is a full size guitar and feels very comfortable to play
- Great for practicing without disturbing others
- Has a mode with the wider nylon strings as on classical guitars
- Includes the ability to wear a headset so you can listen at any volume
- Perfect to use in hotels or late at night
- Fits in the overhead compartment of an airplane
Cons
- Not as compact as the smaller backpacker guitars for carrying
- Does not have an option for steel strings
- Is at least twice as heavy as the first two guitars in this article
Other Options
There are many smaller guitars that can work well for traveling. For example, 3/4 size guitars are less bulky and heavy to carry. Do you have a guitar you like to use for traveling?
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