Playing an instrument may be fun and engaging, but it comes with its own set of challenges. Aside from being somewhat time-consuming and difficult if you’re an absolute beginner, finding enough room for it can be an issue. Yes, it might sound weird, but if you’re playing, let’s say, an electric guitar, you also need an amp, effects, and all other things that go with it. And acoustic guitars can be pretty tricky as well. They’re not heavy, but they can get pretty bulky. And this is especially problematic if you want to take your guitar with you on a trip. Knowing that this can be a big issue, we looked into this and thought that it would be a good idea to bring you a list of the best travel acoustic guitars.
They aren’t as common as regular guitars, but it’s still not impossible to find a good one. There are actually quite a few options out there. And these are not just smaller-sized guitars, but rather instruments designed and crafted especially for travels. Some guitar bodies even seem disproportionately small compared to their necks. But nonetheless, some of these guitars have a great tone and feel to them. You just need to find the right one for your needs, and we’re here to help you out with that! So let’s begin.
Traveller Guitar Ultra-Light Acoustic
And what a better way to start than with a company that’s actually called Traveller Guitar. They specialize in making instruments that are more “travel-friendly,” meaning that they won’t take much space at all with your luggage. They have a great one, simply named Ultra-Light Acoustic. Now, this is not like your average acoustic guitar, as it doesn’t have the conventional body type. At the same time, this instrument has no headstock. Instead, the tuner machines are in the body itself and can be accessed easily. Yes, the body doesn’t have the standard construction. However, it gets loud enough, most likely due to the use of Eastern American hard maple as the main material. In addition, it’s also packed with a piezo pickup. It also comes with a detachable lap rest, so you can practice and play it sitting down as well.
Martin Steel String Backpacker
While Martin is one of the first names that comes to mind in every talk about acoustic guitars, you wouldn’t really expect them to have as weird of an instrument as their Backpacker. It takes no more than a glance to realize this guitar’s innovative nature. Although it has the standard body type with a soundhole, its shape is completely different. It’s reduced to an absolute minimum, and when you pack it, it won’t take much space. The entire length of this guitar is 24 inches. As the body top material, we have Sitka Spruce, which gives it a bit of a brighter sound. Although smaller, it still gets some volume out of it. It’s also really easy and comfortable to play.
Washburn Rover RO10
Washburn have built their reputation with a bunch of amazing acoustic and electric guitar series over the years. But they also have some interesting compact stuff that can come in handy for travel. Their Rover RO10 is a very interesting example. The name suits it well since it kind of resembles a small oar. The body is really small, but a lot of attention has been put into making it all work. First, we have the classic combo of a spruce top and mahogany sides. This impacts the guitar tone and makes it very rich. RO10 also has quality-made chromed tuners that ensure stability in performance. The mahogany neck is of regular size, so the guitar might look a bit weird with the disproportionately small body. Nonetheless, this doesn’t make it a bad instrument at all.
Luna Safari Muse
You don’t see Luna Guitars’ name pop out that often. However, they still have a lot of good instruments to offer, most notably their Safari Muse travel guitar. This instrument has the classic dreadnaught-type body and construction of a regular Western-style acoustic guitar. However, it’s 3/4 the size of a normal guitar. This makes it a good choice not only for traveling but also for anyone who has trouble playing full-sized instruments. It has a mahogany body, which gives more of a mellow tone. Overall, it’s a great guitar that’s definitely worth checking out.
Cordoba Mini M
In a way similar to Washburn’s RO10 Rover, Cordoba Mini M is also an instrument with a normal-sized neck and a very small body. And although it’s not an expensive one, Mini M does a pretty great job, both performance and tone-wise, despite having this extremely small body. It has a scale length of only 20 inches, which also makes it a great option for anyone who likes smaller necks. It’s so compact that at first sight, some would even confuse it with a ukulele.
What really makes it exciting is the build quality. The guitar has spruce top and mahogany back, sides, and neck. It resonates pretty well and you can even get some decent sustain out of it. If you need a reliable and cheap travel guitar, then you should definitely look into Cordoba’s Mini M.
Rondo Music SX Trav 1
Lastly, we would like to take a closer look at another very simple and compact instrument. In our opinion, this is one of the best travel acoustic guitars that you can find on the market today. Once again, we have a neck that’s just slightly smaller compared to a regular one, while the body is pretty close to the size of an average ukulele. Nonetheless, Rondo Music’s SX Trav 1 delivers quite a punch for a very reasonable price. We have standard spruce and mahogany combo with a rosewood fretboard. What’s more, it even comes with a bone nut, which is surprising for its price level.
