Travel Guitar

[shinksma]

Well, “cheap” is a relative term, but compared to the ridiculous prices on some guitars now, I’d call it reasonable. I found this at Anaheim NAMM a couple of years ago. It’s well-made, has a surprisingly comfortable wide fat neck, and has a nice low action. The humbuckers sound good too. Headless guitars take a little getting-used-to, as I find the head is more of a playing reference point than I first imagined.

Edit, none of the wood is veneer.

Well, compared to the price of a Traveler (brand) guitar (a few hundred-ish), that guitar model seems to be a multiple of five or six more, at least based on a quick survey on Reverb.

Still worth investigating, for me at least.

 

[Bookface]

When I was travelling around Australia I bought myself a mandolin. It fulfilled my desire to have a musical instrument on hand, was very travel friendly, and I learned something new.

So not a guitar, but something new if you're feeling adventurous.

 

[Jakles]

I love to travel and go on trips at least five times a year. Often my friends or family come with me and to make journeys more fun I chose a small guitar for traveling. I think you can do the same and carry it in a hard case to keep it safe. I bought a Parkwood S-Mini guitar; by all proportions, it's a classic dreadnought but three quarters the size of a regular guitar. Next week my parents and I and my brother and sister are going on a trip to France https://www.travelsafe-abroad.com/france/marseille/, and the guitar will create the atmosphere of that elegant country just right.

 

[LizhopPing9]

If you are afraid you will damage your guitar while traveling, you can choose a safer way of traveling. For instance, I often travel by train, and I can confidently tell you that it's the safest way of traveling. Also, you have enough space for your luggage to easily fit your guitar. If you are interested in my idea, I can share the platform where I often purchase tickets. Here it is db fahrplan.Anyway, I've just given you some advice, so at the end of the day, you decide to take it or not.

 

[AZGiant]

If you go solid body, the Fender Mustang Micro or any small plug in headphone amp is nice too

 

[qprs]

I travel with a Hohner GT-3 (a licensed Steinberger headless clone). It's a full scale, neck thru body, no compromise design (assuming you buy into the headless concept).

Have always been able to carry it onto a plane and stow it.

 

[Aether]

Another vote for Kiesel’s headless options. I have 3. Their rigid foam hard/soft cases are fantastic for travel. Ibanez now has some headless options too.

 

[qprs]

Another vote for Kiesel’s headless options. I have 3. Their rigid foam hard/soft cases are fantastic for travel. Ibanez now has some headless options too.

Is that a Fralin Split Rail?

 

[Aether]

Is that a Fralin Split Rail?

Assuming you mean the middle guitar, no Frailin. I installed a Sustainiac system with their driver/pickup in the neck, a Railhammer Hyper Vintage in the bridge and a SD Vintage Rail in the middle.

 

[CarolD]

I picked up a used Traveler EG-1 Custom on Reverb for around $300. Has a built in amp thing and all you have to do is plug in headphones. You can also plug in a phone for backing tracks, etc. So you don't need a separate amp. Comes with a travel bag, strap, etc. I did a ton of research and found it to be the best price/option/size for traveling. It's headless like the kiesel/strandberg recommendations, but at a fraction the price. Waaaay smaller than my PRS SE (which I wouldn't subject to travel anyway).

 

[shinksma]

I picked up a used Traveler EG-1 Custom on Reverb for around $300. Has a built in amp thing and all you have to do is plug in headphones. You can also plug in a phone for backing tracks, etc. So you don't need a separate amp. Comes with a travel bag, strap, etc. I did a ton of research and found it to be the best price/option/size for traveling. It's headless like the kiesel/strandberg recommendations, but at a fraction the price. Waaaay smaller than my PRS SE (which I wouldn't subject to travel anyway).

Yeah, I've been thinking that if I did any week-or-more traveling with more-than-negligible downtime, that wasn't super-extended (like a six-month stint) I might grab one of those. But: I have one of the original-shape Traveler models (from the Pro series), and while the portability is nice, the neck just doesn't feel totally "right" to me - it feels chunkier and somehow a little uncomfortable (and usually I'm fairly neck-profile agnostic). How do you find the neck profile?

Since PRS is now looking at making Teles (nudge nudge, wink wink), maybe they should look further afield at other models to emulate and have a go at a headless guitar a la Steinberger but somehow PRS-icized to stay "on brand" - like a 3/4 size CU22 body or something. Hmm, maybe I should mock something up in Photoshop/GIMP, for giggles...

 

[CarolD]

Well, I don't have a whole lot of experience with necks since I only have one PRS and one Emerald, but I would say that the Traveler neck isn't bad at all. Sort of a flat-ish C shape. And it's full scale, so that's a plus in my book. All in all, it's a great solution for a travel guitar. I also thought about some of the cheaper headless, like an EART, but they are full sized guitars minus the headstock... not truly travel. The Traveler is only about 29-30" in total length... a true take anywhere. I got lucky and found one where the previous owner had already put on the locking tuners. I think they're a must for the fiddly tuning set up. Oh, and EG-1 also has a tuner built in to one of the pickup rings! So you truly only need a cheap set of headphones and you're all set.

 

[Noshadowkick]

I just joined this forum to make a thread suggesting that PRS design a headless electric, and I see I’m not the first to have this idea!

Seriously though, I fly for work and headless guitars fit in the overhead. I jam a headphone amp in the zipper pouch of the gig bag and I’m able to play anytime, anywhere, even while waiting for a flight or at the hotel. It’s not at all uncommon to find a headless guitar that measures 30” or less tip to tail that is a fully playable instrument. I use my headless locally as well as it’s often easier to toss the small gig bag in my minivan alongside all my kids stuff.

The market for headless guitars is definitely growing and major brands are starting to dip their toes in. The Ibanez Quest series for example are fantastic instruments and much more “traditional” than Strandbergs or Steinbergers.

I’d be a pre-order buyer if PRS ever released a headless. Until then it’s EART and Ibanez when I travel.