icantbuyafender Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 On road trips, when its not my leg to drive, or in a hotel room bored or just going to a a friends or relatives for some kinda bbq or get together I'd like something to keep me pickin' n grinnin'. I was never diagnosed with ADHD or ADD but i show signs of it rather easily when i cant think of anything else other than the chord progression, pattern or melody in my mind. Normally, this is remedied with my epiphone artist series J-200. But thats a hefty lady (not that i dont like curves ;D) I've narrowed it down to three: Martin's BackPacker Martin's Little Martin Taylor's Baby Taylor any experience or feedback is welcome (as long as its not microphonic). I'd like something i can throw on my back and carry around town on a saturday in Austin, stopping in to grab a good cigar or a cup of coffee, or even a beer at a few lounges i know. I enjoy a good afternoon and evening of adventuring to Barton Springs or Bussing around town. Of course, not when theres band practice. (maybe after) I just want something to keep me occupied. Drugs/alcohol was the initial choice. Something that wont shorten my lifespan/short-term-memory is prefered by many people that care about me, so i chose a travel guitar when im on the go Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dem00n Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 Done http://www.travelerguitar.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hydra26 Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 It's not one of the modeIs you mentioned but have a voyage-air that's decent. Doesn't sound as mind blowing as my dove, but then again, it cost a hell of a lot less and it has a decently warm sound like any other mahog lam acoustic, if a little indistinct. Stays about 95-100% in tune even when breaking down and setting back up. Came with a semi-rigid backpack that stores it (which has a zip off laptop bag on the side that goes against your back). Kinda nice having full scale and all that. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puOjG-xbTPI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxson50 Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 I like the Yamaha Silent guitar, you can get them in steel or nylon. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSpaEN_q13s&feature=related Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icantbuyafender Posted March 28, 2011 Author Share Posted March 28, 2011 So out of the three i picked....? That fold up guitar is SICK... like wow. but i want something that is little and easier to carry around. travelguitar website is pretty spiffy... hmmm.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
damian Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 All are good choices.........I use SPECIFIC guitars to practice on.........works great....I even have Gibby LPs to bang around............... Having over 50 guitars lets me do this...........you need the same.........choose guitars to bang and practice on........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 For me the Martin Backpacker is special Possibly the first quality travel guitar with a real attempt at tone and design flair Sounds big And can be comfortable to play too... V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 Never had a specific "travel guitar." I'd wager that about any decent small body box wouldn't be too bad. For what it's worth, for $200 street, Epi has a little AE that is half decent with a little practice amp and tight-fitting gig bag. It lacks the built-in tuner but figure $200 street for the set ain't bad. Decent volume-tone; the plug goes into the side, not the end-pin, and I prefer that myself. The little guitar is kinda a modern parlor guitar. With light strings strictly acoustic it's kinda like a throwback to the parlor concept. It can sound deeper through an amp. http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Epiphone-PR4E-AcousticElectric-Guitar-Player-Pack?sku=518786 BTW, the one I got - then did a swap with it after having a great time using it last fall for a kiddie concert gig - had an inexpensive tuner 'stedda a pitch pipe. I didn't want to take a full electric. Some 50 kids on stage had no problem hearing it and that's without stage monitors in a 500-seat auditorium. I plugged long-distance right into the board. The one weakness to the thing is that it lacks a strap button at the front of the body, so use the shoestring to go just above the nut just as in the olden days. It's not a dread, but that's not what you said you wanted. As an A-E with very light strings (Zebra 9-42) it's great for fingerpickin' sorts of things. Oddly it's billed as kinda a beginner guitar and frankly I think it's better for somebody past being a heavy strumming beginner. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 I was traveling a lot and really got into travel guitars a while back so I have had several, including all three of the ones you listed, plus a Traveler model Speedster from when they were part of Fender, a small Ovation acoustic (not much smaller honestly) and a tiny thing called a LapStick which is my favorite but not for everybody because of it's small size and alternate tuning requirements to feel and sound right. Out of those three it's a easy pick for me, the Baby Taylor it has a great sound for a small travel guitar and is well made like any Taylor with a great finish and is made with quality wood and a solid Spruce or Mahogany top. The Martin Backpacker is not really much of a guitar and the little Martin while it looks and sounds like wood is made with HPL which is basically a formica type of material digitally printed to look like wood and I can't really get into that. Out of those three the Taylor is the only one I kept. Nothing wrong with the way the Martin plays or sounds and HPL probably is good for temperature changes but a formica (HPL) guitar with a picture of wood grain seems so wrong... The one I travel with is the most often is my LapStick it fits in my messenger bag, Ive even played it in a few songs at gigs just to watch peoples faces Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icantbuyafender Posted March 28, 2011 Author Share Posted March 28, 2011 I was traveling a lot and really got into travel guitars a while back so I have had several, including all three of the ones you listed, plus a Traveler model Speedster from when they were part of Fender, a small Ovation acoustic (not much smaller honestly) and a tiny thing called a LapStick which is my favorite but not for everybody because of it's small size and alternate tuning requirements to feel and sound right. Out of those three it's a easy pick for me, the Baby Taylor it has a great sound for a small travel guitar and is well made like any Taylor with a great finish and is made with quality wood and a solid Spruce or Mahogany top. The Martin Backpacker is not really much of a guitar and the little Martin while it looks and sounds like wood is made with HPL which is basically a formica type of material digitally printed to look like wood and I can't really get into that. Out of those three the Taylor is the only one I kept. Nothing wrong with the way the Martin plays or sounds and HPL probably is good for temperature changes but a formica (HPL) guitar with a picture of wood grain seems so wrong... The one I travel with is the most often is my LapStick it fits in my messenger bag, Ive even played it in a few songs at gigs just to watch peoples faces A NON WOOD MARTIN!? That is sacrilegious... PASSING on this one.... I played and liked both the taylor and backpacker... I hate the taylor's neck application... it has screws ON the fretboard between the higher frets. Just looks TACKY. Plus i read of shoddy customer service, bridges becoming unglued (neck tension problems) and terrible intonation issues. Backpacker it is. Its smaller yet has a FULL (albeit short) fretboard i think will be perfect for chording and songwriting. I remember the backpacker being more expensive back years ago... now its like ~$170 Not bad on the wallet... Thanks guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icantbuyafender Posted March 28, 2011 Author Share Posted March 28, 2011 A NON WOOD MARTIN!? That is sacrilegious... PASSING on this one.... I played and liked both the taylor and backpacker... I hate the taylor's neck application... it has screws ON the fretboard between the higher frets. Just looks TACKY. Plus i read of shoddy customer service, bridges becoming unglued (neck tension problems) and terrible intonation issues. Backpacker it is. Its smaller yet has a FULL (albeit short) fretboard i think will be perfect for chording and songwriting. I remember the backpacker being more expensive back years ago... now its like ~$170 Not bad on the wallet... Thanks guys. on acoustics i strictly use graphtech TUSQ bridge saddles... question is... for a mini... Compensated Vs. Uncompensated err... recomendations? For a full size acoustic i go compensated... will that matter for this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 Make sure you play that before you buy it was a cool toy reminded me of the strum sticks kids used to make in the south, It's sure lacking in the guitar feel and tone. really more of a toy for camping trips more of a toy than a tool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 I forgot to mention the Pignose... The most fun anybody can have Try playing one through a cranked stack :blink: V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxson50 Posted March 28, 2011 Share Posted March 28, 2011 I have a Martin Felix II that fills the bill well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingarmadillo Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Alvarez MSD-1 here - all solid woods - not laminates or plastic like the Martins and Taylors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icantbuyafender Posted March 29, 2011 Author Share Posted March 29, 2011 Alvarez MSD-1 here - all solid woods - not laminates or plastic like the Martins and Taylors. YOU SAYING THE TAYLOR AND LITTLE MARTIN ARE NOT WOOD?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
retrosurfer1959 Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Yhe TRaylor is wood it's a Sapele laminate (plywood material like wood flooring) back and sides with a solid wood top. The Martins are all plastic laminate called GLP sounds pretty good but not wood at all actually has a digital print of wood on the top. If solid all wood is important look for a Parlor size guitar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAS44 Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 These are pretty sweet, got to play one in NYC, felt and sounded great Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 All kidding aside... The way the conversation is going, I'm increasingly convinced that the best bang for the buck probably is that little Epi PR4 package with a nice little AE guitar and little amp. For $200 it's an easily carried guitar that's not all that loud, as parlor guitars of yore were not all that loud, but the one I have did have a nice neck and it played nicely. You want a little more noise, plug into what amounts to a little 15-watt practice amp. The active preamp has more controls than bigger guitars. Bottom line on it is that it's a nice little parlor guitar that, if it breaks, can be replaced. I was gonna say "without regret," but... I dunno. It's a fun little guitar that's kinda fun to haul around... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artie Owl Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 I love my little Art & Lutherie "Ami", I made a quick clip of it's sound on my youtube channel (in my sig). It only cost me $300 and is a solid Canadian Made guitar. It's like a Parlor style guitar, comfortable up to about the 11th fret. Here's the black one; And Mine; Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxson50 Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 I love my little Art & Lutherie "Ami", I made a quick clip of it's sound on my youtube channel (in my sig). It only cost me $300 and is a solid Canadian Made guitar. It's like a Parlor style guitar, comfortable up to about the 11th fret. Here's the black one; And Mine; These are nice guitars, Godin does a great job and is a great value, Seagull, Art & Lutherie, S&P's, Richmond's and Godin's are all great...and they have very good built-in electronics..I really like the S&P parlor models.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Artie Owl Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 These are nice guitars, Godin does a great job and is a great value, Seagull, Art & Lutherie, S&P's, Richmond's and Godin's are all great...and they have very good built-in electronics..I really like the S&P parlor models.. I have a hardwood Korean Fender acoustic dreadnaught and I prefer playing my Ami for the most part when it comes to my acoustics, Jaxson50 has a great point, these are great guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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