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17 Best Travel Guitars in 2024 (All Price Ranges and Styles)

If you’re a musician that’s always on the move, you know how difficult it can be to carry a full-size guitar along all the time. Bumpy roads and crammed flights can damage precious instruments in a single unfortunate moment. Instead of risking your primary guitars, taking a more compact travel guitar is a great option that all musicians should consider.

Travel-friendly guitars not only sound and play like regular guitars, but are compact, lightweight, and are far easier to travel with on road trips than full-sized guitars. If you’ve been thinking of getting yourself a travel-sized guitar but are unsure which one to pick, then you’ve come to the right spot.

I’ll start this article by reviewing the best travel guitars at each price point, but if you want to learn more about them before reading reviews, I’ve included some information about travel guitars at the bottom of the page. In this article, I’ll cover all the different styles of travel guitars so you can find the one to best suit your needs!

Here Are the Best Travel Guitars

1. martin lx1 little martin acoustic guitar (best overall acoustic).

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My Review: When it’s a Martin, you can rest assured that it is going to be a top quality guitar. The iconic American brand is well known for crafting some of the greatest sounding acoustic guitars around. The Little Martin is a testament to the saying that good things come in small packages. Built with solid Sitka spruce top and mahogany high-pressure laminate back and sides, this small wonder produces the same resonant, loud projection akin to top-of-the-line Martins and comes with a padded gig bag.

Overall Build and Size: We are in awe of Little Martin’s smart design which has delivered a great guitar that belies its 23” scale and 15” length. This wonderful sounding model is extremely sturdy and very easy to play, making it a perfect travel companion as well as a great pick for beginners. Little Martin is a popular choice when it comes to a travel guitar as it packs comfortably into overhead compartments of most airlines. This natural golden-brown, small-bodied acoustic comes equipped with a black Micarta bridge with compensated white Tusq saddle and chrome small-knob tuners.

Overall Sound Quality: Little martin’s powerful projection and a well-balanced tone set it apart from other miniature parlor guitars. It delivers a pretty bright and resonant sound and scores high on versatility. Take it along with you on your next trip to the hills and let the magic unfold.

Body and Neck Wood: This Martin LX1 boasts of a solid Sitka spruce top with a warm satin finish which gives it classic look. The back and sides are made up of Mahogany high-pressure laminate. The guitar has a hand-rubbed rust birch laminate neck which has a modified low oval shape with standard taper making it extremely comfortable to play. The use of sustainable wood in some of its parts has made us fall in love with this beauty all the more.

Key Features:

• Solid Sitka spruce wood top
• Big on tone, quality, and versatility
• Perfectly travel-sized and easy to carry
• Eco-friendly construction using sustainable wood parts
• Affordable for a Martin guitar

2. Yamaha JR1 FG Junior 3/4 Size Acoustic Guitar (Best Value Acoustic)

My Review: If you are looking for a pocket-friendly 3/4 acoustic travel guitar with a good tone and easy playability, the small and portable Yamaha JR1 FG might be worth looking at. The natural Spruce top and the rosewood fretboard offers great playability and a bright tone, while locally sourced tonewood adds a reliable durability to the overall body. Compact, light, and bearing the time-trusted Yamaha brand legacy, this travel guitar is lightweight without compromising on the sound quality. Overall, I would say this is the best travel acoustic guitar for the money.

Overall Build and Size: The JR1 FG is a well designed 33 1/4-inch medium-sized dreadnought that strikes a good balance between value and quality. Despite being originally positioned as a beginner guitar for children, we found it to be quite a good option for adults looking for a reliable travel guitar as well. What we like about this model is that it doesn’t let its compact size come in the way of offering a great tone.

The build is of good quality with a rosewood fretboard and a sturdy mahogany neck which offers a comfortable playability. This makes it a great fit for most guitarists – from young students just starting out to someone looking to play an impromptu gig by the bonfire.

Overall Sound Quality: Thanks to the Spruce wood top, players get a nice resonant tone that amplifies lower tones surprisingly well – normally you wouldn’t really expect a guitar this compact to have such an impressive low end. Because of this quality, this will work well when playing in intimate settings with a small audience. Its sound is great right out of the packaging, without any tweaks needed. You’ll also see that the brand offers quite a comfortable action on it already.

Body and Neck Wood: The Luna uses a Spruce wood for its top, locally sourced tonewood for the body and sides, and rosewood for the fretboard which makes it long-lasting and durable. The neck is sturdy, but not too wide, which gives it an easy feel when playing, especially for kids or someone with smaller hands. It is well-balanced, and, when played sitting down, fits quite comfortably as you play.

• Compact, well-designed body
• Spruce wood top
• Amplifies lower tones remarkably well for its size
• Affordably priced

3. Taylor Baby Taylor BT1 Walnut Acoustic Guitar (Editor’s Choice Acoustic)

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My Review: Thinking of getting yourself a travel guitar which is an all-rounder? Look no further than Baby Taylor BT1. Manufactured by Taylor, a brand renowned for carefully crafted, high quality, and great sounding acoustic guitars packed with playability enhancing features, Baby Taylor BT1 fits this definition to a T. The small-bodied guitar is made with a premium tonewood combination of Spruce/Walnut and comes with an X-braced top, die-cast chrome tuners and a Micarta Saddle. In addition to being a great choice for travelers, this little wonder will make for a perfect starter guitar for young players.

Overall Build and Size: Baby Taylor BT1 is a trimmed down, sleek ¾ dreadnought and great for traveling players who prefer smaller instruments. This dread may be small but offers the same features that make this iconic American brand so legendary. The guitar has a solid spruce top which works well in enhancing resonance as well as capturing nuances and dynamics. The layered walnut body offers resilience from temperature and humidity and gives it an aesthetically pleasing look. The acoustic sports an elegant, natural look with a varnish finish.

Overall Sound Quality: Don’t be fooled by its small size- Baby Taylor BT1 delivers a surprisingly bold and loud sound for a scaled-down dreadnought. Thanks to the bright sounding spruce wood top and walnut back and sides. The guitar’s tonewood pairing works well in creating a warm and resonant tone with great definition.

Body and Neck Wood: The BT1’s top wood is expertly crafted with solid Sitka Spruce wood and teamed with a layered walnut body and a glossy smooth ebony fretboard. The sleek Maple neck feels familiar and very comfortable when held. There is no doubt that you will have an absolute blast playing this great little guitar wherever you decide to take it.

• Perfect Travel Buddy for all guitar enthusiasts
• Scaled-down dreadnought with short maple neck, easy to play
• Solid high-quality tonewoods used- Spruce top, Walnut body
• Taylor hard bag included

4. Travelcaster Deluxe Electric Guitar (Best Overall Electric)

My Review: Fender has always been known to push the envelope for quality and player-friendly features, and they’ve done it again with the neat little travelcaster deluxe. This innovatively designed electric guitar retains a full scale length, but cuts down the body design in an innovative fashion. Weighing extremely light, you can enjoy the quintessential tele sound even when on the move, thanks to its high quality single coil pickups and a delicious vintage tremolo. If you’re looking for the best travel electric guitar and are willing to spend the money, this is one of my top recommendations.

Overall Build and Size: Weighing only 5 lbs, the travelcaster scores high when it comes to portability, especially for an electric guitar. We’re quite impressed with its innovative design that retains the essential contours of an electric guitar’s S-shaped body while cutting out the rest to make it travel-friendly. Its adjustable 2 point fulcrum bridge adds even more customizability, while chrome tuning machines let you tune your strings to perfect precision. This allows you to enjoy a full scale length with a guitar that can easily fit into a cramped car space or overhead compartment of a plane.

Overall Sound Quality: This is perhaps the best part about this little wonder – unlike some other travel guitars that may sacrifice certain elements of playability or tone, the travelcaster deluxe offers the same crisp, snappy, high quality tone and sound quality that Fender is famous for, even in this compact setup. This has been made possible because of the three high quality ceramic single coil picks, and a 5-way pickup selector that lets you mix and match to zero in on the perfect tone. Finally, the vintage style tremolo lets you squeeze out a fabulous variety of sounds and sustains, so there’s nothing that holds you back from expressing your creativity, even on a travel guitar.

Body and Neck Wood: The lightweight of the travelcaster deluxe has been made possible thanks to its poplar body, which keeps the overall setup extremely portable and nimble. The maple neck and fretboard allow for butter-smooth playability anytime, anywhere.

• High quality ceramic single coil pickups
• Vintage style tremolo for more creative possibility
• 5-way pickup selector for tone customizability
• Extremely lightweight at 5 lbs
• Full scale-length

5. Traveler Guitar 6 String EG-1 Custom (Best Full Scale)

My Review: If you are scouting for a full-scale electric guitar which is also light enough to travel along with, look no further- The Traveler Guitar EG-1 Custom fits the bill. The single-cut guitar’s alder body makes it compact and lightweight while also giving it a strong, clear, and full-bodied sound. It features Traveler’s proprietary 4-channel in-built headphone amplifier, an in-body tuning system, and an aux-in jack, making it perfect to jam privately or rock out.

Overall Build and Size: The Traveler Guitar EG-1 retains the full scale 24.75” and 28.5” length of a standard-sized guitar while weighing less than 5 pounds and packs effortlessly in an airplane overhead bin. It has been cleverly designed without a headstock and built from a lightweight yet top-notch Alder, making it compact yet ideal for those unwilling to compromise on a scale as well as playing experience. It comes in a classic glossy black color.

Overall Sound Quality: The EG-1 Custom’s alder body and mahogany neck give it a rich and balanced tone with a great playing experience. It is equipped with Traveler’s custom onboard headphone amps which allow you to choose from clean, boost, overdrive, and distortion tones using the custom tone knob push-pot. With this travel guitar, you are not only getting a full-sized feel but also a world-class quality sound, thanks to the chromatic Shadow E-tuner built right into its Alnico Humbucker 9K pickup.

Body and Neck Wood: The snazzy travel guitar is crafted from premium tonewoods with an alder body, an African mahogany neck, and a walnut fingerboard. It features some fantastic aesthetically pleasing appointments such as a white-black-white binding on its glossy black Alder body, a gold humbucker with cream pickup ring, and black dish knobs with Gold caps.

• Full scale and ergonomically designed travel guitar
• Crafted from top-notch hardwood
• Built-in headphone amp with 4-channels
• Aux-in for riff learning and jamming to your favorite songs
• Chromatic E-tuner on pickup ring
• Comes with a compact, custom gig bag

6. Martin Steel-String Backpacker Travel Guitar

My Review: Martin Guitar Co.’s Backpacker has been innovatively designed to be the perfect travel mate for you. This well-built acoustic is a steal considering it has a solid Spruce wood top and is priced within an affordable range of $300. It’s incredibly fun to play and can act as a great backup guitar when your primary one is not around. This popular travel guitar was launched more than 25 years ago in the mid-nineties and we’ve only heard great things about it since. This is easily one of the best travel guitars for backpacking and trips where you just can’t bring a larger guitar.

Overall Build and Size: Martin’s Backpacker is an incredibly light and compact guitar making it easy to stow away and take along on treks or trips without a worry in the head. Although designed to be easy to carry, weighing less than 2-1/2 lbs., nowhere does it compromise in the sturdiness and durability department. Built with a solid Spruce wood top and Mahogany back and sides, it has a beautiful natural hue and a matte finish.

Overall Sound Quality: The Backpacker has a robust and impressive sound for a guitar its size. It may not give out the rich tone rendered by a typical dreadnought but don’t let that make you think that you’ll be sacrificing in the tonal quality with this little travel buddy. The guitar has been crafted from high-end hardwood which lends it an unamplified projection, making it perfect for travel.

Body and Neck Wood: This travel guitar has a solid Spruce top and Mahogany back, sides, and neck giving it the classic Martin acoustic sound. It has a narrow body with 15 frets and a flared lower bout making it extremely easy to carry. Just sling it over the shoulder and you are good to go!

• Ultra-compact and extremely light
• Made from high-end spruce and mahogany hardwood
• Narrow body, easy to carry
• Unamplified and consistent sound
• Comes with a padded gig bag and chrome tuners

7. Luna Safari Series 3/4 Size Travel Guitar

My Review: This 3/4 size dreadnought is a part of Luna’s pocket-friendly Safari series. The brand has a reputation for crafting great-looking guitars. This model features a solid mahogany top, back, and asides and has an eye-catching Celtic laser etching around the soundhole. This beautifully handcrafted guitar is lightweight but packs in a punch with its powerful tonal quality. Luna Muse Safari comes with a branded gig bag which makes it easy to carry it when you are on the go.

Overall Build and Size: This stunning acoustic has a scale length of 22.5” and weighs just shy of 4 lbs., making it an incredibly light and ultra-compact travel companion. All panels of this 3/4 sized dreadnought have been crafted with mahogany. It also comes with a 19-fret rosewood fingerboard and bridge and chrome-colored hardware. The tuning machine is sealed die-cast and the nut and saddle are Graph Tech BC6115. The charming reddish-brown shade of mahogany makes this guitar a real treat to the eyes.

Overall Sound Quality: The Mahogany body and dreadnought structure of Luna Safari Muse ensures that players enjoy a rich and articulate sound. It may not be too low-end heavy, but with its delightfully bright sound and a pocket-friendly price tag, it sure is a steal!

Body and Neck Wood: Luna Safari Muse has been entirely made out of Mahogany which is a popular tonewood known to produce and sustain a well-balanced tone. The C-shaped neck makes for a breezy playing experience. The warm natural satin finish and the mother of pearl moon phase inlay on the fingerboard give it a classy and mystical look.

• A travel-sized dreadnought with laser engraved Celtic rosette
• Fun and easy to play, ideal for younger players
• Rich and articulate sound
• Perfect for left as well as right-handed players
• Budget-friendly with most websites offering it under $200

8. Traveler Guitar Mark III MK3 MHG Acoustic-Electric Guitar

My Review: When an entire company is dedicated to building top-of-the-line travel-friendly guitars, you know you cannot go wrong when you opt for one of theirs. The Traveler Mark III MK3 Acoustic-Electric is a full scale, unique looking guitar with a Mahogany body. Like other Travelers, it too features an in-built Shadow headphone amp, an aux input for jamming, and a proprietary in-body tuning system. With a standard tuning system, this travel guitar does not need a special set of strings and works perfectly with any standard acoustic strings you prefer.

Overall Build and Size: Measuring around 30” in length while weighing less than 5 pounds, this Mahogany guitar has a minimalistic body which makes it portable and player-friendly. The in-body tuning system eliminates the need for a headstock, making it sleek and travel-sized while offering a full-scale playing experience. The Escape Mark III comes equipped with a Shadow NanoFlex piezo under-saddle pickup which produces the authentic acoustic sound while the standard ¼” output jack lets you effortlessly switch to the electric mode. The control plate allows you to adjust the volume and tone directly from the guitar.

Overall Sound Quality: The Electric-Acoustic has been cleverly built to produce exceptional electronics as well as the authentic acoustic style sound. The choice of hardwood used lends it a resonant, well-balanced tone which is carried through even when you plug in the guitar and use it as a semi-electric.

Body and Neck Wood: The Escape Mark III has a natural finish mahogany body with a cutaway for access to higher frets, and a bolt-on mahogany neck. To top it off, it has a Rosewood fretboard which is the most commonly used fretboard owing to its warm and rich tones and the ability to even out the high-end harshness.

• Full scale, versatile guitar
• Stows away comfortably in overhead bins
• Built-in headphone amp with clean, distortion, boost, and overdrive tones
• High quality, plush gig bag included
• Built-in chrome tuner

9. Cordoba Mini M Nylon String Guitar

My Review: Cordoba has a well-earned reputation for making traditional Spanish guitars with a modern twist. The brand is an innovator and leader in high-quality nylon-string guitar and the model we are about to review here is no exception.

Cordoba’s Mini M is a travel-sized traditional looker. With a mahogany body and a spruce top, it has an incredibly rich tone and a full, bright sound. The brilliant combination of its ultra-compact body and a full-sized 1.96” nut width makes it very easy to play and an ideal companion for your vacations or road trips.

Overall Build and Size: Mini M is an extremely lightweight,18-fret, nylon string parlor with a beautiful rose pattern etched out along its rosette. A short 20” scale length and full 1.96” nut width makes it an ideal travel sized guitar while retaining the string spacing and the overall feel of a full-sized guitar. The natural satin finish gives it a gorgeous sheen without betraying its woody feel. The guitar comes with a custom Aquila string set, tuned to A but can be tuned to standard E tuning with a thicker gauge. The Minis also come in three different wood combinations-spruce/mahogany, spruce/rosewood, and all ovangkol.

Overall Sound Quality: Despite its easy on the pocket price tag, Cordoba’s commitment to quality and sound with Mini M is truly admirable. It has a lightweight body with an impressively loud sound thanks to its smart design and the quality tonewoods used.

The solid spruce wood top offers a blend of clear, rich, and complex sound which is backed by a powerful tonal foundation owing to its mahogany back and sides.

Body and Neck Wood: With Mini M you get a solid Spruce wood top guitar without hurting your pocket. A solid wood top is an unbeatable vis a vis laminate or select wood, as it not only gives out a great tone but also lasts for longer. The mahogany body enhances the sturdiness property and clubbed with spruce wood top and rosewood fretboard contributes to the deep richness and resonance of this guitar. Mini M’s solid and heavy Mahogany U-shaped neck enhances the sustain and captures every nuance and detail, beautifully.

• Affordable, lightweight guitar with an impressive sound
• Solid top and body made from quality tonewoods
• Comfortable U-shaped Mahogany neck
• Includes a gig bag

10. Fender CT-140SE Travel Acoustic-Electric Guitar

My Review: Perfect for all guitar enthusiasts- whether professional or hobbyists, The CT-140SE acoustic-electric is undeniably one of the finest travel bodied guitars made by Fender. Compactly built with solid Rosewood and a spruce top, it features a sophisticated Fishman Presys pickup and preamp system, which ensures an authentic sound is reproduced even when plugged in. The solid high-end components and a hardshell case all priced under $400, make this Fender a great value and should definitely be explored when picking out a guitar for serious beginners or simply for your travel needs.

Overall Build and Size: Traveling with CT-140SE is a cakewalk thanks to its compact dimensions. An auditorium shaped travel body has been scaled down to 23.5” to ensure it fits well into cramped spaces and overhead airline compartments. With premium hardwood used through the body as well as Fishman pickups and preamp system, rolled fingerboard edges, players can expect an easy to play high-quality guitar that’s quite sturdy in its design. CT-140SE comes with two color options- Natural and Sunburst with a glossy finish and equipped with chrome-plated hardware.

Overall Sound Quality: CT-140SE offers high-quality Fender sound at a reasonable price. The spruce wood top renders a powerful sound and detailed dynamics while the rosewood body & fretboard delivers rich overtones. The scalloped, X bracing design also plays a vital role in enhancing this bolder, richer tone as well as its harmonic output.

Body and Neck Wood: The Acoustic-Electric has a solid spruce top is a popular choice of wood for acoustic tops as it offers unparalleled durability and a full, bright, and versatile sound. The rosewood body and neck mellow down the bright punch delivered by the spruce wood. All in all, you get a well-balanced tone that responds well to any style of playing, from hard strumming to fast or delicate picking.

• Top-notch fender quality with a great value
• Solid Spruce top & Rosewood body delivers a rich, balanced tone
• Scalloped, X bracing design
• Easy to play neck with rolled fretboard edges
• Sophisticated Fishman Presys pickup/preamp
•  Hardshell case included

11. Steinberger Spirit GT-Pro Deluxe

My Review: This next guitar comes from the extensive heritage NY-based brand “Steinberger”. These guitars for their distinctive shape, and high-quality construction, having been used by likes of Geddy Lee (Rush), and Sting (The Police), back in the day to more modern day artists such as Arif Miradolbaghi (Protest the Hero). They feature a headless design, and a compact size playable even on an armed office chair. The GT-Pro brings the same quality and aesthetic to a more affordable line of travel guitars.

Overall Build and Size: The original Spirit was one of the most popular attempts at making a body-less travel guitar in the 80s, and the modern Spirit GT-Pro Deluxe has some unique features to match! Featuring a full 25-½ scale length, and a tight fretboard radius, the Spirit is quite easy to handle, play and travel with. Keeping it simple with one volume and one tone knob, and including a tremolo bridge and the locking tuners make for a stable and well-tuned guitar, even without a headstock.

Overall Sound Quality: The deluxe model features a humbucker pickup on the bridge and neck, with a single coil in the middle. The twin humbuckers designed by Steinberger and perfected by Epiphone, make the Spirit sound fat and round while reducing the tinny signals to a minimum. The 5-way pickup selector also makes the guitar versatile and comfortable across a large selection of amps and amp plugins. Perfect for both the Stage pro, and the couch pro !

Body and Neck Wood: The original Spirit guitars designed by Ned Steinberger, were made from a composite of carbon-fiber, however, the new Spirit GT-Pro eschews that for a completely maple body and neck. In such a small guitar, this resonant wood makes for a big jump in playability and sustain. The Spirit is able to hold its own against full bodied guitars while delivering the same resonance and exceptional output!

• Classic Steinberger design
• Hyper compact
• Gibson (Epiphone) construction, reliability, and warranty
• Bridge and Neck Humbuckers for a well-rounded rock/metal/blues sound

12. Hofner Shorty Electric Travel Guitar

My Review: Are you someone who doesn’t want to be away from their guitar even when traveling? Then the Hofner Shorty Electric Travel Guitar has to be one of your top choices. It offers a full-scale length while being ultra-compact which enables you to take it along with you wherever you go. Fitted with a single Hofner open humbucker pickup, and volume and tone knobs, the Shorty is designed with no flashy bits except for its curious design.

Overall Build and Size: The Hofner Shorty has a basswood top and back, a neck made from maple, and a fretboard made from rosewood. Basswood is a lightweight wood which produces a good sound and works especially well with Hofner’s open humbucker pickup. Considering the price range, the craftsmanship and the materials used to make this guitar are of a better-than-expected quality. The black finish gives it a slight rock and roll feel. The shape of the guitar can feel a bit strange in the beginning with its short body, long neck and the headstock, but you soon get used to it. Overall, the Shorty Electric is a sturdy little guitar that needs some time to adjust to its style and shape.

Overall Sound Quality: Without amplification, the guitar sounds quiet, and is suitable for a quiet day of practice. Once amplified, the sound produced is bright, trebly, and strong. The volume and tone controls work very well and you can get a range of tones from this little guitar from clear to dirty. The action on this guitar might need a touch of adjustment.

Body and Neck Wood: The basswood body and maple neck make for better playability when playing standing up. Its small, neck-heavy body makes it a little awkward to play, which is also compounded by there being no place to rest the playing arm.

• Compact size
• Considerably lightweight
• Strong sound when amplified
• Crisp, clean tone
• Durable gig bag included
• Good bang for the buck

13. Traveler Guitar Escape Mark III

My Review: Looking for a guitar which can hold its own during travel and on stage? Look no further! The Traveler Guitar Escape Mark III offers a full-scale 25.5” while being small enough to fit into the overhead compartment in an airplane. This acoustic-electric comes packed with a plethora of features – from an in-body tuning system, a headphone output to a Shadow under-saddle pickup – that helps you stay on top of your game. This is a great lightweight option for a performer or even for a student who wants to up his game. The Escape Mark III also comes with a deluxe gig bag that keeps it protected when not in use. Overall, I would say this is one of the best travel guitars out there.

Overall Build and Size: The Escape Mark III is just 30” despite boasting a full-scale at 25.5” and has a compact mahogany body, back, and top with a bolt-on mahogany neck. The natural satin finish gives it a refined feel. The single cutaway gives the player access to the higher frets while also giving it a tasteful look. The full-sized scale has a comfortable, familiar feel to it while playing. The relatively thin body needs some getting used to and it can be difficult to rest your arm while playing, but the overall balance of the guitar is excellent. Despite being quite lightweight at 4.5 lbs, it does compromise on the quality, durability, or sturdiness of the piece.

Overall Sound Quality: When not plugged in, the Escape Mark III sounds like any other unplugged electric guitar, but once plugged into an amplification system, produces a sound that emulates a steel-string acoustic guitar. This guitar has a clean, warm, mellow sound and is not disturbed in the slightest by string hum or any other problems. The premium quality mahogany used in the guitar allows for greater resonance and a better sustain. Altogether, the way the Escape Mark III is crafted makes for a truly exceptional auditory experience.

Body and Neck Wood: This guitar features a mahogany body and neck which adds sturdiness to the piece, and the black walnut fretboard gives it a smooth feel while playing. The headstock has been removed from its traditional place and added to the body itself which gives it a different, non-traditional appearance. The In-Body tuning system is sturdy and reliable, and the tuners are protected from outside interference.

• Mahogany wood body
• Full-scale fretboard despite the compact size
• Warm, mellow sound, great resonance
• Shadow under-saddle pickups and In-Body tuning system
• Cutaway to reach higher frets easily
• Lightweight, highly portable
• Great choice for multi-city gigs

14. Voyage Air VAOM-02G2

My Review: Traveling with a guitar, be it a regular sized guitar or that of a travel variety, is awkward due to their long, thin necks. But, with the Voyage Air VAOM-02G2, its manufacturers have found an ingenious solution to that age-old problem – a patented hinge which lets you literally fold the guitar in half! It comes with its very own deluxe Voyager case in which you can stow the guitar when not in use. For someone who doesn’t want to compromise on the dimensions or the size, this is a great fit!

Overall Build and Size: The Voyage Air is a full-sized acoustic dreadnought guitar. The body is made from mahogany as are the back and the sides and has a single-ply laminate spruce top with bracing. The fingerboard and the bridge are crafted from laurel – a soft-colored, brown wood that is almost identical to rosewood. It has a high-gloss protective finish which gives it a soft look. The foldable neck-hinge has been tested under pressure and is very dependable. The build of the guitar is quite sturdy, no matter how strange it might seem to fold and unfold the guitar each time. The only thing to keep in mind is that the strings need to be slackened off before folding!

Overall Sound Quality: Despite being a travel guitar, the Voyage Air is a full-sized acoustic guitar with a full, rich sound and a good deal of projection. The full-scale fretboard offers comfortable playability and adapts to any playing style, be it fingerpicking or strumming.

Body and Neck Wood: The body and the neck are both crafted from mahogany as are the sides and the back. The top is made from a single-ply laminate spruce which can be a letdown for some people. The fretboard is made from laurel as is the bridge on the guitar.

• Foldable design for better storage and transport
• Full-size guitar that can be easily carried around
• Mahogany and spruce laminate body
• Full, rich sound like a regular sized acoustic guitar

15. Cordoba Mini II M, Mahogany, Small Body, Nylon String

My Review: The Cordoba Mini II MH travel guitar is a handsome ½ size guitar. Whether it be an impromptu performance or a relaxed practice session while camping, you won’t hesitate to bust out this beauty. It has a delightfully warm, full, well-balanced tone that seems more like a guitar than a ukulele. The Cordoba Mini II Mahogany is a beauty that ticks all the right boxes in looks, sound quality, playability as well as price!

Overall Build and Size: The small body of the Cordoba makes this an ideal choice for a travel guitar. Being a ½ sized guitar, it is easier to carry along on trips than other bigger guitars. The satin polyurethane finish gives it a more sophisticated look than other guitars in this category. Despite a slightly cramped scale at 22.8”, the guitar tunes perfectly to a standard E and the fingerboard offers overall comfortable playability. Guitar players who have slightly smaller hands will certainly find this to be a more manageable instrument than a full-sized acoustic guitar. The build of this guitar speaks of quality and a solid body that can take the pain of travel.

Overall Sound Quality: The Cordoba Mini II promises to sound more like a full-sized guitar than a ukulele – and delivers! It has a nuanced, full-bodied tone that is mellow and full of warmth. Compared to some other travel guitars, this one has a deeper body that projects the sound well. Even though it isn’t particularly loud, it has enough volume for a lonesome practice session or small, intimate performances.

Body and Neck Wood: The layered mahogany body and neck, and the Morado fretboard (with 19 frets) are instant visual hooks that draw you to this little fellow. There is a single action truss rod inside the neck. Even though this guitar doesn’t feature a full-size scale, the fretboard offers good playability and is easy to adapt to.

• Layered mahogany body and satin finish
• ½ sized guitar easy to carry along
• Aesthetically pleasing
• Warm, full tonality
• Pocket-friendly price
• Ideal for kids and players with smaller hands

16. Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Acoustic-Electric Travel Guitar

My Review: The Traveler Ultra-Light Acoustic-Electric is marketed as the smallest, lightest full-scale travel guitar on the market, and it certainly delivers on all these counts. The compact design of the guitar without a headstock is unique, yet offers a full-scale playing experience that one gets on a full-sized acoustic. The piezo pickup delivers a bright acoustic sound when plugged into an amplifier. Despite being a higher-priced guitar, the Traveler Ultra-light Acoustic-Electric Travel Guitar is certainly worth a try.

Overall Build and Size: This Traveler Ultra-light guitar really lives up to its name. Weighing in at only 3 pounds, it is one of the lightest travel guitars on the market. At only 24 ¾”, it can even fit into some suitcases and is easy to carry around. Made from a single piece of maple wood with a regular-sized fingerboard made from ebony wood, it comes with an adjustable truss rod. Despite the guitar’s shape, the detachable lap-rest makes it comfortable to play sitting down, although the different designs might take some getting used to. The overall build is quite sturdy and can easily be taken along on your travels and even stowed in the overhead bin on a flight, thanks to its detachable lap-rest. The range of satin finishes it comes in allows you to choose the color you feel the most comfortable with.

Overall Sound Quality: This Traveler guitar comes with a ¼” jack socket and a built-in acoustic piezo pickup which can be used to amplify its sound. The piezo pickup gives it a bright, crisp tone once plugged into an amplifier. This one is a silent guitar and only finds its voice through an amplifier. Given this little fact, it can’t be used to strum a few chords around a campfire but can come in handy when looking to practice quietly. It is also well-suited to live performances where there is an amplification set up at hand.

Body and Neck Wood: The body and neck of the guitar are crafted from a single piece of Eastern American Hard Maple. The full-size fingerboard is made from ebony wood and has 22 frets which are easy to adapt to from a conventional acoustic guitar. The satin finish on top gives it a smooth, hand-friendly feel while playing.

• Extremely compact build
• In-body tuning system
• Bright, crisp, articulate sound
• Piezo pickup for amplification

17. Washburn RO10 Rover Steel String Travel Acoustic Guitar

My Review: Washburn guitars have been consistently delivering guitars crafted with extreme care and quality since the 1880s. The Washburn RO10 Rover features a mahogany wood body, back and sides, a solid spruce top, and a full-size neck which makes for good playability. This guitar produces a sound that emphasizes the treble without being too loud or resonant, which makes it suitable for different playing styles – whether flat-picking or playing finger-style

Overall Build and Size: The Washburn Rover is a visually appealing 33.5” long acoustic guitar, with a beautiful mahogany body and a solid spruce top which enhances its look and overall feel. It has a rosewood fingerboard and a full-size neck which feels like a regular-sized guitar and needs no time to get used to. The fingerboard also makes for good playability. The overall build of the guitar is sturdy and robust and makes for a good, albeit heavier travel guitar. The Washburn is available in a natural finish as well as a blue finish. The deluxe gig bag, included with the instrument, makes sure that no harm comes to the guitar when carrying it around with you.

Overall Sound Quality: The Washburn isn’t made to produce a loud sound, but taking into account its compact size, the sound is quite impressive, if a little more treble-y than usual. For a travel guitar with a full-size neck, the Washburn RO10 Rover lives up to its potential.

Body and Neck Wood: The Washburn is made from a mahogany body and the fretboard is crafted from rosewood. The solid spruce top gives the guitar a nice resonance, although the wood used and the full-sized fretboard makes the guitar a tad heavier than expected.

• Robust, well-built guitar
• Full-sized neck
• Solid spruce top
• Versatile, good playability for multiple playing styles
• Moderately priced

Choosing the Right Travel Guitar (Buying Guide)

Adding a travel guitar to your collection means you can take your 6-string pal along on road trips without a worry. And as you can see from our top 17 list, there are several great options to choose from. What matters is that you pick a type of guitar that you’d prefer – be it playability, size, or tone quality. If you ask us, then our pick for the travel guitar with the most impressive sound quality would be the Baby Taylor BT1 for acoustic and the Travelcaster Deluxe for electric. Be it an intimate impromptu gig or a long road trip, this beauty sounds like a dream and is so compact to travel with.

If you ask us for a great affordable option for a 3/4 travel guitar, then the Yamaha JR1 FG Junior 3/4 Size Acoustic is worth exploring for those on a budget. Finally, for those looking to strike a balance between the top of the line quality as well as not spend a bomb then you should check out the Washburn RO10 Rover Steel String. At the end of the day, it’s all about having fun and having a portable companion that gives you the freedom to strum along wherever you are. We hope this list gave you all the information you need to take your pick. Bon voyage!

What Is a Travel Guitar?

Simply put, travel guitars or travel-sized guitars are a more compact, lighter version of a full-sized guitar. You’ll find both acoustic travel guitars and electric variants in the market, depending on your needs.

Most travel guitars have the same or almost the same scale length (distance between the nut and the guitar’s bridge) as regular guitars so that you get a more compact guitar without compromising the playability of the instrument. On the other hand, you also have travel guitar options that have 3/4, 1/2, or even 1/4 scale length as full-size guitars.

Travel guitars have smaller body and neck, which makes them lighter and easier to carry with you wherever you go – be it a month-long cross-country tour, a weekend road trip, or even a backpacking hike to the mountains!

Why Should You Buy a Travel Guitar

Whether you’re a hobby guitarist or an experienced player, there are so many good reasons to get yourself a travel guitar either way. Here are a few for you to go through:

• Light & Portable: Travel guitars are far easier and hassle-free to carry with you when traveling. This is thanks to their compact size and lightweight that lets them easily fit on flights or a vehicle.
• Great Backup Option: they work great as a backup guitar for musicians who don’t want to take their primary guitars on a trip where they’ll be roughing it out.
• Strum On the Road: Inspiration can strike a musician anytime, especially when you’re traveling! Having a travel guitar lets you flesh out your song ideas as and when you think them up – even when you’re out on the road or on vacation.
• Take Up Less Space: If you’re packing up your van for a long road trip, you’ll find that travel guitars take up far lesser space than traditional guitars do, freeing up more storage space for other things that you’d want to carry along.

What to Look For In A Travel Guitar

With several options for travel guitars available in the market, it’s crucial to know what to look for when sizing each option up. Here are the key features you should consider when comparing travel guitars and making your decision:

Full-sized scale-length vs. Reduced Scale Length

Many travel guitars come with a full-size or almost full-size scale length (around 25.5 inches). When making such travel guitars, the manufacturers choose to make them compact by reducing the size of the guitar’s body, instead of the fretboard size or length. These guitars feel like you’re almost playing a regular guitar, just more compact and more portable.

On the other hand, you also find one-half (1/2), three-quarters (3/4), or even as small as one-quarter (1/4) sized guitars. These have smaller fretboards than regular guitars. So consider the scale length you’ll be comfortable playing on when taking your pick.

Overall Size

Even amongst travel guitars, you will find options of all sizes to choose from. While some travel guitars are only slightly smaller than full-size guitars, others are extremely compact. Most full-size guitars are 38 inches in their overall size.

On the other hand, travel guitars So do consider how compact a guitar you’re looking for and look at the measurements when taking your pick.

Tone Quality

As you already might know, the wood used in the guitar’s construction affects its tone and sound quality. Woods like Maple, Spruce, Sitka Spruce, and Rosewood produce a bright, higher, slightly treble-heavy tone and sound.

On the other hand, woods like Mahogany and Koa have a richer, warmer tone that is mid to low-range in its character. So it’s all about deciding what type of sound works best for your playing and style, and going with it.

Quality of Wood Used

As is the case with full-size guitars, do consider the type of body, neck, and fretboard wood used on your potential travel guitar. The better the quality of wood used, the sweeter and richer the sound and the more durable the construction. You can choose from a wide variety of woods such as mahogany, maple, spruce, walnut, and more, depending on the look and sound you prefer.

Overall Shape and Design

Travel-friendly guitars come in a wide variety of shapes and designs. Some travel guitars are more compact versions of the classic shapes like a dreadnought, concert, or auditorium style guitars. However, you will also find extremely futuristic and innovatively-designed travel guitars as well, that are foldable, triangular-shaped, and even ones with barely any guitar body!

I know of buddies that would love a triangular-shaped travel guitar, but also know a few who wouldn’t dream of doing such a thing! So it’s all a matter of personal taste. This is why it’s important to see the shape and design that you will be comfortable playing with and carrying, and choosing accordingly.

Last but never least, it’s a good idea to have a budget in mind when browsing through options. Travel guitars are available in a wide price range – from affordable, budget-friendly options under $200, mid-range options between $200 to $400, and higher-end travel guitars that are in the $400 plus range.

Do make it a point to check the features and wood quality that you’re being offered at any price point. While very low-priced travel guitars may seem enticing at first, you may end up shelling out more in its repairs in case the instrument is not well-built. So it’s important to pick an option that is value for money, no matter its price.

My name is Chris and I’ve had a passion for music and guitars for as long as I can remember. I started this website with some of my friends who are musicians, music teachers, gear heads, and music enthusiasts so we could provide high-quality guitar and music-related content.

I’ve been playing guitar since I was 13 years old and am an avid collector. Amps, pedals, guitars, bass, drums, microphones, studio, and recording gear, I love it all.

I was born and raised in Western Pennsylvania. My background is in Electrical Engineering, earning a Bachelor’s degree from Youngstown State University. With my engineering experience, I’ve developed as a designer of guitar amplifiers and effects. A true passion of mine, I’ve designed, built, and repaired a wide range of guitar amps and electronics. Here at the Guitar Lobby, our aim is to share our passion for Music and gear with the rest of the music community.

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Best Travel Guitars 2024: Top Portable Instruments From Lowden, Furch, Martin and more

From short scale acoustics to carry-on electrics, we look at the best travel guitars available right now

• Best acoustic
• Larger body
• Best foldable
• For small hands
• Best electric
• Best full scale
• Best offset

Buying advice

How we test.

If you’re looking for something compact to take out on the road, or maybe even on holiday to keep on top of your practice schedule, then one of the best travel guitars is the way to go.

From smaller bodied acoustics that take up less space in a car or on a train, to super compact electrics designed to be taken on a plane as hand luggage, the best travel guitars mean that you don’t have to stop playing the moment you leave the house. A good travel guitar can even be great to have around the home – something with more compact dimensions can sometimes be really comfortable. 

The best travel guitars come in all shapes and sizes, and are available in both electric and acoustic formats. Here, we’ll look at what’s on offer, and provide our picks for both categories.

Though this might be on the larger side of a travel guitar, it is still more compact than all of Lowden’s other offerings. Simply put, the Wee Lowden is one of the best sounding smaller-bodied acoustic guitars on the market.

Read more below

Not Taylor’s smallest offering, but definitely one of their better sounding compact instruments, the GS Mini has proven to be a hit with all manner of guitarists. You’ll even see pros use them on the biggest stages in the world.

Folding guitars have been done before, but the Furch Little Jane is a folding guitar that actually sounds very, very good. This acoustic travel guitar is made from all solid woods – a solid red cedar top and solid mahogany back and sides, giving it a beautiful, mellow and warm sound. 

Probably one of the most popular compact six-strings ever made, the Martin LX1E has truly earned its place on our list of the best travel guitars. It’s around a 3/4 size, with a 23” scale. 

Blackstar’s Carry On range aims to provide players with quality instruments that are easy to take on planes so that you don’t have to skip your practice sessions when you’re traveling.

A travel guitar doesn’t necessarily always have to be short scale, and this is a case in point. The Ultra-Light Travel Guitar boasts a full 24.75” scale length, but the entire thing measures just 28”. 

A 3/4 size guitar is smaller all over – smaller scale length (22.75” in this case), smaller body, neck, headstock etc. You might have to adjust your playing somewhat to accommodate these shrunken features, but most players can become accustomed to it.

This effectively cuts the body of a Strat down to just its scratchplate, reducing its size dramatically. The 6-in-line is then reduced to 3+3 making a further size reduction. 

Best acoustic traveler

1. Lowden WL-35 Wee Lowden

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

It’s incredibly bold and punchy, with superb note definition and clarity. Its dimensions are smaller than that of a more traditionally sized acoustic guitar, but the projection that it delivers would have you fooled – this guitar is loud when you push it. It also reacts beautifully to playing dynamics, offering all the shades of quiet and loud that you’d want.

Different versions of this guitar are available, but the mahogany back and sides combined with the red cedar top deliver a wonderfully balanced sound. The build quality is absolutely second to none; though of course, at this price point, you’d expect that.

Best with larger body

2. Taylor GS Mini-e Koa Plus

This GS Mini-e Koa Plus sports a solid koa top and laminate koa back and sides which allow notes and chords to ring out with complete clarity and detail. Koa responds really well to your playing – it’s responsive and dynamic so allows you to play with lots of expression. The shaded edge burst finish looks truly incredible and adds a touch of class to the whole thing too. 

This 23.5” scale guitar comes fitted with Taylor’s flagship pickup system as well – the ES-2. This allows you to amplify your guitar through a PA system or amp in a way that’s more dynamic and more natural. It ships with a fantastic Aero Case that offers nearly as much protection as a hard case, but is much lighter.

Best foldable traveler

3. Furch Little Jane

Folding guitars have been done before, but the Furch Little Jane is a folding guitar that actually sounds very, very good. This acoustic travel guitar is made from all solid woods – a solid red cedar top and solid mahogany back and sides, giving it a beautiful, mellow and warm sound. It’s harmonically rich, and has some of that parlor-style punch in the midrange. It’s also extremely dynamic, projecting when you want it to, but responding nicely to softer playing. 

It’s extremely well designed. The body, neck and headstock are all separate when packed down, but it’s very quick to construct when it’s time to play. The clever locking mechanism keeps the neck in place, adding the right tension to the strings, and even retaining tuning somewhat between sessions. The Furch Little Jane even comes with its own padded backpack so you can take it on your travels right away.

Best for small hands

4. Martin LX1E

Probably one of the most popular compact six-strings ever made, the Martin LX1E has truly earned its place on our list of the best travel guitars. It’s around a 3/4 size, with a 23” scale. Players who are already accustomed to a full size guitar might get along with this particularly well as the neck width is about the same, measuring 1 11/16” at the nut.

Solid spruce sits atop a high pressure laminate mahogany back and sides creating a balanced but fairly bright tone. There is a touch of that boxy sort of sound you often get with smaller acoustics (though nowhere near as much as some cheaper models), and there aren’t tons of low end frequencies, but that’s if we’re being picky. Overall, the projection and tone of the LX1E is excellent. 

It is available without (Martin LX1), but this is equipped with a Fishman Sonitone pickup. The controls are easily accessible and it’s very much a case of plug in and play, making it one of the best travel guitars for potentially gigging with. If you’re navigating public transport to get to shows, then this is definitely one to consider. 

Best electric traveler

5. Blackstar Carry On Travel Guitar

Cheaper versions of this are available, but the flagship Carry On model has a number of features that make this one of the best travel guitars on the market. Made in partnership with the master luthiers at Gordon Smith, this compact instrument has a one-piece okoume body, set neck and a coil-splittable humbucker. This gives you a range of amazing tones, as well as bags of sustain. 

It stays in tune well, and the intonation is just right. It’s really compact, but it plays more like a full size guitar, so you don’t lose much of the feel you’d normally get with a bigger instrument. It also comes shipped with a quality gigbag, so you’re ready to hit the road as soon as you get it.

Best with full scale length

6. Traveler Guitar Electric Ultra Light

A travel guitar doesn’t necessarily always have to be short scale, and this is a case in point. The Ultra-Light Travel Guitar boasts a full 24.75” scale length, but the entire thing measures just 28”. They say that it’s actually 28% shorter and 68% lighter than your average electric guitar . The lap rest detaches when not in use too, making it extremely portable. 

It’s fitted with a single dual rail humbucking pickup that delivers punchy but articulate tones. It’s not the most versatile instrument in the world, but that’s not really the aim here. Still, you can probably tackle most styles of music with it. The tuning pegs are also built into the body which obviously gets rid of the necessity for a headstock, and they actually work very well too.

If you’re flying a lot, or maybe space is at a premium in the car and you want to take this and maybe a battery powered amp with you, then this makes for a fantastic travel guitar. 

Best traveling offset

7. Squier Mini Jazzmaster

A 3/4 size guitar is smaller all over – smaller scale length (22.75” in this case), smaller body, neck, headstock etc. You might have to adjust your playing somewhat to accommodate these shrunken features, but most players can become accustomed to it. The short scale also lends the guitar a really nice slinky feel, so you might find yourself playing a little differently to normal, which can spark creativity. 

This fantastic looking offset is fitted with a pair of quite high output, punchy sounding humbuckers. So, if you’re seeking a portable guitar for rocking big riffs and ripping solos, then this is absolutely one to consider. 

It’s also well priced. Maybe you’re just seeking a guitar to take out occasionally, enabling you to leave your main instrument at home. This is of a good enough standard to do the job well, and it means that you’re not having to throw your more expensive guitar in the back of a car or van etc.

Best for Strat fans

8. Traveler Travelcaster Deluxe

This effectively cuts the body of a Strat down to just its scratchplate, reducing its size dramatically. The 6-in-line is then reduced to 3+3 making a further size reduction. All in all, it’s about the size of a regular Strat, minus the headstock, making it altogether a lot more portable. 

You’re not having to sacrifice anything in terms of tone here. The Travelcaster has three single-coil pickups and a five-way selector, giving you all the chimey, glassy tones that you’d expect from this kind of configuration. The tremolo works nicely too – again, something you don’t have to sacrifice. 

What’s particularly great about this model is that it has the full 25.5” Strat scale length meaning that your fretting hand won’t have a clue it’s playing on a travel guitar. Chords, scales and licks will feel as they do on a full size guitar, though you might just have to slightly accommodate for a different neck profile. 

What Do We Mean By Travel Guitar?

You can trust Guitar Player. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing guitar products so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

When we’re talking about the best travel guitars, we’re looking for instruments that are physically easier to travel with. Size and weight play a huge part, so the above choices will all be smaller than your regular full-size guitar, which in turn, will make them lighter. 

Some might just have slightly reduced dimensions when compared to a full size, making it a little more practical to take out on the go. Others might have completely different designs that render them suitable for taking on planes as hand luggage. How small you want it completely depends on your wants and needs.

Electric Or Acoustic?

Of course, one of the main considerations when shopping for the best travel guitar is whether to go electric or acoustic. Acoustics, by their very nature, tend to be a little bigger with deeper bodies, but you don’t need an amp to get the most out of it. If you’re playing live, then you’ll need some amplification, but for playing on your own or with friends, you’re fine with just the guitar.

An electric travel guitar can be played without an amp, but you’ll get more from it if you plug it into something. There are some great portable amps on offer, but there’s that, plus cables, to then consider. 

On acoustic travel guitars, you’ll find that some of them have a pickup fitted and some of them don’t. If you’re after a compact instrument to travel to and from shows, then having a pickup installed can be really useful. If you’re just after something to take on holiday or camping perhaps, then a pickup isn’t necessary. Buying one without a pickup will probably save you a bit of money too. 

Of course, with an electric, the pickup plays a very important part in shaping your sound. You’ll find the best travel guitars are fitted with various different pickup configurations. If you’ve found a model that you like but it’s got a single coil instead of a humbucker, for example, it’s always worth checking to see if other versions are available. 

Scale Length

It’s likely that a travel guitar will have a shorter scale length. Reducing this can allow the makers to produce a physically smaller guitar. It’s worth considering how that might feel for you to play, though. If you’ve got bigger hands, you might find squeezing your fingers into frets, particularly the ones higher up, more difficult. Look at the scale length, alongside the number of frets – 18 frets spaced over 23” for example, will give your fingers more space than 22 frets over the same scale.

That said, there are travel guitars that have a full length scale. They can reduce the size of the instrument in other ways, so if you know that you’re after a full scale travel guitar, then you don’t have to compromise.

At  Guitar Player , our team of writers aren't just music enthusiasts; we're real-life musicians. Our hands-on experience with travel guitars ensures that our reviews and recommendations are backed by practical knowledge and real-world testing.

When it comes to selecting the best travel guitars, we leave no stone unturned. Meticulously evaluating factors like tonal versatility, sonic character, build quality, and value for money, it's only after rigorous testing in a variety of playing scenarios do we choose products for our guides. We stand by our selections, ensuring that every set of strings we recommend is one we'd use ourselves.

Read more on  how we test gear and service at Guitar Player .

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After spending a decade in music retail, I’m now a freelance writer for Guitar Player, Guitar World, MusicRadar and Reverb, specializing in electric and acoustic guitars bass, and almost anything else you can make a tune with. When my head’s not buried in the best of modern and vintage gear, I run a small company helping musicians with songwriting, production and performance, and I play bass in an alt-rock band.

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Home » Gear » best travel guitars

12 Best Travel Guitars • A BARGAIN Buyer’s Guide for 2024

Traveling the world and playing the guitar are my two greatest passions. But, unfortunately, they don’t seem to go hand-in-hand, do they? Traveling requires minimalism, and guitars are big, awkwardly shaped and are not fun to haul around in airports and buses.

For years I had to make the tough decision –  to either travel  without a guitar, or to painfully drag my oversized acoustic around the world. Both options sucked, and after years of this, I needed something different.

So finally, I bought myself one of the best travel guitars and my life literally changed forever.

As a guitarist of 15 years, and a non-stop world traveler of 10, I know exactly  what is needed from a travel guitar.

With the help of this guide, you’ll be able to easily know which of the best travel guitars is perfect for you and your style of music and travel. We’re going to cover a whole scope of six-stringed sweeties in this post: travel acoustic guitars, travel electric guitars folding neck guitars. Something for every homeless musician out there!

Get excited because here are some of these best traveling guitars and they are  epic!

Unfortunately, as I was researching which travel guitar to buy, I realized there are hundreds of travel guitars… and a ton of them suck.

Which is exactly why I wrote this epic guide to the best travel guitars.

The Broke Backpacker is supported by you . Clicking through our links may earn us a small affiliate commission, and that's what allows us to keep producing free content 🙂 Learn more .

Quick Answers – The Best Traveling Guitars

The best traveling guitars mega-list: acoustics, electrics, and a few bass guitars because why not, the best travel acoustic guitars, best travel electric guitars, the best folding guitar for travel, time for some other stringed travel instruments, traveling with a guitar – what to look for, faq about the best travel guitars, closing thoughts on the top travel guitars.

• Best Travel Acoustic Guitar – Ultra-Light Classical 6-String Guitar
• Best Travel Electric Guitar – Traveler Guitar Travel Guitar
• Best Folding Travel Guitar – Journey Instruments OF660M
• Best Travel Bass Guitar – Traveler Guitar TB-4P
• Best Travel Budget Guitar – Yamaha GL1 Guitalele

Today, we’re cutting straight to the goodies because goodies are delicious! First, we’ll round up the most portable guitars just built for travel and worldwide escapades. After that, I’ll get to the no less delicious goodies on choosing the right travel guitar for your needs.

Are you ready? Ok, you sexy shredder; let’s do this! The best guitars for travel that most certainly do not weep.

Ultra-Light Classical 6-String Guitar

• > Great action

Baby Taylor BT2

• > Taylor-made

Yamaha Guitalele

• > Vibrant classical tone

Yamaha GL1 Guitalele

Hohner HAG250P 1/2 Sized

Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Electric Travel Guitar

• > Humbucker pickups

Hofner 6 String Solid-Body Electric Guitar

• > 0.176 ounces
• > Gig bag included

Best Travel Electric-Acoustic Guitar

• > 2lbs 14 oz
• > Great neck

Journey Instruments OF660M Carbon Fiber Acoustic Guitar Matte

• Best Folding Travel Guitar > $1449.99
• > Great for professionals

Traveler Guitar TB-4P Electric Travel Bass

• Best Travel Bass Guitar > $549.99
• > 6 lbs 8 oz

Kala Teak Tri-Top Concert Acoustic-electric Ukulele

• > Level-10 Portability

For the natural earthy sound. The downside of the portable guitars is the sound isn’t so rocking as an electric baest. The upside?

…Well, you don’t need an amp.

These are the travel guitars you can bring to the campfire or out at the hostel at night to the sneak into the hearts (and pants) of wayward travelers around the globe. Sexy and swooning.

REI is one of America’s biggest and most-loved outdoor gear retailers.

Now, for just $30, get a lifetime membership that entitles you to 10% OFF on most items, access to their trade-in scheme and discount rentals .

Best Travel Acoustic Guitar #1 –  Ultra-Light Classical 6-String Guitar

If you are looking for the best travel acoustic guitar, do yourself a favor and stop right here because this creature is as good as it gets.

This compact travel guitar is an extraordinary instrument and they have accomplished the goal of creating an affordable yet high-quality travel acoustic guitar.

In TBB fashion, you get only the best of the best! A solid mahogany top, a unique fret design, and a 24-inch scale length mean that you’ll never have to sacrifice quality to have an amazing travel guitar.

This guitar was designed for lightweight travelers in mind. The guitar and strap only weigh a total of 2 lbs. 14 oz combined, making this our smallest travel guitar. And when placed in the included protective bag, the two combine to weight a total of 3lbs. 12oz!

• Removable lap rest
• Only 2 lbs 14 oz – the perfect small travel guitar
• Shape can be awkward or uncomfortable to some
• Very small – not ideal for professionals
• Leg rest is a bit slippy

While I clearly think this guitar is the cream of the crop… I don’t recommend it for everyone.

This traveling guitar is for backpackers; perfect for those who love to travel with their guitar but aren’t trying to do anything too hardcore with their music career. Why?

In an effort to make this mini guitar as travel-friendly as possible there is a detachable leg rest, whilst this is amazing meaning you can get the benefit of playing a full-size guitar sat down, I have found it to be a bit slippy on my pants! I’ve remedied this by wrapping a cloth around it but it’s not the ideal solution.

Bottom line:  If you are a traveling professional musician, this might not be the guitar for you. Everyone else – if you can afford it – this tiny Guitar is literally as good of a travel guitar you can get. Click the button below to see the best price.

Best Travel Acoustic Guitar #2 – Baby Taylor BT-2

Taylor guitars are one of the most reputable acoustic brands on the planet and this guitar is an incredible example of why.

The Taylor Baby BT-2 is not technically a travel guitar; it’s just one of the best 3/4 guitars out there. This means that it’s 25% smaller than a normal-sized acoustic guitar, and many 3/4 guitars are made for kids.

But obviously one can see why 25% less guitar would be very beneficial for travelers. An extra 25% of the guitar means an extra 25% weight off your back and the ability to stow this guitar on tons of flights.

Plus, along with a smaller size, you also get everything else that is amazing about Taylor guitars – solid wood, ebony fretboard, and a beautiful sound that resembles a choir of glowing angels.

• High quality and long term durability. This guitar will purr
• Great for traveling professionals
• Come with a gig bag
• Almost weighs 8 lbs with the case
• Probably too big for lightweight backpackers
• 19 frets might still not be enough for some

What you’ve got to love about this guitar is that for a 3/4 guitar’s size, it almost sounds exactly like a full-sized acoustic guitar. That’s why it’s easily one of the best travel acoustic guitars on the market. Typically 3/4 guitars sacrifice sound for size but with this Taylor, the tradeoff is barely noticeable.

Taylor has earned their reputation, and this compact guitar is another sterling example. If you don’t mind dishing out a bit more cash, you’ll be very pleased with the tone and sound of this instrument.

Bottom line – The Baby Taylor BT-1  delivers a phenomenal sound and long term durability all of which comes at 3/4 the size of a regular acoustic guitar. If you are looking for an ultralight travel guitar, look elsewhere. But if the quality is your number one concern, you may have found the mini travel guitar of your dreams.

Best Travel Classical Guitar #1 –  Yamaha Guitarlele

What happens if you cross a guitar with a Ukulele? The Yamaha Guitalele is what! This is a masterpiece of instrumental engineering, and could quite possibly be the best travel guitar ever made!

With a solid spruce top, rosewood fingerboard, and a gorgeous mahogany body, this classical guitar is stunning in that sexy classical fashion like a finely produced oil painting. Yamaha clearly invests a lot of time in design, and this travel classical guitar is one of the best examples of that.

And thankfully it sounds as good as it looks! This classical, nylon string Guitar-Ukulele is well-reviewed, giving warm and bright tones. This ensures it delivers the best sound for its size and build.

• Nylon strings for the nylon lovers
• Gorgeous looks and sound
• Comes with gig bag
• If you prefer steel strings,then this is not the guitar for you

It ain’t too pricey and it ain’t too big – good things come in compact and affordable packages! You are getting an extremely well-designed and beautiful acoustic classical guitar that is built just for travelers.

Bottom line – Whether you are a professional or casual musician – if you are looking for a travel classical guitar, this is a fantastic option at a good price.

Best Cheap Travel Guitar #1 –  Yamaha GL1 Guitalele

I’ve gone through a ton of guitars in my life, but one of the best, most durable acoustics I ever owned was a $200 Yamaha. Did it have the rich sound of a Martin? Obviously not. But it played well, had great action, and was so durable I was convinced it would survive a nuclear apocalypse.

This is exactly why the Yamaha GL1 Guitalele is my pick for the best cheap travel guitar!

Yamaha makes solid guitars for low prices, and the GL1 Guitalele is a perfect example. Well reviewed and affordable, this was an easy pick for the best budget travel guitar.

• Super affordable and well-reviewed!
• Yamaha’s products are always durable
• A cool fusion of a guitar and ukulele and their A/D/G/C/E/a tuning ensures you get a great sound
• It’s still cheap, but for $75 more you can get something significantly better
• Alternate tuning might dissuade some
• Nylon strings may not be ideal for others

Something to consider is that this is technically NOT a travel guitar . As the name would suggest, this is a hybrid between a ukulele and an acoustic guitar. To accomplish this fusion in the best way possible, Yamaha strings this guitar up to the 4th in the tuning of A/D/G/C/E/a.

If this scares the crap out of you – don’t worry! It just means due to its smaller size, this guitar sounds best with a non-standard E/A/D/G/B/e tuning. Since this is a great cheap travel guitar, this also makes for a great traveling gift !

Bottom line – If an alternate tuning doesn’t scare you and you are on a budget, then this is the best budget travel guitar. A cool guitar-ukulele-combo, the Yamaha Guitele is a solid choice for a traveler looking to save a bit of money on their instrument without compromising too much on quality. It also just happens to be the best guitalele – go figure!

Best Budget Travel Guitar #2 –  Hohner HAG250P 1/2 Sized

OK, before I continue, I should clarify: this is absolutely, without a doubt, 100% a toddler guitar. This is, however, one of the best inexpensive guitars you’ll find.

It’s small, not of the highest quality, and won’t last a lifetime… And that’s exactly why it’s the best budget travel guitar on this list! A bargain guitar this cheap means all feelings of love and affection go out the window: throw, bang, and transport this instrument on buses in Asia to your heart’s content… unless you get attached.

But we’re travelers; we don’t go in for that attachment nonsense anyway.

Think of it this way… have you ever been to a hostel and they have that small, beat up, classical guitar sitting in the main room? Or have you ever been to a beach party, and some dude with dreadlocks busts out a nylon-stringed guitar that looks like it was made in 1953 for a hobbit?

That’s exactly what this guitar is. It won’t win you a grammy, but it’s cheap, and you better believe that it will play… albeit maybe slightly out of tune.

• It’s a cheap guitar… don’t get your hopes up

The Hohner 1/2 Sized is for anyone looking for a cheap travel guitar to buy online. Simple as that.

Bottom line – This is the ‘I’m on a shoestring budget backpacking through Southeast Asia . I’m going to party on beaches and all I want is a throwaway guitar I can play some Sublime singalongs on in between cheap beers in hopes of getting laid’ choice. If this sounds like you, then look no further.

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Do you want to power those chords properly? Whammy those sustains? Really get that cheap meaningless sex at hostels in Thailand?

Then here we are: the best electric travel guitar. Something with a bit more shazam for the busker in all of us .

Best Travel Electric Guitar #1- Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Electric Travel Guitar

While not the most creative company name, Traveler Guitar has put together some pretty impressive traveling instruments and this was an easy pick for the best travel electric guitar.

Amazing design and stellar reviews make this electric guitar one of the coolest travel guitars on the market. The Traveler Ultra-Light comes with dual rail humbuckers and packs an impressive sound. Depending on your amp and pedals setup, this electric should be able to get whatever sound you need out of it.

The Ultra-Light guitar is 28% shorter and 68% lighter than a typical electric guitar all the which while retaining 100% of its size between the nut and the bridge. This means that while this guitar is not going to feel 100% like a full-sized electric… it’ll come close. Plus, you shed all of that weight in the process.

• 68% lighter than a standard electric guitar
• Humbucker pickups
• A gig bag is included
• Lap rest is included as well
• Might not be enough for professional traveling musicians
• Mixed reviews on comfort of detachable lap rest (and overall balance in general)

This travel electric guitar is perfect for super lightweight travelers who need an electric guitar with them at all times. But unfortunately, the lightweight build comes with some sacrifices. And the sacrifice here is the balance.

By eliminating 68% of the weight, some reviews claim the guitar is difficult to balance, or that it’s too light to play or solo on comfortably. Others claimed this was easily overcome with a couple days’ practice. Regardless, if you are considering purchasing, expect a bit of discomfort and imbalance at first, but don’t worry: you’ll be rocking that Red Hot Chili Peppers cover in no time  😉

Bottom line –  Maybe not the best choice for professional musicians but this is still a great travel size electric guitar for someone who loves to shred while they journey. While the balance might take a bit of getting used to, there is simply no better-designed travel electric guitar on the market.

Best Travel Electric Guitar #2 –  Hofner 6 String Solid-Body Electric Guitar

Just like the Ultra Light Travel Guitar, this model is unique in its design. But unlike its sibling, Traveler Guitar looked at the Hofner as an opportunity to give you a full electric experience while still trimming as much weight as possible.

To accomplish this, they’ve basically cut out everything in the body apart from a tiny area roughly the size of a pick guard on a regular guitar!

By cutting out the majority of the body, Hofner has created an electric guitar that is 14% shorter and 35% lighter than a typical electric guitar. And the impressive part? All of that is done while still keeping the guitar 100% at scale from the bridge to the neck!

• Full electric experience, but 14% shorter and 35% lighter
• Awesome for traveling professional musicians
• Gig bag included
• Too large for casual musicians
• Won’t play like a Strat (please don’t expect it to)
• Mixed reviews on its playability out of the box – might take some tweaking to get desired the feel and sound

Aside from its innovative design, this kickass travel electric guitar comes with 3 single-coil pickups, 1 volume knob and 1 tone knob.

While this compact electric guitar is highly recommended, you will still have to accept that its bold design can cause some complications.  While this travel electric attempts to mimic a full-sized electric – don’t expect it to feel exactly like a Strat or Tele. It comes close, but you can’t expect the same feeling (especially when sitting down).

Truthfully, if you are looking for one of the best electric travel guitars, there aren’t tons of well-reviewed options and Hofner is the only company putting out quality products.

Bottom line –  If you are a traveler looking to shed a few pounds off your electric guitar – this is a kickass option. The Hofner was meant to be lightweight while sacrificing as little playability as possible… Highly recommended for a professional who isn’t sure if the Ultra-Light can make the cut for them.

Best Travel Electric-Acoustic Guitar –  Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Acoustic-Electric

Welcome back Traveler Guitar! Lemme make you a tea; you’re welcome anytime as long as you keep pumping out the grade-A stories.

With their third product on this list, I have to say I’m impressed by Traveler Guitar’s commitment to their niche. This product is one of their best!

It’s 100% full scale from the nut to the bridge, but 31% shorter and 43% lighter than a typical acoustic guitar. In particular, this guitar has a nice aesthetic and a gorgeous finish. Reviews claim the neck is smooth and that the guitar is durable and stays in tune very well.

• 43% lighter than a typical acoustic guitar
• Great finish – well-reviewed neck
• Gig bag comes included as well
• Too niche – only recommended for those who ALWAYS plug in their acoustic (or record acoustic)

But where I think their other products are more versatile… I would only recommend the Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Acoustic-Electric for a very specific person.

Simply put – this guitar only sounds great when it’s plugged in. Why?

Well, think about it. This guitar has no body (aka – where an acoustic gets that warm, vibrant, reverb-y sound from). In the pursuit of lightness, Traveler Guitar made an instrument that only sounds good when plugged into an amplifier – which can totally work for the right person!

When it is plugged into an amp it sounds delicious! But otherwise, it’s basically just another electric guitar that gives much less when unplugged. It’s good for recorders, buskers traveling with an amp, and people gigging… and that’s about it.

Bottom line – Look at the Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Acoustic-Electric as an electric-acoustic guitar, and ONLY as an electric-acoustic guitar. If you love to record acoustic while you travel, or play a ton of live shows – this could be your axe. Everyone else – look elsewhere.

You could get a mini guitar that carries on your back… or you could just get one that folds in half completely! Holy folding guitars, Hendrix! Lookout virtual reality and simulated blowjob machines – the future is here!

In all seriousness, a folding guitar is a supreme traveling instrument. Easy to carry, stow on planes, and you’re not so likely to snap the neck. Trust me: nothing breaks your heart quite as much as a broken guitar neck.

To be fair – in terms of quality, this is absolutely the best travel guitar that money can buy. It’s the best sounding travel guitar, it’s got a gorgeous make, and it packs up real nice.

But here’s the con – it’s ridiculously expensive. Like, I peed myself a little when I first saw the price tag.

But if you have no problem dropping a bit more money, this is a guitar that will not only be your primary travel guitar… it will be your primary guitar – period. Made from carbon fiber, the Journey OF660M is a modern, durable, sexy looking axe. This guitar gives a super warm, bright and rich tone, and is extremely versatile.

• The best travel guitar on the market
• Rich sound – every note rings
• Carbon fiber is the real deal, making this guitar super-durable (important for travel!)
• Most expensive guitar on the list
• 10lbs means what you gain in quality, you lose in travel convenience

Old school guitarists might not like the new school design or the fact that it’s made of carbon fiber, but I must disagree… While I think carbon fiber is an amazing material for any guitar, it’s especially perfect for traveling guitarists!

Traditional wood guitars need to be kept out of humidity and heat to keep them from warping. In contrast, carbon fiber means you can bring your guitar in any weather and travel to any climate stress-free. While I respect the traditionalist view, carbon fiber has proven to be a durable material for guitars, while also providing the guitar with a modern, cool look. No warping, no fear of heat or humidity; this is a huge factor to consider for any traveler guitar.

Bottom line – If you have the budget, don’t need something super-light, and are looking for the best sounding travel guitar money can buy, you’ve found your match.

Everyone and their mom knows how to play the guitar! Well… that’s quite true. It would be fairer to say that everyone and their mom knows how to play a C, G, Am, and F chord. So let’s branch out… starting with a travel bass guitar.

Bass players are sexy. Have you seen their fingers? Think of the things they could do with those fingers…

The Best Travel Bass Guitar – Traveler Guitar TB-4P Electric Travel Bass

Another Traveler Guitar? Seriously? What can I say: this company does it right!

Similar to their travel guitars, this awesome travel bass guitar is designed to feel as much like a standard bass, while trimming as much of the weight as possible.

The Traveler Guitar TB-4P is well reviewed and well designed. It weighs in at 25% lighter than a standard bass – which you will definitely appreciate while traveling – an also measures at 22% shorter than a standard bass. Slap that sucker across all seven continents!

• 25% lighter and 22% shorter than a standard bass!
• Well designed – innovative wrap around tuning design
• Balance might be an issue for some
• Not going to sound as chunky as a standard bass

The Traveler Guitar Travel Bass comes with volume controls, tone controls, and the standard electronics to get your bass rigged up to any pedal or amp you need! A cool side-perk is they also include a 1/8 inch headphone jack. This means that while you are at your accommodation, you can still pop some headphones in and really jam out!

Remember though, the sound will be nice, but not as full as a typical bass. Duncan pickups help this bass to deliver some great tones but don’t expect to sound exactly like Flea.

Bottom line –  This is the best travel bass guitar money can buy. Like all of the best travel guitars, you are definitely going to sacrifice some tone for the sake traveling lighter,  but if light is what you need, then Traveler Guitar TB-4P Electric Bass got you covered.

Annnnd the Ukulele – Kala Teak Tri-Top Concert Acoustic-electric Ukulele

C’mon, you had to see this coming. It’s the quintessential rookie-backpacker move. Buy a uke, learn the aforementioned C, G, Am, F, ‘ Somewhere over the Rainbow’ and ‘I’m Yours’ , strap your new companion to your backpack , and you’re officially that guy!

I’m taking the piss. I adore ukes! …In the hands of someone who actually plays the ukulele. Once you learn the chord variations up and down the fretboard and some scales, they’re actually quite darling.

So, what’s the best ukulele for travel? Well, that’s the beauty of ukes… they all are! They’re all small enough to go as carry-on on a plane and they strap nicely to most backpacks.

So what’s the best ukulele? Well, probably not this one; I imagine the best ukulele was crafted by an ancient Hawaiian God and is sitting lodged in a rock at the bottom of some volcano somewhere waiting to be exonerated by the chosen one. Otherwise, though, there’s this one!

• Electric-acoustic so plug in for an even sweeter sound
• Built-in tuner
• Unique shape and design
• The intonation isn’t perfect for a connoisseur’s ear
• Excellent for beginner’s and a great intermediate uke but experts may seek elsewhere

It’s a sexy uke that sounds pretty. The built-in tuner is a massive plus and plugging to an amp is really gonna make this bad-boy shine (yes, I did just refer to a ukulele as a “bad-boy”). Kala make good gear and they’re not just in the ukulele space either.

Also, the Kala Teak Tri-Top Concert Acoustic-electric Ukulele just looks mega-pretty. Koa, mahogany, walnut, and a seductive satin finish to seduce the park hippies (and South Asian men) with.

All in all, if this is just you following the stereotypical first-time traveler route, there are cheaper ukuleles you can spend your money on and that’ll do the job right. But, if you’re upgrading from that phase, or are just genuinely interested in learning the ukulele it’s a fine choice.

Bottom line –  Well, my mom says ukes are cool! Actually, she hates them but she has to put up with me anyway. This may not be the best travel guitar but it’s certainly a good deal lighter and smaller than any portable guitar you’ll find.

Protip: Try finding nylon guitar strings that fit the gauges (it’s super doable) and putting them on to swap that high G out for a low one; a uke with a bass not – yum!

Now, you  could spend a fat chunk of $$$ on the WRONG present for someone. Wrong size hiking boots, wrong fit backpack, wrong shape sleeping bag… As any adventurer will tell you, gear is a personal choice.

So give the adventurer in your life the gift of convenience: buy them an REI Co-op gift card!  REI is The Broke Backpacker’s retailer of choice for ALL things outdoors, and an REI gift card is the perfect present you can buy from them. And then you won’t have to keep the receipt. 😉

As an avid traveler and musician, I can tell you that buying a great travel size guitar was one of the most important decisions I ever made. I can now easily transport a guitar anywhere I go in the world, meaning never have to be without a guitar again!

When it comes to the best travel guitars, there are a few things, in particular, you want to keep an eye out for. Here are some important things to consider when you are trying to pick your personal travel guitar.

1.  Do you need a top quality travel guitar?

The guitars on this list are certainly some of the best travel guitars on the market… but some are certainly higher quality than others. Keep an eye out for prices. Yes, we are all trying to save money with our broke backpacking ways , but sometimes spending the extra $50 can be the difference between a just-ok travel guitar that will get you by or an exceptional travel guitar that will literally change the game.

This is especially true if you are a traveling professional musician. Do not try and get something cheap – it will quickly come back to haunt you.

Backpackers looking for a travel-friendly guitar that they can just jam on, have a bit more leniency in their choices.

2. How many frets for your travel guitar?

Something I overlooked was the fact that travel guitars don’t always have the standard amount of frets! Obviously it makes sense as the smaller the neck, the more travel-friendly the guitar. Consider your guitar playing style. Do you prefer to shred solos high up the neck? Or are you just looking for something to jam out with beachside, and play some zombie chords?

If you don’t need the additional frets, you’ll find that your options are better and the portable guitars to choose from will be much more compact.

3. What about the length and weight of your travel size guitar?

The first thing you need to consider is your travel style. Are you a fast traveler or slow traveler ?

If you travel the world spending a month at a time in AirBnb’s , you won’t be as concerned about the size and weight of the guitar. If you blitz from hostel to hostel, then you should seriously consider purchasing one of the lighter and more compact travel guitars.

4. Remember this one important fact…

Here’s the deal…

The standard guitar is literally a miracle. It’s a perfectly crafted instrument. Over the past 500+ years the guitar has slowly been tweaked to perfection. With the modern-day guitar, the size, shape, and build of a standard guitar ensures that you get the absolute best comfort, sound and durability from this amazing instrument.

This is where traveler guitars screw the proverbial pooch.

Ultimately, travel guitars are smaller, and because they are smaller they aren’t going to sound as good as a standard guitar. There is no way around this. If you want a smaller guitar, you are going to have to make some other sacrifices. To get a guitar smaller, lighter, and more travel-friendly means sacrificing a few other important things (like possibly sound, comfort, balance).

Don’t worry- the best travel guitars sound amazing! Just don’t expect it sound like a song from ‘Eric Clapton Unplugged’ … Because it won’t.

But I promise you, whatever travel guitar you choose it will sound awesome, it’ll be lightweight, and it will accompany you around the world  🙂

Can a travel guitar replace my primary guitar?

The easy answer – absolutely.

The more complicated answer… well, it depends on your needs.

If you are more of a casual guitar player (like I am these days) then you will be stoked to know that a travel guitar can absolutely replace your primary guitar (especially if you don’t mind spending a bit more). The selections from Cordoba, Martin, and Taylor on this list are truly epic instruments, and if you don’t need to worry about gigs, then you’ll be pleasantly surprised that your travel guitar can absolutely become your primary guitar.

But people that are truly invested in their musical journey, possibly even at the sake of their world-wandering journey, a travel guitar, long-term, isn’t going to cut it. Eventually, the lack of frets, or the lower quality sound, or some other aspect is going to wear thin.

Eventually, in your world-wandering journey, you’re going to stumble across a truly magnificent instrument and that’s when your mini guitar built for travelers isn’t going to feel so special anymore.

Still have some questions? No problem! We’ve listed and answered the most commonly asked questions below. Here’s what people usually want to know:

Can you fold guitars?

Not all of them are foldable, but there are some cool options. One of them is the Journey Instruments OF660M , that can literally fold in half.

Should you get a travel guitar if you don’t know how to play?

Hell yeah, why not? Spend those long hours waiting for flights or buses by learning how to play on your cool travel guitar and impress your friends once you’re back home.

What should you look for in a travel guitar?

Keep these key-features in mind: 1. Does it have to be top quality? 2. The number of frets 3. Packability and size

What is the best affordable travel guitar?

The best budget travel guitar is the Yamaha GL1 Guitalele. It’s super durable and offers a great sound as well.

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There you have it! The 10 best travel guitars (plus two extras).

I know that with the help of this epic buyer’s guide, you’ll easily be able to identify and buy the travel guitar of your dreams. Get out there and find your baby.

Treat her well too. It’s a lonely road and there may come a night in the future where it’s just you and her alone under a bridge in the storm. Trust me, on that day

Is there anything I missed? What’s your favorite travel guitar? Comment below! It’ll help other travelers know which guitar is best for them – safe travels!

Made it this far? You get 15% OFF to book a place to stay ! Offer valid exclusively for Broke Backpackers 😉

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You need to look into the Furch Little Jane travel guitar. It will blow you away with it’s design, looks and most importantly sound. There is also a LR Bagges pickup option if you need to be plugged in. Check the company out.

You must consider the Stow-Away by Stewart in the best travel guitar list. It clearly is the best option for an electric travel guitar.

I am a resophonic guy. My 1975 Dobro 33, metal bodied has traveled all over. Altbough many reso players are strictly slide and open tuning, I prefer standard and play many genres. I’d like to see a metal bodied resophonic that truly is travel friendly and works well in standard tuning. Metal bodies, like carbon fibre tend to be highly durable, but tend to weigh alot. Still, reso is loud enough to be a busking or session guitar in a multitude of situations.

Why are, we reso players always the stepchildren of these attempts to find the holy grail of travel instruments?

Traveler makes several other travel guitars with actual small guitar bodies which include preamps and other settings, yet have full sized fretboards. You might want to take a look at them. Yamaha makes an excellent travel model too, but it’s expensive. Also, you might include a comment about their ultra-light models being good for quiet practice in those hostels and places where noise is a factor. With a small preamp, you can use headphones to get the big sound you want without disturbing others. All useful factors for a travel guitar! And remember, some of us are classical guitar players and have no interest in “jamming”, but want a full fingerboard to play/practice on. I looked up the website on the eo guitars and, as you said, there is no information on how to buy one, the price, availability, etc, nor any reviews on the quality of build or the sound. The only way to get further information is to e-mail them which is not a plus for their marketing. It looks very interesting, but it’s too much of an unknown to pursue.

Damn, Mr Rogers- those are some hot tips! Next time I update this article (which should hopefully be before too long), I’ll 100% look into Traveler and Yamaha’s model. And you’re right: quiet practice in a hostel is definitely much-appreciated. I’ve gotten told on more than once for getting too carried away hahah! But I do certainly hope some classical guitar players still wanna jam. The more the merrier 🙂

Great site! I’d like to make you aware of my folding guitar which is the smallest travel instrument in the world yet with a full size neck and scale length. Patented robust joint mechanism allows the neck to fold to be only 42 cm long and weighs <1.5kg. The ultimate portability. With integral headphone amp. Play while you stray! eo-guitars

S’up Ken!

I am most certainly aware of the eo-guitar now – I love what it’s about! Small, light, innovative, and sexy. This post will need an update eventually, however, it’d be nice to get the eo-guitar in it in the future. As it stands though, info and feedback on the guitar online is pretty sparse.

It also seems like the only way to purchase one is through your email listed on your website. It’d be great to see this being sold in some online marketplaces, and we’d love to feature your guitar once it’s more readily available. The possibility of a hands-on review might be cool too, but it’d be better if you got in direct contact for discussing that.

For anyone reading these comments though, the eo-guitar is one to keep your eye on!

I am gobsmacked you haven’t reviewed the Furch little jane. I can only assume you haven’t come across it. If you had, the others would not even come into contention.

Thanks for your comment; I took a little squizz at the Furch Little Jane and you’re right – she’s a sexy beast! Although, she’s a pretty pricey gal and a bit chunkier than a lot of other travel guitars on the market.

This post got an update not so long ago, but it’s overdue for another. As far as I know, I’m the only muso on the team, so when the world is a bit less smashed and I got the time, I’ll be updating this review. You can almost definitely expect the Little Jane to feature then 🙂

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7 Best Travel Guitars of 2024

by Allison Johnson May 11, 2023, 7:15 pm

When you buy through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

There are so many perks to owning a travel guitar. They're so lightweight and easy to transport.

Whether you're taking multiple trips to the rehearsals each week, travel to and from different cities often, or simply like the convenience of being able to play on the fly, a travel guitar is a great investment.

We recommend travel guitars for players of all levels. We included some picks for guitar students to take to and from practice, an acoustic guitar for gigs, and electric and bass guitars for rehearsals and gigs as well.

Traveling with a full-sized guitar everywhere can be a pain due to the weight, plus, you don't want to take your pricey guitars everywhere, you know?

A quality backup guitar can be a great option to bring on vacations for impromptu practice and songwriting.

Our favorite on this list has to be the Martin LX1E Little Martin . It's ideal for gigs! It has amazing playability, is lightweight (about 3 pounds), and sounds amazing.

A small, travel-friendly guitar will be your favorite investment yet. Here are 7 of the best travel guitars for everyone.

Quick Summary of the Best Travel Guitars

• Martin LX1E Little Martin (Best Travel Acoustic Guitar for Gigs)
• Martin Steel String Backpacker Travel Guitar with Bag (The Best Travel Acoustic Guitar for Practice)
• Fender CD-60S Solid Top Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar (Best Lightweight Dreadnought)
• Fender Squier by Fender (Best Lightweight Electric Guitar for Beginners)
• Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Electric (Best Lightweight Electric Guitar)
• Gibson SG Standard '61 Sideways Vibrola - Vintage Cherry (A High-End Lightweight Electric Guitar)
• Ibanez GSRM20-BS GIO SR MiKro Series Electric Bass Guitar (Best Travel Bass)

Best Travel Guitars

1. best travel acoustic guitar for gigs – martin lx1e little martin.

• Weight: 3.3 lbs
• Pickups: Fishman Isys T pickup system
• Included Accessories: Gig bag

This is a popular guitar for travel. While it's compact and lightweight, it's still a great guitar for taking on stage. The sound quality is rich and balanced. It has a solid Stika spruce top giving it fantastic resonance and projection. The tone is warm, and you may also like using this guitar in the studio.

You'll be able to use an amplifier or sound system for gigs without external mics or pickups thanks to the Fishman Isys T pickup system.

If you're mainly looking for a lightweight guitar for comfortable playability, you're going to enjoy the fret body shape and low-profile neck. It has a short scale length that's easy to navigate.

A player said it's easy to play with arthritic hands, so if you're prioritizing comfort, you'll love this guitar.

Overall, Martin is a great guitar brand, and they're known for creating reliable instruments. This guitar checks all of our boxes, so consider this as your new favorite acoustic guitar for travel.

Interested in Buying a Guitar Stand? See the Best Guitar Stands Here

2. The Best Travel Guitar for Practice – Martin Steel String Backpacker Travel Guitar

• Weight: 5 lbs
• Pickups: No

To no surprise, another Martin guitar made the list. This itty bitty acoustic guitar is the ultimate travel guitar. If you're serious about only taking along a practice-style guitar on the road, then this is a guitar to consider.

The Martin travel guitar features a solid spruce top, solid tonewood back and sides, a unique contour neck shape, and a 24-inch scale length and 15 frets for easy playability.

This travel guitar will fit in backpacks and carry-on luggage. It's a great guitar for college students looking to practice in their dorms, beginner guitarists, or even experienced guitarists that like having a small guitar nearby. Keep it in the living room, or bedroom, or take it just about anywhere.

Considering the size of the acoustic guitar, it definitely won't have the same volume and projection as a full-sized guitar. However, if you're just looking for something lightweight for practice and cozy casual playing, it's perfect.

Guitarists say it's louder than they expected though. It's definitely not a toy, so if you need something small for creativity, this is everything you could want in a travel guitar.

3. Best Lightweight Dreadnought Travel Guitar – Fender CD-60S Solid Top Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar

• Included Accessories: Gig Bag, Tuner, Strap, Strings, Picks, and Austin Bazaar Instructional DVD

The Fender CD-60S is a solid option for a variety of reasons: it has a solid spruce top for excellent sound and projection. The dreadnought body shape also makes it versatile and sound super full. If you're looking for a balanced tonal response with lots of volume and bass, this is great. Consider it for fingerpicking and strumming.

As for playability, it's designed for those looking to prioritize comfort. The C-shaped neck profile allows for easy fretting. Overall, it's a great lightweight Fender acoustic.

Guitarists love how nice it looks in person and say you get the best bang for the buck! It's under $240, great for anyone on a budget.

It's lightweight and has a fantastic build. Fender is known for solid construction and making guitars that last long for years of touring.

4. Best Lightweight Electric Guitar for Beginners – Fender Squier by Fender

• Weight: 7 lbs
• Pickups: Three single coil pickups
• Included Accessories: Cable bundle available

Fender has a cool lightweight electric guitar for beginners to learn, but it also makes a great travel guitar for seasoned players looking to make trips hassle-free in airport security or even on the road.

The mini Strat has the Stratocaster shape we all know and love. The comfortable neck profile makes it a great pick for long rehearsals without fatigue. The shorter scale length makes it easy to navigate the fretboard, and this makes it one of the best guitars for kids and players will smaller hands.

If you're low on space or simply like the 22.75'' string scale and downsized 3/4 body, traveling with this mini guitar is a good idea.

Overall, guitarists think it's a great travel guitar and say it's a great compact and lightweight guitar for petite players.

This travel guitar comes in 4 different colors, metallic orange and surf green really stand out.

5. Best Lightweight Electric Guitar – Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Electric

• Weight: 3 lbs
• Pickups: Dual-rail hum bucker pickup

Looking for something truly built for travel? This is exactly what you need. Travel Guitar makes guitars for busy musicians, they know how to build guitars that make traveling less stressful for guitarists.

The portable electric guitar is small enough to fit into travel bags and overhead bins on planes. If you fly often, this is a good fit for your lifestyle. Even though it's small, it still has a full-scale length of a regular guitar.

A nice feature that makes it a great portable guitar is the detachable lap rest frame. It'll provide stability while playing.

Guitarists are raving about the tone and say it exceeded their expectations.

The guitar is made from sturdy materials -- it features a maple body and a maple neck. You can pick from 5 designs and pick between left and right-handed options.

6. A High-End Lightweight Electric Guitar – Gibson SG Standard '61 Sideways Vibrola

• Weight: 8 lbs
• Pickups: 60s Burstbucker (neck) & 60s Burstbucker (bridge)
• Included Accessories: No

If you're set on getting a high-end guitar for travel, look no further than the SG Standard '61. This compact guitar is lighter than most electric guitars. It's a guitar that won't make you feel fatigued during long sets.

The guitar has a comfy and fast-playing neck profile. It also has a slim-tapered neck with a smooth fretboard for easy navigation. Overall, it's the playability gets a 10/10.

The 60s Burstbucker pickups recreate the sound of the 1960s-era humbuckers. We love the tones for all genres! So whether you play blues, rock, or metal you're going to love gigging with this guitar.

The guitar is beautiful. It has a gloss nitrocellulose lacquer finish and nitro finishes to look vintage.

7. Best Travel Bass – Ibanez GSRM20-BS GIO SR MiKro Series Electric Bass Guitar

• Weight: 7.72 lbs
• Pickups: Ibanez Dynamix pickups

The compact bass guitar has a smaller body and shorter scale length compared to standard bass guitars. This is a great bass guitar for kids, petite adults, or for traveling musicians looking for a lightweight and affordable bass guitar for the road.

Ibanez says this is a great bass guitar for beginner and intermediate players, but also think professional players will find the size great for ease of use. It features a poplar body, maple neck and jatoba fingerboard for comfort and playability.

It sounds great too, thanks to the Ibanez Dynamix pickups, which provide a range of tones suitable for various genres and playing styles. Great for deep, punchy tones or bright and articulate sounds.

Ibanez is one of the best guitar brands out there, so if you're stuck between brands when guitar shopping, just know you'll have a well-built guitar if you go with Ibanez.

Best Travel Guitar Buyer's Guide

There are many factors to consider other than size and weight. Below, we'll dive into sound quality, build quality, playability, and a few more considerations before picking out a travel guitar.

Size & Portability

You'll want to make sure your guitar has a small body shape. Think of something that can fit into a small gig bag you wouldn't mind carrying through an airport. If it sounds like it'll be a pain, it's likely not a great option for travel.

Build Quality

You want to make sure it's a durable guitar made of materials that can handle travel. A durable guitar can handle some bumps on the road, along with temperature changes in vehicles or airports. If it can handle humidity, even better.

Sound Quality

Make sure it sounds good. Solid top and decent resonance are key.

Playability

Check the neck shape and make sure it'll feel good in your hands. Features like adjustable truss rods will allow you to fine-tune the action and intonation.

Electronics

Onboard pickups and preamps are great so you can connect an amp or PA system. This is great for gigs and rehearsals!

Make sure you invest in a quality travel guitar. Even though it might not be your go-to option for every gig, you want it to last and be durable. This means paying more for quality.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the ideal weight for a travel guitar.

Try to keep it under 5-10 lbs! This is a great size for travel, especially if you'll be carrying your guitar for long periods in airports or at venues.

Are travel guitars comfortable to play?

It depends on your playing stying, be sure to look at the fretboard radius and make sure it has adjustable truss rods to customize the playability to your liking.

Can travel guitars be amplified?

Yes, built-in electronics like pickups and preamps allow for amplification.

How much should I spend on a travel guitar?

You can budget for under $500 on a great travel guitar, but if you're looking for a compact guitar for gigging or recording, you may end up paying around the normal price of a guitar or high-end guitar.

Are travel guitars suitable for beginners?

Yes! They are great for beginners on the go. If you're a beginner and practice away from home often they're a great investment.

Final Thoughts

Shopping for a travel guitar can mean something different for all guitarists. For professional musicians, some want an affordable and lightweight guitar for gigging or rehearsals, for some, that means a tiny guitar small enough to fit in an airline-friendly bag.

We rounded up options for many scenarios, but if you're looking for a good lightweight acoustic to take on the road, you'll love the Martin LX1E Little Martin for gigging.

If you're a musician who can't stop writing songs, even when you're supposed to be relaxing, you need something like the Martin Steel String Backpacker Travel Guitar . Plus, you can play small gigs with it, think parks, beaches, and coffee shops.

If you want small lightweight electric guitars and bass guitars, consider the Fender Squier by Fender and the Ibanez GSRM20-BS GIO SR MiKro Series Electric Bass Guitar . Fender and Ibanez, both brands with great brand reputations! You'll get an amazing instrument, just smaller and easier to take on the road.

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The Best Travel Guitars of 2024: Find Your Perfect Portable Strummer

Imagine being miles away from home, under a clear, starlit sky, with just the rustle of leaves and your own musings for company. Suddenly, the urge strikes to strum a tune and create your own symphony against this tranquil backdrop. But would you lug your regular-sized guitar around while on the move? Probably not, and that’s where the beauty and practicality of a travel guitar come into play. A ‘best travel guitar 2024’ story creates itself from here.

Back when I started my road journey, quality portable guitar options were scarce, almost a luxury. Driven by personal experience, my exhaustive search led me to explore, experiment with and evaluate an array of travel guitars. As a seasoned musician and an avid traveler, my quest was drawn by a simple truth – a good travel guitar should never compromise on sound, even when space is at a premium. The best travel guitars, in my experience, master the delicate balance of portability and auditory delight.

So, what exactly qualifies as the ideal travel companion for a guitarist in 2024? From evaluating acoustics like the Taylor GS Mini and Martin LX1E Little Martin, or testing the metal of electric variants like the Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Electric and Hofner Shorty Electric Travel Guitar, let me share the insights and nuances gained over years of personal trials, performances, and globe-trotting escapades. I promise you a journey as thrilling as the destination itself.

Hold onto your plectrum, folks. This is my attempt to guide your travel-guitar-trials, shaped by thousands of miles, countless destinations, and melodious serenades under open skies. Let’s find your perfect portable strummer together.

Top Acoustic Travel Guitars

Taylor gs mini, best for portability and tone.

Transitioning from our introduction into our top picks, the Taylor GS Mini is a standout selection in the acoustic travel guitars category. When this gem debuted, not only was it a game-changer, but it swiftly became my go-to companion for my casual travels. Its scaled-down size makes it ideal for portability, and its unique ability to deliver bold projection mirrors full-size guitars. This is remarkably helpful when I’m looking to insert subtle fingerstyle melodies into spontaneous jam sessions.

Reminiscent of a campfire night, I recall strumming the GS Mini beside a warm fire with my friends. The intense richness of its tones complemented our voices perfectly, weaving an enchanting musical sphere. Compared to the Martin LX1E Little Martin and the Yamaha APXT2, the Taylor GS Mini’s tone quality and volume are unmatched in the realm of travel-sized acoustics. The Little Martin, while portable and equipped with built-in electronics, does not match the GS Mini’s vibrant, robust tone. The Yamaha APXT2, which has impressive electronics and a lower price tag, lacks the GS Mini’s warm, earthy resonance.

• The GS Mini’s potent projection marries portability with the sound quality of full-size guitars.
• Its nuanced tone also offers the versatility required for various genres.
• While affordable compared to other Taylor models, the GS Mini’s higher price range may deter budget-conscious consumers.
• Unlike the Martin LX1E and the Yamaha APXT2, it does not come with built-in electronics.

In the boundless realm of travel guitars, portability and tone are key, and the Taylor GS Mini excels in both. It stands as an excellent choice for those valuing profound sound in a compact package. As we explore further models, this unparalleled contribution by Taylor sets a high benchmark. The GS Mini has truly revolutionized the notion of what a travel guitar can be , setting a lofty standard for the contenders that follow.

Martin LX1E Little Martin

Best for acoustic-electric experience.

I’ve had my fair share of experiences with travel guitars, but the Martin LX1E Little Martin takes the cake . This solid top travel guitar surpasses any other regular model in its category. It gives you an intimate acoustic simply unmatched by others, perfect for those who yearn for the best acoustic-electric experience.

I remember a trip to a lakeside cabin where I took along the Martin LX1E. It was a sun-bathed afternoon, the soft purring of the lake as my backbeat. I tuned my Little Martin and played a few tunes for friends. Its sparkling highs and balanced mids filled the space with a depth of sound that left everyone impressed. It was light to carry – a feature most top acoustic travel guitars claim, but few deliver – and when plugged in, its Fishman Isys T electronics worked flawlessly. The enhanced sonic quality was a reminder of why it stood out in an array of acoustic travel guitars.

• Solid top enhances the tonal quality
• Portable and lightweight design
• Stellar Fishman Isys T electronics system
• Could include more tonewood options

The Martin LX1E stands tall when compared to Taylor GS Mini and Yamaha APXT2. The solid top of Little Martin provides a sonic edge over the laminated top of Yamaha APXT2 . However, the GS Mini has a slight edge in comfort due to its slightly larger body compared to the LX1E. One aspect where the Little Martin steals the show is in amplification; its Fishman electronics system provides a richness that is superior to other guitars in its category .

No model can guarantee a one-size-fits-all solution, but make no mistake: the Martin LX1E Little Martin brings sturdy build and valorous sounds to the portable guitar equation that few can match. At this rate, it might very well remain the top pick in ‘The Best Travel Guitars of 2024’ list.

Yamaha APXT2

Best for learners on-the-go.

In my many years as a music educator, I’ve had the pleasure of sharing the joy of music with countless beginners. It’s in these formative stages that a travel guitar, like the Yamaha APXT2, really shines. When learners are on-the-go, the compact size and uncompromised sound make it a top-rated travel guitar.

The APXT2’s durability is akin to the supportive environment I aim to create, and its player-friendliness aligns perfectly with my teaching philosophy. I’ve seen students enthusiastically strum their first chords on this guitar, their faces lighting up with the realization of their newfound abilities. For such a compact guitar, its sound is impressively robust, rich and full. It’s made for mobility, yet doesn’t sacrifice on sound quality or playability – rare for a beginner guitar.

My personal experience with the Yamaha APXT2 led me to see how it stacks up against other guitars within the same category. The Taylor GS Mini, though excellent in its own right, is significantly more expensive , an aspect that might deter beginners. The Martin LX1E Little Martin excellently balances size and sound, but its lack of durability pales in comparison to the Yamaha APXT2.

• Compact and easy to handle for beginners.
• Excellent durability and build quality.
• Produces a rich and robust sound despite its size.
• Lacks a bit in the bass department.
• The electronics are basic without many options for tone shaping.

In conclusion, the Yamaha APXT2 stands out as a fantastic choice for beginners on-the-go. Its durability and ease of play make it a truly friendly companion during the daunting initial steps of a musical journey. As a seasoned educator, I highly endorse this as an instrumental choice for learners embarking on their own path of musical discovery.

Top Electric Travel Guitars

Traveler guitar ultra-light electric, best for electric guitar purists.

When the urge for electrified melodies arises during your travels, my top recommendation in the realm of lightweight travel guitars would undeniably be the Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Electric. Its innovative design from headstock to tail stands as a testament to its relevance in the ‘Top Electric Travel Guitars’ category.

This remarkable instrument, built for the electric guitar purists, is the epitome of portability without any sacrifice in sound or playability. The Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Electric offers matchless tonal quality . It’s the minimalist’s dream come to life, where every ounce counts, and extra baggage is a non-starter.

Its distinguishing factor, like its name suggests, is its ultra-lightweight, compact design . This makes it effortlessly convenient, be it for an impromptu jamming session backstage, or for a secluded serenade at a mountaintop. Every strum, every note resonates with the importance it lends to portability and sound purity, especially for those of us continually on the go.

It’s not merely about its ground-breaking design, but also about the authentic, crisp, the electric tone created. Its dedication to retaining the true electrical aura, while providing extreme portability, sets it apart within this niche market.

Successive sections will detail the offerings of competing electric travel guitars such as the Hofner Shorty and the Anygig AGS, but the Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Electric undeniably holds its high ground. It stands as a testament that sometimes, less truly is more.

Hofner Shorty Electric Travel Guitar

Best for classic vibes on-the-move.

Transitioning from the solid and efficient performance of the Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Electric , my journey through the realm of top electric travel guitars led me to the harbinger of classic vibes on-the-move – the Hofner Shorty Electric Travel Guitar . Standing among the best mini travel guitars , the Hofner Shorty effortlessly marries the nostalgia of yesteryears with the pragmatism of modern travel needs.

But what sets the Hofner Shorty apart? It’s the balance it strikes. My enduring fascination with the timeless tones of vintage guitars feels at home in this compact instrument. It provides the charm of those warm, enveloping tones that I’ve always been drawn to, neatly bundled within a portable body.

The Hofner Shorty is an ode to the past, fashioned for the future . From neighborhood jam sessions to impromptu concerts on the road, it stands as a companion, offering a uniquely authentic and accessible musical experience. Its compact design makes it a breeze to carry, while its robust tone doesn’t compromise on the quality of sound, showing the true essence of what the best travel guitars should offer.

To sum up the Hofner Shorty Electric Travel Guitar: it’s a vintage-themed, portable strummer that brings you the classic sound you cherish, wherever your feet may roam. As we move on to delve into the Anygig AGS, remember the distinct allure of the Hofner – a manifestation of nostalgia in a modern, mobile package.

Anygig AGS Portable Travel Guitar

Best for space-saving design.

Continuing our exploration of top electric travel guitars, our attention turns to the innovative Anygig AGS Portable Travel Guitar. A gem in the portable guitar market , the AGS infuses a blend of high-quality sound, remarkable portability, and an unbeatable playability factor.

Finding guitar technology that respects space limitations while retaining excellent sound quality is no small feat. However, the Anygig AGS, renowned as the best for space-saving design , stands as a prime example of this attainment . During my retreat to a remote studio framed by a daunting landscape, this foldable travel guitar revealed its mastery in harmonizing elements of convenience and high-level performance. Its compact design made it the ideal musical companion for such an environment.

An impressive aspect of the AGS is its foldability. Not many guitars can boast about retaining a full-scale neck while being collapsible . This top-notch feature ensures that, even while travelling, your hands never have to falter from their well-versed paths on the fretboard.

Thus, in my experience, the Anygig AGS exemplifies a sterling balance of portability and performance. Its capacity to adapt to both the serene vibes of a city park and the harsh conditions of a remote studio without its quality being compromised makes it shine brightly in the cluster of electric travel guitars. Not to mention, its sleek, modern aesthetics that never fail to turn a few heads wherever you unpack this marvel of a guitar.

As we delve deeper into the realm of portable guitars, the Anygig AGS, with its unique foldable, space-saving features, undoubtedly has etched its mark. Making it the perfect instrument for musicians that are constantly on the move.

How to Choose the Best Travel Guitar

Reflecting on years of experience to fine-tune my personal sound, the myriad stages, locker rooms, forests, and living rooms became my muse. Each location demanded something different from me and my instrument, shaping the way I think about travel guitars. How could I carry my signature resonation anywhere I went? I experimented, I stumbled, I learned. From these lessons was born my travel guitar buying guide. It focuses as much on the tangibles like construction, material, and size as it does on the intangibles like feeling and essence.

It wasn’t a serendipitous journey, though. I had quite the palette of sounds to experiment with. The warmth of a mahogany travel guitar, the crisp resonance of a carbon fiber travel guitar , and the balanced, neither-too-bright-nor-too-dark sonic results of laminate travel guitars . Every performance brought a new revelation, a new understanding of how different materials influenced the tone, and, in turn, my music.

So, what are the indispensable secrets for choosing a travel guitar that feels like an extension of your musical soul?

The answer lies not only in understanding the technical aspects of the guitar but also in understanding your musical identity. That’s the magic of music, it’s deeply personal. The first secret is knowing your sound. What do you want your music to feel like? Crisp and clear? Warm and full? Once you’re sure about this, the journey becomes a lot smoother.

Next, understand the importance of the instrument’s framework. This is where material comes into play. If warm, rounded tones resonate with your style, mahogany travel guitars are your best bet. But, if your ears lean towards an invigorating, bright resonance, carbon fiber should be your material of choice. And for those of us seeking the best of both worlds, laminate travel guitars have you covered.

Now, let’s talk about size. You’d be forgiven for thinking that smaller is always better when it comes to travel guitars. Sure, we want portability, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of sound. Promise yourself that you won’t compromise here. My rule of thumb? Choose a size that provides rich tones without creating a burden during your travels.

The last secret I offer you is the need to feel a connection with your travel guitar. Remember, you’re selecting not just a product but a companion, an extension of your musical soul.

As we segue into our next segment, examining specific models like the Taylor GS Mini or the Anygig AGS, keep these considerations forefront in your mind. Remember, your travel guitar should be an ally on your musical journey, empowering your performances, and amplifying your voice. This connection, this bond, is where musical magic truly blooms.

Travel Guitar Reviews

In the quest for the perfect portable strummer, I have hugged the curves of many travel guitars, each whispering its unique music-imbued saga to me, a silent confidante. Burdened and enlightened with these narratives penciled into their fretboards and finishes, I steer you through the jukebox of travel guitar reviews I’ve compiled on this thrilling journey.

What makes these travel guitars stand out from the rest? Let’s unpack the details in an unfiltered spotlight on quality and character.

With every strum on the Taylor GS Mini, tucked under my arm in countless hotel rooms and campfires, I’ve felt joy dripping down my fingers to the strings, creating magic. This travel guitar managed to condense the majesty of a full-sized guitar into compact charm, without compromising the rich tonality. Straight off the bat, the GS Mini’s vintage look, coupled with its clear, balanced sound, wins my endorsement in this travel guitar comparison.

Talking about reducing size but not soul, the Martin LX1E Little Martin is a myriadin an oyster-shell. It boasts rich, vibrant tones that defiantly burst through its small frame. Doubling as an acoustic-electric guitar, its versatility just broadened the horizon of my sonic exploration. This Little Martin has stolen a big piece of my heart.

Through my travels, when space was sparse, and the yearning for melody was a demanding guest, my Yamaha APXT2 filled the silence. Its slim profile, easy playability, and considerable durability make it a reliable travel companion. From subtle finger-style work to energetic strumming, this guitar responded with grace and consistency. It has earned its place in my travel guitar recommendations.

Moving from the acoustic spectrum to the electric edge, encounter the Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Electric—a true embodiment of utility meeting style . Its minimalist frame belies its sonic capabilities. From bluesy riffs to hard-rock shredding, this extroverted introvert proves that good things truly come in small packages.

Perhaps the most visually distinctive in my roster, the Hofner Shorty Electric Travel Guitar is pure eccentric charm. Its clear-cut, concise tones, wrapped in a nostalgic aesthetic, have made it a novel addition to my travel guitar menagerie.

Rounding off my reviews with the revelations of the Anygig AGS Portable Travel Guitar. Never have I encountered a guitar so intricately crafted for travel. Its design resolves into a fine balance of portability, playability, and sound quality. Highly adjustable, it breaks down barriers between varying skill levels and playing styles. Anygig, indeed.

Before closing the curtains on this chapter, I’ll emphasize that a captivating solo isn’t exclusive to a specific guitar. It thrives in the hands of the musician, guided by their taste and preferences. Therein lies the beauty of guide posts like travel guitar reviews; they narrate tales of strings and sound, serving as a compass navigating towards the Echo’s Everest. But remember, in the end, the melody is in your hands. It’s your journey, your shrill highs and profound lows, and your sonic story waiting to be strummed through the rugged terrains and gleaming cities on your road-map.

What are the best travel guitars of 2024?

Why is the martin backpacker considered one of the best travel guitars, what makes the taylor gs mini a top travel guitar pick, why is baby taylor bt2 included in the best travel guitars.

As we reach the final chord of our travel guitar journey, reflect on how the right choice can echo through your music for years to come. We’ve delved deep into the world of top acoustic travel guitars, including the Taylor GS Mini , the Martin LX1E Little Martin , and the Yamaha APXT2 . We’ve also explored the realm of top electric travel guitars, featuring the Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Electric , the Hofner Shorty Electric Travel Guitar and the handy Anygig AGS Portable Travel Guitar .

Looking back on the stages that span the world and sessions that have deepened my appreciation for every kind of guitar, I offer these final thoughts with a sense of gratitude. Among the mentioned gems, you will find what could be your best travel guitar for professionals, or the most suited travel guitar for beginners. Both professionals seeking a tour-proof workhorse and beginners in search of a great practice partner will find a match in our carefully curated collection. Each travel guitar brings its unique strengths to the table, inviting you to dive into a world of magnificent melodies and harmonious chords.

I’ve tried my best to guide you through the musical maze, to candidly share what I’ve learned from every strum and chord. Each guitar mentioned has been tried and lived, their distinct tunes and tones echoing in hallways and stadiums alike. The goal is for you to find the one that resonates most with your musical journey, your aspirations, your stage – whether it’s a cozy fireside or a roaring rock concert.

You’re looking for more than just a piece of wood with strings.’ You’re searching for a trusted partner that will not only bring your music to life but will accompany you on your path, amplifying your talent and passion. So, make your choice, the perfect travel guitar is out there, waiting to join you on your remarkable journey into the fascinating world of music. Let the sweet melodies flow!

Teja Gerken, a fingerstyle guitarist with a unique blend of folk, classical, jazz, and world music, has made significant contributions to the guitar world. Known for albums like ‘On My Way’ and ‘Postcards’, and as a co-founder of Peghead Nation, he brings his expertise from intimate venues to global stages. At Fretterverse, Gerken offers deep insights into diverse fingerstyle techniques and musical fusion.

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10 Best Travel Electric Guitars in 2024

Typically many of us will opt to take a scaled down acoustic on our travels, but for some, the need to plug and play is just too much. Fortunately, many companies have cottoned on to what we want, so today we are reviewing the 10 best travel electric guitars in 2024.

Who hasn't been camping and craved their six-string companion? Who doesn't want to risk hauling their high-end guitar around for the weekend? A travel electric guitar is a sensible solution that won't set you back too much thanks to a saturated competitive market.

Table of Contents

At a glance: Our top 3 picks

1. stewart electric travel guitar, 2. traveler ultra-light travel guitar, 3. traveler guitar spd hrr v2 speedster, 4. shredneck travel guitar - cherry sunburst, 5. anygig age, 6. traveler guitar 6 string acoustic-electric guitar, 7. sing f ltd anygig guitar enhanced, 8. traveler guitar 6 string eg-1 blackout electric, 9. hofner hctshcgo cadillac green travel, 10. traveler guitar full-scale natural electric bundle, what is a travel electric guitar, can i take an electric travel guitar on a plane.

Electric travel guitars are a relatively new trend, though many manufacturers have been marketing ¾ scale or junior models for years. A smaller model, in general, is a quick fix solution but many guitarists can feel clumsy on a smaller sale fingerboard that doesn't allow for fine flourishes. Some companies are a little more on the current than others and are developing some rather genius ways to reduce the size of the guitar without reducing its neck or fret presence.

There are a host of different  travel guitars that provide the vital portability required for rocking out on a road-trip each boasting superiority over the next, or under-cutting one another for prime position on the best -sellers list.

With so many to choose from it can quickly become a tough market to navigate, and often its not clear exactly what each model offers over its competitor. To help make your shopping a little less taxing we are going to compare ten worthy candidates for best travel electric guitars and answer your recent inquiries in our buyers guide section.

• Incredibly compact size for transit.
• Forward thinking design concept.
• Regular guitar with an assemble yourself attitude.

View The Best Travel Electric Guitar Below

First up we have a full-scale electric guitar model which has a completely removable bolt-on neck. It is a little smaller than a Stratocaster, exceptionally well built but a little pricey.

It comes apart with ease and the strings stay attached to the tuning machinery. They neatly hang over the cutaway wings (or horns) of the Strat-like body contours. You then place the neck behind the body at a diagonal angle, so that the whole instrument has a footprint no larger in dimension than the body itself.

Obviously, this is going to mean some fumbling with assembly when you travel to and from places, but the designers have found a way around size issue without compromising on the scale of the instrument, which is neat.

Pros: + Incredibly compact size for transit. + Forward thinking design concept. + Regular guitar with an assemble yourself attitude.

Why We Liked It - It is a rather unusual solution, which undoubtedly impacts the footprint of the instrument, nearly halving it altogether.

For Beginners - Travel guitars can be amazing picks for beginner or advanced guitarists as these instruments make it easy to practice while on the go. These can also serve as introductory instruments if you're still ironing out the basics. Plus, many of these guitars come with a convenient gig bag as a standard.

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Now for a compact light-weight ¾ sized full-scale solid-body guitar. The body shape has been more than halved on this travel guitar, it is shaped sort of like an oar it has two cut outs either side of where the neck meets which house the in-body tuning hardware. This innovative placement eliminates the space required for a traditional headstock. It has a detachable lap rest which makes playing it a little easier.

It weighs 68% lighter than most full-size electric guitars and is 28% shorter. Its unique design and non-typical dimensions mean it needs a tailored carry-case which they have fortunately included in the price.

Pros: + Ultra-compact body. + No head stock. + Premium wood.

Why We Liked It - Its a stylish little travel companion and super lightweight, it holds great intonation and plays well.

Another model from traveler which also features their proprietary tune-o-Matic in-body tuning methods is their Speedster V2. It again features a tiny solid body, but this time incorporates a detachable upper armrest to support your strumming hand, it removes to further reduce the footprint of the instrument for traveling around.

It has a one-piece neck-through design crafted from Easter American hard maple. It offers sonic versatility and features a meaty humbucking pick-up with a coil-split for awesome distortion. It is a little heavier than the Ultra-Light model but still around 58% lighter than the average full-size electric guitar.

It also has an auxiliary output for headphone listening and silent practice, ideal for traveling from hotel to hotel without noise complaints.

Pros: + Compact. + In-body tuning, + Detachable rest.

Why We Liked It - Some of the more radically redesigned solid body travel options just feel too unfamiliar to play for some, the detachable rest brings back the added comfort a full size contoured body gives a guitarist.

Sound Quality - Note that with travel instruments you most likely will be sacrificing some level of sound quality. While this isn't necessarily a bad thing, this might not be your "one and only" guitar if you're a sucker for that classic electric sound. These guitars certainly have their purpose although for portability alone.

Next up we have another superb scaled down model its ¾ length is what makes it most suited to being a good traveling option. It has a typical ¾ sized body, so there is no loss in the natural acoustics of the instrument, it is a little streamlined to help with shedding little weight.

It is competitively priced and durably built. It features the familiar contours of a Les Paul and is decked out in a gorgeous cherry sunburst color design that is as appealing as its price-tag . It really is a miniature guitar in appearance but plays mightily enough.

It harbors 2 humbucking pickups and 3-way switching for tone sculpting your sound to your preference. It has a wide maple neck and a rosewood fingerboard with crown inlays. It comes, thoughtfully with a custom gig-bag suitable for its aberrant head-stock

Pros: + ¾ scale model. + Les Paul look. + Double humbucking pickup for heavier players.

Why We Liked It - It is a fab short scale guitar, which for a travel solution is an easy option. It features a familiar form which is comfortable and preferable for many musicians, especially if the unconventional compact models have bodies which don't appeal to you because you find them simply too bizarre.

This is one of two Anygig models we are having a nose at, The AGE model is a pretty awesome take on a travel guitar design. It is remarkably compact in the body department and once again has no headstock. The strings are instead tuned via a tune-o-Matic style system in 3 dedicated sets of 2 tuners located around the top, side, and bottom of the minute maple body.

The neck is u-shaped and also maple, it supports a rosewood fingerboard with a 400mm radius and a 42mm nut width.

They feature a full 24 frets but are around 75-80% lighter than a full-size electric guitar which is pretty astonishing. They come in a full range of bright colors.

It is bestowed with an own brand made in-house Anygig Glow Humbucker pickup which thickens the sound efficiently. The manufacturers have forgone any onboard pre-amp equalization or gain controls to maintain minimum size weight and fabrication costs. Instead, it features a square Les Paul-style output connection.

Pros: + Affordably priced model. + Distinctly compact body. + Tune-o-matic hardware. + Humbucking pick-up.

Why We Liked It - It is another very different take on a travel guitar, it is unbelievably small and the manufacturers have included a detachable rest for extra comfort as these atypical instruments take a little getting used to. It is genuinely mind-boggling how much you can cut out and still get a jam-tastic travel worthy instrument, this little guy weighs just 1.4kgs which is practically unbeatable.

Back to travelers' dynamic range of travel options, this time for a model that in essence matches all of the specs of the original Ultra-Light model, but has seen some refinements in circuitry as well as a trendy new face-lift. It comes in an array of tasty color options and features the same important factors as its progenitor.

It weighs just over 2lbs and sports the same oar-like design shape with a detachable metal leg-rest stand.

The tuning is once again in-body saving on the space a head-stock can hog, and reducing the length of the instrument to around 30% smaller than most ¾ sized full-scale guitars.

It is beautifully machined from solid maple and is a one-piece neck through model like the rest of the gang. It benefits from a black walnut fingerboard. It features an updated piezoelectric pickup for amplification and comes with a gig-bag made especially to fit its curious form.

Pros: + Eye-catching range. + In body tuning. + Updated pickup.

Why We Liked It - Traveler know a thing or two about product innovation and when it comes to a good travel guitar the clue is in the guitar brand name , every aspect of these guys has clearly been designed with traveling in mind from start to finish.

Over to an alternative super-compact model from Anygig guitars travel series. The Sing model is actually even smaller the Traveler Ultra-Light designs. It features on-board body-tuners which are located top and bottom of its tiny body. It is ergonomically designed with a handy comfortable detachable arm rest bone.

It is a 3-piece u shaped neck design all pieces are solid maple. It has great resonance and despite its smaller surface area, plays deceptively well. The company has opted for a sonokelin rosewood fingerboard, it harbors full-scale frets which are dotted for you and it comes with a fully-adjustable carry-bag.

The pickup is an open black Humbucker, directly mounted and it features a square output jack similar to a Les Paul. A noteworthy point is it features no pre-amp controls, opting to go without again reduces the size and weight and ultimately the price tag. It has great natural levels to send and you can shape your tone with most decent amps or maybe plug in via a pedal board if you are pickier.

Pros: + Ergonomic design. + Super-compact body. + No head-stock.

Why We Liked It - This tiny travel buddy weighs even less than the Ultra-Light Travelers we have heavily highlighter in this article coming in with a net weight of just 1.5 lbs which is incredible. We like its extrinsic body style, it actually resembles a large head stock and neck in reverse with no body at all.

The blackout electric is a traveler guitar model that stays true to a more traditional guitar, its body though smaller, by comparison, emulates that early telecaster look, with a hook cutaways for further fret access.

It harbors a proprietary in body tuning system for the same head-stock elimination the smaller lighter models boast. It is definitely on the heavier side but it is a well-built full-size ¾ scale electric guitar with a larger footprint than some of their more unconventional designs.

It produces some exceptionally heavy tones as it is decked out with an awesome high gain Humbucker (Seymour Duncan Devastator) in the bridge position.

The jack-plate sports auxiliary input connections you can connect mobiles and other devices to jam along to tracks with.

Pros: + ¾ size electric guitar without a head-stock. + Devastator high gain Humbucker. + Aux in.

Why We Liked It - We like this as it differs very little from a regular ¾ size guitar, making it an easy transition instrument, the in-body tuning shaves just enough off of its length to keep it within carry-on overhead storage dimensions

Okay, so we have sifted through a tonne of Traveler models, but it is fair to say that Hofner is hot on the heels of some of the best-selling travel models on the market. This model is based on the 1980's shorty model and is ideal for traveling players.

It is one of our lowest priced options, it just about undercuts all of its competitors and is not far off your typical full-size electric guitar. The body has seen a size reduction in comparison to most Hofner models but it features a full-size neck and headstock. This scaling down of its larger parts means nothing else is compromised in the quest for a guitar that can fit in the overhead of a plane.

They come in a range of striking colors this one is an eye-catching Cadillac green. It comes with a gig-bag to handle its humbler proportion.

Pros: + Low price. + Best seller. + Eye-catching.

Why We Liked It - It is an affordably priced classic guitar with pleasing aesthetics a good pick-up that is just small enough to become a travel option.

We are ending todays review section with another Traveler model, it is as lightweight as the other Ultra-Light models we have listed but instead of an Americana piezoelectric single pick-up it is equipped with a delectable dual-rail humbucking pick-up which certainly packs a bit more of a punch.

The rest of the specs don't deviate too heavily from the original conceptual design; it is once again a one-piece solid maple body that houses its tuning hardware within its cut-through bare bones body.

It is priced no higher than the other Ultra-Light series models but caters to those of us who like a grittier vibe.

Pros: + Super compact and lightweight. + Head-stock-less. + Impressive distortion.

Why We Liked It - It provides some authentic vintage rock tones and is one of the most lightweight and innovative models on the current market.

Compact Ampfliers - You'll want to factor in the cost of a compact amplifier into your budget in order to properly use your travel guitar. Luckily, small travel amplifiers are usually super affordable so you won't have to shell out an arm and a leg to complete your electric set up.

Travel Electric Guitar Buyers Guide:

A travel electric guitar is an electric guitar which has been designed with easy transportation in mind, their design concepts will incorporate features created to tackle the drawbacks traveling can have.

Many guitarists feel like their instrument is an innate part of their personality or even an extension of themselves. Sometimes when we are on holiday, relaxing or new people we often wish we had a guitar to pick up and play, but the logistics of carrying a cherished instrument into unknown territory presents us with a tonne of factors to consider.

The places we travel to and the manner in which we travel play a huge part in how much your instrument will need to be capable of enduring. Traveling with a guitar puts it at risk of damage, exposes it to the elements and you also have to face the fact that it could wind up lost altogether. That's if it doesn't cost an arm and a leg to cover the excess baggage weight charges.

So how do manufacturers cater to combat all of the above? Often their dimensions will be much smaller to make them more portable, so you may not have as many frets as you are familiar with.

They will also source lighter tonewoods to begin with. They not only shrink the body sizes down but in some cases, the shapes of the solid bodies are changed entirely. Occasionally to a point where they hardly resemble a guitar at all, squares, circles and triangles have all been seen sporting a traditional guitar neck. All in the effort to downsize the weight and footprint dramatically.

Other ways they might have made the product suitable for journeying with include increased durability and reduced production costs for a less expensive price-tag. Let's face it no one wants to invest too heavily in an instrument that is going to have to be able to handle a few hard knocks on its travels.

Some electric travel guitar options are actually semi-acoustic or electric-acoustic options which still have a hollow body, rather than the solid body we generally associate with electric guitars. You will probably find they are ¾ sized or shorter scaled and typically won't have as much of depth, so as to take up less space.

A smaller bodied guitar, unfortunately, resonates less than a roomier model, so travel models for some are close but no cigar, as far as sound superiority goes. Many manufacturers enhance designs to really make the most of the instrument, and constant developmental refinements mean we are actually seeing some awesome travel-worthy electric guitars.

If quality is key you may need to think about amping up your allocated budget we love the seductive Strobel Rambler travel models, which are conveniently designed to fit inside a suitcase. They are exceptionally well built and come in a variety of pretty jaw-dropping designs. These condensed bodies are almost flying V-shaped and their in-body integrated Tune-o-matic hardware is tidily arranged inside of its angular curves.

Unfortunately, we are not in the position to give a definitive answer, as what you can and cannot fly with is always down to individual operators and their policies and regulations will differ from provider to provider. Next, you have to consider the countries you are traveling from and to and their rules too.

There are some airlines which actually allow a guitar as hand luggage, so long as it isn't over the size or weight limitations of the company.

So long as the luggage restrictions don't specify "No Instruments" you should be completely fine, though you will want to ensure it is sufficiently protected to travel in the hold. A good flight case would be a wise investment.

In an effort to keep up with the fast pace of our modern lives, and are always on the go nature, there is an abundance of travel guitar options out there to cater to your needs.

When your shopping for a travel guitar, portability is essential and should come above all else. Unless you are a touring musician needing to tow a guitar about to perform with, then you don't really need to think about the sound as much as you do, its dimensions and durability. Travel guitars are at the end of the day built for weekend retreats, backpacking around Europe, open campfires and kicking back.

The market is changing and manufacturers constantly adapting updating and improving to the point where we are seeing some phenomenally innovative and not to mention interesting design concepts.

What to look for in the best travel guitar for you is really down to how you intend to get about. If you intend to lug it about for a long period of time you will obviously want the smallest and lightest you can find. If it is to be kept in a boot to have at hand you might not need to be so fussy. Consider your needs carefully, keep our buyers guide advice in mind, re-read today's reviews and you should find choosing a model a doddle.

If you do buy a travel electric guitar, you are going to need an amplifier which is easily portable to go with it we suggest looking at some of these little beauts in our 5 Best Small Tube Amps article .

Did you Know

Snap-Dragon make some awesome fold-able electric guitars with necks that simply snap into place to shred with and snap back to a smaller footprint to pack away again.

If you've enjoyed this review by Music Critic , please leave a positive rating:

• Date: December 19, 2020
• Posted In: Acoustic Guitar

10 Best Travel Guitars (2021 Buyer’s Guide)

• By Brian Lamacraft

If you’re on the go all the time, you may be looking for a travel guitar. These are smaller versions of full-size instruments. They’re ideal when you have limited space, such as on an airplane.

Quick Look: Best Travel Guitars

★ #1 Best Travel Guitar Overall: Traveler EG-1   ★

• Best Travel Guitar for Beginners: Dean FLY NYL
• Best Intermediate Travel Guitar: Washburn RO10
• Best Travel Guitar for Professionals: Traveler Viabrant Deluxe
• Best Cheap Travel Guitar: Johnson JG-TR3
• Best Travel Guitar Under $1,000: LAVA ME 2
• Best Travel Guitar Under $500: Alvarez LJ2E
• Best Electric Travel Guitar: Traveler EG-1
• Best Acoustic Travel Guitar: Washburn RO10SK
• Best Acoustic-Electric: LAVA ME2
• Best Collapsible Travel Guitar: Journey Instruments Collapsible
• Best Hiking Travel Guitar: Martin Backpacker

SEE THE FULL LIST

This guide to the best travel guitars should help you find something that works for your needs. I have reviewed several different instruments so you can find a guitar to take with you on that next trip.

• Acoustic Guitars

Acoustic Guitar Buyer’s Guides

• Best Acoustic Guitars
• Best Acoustic-Electric Guitars
• Best Resonator Guitars
• Best Semi-Acoustic Guitars
• Best Classical Guitars
• Best Travel Guitars
• Best 12-String Acoustic Guitars
• Learn More About Acoustic Guitars
• What Is a Travel Guitar?

A travel guitar is essentially a smaller version of a regular guitar . They come in both acoustic as well as electric versions. Many top manufacturers now make travel-size guitars, so you have something to play when you’re on a trip.

Some instruments collapse down, meaning you can take the neck off of them, while others don’t offer this feature. They may have more stripped-down controls or not as many frets as a regular guitar.

• What Types of Travel Guitars Are There?

There are several different types of travel guitars that you need to know about. Here are the basic types that you might want to consider purchasing.

Electric Travel Guitar

The electric travel guitar is a stripped-down version of a regular electric guitar. The instrument may have an odd shape compared to a regular electric guitar that you have to get used to, but they offer the same basic functions.

Acoustic Travel Guitar

An acoustic travel guitar offers you more options. This is because a lot of manufacturers make smaller size instruments designed for students. These would make excellent travel guitars.

Some manufacturers also make what are called “baby instruments.” These are smaller versions of regular brand name guitars. For example, both Taylor and Martin offer baby instruments, such as the Little Martin or Baby Taylor .

Acoustic-Electric Travel Guitar

An acoustic-electric travel guitar is a regular acoustic guitar with a pickup system . This gives you both the sound of an acoustic guitar and electric guitar in one portable package.

Collapsible Travel Guitar

A collapsible travel guitar is a guitar where you can take off the headstock. This makes it the best guitar for airline travel since you can take it apart.

Backpacking Travel Guitar

When you’re on travels, you might want to go hiking or backpacking. It’s difficult to take a guitar with you if you want to play after your hike. This is where a backpacking travel guitar is beneficial.

A backpacking travel guitar is a small portable guitar that you can take with you. They offer great sound as well as tone in one compact package.

• 10 Best Travel Guitars Overall

As a guitarist and guitar teacher for many years, I’ve personally had the opportunity to play these travel guitars and countless more. Here’s my list of of the best travel guitars on the market today.

1. Traveler EG-1

• Scale length: 24.3
• Pickup type: Humbucker
• Body shape: Travel size
• What’s Included in the B0x: Guitar, documentation, gigbag
• Material & finish: Walnut, alder, gloss finish
• Best for: Travelers that want the tone of a humbucker

I like the Traveller EG-1 because it gives you the big tone of a humbucking pickup. This guitar also has a built-in amplifier with various effects, so you don’t have to lug an amplifier with you on your travels.

Why I Recommend It The EG-1 Is a great-sounding traveler guitar. It has an excellent pickup, a nice neck, a headphone amplifier, and an output jack, so you can jam along with your favorite tracks. It comes with a gig bag , so it’s ready to go.

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2. Dean FLY NYL 6-String Nylon Travel Guitar

• Scale length: 22″
• Pickup type: N/A
• Included in the box: Guitar, documentation
• Material & finish: Mahogany, rosewood, satin finish
• Best for: Beginners that want a simple travel guitar

The Dean FLY NYL is a simple nylon string guitar . I like this model because it’s made of solid mahogany wood, so it has an excellent tone. This the best beginner travel guitar thanks to its easy playability.

Why I Recommend It The Dean FLY NYL is a good choice if you’re a beginner and want to travel with your guitar. It’s made of solid wood, has a decent tone, and it’s small enough to pack away in tight locations while you’re traveling.

3.  Taylor Mini-e Guitar

• Scale length: 24.3″
• Body shape: Dreadnought travel size
• Included in the box: Guitar, documentation, gigbag
• Material & finish: Spruce, rosewood, laminate satin finish
• Best for: Beginners or intermediate players that want a reliable acoustic for traveling

The Taylor Mini-e is ideal for anyone on the go who wants a simple acoustic travel guitar. It has an excellent tone, easy playability, and comes with a gig bag, making it one of the best travel acoustic guitars you can buy.

Why I Recommend It

I like the Taylor Mini-e since it’s a well-built guitar that sounds great. It has a great pickup, an excellent neck, a great finish, and the smaller size means it’s perfect for traveling.

4. Alvarez LJ2E Little Jumbo

• Scale length: 24″
• Pickup type: Undersaddle
• Body shape: Travel jumbo dreadnought
• Material & finish: Sitka spruce, rosewood, mahogany, gloss finish
• Best for: Travelers that want a good dreadnought style guitar

The Alvarez LG2E is a nice dreadnought jumbo style travel guitar. I like this model because it comes with a pickup, a built-in tuner, and has an excellent tone. It’s ready to go with a gig bag for your next travel adventure.

This guitar is a great choice for any traveler because it comes with a pickup, tuner, and excellent tone. I like the solid wood construction and easy-to-play neck. This is the ideal guitar for any intermediate player.

5. Traveler Guitar Viabrant Deluxe

• Scale length: 25.5″
• Pickup type: 2 x humbucking 1 x single-coil
• Body shape: Electric travel size
• Material & finish: Maple, alder, ebony, gloss finish
• Best for: Shredders that want to rock during travels

The Traveler Viabrant Deluxe is one stunning travel guitar. The instrument has two humbucking pickups and one single-coil pickup for a big tone. It also has a 24 fret guitar neck, so it’s perfect for any shredder.

The Traveler Viabrant Deluxe is quite a treat for a travel guitar. It has a huge tone with an amazing pickup combination. This is the best electric travel guitar for those into rock guitar.

6. LAVA ME 2

• Scale length: 23.62″
• Tremolo: N/A
• Pickup type: L2 pickup
• Body shape: Dreadnought
• Included in the box: Guitar, documentation, case
• Material & finish: Carbon fiber
• Best for: Advanced guitar players looking for a unique travel guitar

The LAVA Me 2 is a unique guitar for anyone traveling. It has a built-in pickup and effects, so you don’t have to use an amplifier. It’s made of carbon fiber for added tone and easy playability.

The LAVE ME 2 is a modern take on the travel guitar. This instrument has a well-rounded tone, and I like the fact that you can play it with or without an amplifier. This is one of the best travel guitar options on the current market.

7. Martin Backpacker

• Frets: 15 frets
• Included in the box: Guitar, documentation, gig bag
• Material & finish: Spruce, select tonewoods, satin finish
• Best for: Hikers or when space is limited

If you want to hike and want to play guitar, the Martin Backpacker is a great choice. It has excellent tone and sound in a small compact package. It’s the best backpacker guitar you can buy because it has that famous Martin tone.

The Martin Backpacker is a guitar you want to take with you on your travels. It’s easy to play, and its small size makes it portable for almost any situation. It’s one of the best travel guitars for airplanes or wherever you are.

8. Johnson JG-TR3 Travel Guitar

• Material & finish: Spruce, gloss finish
• Best for: Travelers that need a cheap guitar

The Johnson JG-TR3 is the ideal choice if you’re looking for the best cheap travel guitar. This instrument has a nice neck, easy playability, and its small size means you can take it with you wherever you go.

This is one of the best cheap travel guitars on the market. It has a decent tone, easy playability, and it ships with a gig bag. The guitar comes in at under $200, so it’s a great investment.

9. Journey Instruments Collapsible Guitar

• Scale length: 24.5″
• Pickup type: Transducer
• Body shape: Collapsible dreadnought
• Included in the box: Guitar, case, documentation
• Material & finish:  Mahogany, ebony, satin finish
• Best for: Those whose space is at a premium

The Journey Instruments Collapsible is an excellent guitar because it collapses right down into a small package. You can take the neck off to carry it with you on an airplane. It has a great tone, a nice finish, and easy playability.

This is the best travel guitar for airplane travel. It folds down into one nice compact package. The guitar itself has a decent tone and easy playability. I also like the solid wood construction and the pickup that it comes with.

10. Washburn Rover Spruce Top

• Scale length: 23″
• Material & finish: Spruce, mahogany, satin finish
• Best for: Beginners or intermediate players that want a reliable travel guitar.

The Washburn Rover is an excellent travel guitar. It has a great sound, a nice playing neck, and it’s suitable for backpacking because of its small size. It comes with a bunch of extras, such as a tuner, a guitar strap, and a gig bag.

The Washburn Rover is the perfect instrument for traveling. It can deal with tight spaces. Its small size means you can take it backpacking if you want. It has a great tone and is perfect for many situations.

• What Are the Best Travel Guitar Brands?

There are several travel guitar brands that you might want to buy your instrument from. All of these manufacturers make some of the best travel guitars on the market today. Here is a rundown of the best ones.

One of the better companies for travel guitars is Traveler. They have constructed travel guitars since 1992. Some of their guitars have a unique design where the tuning pegs are located in the guitar’s body and the neck is headless.

Since 1974, Taylor has been making musical instruments. They produce the excellent Baby Taylor guitar, which is their travel or student size guitar model.

Martin has been producing instruments since 1833. They have a couple of excellent travel-size guitars. Two of their better models include the Martin Backpacker and the Little Martin Guitar.

Since 1887, Yamaha has been making a wide range of musical instruments and other products. They offer several student size guitars, which make excellent travel guitars.

Washburn offers several different travel guitars. Their model is called the Rover, and it’s one of the better acoustic travel guitars on the market. This company has been in operation since 1883.

• What Are the Best Beginner Travel Guitars?

A beginner travel guitar is a basic instrument that you can take with you when you’re on-the-go. Don’t expect the best tone or sound of these instruments. You’ll have something basic to help you practice when away from home.

• Washburn Rover Spruce Top : This guitar is an excellent choice for beginners as it has a great neck, easy playability, a great finish, and it’s portable.
• Johnson JG-TR3 : This is a simple travel guitar. It has an excellent neck, easy playability, great tone, and a nice finish.
• Dean FLY NYL : This is an excellent guitar for beginners as it has nylon strings, easy playability, a great wood construction, and it comes in at a low price.
• What Are the Best Intermediate Travel Guitars?

At the intermediate level, you’ll have more options available to you in terms of travel guitars. These instruments are made with better wood, have a better tone, and are more reliable than a basic instrument.

• Traveler Lightweight Acoustic-Electric : This guitar has a nice tone and easy playability. It comes with a pickup and is easy to take with you no matter where you are.
• Martin Backpacker : This Martin guitar is one of the best travel guitars because it has a small size and a great tone. It’s made with solid wood and has a nice finish.
• Washburn RO10 : This instrument is perfect for backpacking. It has a great tone, easy playability, and it won’t take up much room no matter where you are.
• What Are the Best Travel Guitars for Professionals?

At the professional level, you’ll find an instrument that sounds amazing, has great playability, and gives you all the options you want. The instruments listed below are some of the best guitars for professionals.

• Traveler Viabrant Deluxe : This guitar has excellent pickups, a great tone, and is everything that a professional would want in a high-quality electric travel guitar.
• Tayor GS Mini-e: This instrument has the sound you expect from Taylor with a nice neck, great tone, pickup system, and wonderful finish.
• LAVE ME 2 : This instrument can be used with or without an amplifier. It has a great tone, nice neck, and unique design, making it an excellent travel guitar.
• What Are the Best Cheap Travel Guitars?

If you don’t have a lot of money to spend on a travel guitar, you can still find many options that don’t cost a lot of money. Here are some of the best cheap travel guitars that you might want to consider.

• Johnson JG-TR3 : This instrument is portable and has a nice sound and good finish It comes with a gig bag, and, more importantly, it has a low price tag.
• Cordoba Mini II M : This instrument has a small size, a solid wood construction, easy-playing nylon strings, and a great tone for any beginner.
• Yamaha JR-1 FG : This guitar is a nice 3/4 size instrument with a nice tone, a smooth finish, and easy playability, making it perfect for any student or traveler.
• What Are the Best Kids Travel Guitars?

If you have small children, you may want to pick up a travel guitar for them to take with you on your vacation. Here are some options below that would make excellent travel guitars for younger kids.

• Tanglewood TW2T : This travel-size guitar kit includes an excellent guitar, strings, picks, a tuner, and everything else that a young beginner needs.
• Ibanez EWP140PN : This travel guitar features a cutaway, an excellent tone, a smooth finish, and easy playability for any small child.
• Hofner Shorty Guitar : Great electric travel guitar for kids with a good pickup, easy-playing neck, and an excellent tone.
• What Are the Best Electric Travel Guitars?

For those who don’t want to play an acoustic but prefer electric, you’ll find a wide range of electric guitars suitable for travel. Here are three of the top choices in this category, including the best electric travel guitar on my list.

• Traveler EG-1 : This guitar has a classic look, a great humbucking pickup, smooth neck, and a cutaway so that you can access all of the higher frets with ease.
• Hofner Shorty : This electric travel guitar is easy to play, and it has a comfortable neck and a great pickup. It’s suitable for beginners or intermediate players.
• Traveler Guitar Viabrant : This instrument features excellent pickups, a great tone, a smooth playing neck, and everything else you could want in an electric travel guitar.
• What Are the Best Acoustic Travel Guitars?

There are quite a few acoustic travel guitars available on the market. Here are some top choices that you might want to consider picking up.

• Washburn RO10SK : This instrument has a great tone, a nice finish, excellent tuning machines, a tuner, a strap, and it ships with a gig bag to protect your guitar.
• Cordoba Mini II M : This instrument has easy-to-play nylon strings, a solid wood construction, a great tone, and easy playability.
• Journey Instruments PJ410N : This acoustic instrument is collapsible with a smooth finish, an excellent tone, and great convenience for traveling.
• What Are the Best Acoustic-Electric Travel Guitars?

When looking for the best travel guitar, you may want the best of both acoustic and electric sounds. There are several acoustic-electric guitars on the market to choose from. Here are three choices you might want to consider.

• Traveler AG-105E : This instrument has a nice finish, comfortable neck, built-in pickup, tuner, and headphone jack. It’s one of the best travel guitars under $500.
• LAVA ME 2 : This guitar has a smooth finish, easy playability, a great tone, a solid construction, and you can play it with or without an amplifier.
• Cordoba Mini EB-CE : This guitar has a smooth finish, an excellent pickup system, easy playability, and it’s easy to take with you as it’s only 1/2 size.
• What Are the Best Collapsible Travel Guitars?

When you’re traveling, you don’t have a whole lot of room for your guitar. In this case, you’ll want one that collapses down. Here is a guide to several that are the best collapsible travel guitars you might want to go with.

• Journey Instruments OF66OR1M : This instrument has an exceptional tone, easy playability, a great neck, and it collapses down into one easy-to-carry package.
• Cross Guitar 1.0 : Offers a full acoustic guitar neck, easy playability, great tone, and it folds down so you can take it with you.
• Journey Instruments OF312 : This instrument offers an exceptional tone, has a great finish, comes with a pickup, and collapses down so you can take it with you.
• What Are the Best Backpacking Travel Guitars?

When you’re on the go and don’t have a whole lot of room to spare for your guitar, you might want to consider a small backpacking instrument. Here are a few of the best backpacking guitars you might want to pick up.

• Martin Backpacker : One of the best instruments for backpacking is the Martin Backpacker. This guitar has a great tone, easy playability, a solid construction, and you can take it with you anywhere.
• Washburn Rover 6 : This small backpacking guitar has a great tone and excellent playability. It comes with a gig bag and is easy to take with you.
• Cross Guitar 2.0 : This guitar is simple to take with you as it folds down, and it has a great tone and playability.
• Things to Consider When Choosing a Travel Guitar

There are several things that you want to consider when choosing a travel guitar. Below are the options that you should keep in mind before you make your purchase.

• Budget: Have an idea of the budget you have to spend on your instrument. You can spend anywhere from a couple of hundred dollars to close to $1,000 on a travel guitar.
• Acoustic or electric: You have to decide whether you want an acoustic or an electric guitar. You could also buy an acoustic-electric guitar , so you have the best of both worlds.
• Wood: The wood choice for a travel guitar can make a difference. Some of these instruments aren’t made with the best materials, while others use solid wood in the construction.
• Playing level: If you’re new to playing guitar, you probably want an instrument that’s easy to play. If you have more experience, then you can probably go with a more complex travel guitar.

Level of Experience

You’ll find a travel guitar whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or an advanced player. What you decide to buy will all depend on your various needs. Here are some of the things you can expect at different playing levels.

Beginner Travel Guitars

At the beginner level, you can expect to find basic instruments. They’ll probably cost you only a couple of hundred dollars. They’ll have a basic tone and playability. They’re perfect for anyone that’s just starting.

Intermediate Travel Guitars

At the intermediate level, there are more options available to you. For example, you might want to go with an electric guitar as your intermediate travel instrument. These guitars cost more but use better wood and have a better sound.

Professional Travel Guitars

If you’re a professional player, you can pick something that will work for your individual needs. Whether you’re an acoustic or an electric player, there’s an option out there for you.

Some travel guitars have a full-length guitar neck, while others have a length that’s a bit shorter. You can also get instruments that are 1/2 or 3/4 size. These smaller student guitars are also perfect travel guitars for adults.

There are various types of wood used in guitars. Here are some of the options you can expect to see when you make your purchase:

• Mahogany: This word is often used in the top and sides of acoustic guitars. It has an excellent tone and resonance.
• Maple: This wood is durable and is often used in the construction of guitar necks for electric instruments.
• Spruce: Acoustic guitar tops are often made of spruce wood as it has a great tone and reliability.
• Rosewood: Fretboards of acoustic instruments as well as electric instruments are often made of rosewood. This wood is smooth and easy on the fingers as you play.
• Alder: This wood is often used to make the bodies of electric guitars as it’s reliable, long-lasting, and sounds great.
• Laminate: Some instruments are made with a combination of wood called laminate wood. This is usually used on lower-cost instruments.
• Shellac: This is used on guitars because it’s durable and long-lasting.
• Oil and wax: Some acoustic instruments are finished with oil and wax, as they bring out the wood’s natural shine.
• Nitrocellulose lacquer: This is a common finish used on modern instruments because it has an excellent shine, great durability, and it helps protect the guitar.
• Polyester: This is another common finish used, as it offers great durability and is long-lasting.

Travel guitars come in various colors. Common colors include natural, white, black, and so on. There are not as many color options for acoustic instruments, but electric ones tend to have more color options.

The Overall Tone & Sound

You want a travel instrument that has a decent sound and tone. If you can spend a little bit more on your travel guitar, it’s certain that higher-cost instruments will have the best sound.

Travel guitars come at various price ranges. Here is what you can expect when you make your purchase.

Budget Travel Guitars

At the budget level, you can expect to pay between $75 and $200. You should try to spend at least over $100 on your guitar. Instruments on the lower end of the spectrum don’t tend to be all that great.

Midrange Travel Guitars

You can expect to pay from $200 to $400 for your instrument at the mid-range or intermediate level. You’ll get better wood, better sound, and an instrument that has better playability at this price.

Top-End Travel Guitars

At the professional level, you have the most options available to you. These instruments cost anywhere between $400 and up. They have the best sound, the best tone, and the reliability you want in a professional instrument.

New vs Used

If you have some experience playing guitar, you can buy a used travel guitar if you want. If you’re new to guitar and want a travel instrument, it’s best to buy it new as you won’t have any problems.

• What’s in a Travel Guitar Box?

You can expect to find several things inside the box when you get your guitar home. Here are some of the things that are commonly found in a guitar box.

Documentation/Checked-by Tag

In the guitar box, you should find a manual or some sort of documentation. You should find a checked-by tag. This ensures that the instrument has been inspected at the factory or at the music store where it was sold.

Accessories

If you buy a guitar kit, you may have several accessories inside the box. This may include a cable, picks, strings, a guitar strap, and other related accessories that came with the package.

Hardshell Case/Gigbag

If your instrument includes a gig bag or hardshell case, you’ll find this in the box.

You may find a few tools in the guitar box. This might include allen wrenches to adjust certain aspects of your instrument.

Whenever you buy a guitar, there are a few extras that you might want to pick up. You were some of the common ones:

• Lesson books
• Guitar stand/chair
• Travel Guitar Brands to Avoid

Try to avoid low-cost guitar kits. This is anything that is under $100 or so. These instruments don’t tend to be made to a high quality. It’s far better to go with a brand name and spend a little extra on your instrument.

• Travel Guitar Parts & Accessories

There are several different parts of travel guitars. This will cover both acoustic as well as electric instruments.

The headstock is where the tuning pegs of the guitar are located. This also includes the string slot and nut. Some travel guitars don’t have headstocks, and the tuning pegs are located in the body.

The neck of a travel guitar is where you’ll find the frets. The neck is attached to the body of the guitar. The neck and headstock are usually one piece of wood.

The travel guitar body is where you’ll find the bridge and electronics if the instrument is electric. You may also find the tuning pegs located here on some guitars, such as the Traveler brand of instruments.

Strap Buttons

Most traveler guitars have two strap buttons. Some of them only have one, so you’ll have to install an extra one for your guitar strap.

Electronics

Electric and acoustic-electric guitars have electronic systems. These include pickups, tone control, volume control, input jack, and some guitars have built-in speakers.

• Frequently Asked Questions:

Here are some frequently asked questions about travel guitars that you need to know.

How Much Do Travel Guitars Cost?

There are various price ranges for travel guitars. Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate, or more advanced player, there’s a travel guitar out there for you. The basic costs are:

• Beginner: $75-$200
• Intermediate: $200-$400
• Advanced: $400+

What Are the Best Travel Guitars?

The three instruments listed below are what I consider to be the best travel guitar that you can buy. These are suitable for all skill levels and needs.

Traveler Viabrant Deluxe: Best for Advanced Players

The Vibrant Deluxe is an excellent instrument for advanced players. This guitar features a combination of humbucking and single-coil pickups. It produces an amazing tone in one compact package.

Martin Backpacker: Best for Intermediate Players

You get the great tone and reliability of a Martin guitar in one small compact size. This instrument has excellent machine heads, a great tone, a smooth finish, and easy portability.

Dean FLY NYL: Best for Beginners

This instrument is easy to play for beginners as it features nylon strings. It has a solid wood construction, a nice neck, and it comes in at a very attractive price.

Where Are the Best Travel Guitars Made?

Most of the best travel guitars are made in the United States. Several companies offer excellent instruments, including famous brand name companies such as Taylor and Martin.

What Is the Best Sounding Travel Guitar?

The Traveler EG-1 is an excellent travel guitar because it features a great sounding humbucking pickup . I like the neck on this guitar and the fact that it has a classic electric guitar feel.

What Is the Best Guitar for Backpacking?

The Martin Backpacker is the best guitar for backpacking. It’s a small instrument, so you can take it with you no matter where you go. This guitar has a great tone, sound, and playability.

Where to Buy Travel Guitars

There are several places where you might want to pick up your travel guitar. You’ll have to decide whether you want an acoustic, electric, or an acoustic-electric combination. There’s a guitar available for everyone, no matter your level.

Amazon is probably the best place to buy your instrument. You can return it for your money back, read customer reviews, and they have attractive prices. Amazon often has specials so that you can get great deals.

Guitar Center

Another place to purchase online is Guitar Center. They have a huge selection and an excellent guarantee, so you’re sure to find something that meets your needs.

Your Local Music Store

You can always shop at your local music store. This might be an option if you have a location near you. Take someone with you that understands musical instruments if you’ve never bought a travel guitar before.

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In Conclusion

This concludes my guide to the best travel guitars. There’s a wide range of different instruments for you to choose from depending on your skill level and requirements.

Please leave your questions and comments about travel guitars, as I want to hear from you. Have fun on your next travel adventure and enjoy playing your travel guitar.

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8 Best Travel Guitars: Guitars on the Go

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Best Travel Guitar for Most People

Martin Steel-String Backpacker Acoustic Guitar

The Martin Backpacker has a good sound, and its neck feels like a full-size guitar, which is ideal for practicing & playing. Its non-traditional body shape makes it super-portable on airplanes and beyond.

If you’re a guitar player you know how much of a hassle it can be to take your guitar anywhere. Aside from the fact that airlines have a well documented history of being jerks to musicians the world over, guitars are really just kind of awkward to travel with. It’s even worse if you’re primarily an acoustic musician.

Thankfully, crafty manufacturers have developed a solution to this problem. That’s right folks; today we’re going to be talking about how to select the best travel guitar for your needs. So if you’ve ever wanted a travel guitar but are overwhelmed with all the options you’ve come to the right place.

What is a Travel Guitar?

Simply put, a travel guitar is a guitar that’s small enough to be easily transported. Generally for acoustics a travel guitar is smaller than a parlor guitar but still features a full scale neck (that’s not to say that shorter scale guitars are uncommon). For electrics a travel guitar is still generally full scale (a neck as long as a standard guitar) but features some other space-saving feature, like tuning pegs below the bridge or in the body.

What Should You Look for in a Travel Guitar?

Above all, we would focus on portability when looking for a travel guitar. When it comes to acoustic travel guitars you’re not going to get the same bass-heavy, rich tone as you will from your full-sized dreadnaught. Jumbo style guitars have a lot of bass because of their size. Likewise, travel guitars will generally sound thinner, quieter, and less resonant than their full sized counterparts because they're built with portability in mind as opposed to just tone.

Electric travel guitars rely on their electronics so in general they'll sound pretty good. Sure, maybe not quite the same as your Les Paul or Strat - after all if a company puts in the highest quality materials it leads to an expensive guitar, and travel guitars are generally priced much lower than standard instruments. Definitely make sure to consider the pickup components when selecting your travel electric guitar to make sure you'll be able to achieve the tone you're looking for.

Finally, pay attention to the scale length. It's an important component to a travel guitar, since it deals with the area of the guitar where your hands operate. Two guitars can be totally different sizes, yet have a similar scale length. It's important that the scale length is not too dissimilar from your main, full-size instrument. Technique is honed with repetition, so practicing on a travel-sized instrument with a vastly different scale length from what you normally play might be less effective.

Types of Travel Guitars

The category "travel guitar" really just means that it's portable, and easier to bring aboard an airplane. Within the travel guitar category you'll encounter several different styles:

» Acoustic Travel Guitars (Standard Shape)

This is probably the most common travel guitar sub-category. Acoustic guitars are classified based on their body shape and size (you can review the different sizes here . There are Jumbo acoustics on the larger end, dreadnaughts in the middle, and parlor on the smaller end. Acoustic travel guitars are a step smaller than parlor. This won't be the most portable option because there is still a relatively large resonant body, but it's the most familiar to acoustic guitar players.

» Acoustic Travel Guitars (Non-standard Shape)

The Martin Backpacker is the best example of this. It looks more like an oar than it does a guitar. It can be a little awkward to play a non-standard shape acoustic guitar, so often a strap is required. The greatly reduced body size makes these guitars extremely portable, but the concession is the sound; it simply won't sound as deep and rich as a standard shape acoustic.

» Electric Travel Guitars

This is an interesting segment because there honestly isn't that much to choose from. You'll find something like a Squier Mini Stratocaster, which is quite simply a Strat that has been shrunk. Then there are more innovative options like those from Traveler Guitar, which is a re-imagined electric guitar purpose-built for travel. Perhaps this market segment is smaller because electric guitars are already pretty thin and a little easier to travel with than acoustics. Also, a travel electric guitar needs to be amplified eventually, so you'll be burdened to travel with some kind of amp.

» Acoustic-Electric Travel Guitars

Essentially a standard shape acoustic travel guitar with onboard electronics so that it can be plugged in and amplified. Martin, for instance, makes the Martin LX1 which is acoustic only, and the LX1E which is the exact same thing with the addition of a Fishman Sonitone preamp system. The Yamaha SLG200S Silent Guitar also fits into this category.

If you travel around and perform live, an acoustic-electric travel guitar is essential so you can plug into a venue's PA system and be heard no matter the size of the venue.

» Classical Travel Guitars

Travel-sized versions of nylon-string classical guitars.

Established in 1883, Martin is inarguably one of the most prestigious manufacturers of acoustic guitars the world has ever seen. Though the Martin Steel String Backpacker Travel Guitar is a different animal compared to Martin's more well-known instruments, it benefits from the brand's cachet and is a great little travel guitar.

Interestingly, the Backpacker features a solid spruce top. It’s hard to say how much this benefits the guitar considering its dimensions, but it still increases the volume and tonal response to at least some degree considering the effect that solid wood has on an instrument.

The shape of the Backpacker is admittedly jarring at first - it looks like a very skinny triangle, and looks-wise has more in common with an oar than it does traditional acoustic guitars! The beauty of it is how portable it is while still maintaining standard dimensions for the string spacing and 24" scale length. This will make the transition from the Backpacker back to your main instrument (and vice versa) much less dramatic than it would otherwise be. Take note that it only has 15 frets as opposed to the 20+ more common to full sized guitars, which is an issue if you frequently solo that far up the neck.

The hardware on this guitar is also impressive for the price, utilizing a compensated white TUSQ saddle, white plastic bridge pins, enclosed chrome finished gear tuners, and a white corian nut (corian is a white acrylic polymer, with tonal qualities that fall somewhere between bone and plastic). It comes strung with high quality Martin M170 Extra-Light 80/20 Bronze strings. The action on the one we got was nice and low.

So, what are its downsides? Obviously the sound of the Backpacker isn’t going to be like a full-sized dreadnaught, but that can and should be forgiven considering it's purpose-built for being a road warrior - camping, hiking, airplanes, etc. More significant is the fact that you cannot play this guitar on your lap like you could a traditional acoustic; a strap is necessary. Your playing position will take a little getting used to. We initially found the Backpacker slightly awkward to play since we have muscle-memory queues from holding a dreadnaught-sized acoustic guitar, but it's nothing a couple hours with it didn't fix.

With that out of the way, this is an awesome choice for a travel guitar. Once you get used to the unique body shape, you'll love how much the neck feels like a full-size guitar, which means your muscle-memory will transfer perfectly as you practice and play. The build quality is exactly what you'd expect from a brand like Martin, and it is priced really well given the brands' premium craftsmanship.

• Durable and withstands rough handling during travel
• Compact size, ideal for backpacking and travel
• Unique cigar-box-like sound, especially with bass strings
• Easy to transport, fits in tight spaces like airplane closets
• Comfortable neck profile for both large and small hands
• Excellent build quality, typical of Martin craftsmanship
• Good playability with extra light strings
• Can be used for fingerstyle picking for better tone
• Comes with a padded gig bag and strap
• Holds tune well even in changing weather conditions
• High action can be uncomfortable for some players
• Top-heavy design requires a strap for comfortable play
• Limited volume and projection compared to full-sized guitars
• Thin sound, especially when strummed with a pick
• Some tuners may require extra effort to turn

Available new on

17 available used from $160.00 on

Taylor BT2 Baby Taylor Acoustic Guitar

Taylor ranks amongst the top echelon of acoustic guitar manufacturers, so it's exciting to see an offering from them for a smaller, travel-sized guitar offered at a very attractive price-point.

The Baby Taylor definitely checks the box for portability. It's 3/4 dreadnaught, with a 22.75" scale length and 33.75" overall length. It has a respectable choice of materials all around, with a Tropical American Mahogany top and neck with a matte finish, layered Sapele back and sides, and ebony fingerboard.

This is an extremely light guitar and is a joy to pick up and play. The Baby Taylor's small size might pose a problem if you have particularly large hands. Aside from that, it's hard to think of any shortcomings.

It would make a perfect travel companion for any adult, and it's also a perfect size for kids. It of course is not going to project like a full-size acoustic guitar, but the sound it does produce is surprisingly good, rich, and resonant - it's a Taylor, after all.

• Ideal size for travel and portability
• Mahogany top offers warmer, fuller sound
• Low string tension allows for easy string bending
• Great sustain for a small guitar
• Comfortable for smaller hands and shorter arms
• Stays in tune well
• Good action and easy to play
• Comes with a convenient gig bag
• Excellent for fingerstyle and non-aggressive strumming
• Durable and suitable for various environments
• Prone to structural issues like body and top separation
• Some users report buzzing on specific strings
• Requires careful humidity control to avoid damage
• Small body results in tinny sound for some players
• Headstock separation reported in some cases

Available used on

Martin LXM Little Martin

Newer option

Martin LXME

A newer version of this item is available. While we haven't fully tested it yet, newer models often come with improvements and are more widely available. Consider exploring both options. Learn more

Taylor has the Baby Taylor, and rival Martin has their own travel-sized offering, the LXM Little Martin. These two guitars are very similar in terms of sound, fit, finish, and price, so your choice might just come down to your brand allegiance!

We decided the LXM is a better fit for a travel guitar recommendation over the LX1. The LX1 features a solid spruce top, and while that's the more desirable option in terms of tonewood, it requires more maintenance and is more susceptible to the elements. The LXM has a high pressure laminate (HPL) spruce pattern top, so you don't need to worry as much about climate factors like temperature, humidity , and let's face it... pets and kids. And speaking of kids, it's a very good sized guitar for smaller kid hands.

The Martin LXM is nicely appointed and ours had a good setup, strung with Martin MSP7100 Phosphor Bronze strings and low action with minimal buzz.

This guitar has 20 frets, a 23" scale length, and 34" overall length - that's within a quarter inch of the Baby Taylor. The two guitars feel very similar in terms of playability. Even though the LXM is a fraction of the price of a flagship Martin dreadnaught, you can definitely tell that Martin warmth and richness is there in the tone - slightly less bright and sparkly than the Baby Taylor.

Overall, a fantastic travel guitar option, and resistant to the elements due to its laminate top. Don't let the low cost fool you - it's worthy of the Martin name.

• Surprisingly loud with excellent resonance
• Comfortable to play, great for both beginners and pros
• Solid rosewood fretboard and bridge on older models
• Durable material ideal for harsh climates and travel
• Recognizably Martin sound, scaled down
• Holds tune exceptionally well, even in varying climates
• Excellent choice for camping, beach, and outdoor use
• Attractive stratabond neck
• Superior travel guitar compared to other models
• Great for gigging, even for professional use
• Stratabond neck is heavy and shifts the balance
• Faux wood finish on the top looks cheesy

6 available used from $229.99 on

Fender CT-60S Travel

Fender doesn't have the same pedigree as Martin and Taylor when it comes to acoustic guitars, but they know a thing or two about building quality instruments that musicians love to play. The Fender CT-60S is part of their "Travel" line of acoustics, and is a great option with a very attractive price tag.

It features a solid spruce top and laminated mahogany back & sides. Scale length is a portable 23.5". A nice touch are the rolled fretboard edges , which makes sliding up and down the neck a little more kid and/or beginner friendly.

A good way to think about this guitar is Fender's rival to a Baby Martin or Baby Taylor, over $100 less expensive, and thus slightly less fancy appointments. For example, the saddle and nut are plastic (of course upgrading those is an easy change you can make relatively cheaply).

This all begs the question - if the Fender CT-60S looks nice, is portable and travel-worthy, and is a joy to play and listen to (which it is), do the small appointments really matter? To us, it's not critical. Fender on the headstock might not mean as much as seeing Taylor or Martin up there, but if you're more comfortable spending closer to $200 as opposed to $400, this might just be your best bet.

1 available used from $240.00 on

Cordoba Mini M

If nylon string classical guitars are more suitable for you, the Cordoba Mini M should be on your short list.

One thing to note is it's tuned from A to a (ADGCEa) - as if you put a capo on the 5th fret of a standard tuned guitar. You can retune to E if you want.

It has a solid spruce top with mahogany back and sides, and a rosewood fingerboard. Scale length is 20" and the nut width is 1.96", so it has the feel of a full-size classical guitar (overall length is a nice and compact 30.5").

For its diminutive size, it's got a big tone. Nice and rich. The appointments are nice as well especially given its budget price, like a bone nut and saddle, and silver tuners with black buttons.

If you're a relatively new player and haven't yet built up your calluses from steel strings, or if your primary instrument is a full-size classical guitar, the very affordable Cordoba Mini M fits the bill perfectly for your travel guitar needs.

• Remarkably high quality for a small instrument
• Excellent for travel and couch playing
• Plays smoothly with minimal adjustment required
• Larger neck size is comfortable and familiar
• Surprisingly resonant and full sound for a 1/2 sized, laminated guitar
• Competitive price point for the quality offered
• Endorsed by professional musicians
• Durable construction that withstands frequent use
• Ideal for both adults and children
• Positive long-term customer satisfaction

1 available new from $186.70 on

Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Electric Guitar

Entrepreneur Leon Cox, founder of Traveler Guitar, set out to design a guitar for the sole purpose of being ultra-portable. While the design of the Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Electric Guitar is a far cry from a traditional guitar, rest assured this portable instrument doesn't feel all that much different.

This mostly comes down to the scale length. The 24.75" scale length means Les Paul and SG players should feel right at home . The overall length of the guitar is 28", so it should fit in most airline overhead compartments with relative ease, and it can easily be stowed in a large travel suitcase should you go that route. It weighs a measly 3 lbs.

The guitar is similar in specs to the majority of guitars in this price range. The pickup is a dual-rail humbucker, so expect results similar to that of a Duncan designed pickup. The guitar features a 1/4" output on the rear of the body when you're ready to plug in.

The hardware quality is solid. The tuners also function just as well... except they are in the guitar's body, eliminating the need for a headstock!

Unlike the Martin Backpacker, the Traveler Guitar comes with a leg rest. It’s just a thin metal frame, so it has a tendency to be a bit slippery.

The Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Electric Guitar is a great option for musicians looking for an ultra-portable electric guitar that replicates the feel of a full-sized one.

• Extremely portable, fits easily in overhead compartments
• Full-size neck provides authentic playing experience
• Sturdy construction with tight tolerances
• Stays in tune even with frequent travel
• Lightweight and easy to carry
• Great for practicing in various settings, even small spaces
• Decent sound quality through amps
• Comfortable for practice sessions with minimal shoulder strain
• Convenient gig bag included
• Tuners and components on the back may poke into body
• Too long for medium or small suitcases
• Bright, treble-heavy sound not ideal for everyone
• Higher price point compared to some standard-sized guitars
• Initial balance and weight distribution can be challenging

3 available used from $229.00 on

Washburn Rover Travel Guitar

Think of the Rover as Washburn's budget offering to rival the Martin Backpacker. The two guitars are very similar in terms of size and feel.

In terms of tonewood you get a solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides. The scale length is 23.75". The sound you get out of it is a "sit around the campfire" volume as can be expected, with a little less warmth than the Martin Backpacker.

It suffers the same playability problem as the Martin, that is you either need to use a strap to get it in a comfortable playing position, or prop it up on your thigh at a high angle.

In our experience, the set up wasn't quite up to snuff. The action was a bit high, so some truss rod adjustment was needed as well as some sanding of the saddle (luckily it comes with two saddles, in case you mess up). With a decent setup job, the playability is quite nice.

For the outdoorsman who wants a guitar to hook up to their backpack and take to the beach, hiking, camping, etc. the Washburn Rover is an ideal option with a very friendly price tag.

• Great condition and sounds good with new strings
• Sturdy enough to handle all weather conditions
• Case includes straps for easy packing and transport
• Lightweight and easily fits in airplane overhead compartments
• Cute conversation starter
• Excellent for quick practice sessions and travel
• Decent sound quality for a small guitar
• Manageable fretboard for practicing barre chords
• Sound can be a little tiny or banjo-like
• String width may be challenging for larger fingers
• Balance differs from average steel-string acoustic, takes getting used to

3 available used from $119.98 on

Yamaha SLG200S

The Yamaha SLG200S Silent Guitar is a very innovative and interesting instrument. It's an acoustic-electric guitar , meaning it has onboard electronics which allow you to plug into an amp, mixing console, or headphones so you can hear yourself play. Because of this, be warned it's one of the pricier options when it comes to travel-friendly guitars.

Because there's no deep wood body, unplugged this guitar is whisper quiet. This is great if you just want to practice late-night when the family is asleep, but not so good around the campfire.

The SLG200S is geared more towards recording, and even more so to acoustic guitar performance. Plugging it into a speaker is where it truly shines.

The onboard controls include a tuner which works decently well, a volume knob, and a blend knob so you can choose how much of the sound comes from the piezo under-saddle pickup vs. SRT Powered sound (which is Yamaha's clever modeling system from recording acoustic guitars in a studio environment). Treble and bass knobs are helpful to sculpt your sound in a pinch, and you can choose to have one of three available effects active - room reverb, hall reverb, or chorus.

The I/O is pretty comprehensive. You can output straight to headphones, or plug into a mixing console, PA, amp, etc. There's even an AUX input which allows you to jam along to whatever other sound source you want (an awesome practice tool).

For portability, it's great. It has a 25" scale length and 22 frets on a rosewood fingerboard. The body of the SLG200S breaks down to fit in the included gig bag and should easily fit in overhead compartments on a plane.

Sound-wise, it's very nice. We played it through Apple earbuds, Beyerdynamic studio headphones, and plugged it into an audio interface into some JBL studio monitors. It sounds great, more or less like a mic'd acoustic guitar.

Overall, this is a very unique guitar. It solves the problem of being on stage with an acoustic guitar and dealing with feedback. Its looks are striking, which can be a good or bad thing (you get to decide). It's not a great portable guitar if you're looking for something to take to the beach or a hike - for those applications we suggest going purely acoustic. But if headphones, effects, amplification, and live performance are your needs in addition to portability, take a close look at the SLG200S.

• Lightweight design ideal for travel
• Beautiful and precise construction with excellent wood tone matching
• Comfortable neck and fretboard
• Deep, rich, clear tone with versatile sound contours
• Effective blending of acoustic image and piezo pickup
• Good for quiet practice with headphones
• Built-in reverb, tone blend, and tuner features stand out
• Excellent build quality and durability
• Well-suited for recording and live performances
• High-quality gig bag included
• Provided earbuds are large and uncomfortable
• Knobs feel less sturdy than expected
• Strap pins can become loose with movement
• Initial string gauge may feel heavy
• Out-of-the-box setup might need adjustment
• Can feel slightly stiff to play initially
• Balance while standing may feel awkward

13 available used from $399.99 on

About the authors

Mason is a freelance music gear writer that contributes to Equipboard, Reverb, TuneCore, Music Aficionado, and more. He plays the guitar and mandolin and resides in Wyoming. Read more

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10 Of The Best Travel Guitars – Acoustic & Electric (2022 Guide)

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Here Are Some of the Best Travel Guitars Out There!

Heading out on the open road, traveling by airplane, or going hiking and camping? Whether you want to practice while on the road and/or have the ability to jam out with others, travel guitars (often known as backpacker guitars) are a great – and often necessary – addition to your journey.

There are loads of nice travel guitars out there – from super compact guitars to smaller, 3/4 guitars that are more durable and easier to lug around. The grand challenge can be choosing the best travel guitar for you.

Our guide breaks down what a travel guitar is, the different travel guitar options, and looks at which ones are the best travel guitars you can buy. From the Martin backpacker travel guitar to folding travel guitars and other top 3/4 size guitars, here’s a detailed breakdown of the best travel guitars.

Table of Contents

10 of the Best Travel Guitars

If you know you want a travel guitar and are just itching to start looking, you’ll find our top three travel guitars below.

These models – a Taylor, a Martin, and a Washburn – are at the top based on a combination of factors like personal experience, reviews in the guitar space, and their overall function, reliability, and quality.

Last update on 2024-08-12 at 22:28

Taylor GS Mini Acoustic Guitar

• Mahogany top, sapele back and sides
• Sapele neck, ebony fingerboard, 20 frets
• Features: Mahogany top and sides, closed tuning pegs, 20 frets
• Pros: Excellent sound in a smaller body, comes with a sturdy padded bag
• Cons: Much more expensive than other guitars on this list

From a name like Taylor, the GS Mini is widely considered to be among the best 3/4 guitars on the market.

This popular Taylor travel guitar is known for its sound and its versatility as more than “just a travel guitar”. It’s a 3/4 guitar that could be your main guitar if you’d like.

Martin Steel String Backpacker Travel Guitar

• Solid Spruce Top
• Solid Tonewood Back and Sides
• Features: The classic backpacker guitar with a unique, stripped away body
• Pros: Lightweight guitar, comes with a hard bag
• Cons: 15 frets might be a little short for some, might be awkward to play given the body shape but it comes with a guitar strap

When it comes to small guitars, the Martin Steel String is kind of known as the original portable guitar to take with you.

With a wildly unique body shape and from a brand like Martin, the Backpacker travel guitar is among the best small body guitar on the market.

Washburn Rover Steel String Travel Acoustic Guitar

• Full size 24" scale
• Solid spruce top, Mahogany body and neck Rosewood fingerboard
• Features: A small, compact travel guitar with a full-scale neck
• Pros: All wood construction but with a durable body, comes with a solid bag
• Cons: The neck is heavy and the body lacks mids and lows for sound quality but it’s for playing quiet or in an intimate setting (like at a campfire) anyways

The Washburn Rover Travel guitar is another very popular travel guitar option. It makes a great camping guitar because it is quite a bit smaller (the body is slim and tapered) but still has a full-scale length neck and produces a decent sound.

Yamaha APXT2 Acoustic-Electric Guitar

• Rosewood Fingerboard & Bridge
• Features: A reliable 3/4 scale guitar with nice curves and a cutaway
• Pros: Pickup and tuner built-in, comes with gig bag
• Cons: Model depending, laminate construction can feel cheap to some

Those looking for a Yamaha travel guitar will find a winner with the APXT2. This 3/4 scale guitar is acoustic-electric which can allow you to have the best of both worlds.

Luna Aurora Borealis Acoustic Guitar

• Luna Guitars' Aurora line offers the perfect beginner guitar, especially for young players
• A student guitar line that pairs affordability with Luna's characteristic easy-to-play design features
• Features: An affordable 3/4 scale all-acoustic travel guitar
• Pros: Choice of tonewood is decent for sound quality, pretty detailing
• Cons: Acoustic only so no chance at pickups and an amp, no bag comes with it

LAVA ME 2 Carbon Fiber Guitar

• Unibody Acoustic Electric Guitar: With little to no gluing, LAVA ME 2 guitar offers a wide frequency range, producing resonant, dynamic sounds. At just 3.7 lb, it's compact...
• Versatile L2 Preamp: With FreeBoost Technology, the L2 Preamp uses the guitar back as a speaker, allowing you to shape sounds with reverb, delay, and chorus effects. It also...
• Features: A unique, unibody travel guitar with built-in amp/effect
• Pros: Durable materials make the guitar able to withstand varying conditions, comes with a bag and charging cable
• Cons: The materials might not resonate (for your liking) like real wood, comes at a higher cost

If you want a full-scale travel guitar that is built like a tank, check out the LAVA ME 2. Sporting an unconventional design and futuristic look, the LAVA ME 2 is light to carry and able to take whatever you throw at it when it comes to travel.

Traveler Guitar 6-String Acoustic-Electric Guitar

• BUILT FOR TRAVEL: The Ultra-Light is a portable and travel-friendly version of your favorite at-home guitar that you can take anywhere and everywhere you go. Weighing 2 lbs 14...
• PERFORMANCE WITHOUT COMPROMISE: Our proprietary In-Body Tuning System eliminates the need for a headstock by relocating standard tuning machines into the body. Even though...
• Features: A sleek, minimalist guitar with a full 3/4 scale neck and gig bag
• Pros: Very lightweight, made of real wood, pickup and output installed
• Cons: The lap rest and/or overall design might take a while to get used to

The Traveler Guitar is the ultimate name in light, minimalist travel guitars. With reduced body lengths and a unique tuning system and no headstock, these guitars are super lightweight and made to be packed away nice and small.

The Traveler acoustic-electric also comes in a Pro Series and in an ultra-light solid body electric guitar .

Cross Guitar 2.0: Foldable Classical Nylon Acoustic-Electric Travel Guitar

• Built-in pickup system with headphone jack 3.5mm Aux-in, 3.5mm Headphone, and 6.35mm main output to enhance your playing experience.(Must plug in headphone or cable for the...
• No assembly nor footstool needed
• Features: A minimal, collapsible travel guitar made of real wood (maple)
• Pros: A very compact guitar, built-in pickup system
• Cons: So small that it may be awkward to get used to

The Cross Guitar 2.0 might be taking travel guitars a step too far – but what a fantastic concept!

With a unique cross and folding design, the Cross 2.0 might be the smallest travel guitar available. The above version is for nylon strings but there’s also a Cross Guitar 2.0 with steel strings .

Kmise Guitarlele (Mini Travel Guitar Ukulele)

• SEALED 18: 1 GEAR TUNING MACHINE: In the higher gears, the guitalele string can be tuned more precise, keep ukulele stay in tune better than 15:1 gear tuning pegs, ensures you...
• ADJUSTABLE ACTION: Each guitalele come with 1 original Allen wrench which can help you adjust the action freely based on your habit. Turn Clockwise loosen strings and turn...
• Features: An affordable guitarlele with a number of great accessories
• Pros: Very lightweight, much smaller than a full-scale acoustic, closed tuners, comes with gig bag
• Cons: Not quite a guitar, not quite a uke… some people either love it or hate it

If you think a guitarlele will fit the bill as your travel guitar, the Kmise guitarlele is for you. Merging the best of both worlds – a small 6 string guitar on a baritone ukulele body – this hybrid instrument makes a unique choice for those seeking out a travel guitar.

Cordoba Mini II M Nylon String Guitar

• Comfortable 1/2 size guitar, with standard tuning
• Layered Mahogany top, back and sides
• Features: A great mini 1/2 scale nylon string guitar from a top brand like Cordoba
• Pros: Beautiful all-mahogany construction, compact scale size
• Cons: Nylon strings over steel might not produce the sound you’re looking for

If you know anything about Cordoba, you’ll now they know classical guitars. Their Mini II is a slightly larger take on their popular Mini M – one of a number of short-scale guitars designed for travel.

The 1/2 size might make for a good little guitar depending on your needs. This mini travel guitar is also a great nylon string travel guitar (with more of a classical feel) if that’s what you’re looking for.

What Is A Travel Guitar And Why You Need One

If you know you want a travel guitar, you might not need an explanation. If you’re new to the concept, then a brief overview of what a travel guitar is – and how it differs from other guitars – might be super handy.

A travel guitar is much like the name sounds. It is a guitar that is meant for travel. Generally, this means the guitar is smaller in overall size and often more compact in shape than a full-sized guitar.

Some travel guitars even strip away unnecessary body material or are foldable for an extra small overall guitar footprint.

Since it’s often expected that they are meant to be moved about and potentially run into bums and scratches, travel guitars are often made from denser materials than just solid tone woods and usually come with a bag or soft case.

Travel guitar are used for a variety of things: from playing on the road, and entertaining with campfire tunes on a camping trip to personal usage for practicing. Travel guitars come in all acoustic, acoustic-electric, and even full-electric versions – each with their own pros and cons.

Most types are travel acoustic guitars because it’s more likely that you’ll be unplugged and so an acoustic body is needed to produce your sound.

However, a battery-powered electric travel guitar used with an amp (or your headphones) isn’t out of the question if you are using your guitar for simple practicing while on the road.

The Different Types of Travel Guitars

If you’re in the market for a traveling guitar, there are a few different variations for what people consider “travel guitars”.

Aside from these different variations listed below, travel guitars often feature the versatility of playing unplugged but having the option to amplify the sound plugged in.

So, many travel guitar models end up being acoustic-electric. You can definitely find just acoustic travel guitar models or just electric travel guitars if you are seeking out one. Let’s dive into the different types of guitars considered suitable as travel guitars.

A popular, go-to option for a travel guitar is simply buying a 3/4 size guitar. This is a smaller guitar that is 3/4 the scale and size of a full acoustic guitar.

Essentially, 3/4 scale guitars are just mini guitars. They are smaller than a classic dreadnought and easier for travel because they are physically smaller.

A pro of using a 3/4 guitar as a travel guitar is that they sound more like a full-sized dreadnought with a large, complete body. A con is that they are not as compact as other true “travel guitars” you might find on this list.

A great example of a 3/4 guitar is the Taylor GS Mini or the Luna Aurora Borealis  for a more affordable option.

It should be noted that 3/4 guitars are not just great as a travel guitar. These guitars are also good for beginners, people with smaller hands, and kids who are looking for their first guitar. Their “scaled-down” size makes 3/4 guitars easier to play.

Now, not all travel guitars are good for kids, nor are all kids guitars great as “travel guitars” so watch out for this distinction. This list is all about travel guitars and we’ll write about kids guitars and other 3/4 size guitars soon.

“Minimalist” Travel Guitar

Another kind of travel guitar are those that fall in the category of minimalist guitars.

These instruments come in two main kinds: those guitars with a much smaller body shape and/or size OR those guitars with much of the non-essential materials stripped away (like body and headstock).

Both types of guitars feature full-scale or 3/4 scale necks – it’s really the body size that is reduced.

Some examples of travel guitars that have a “complete” body but are just reduced in body size are the Washburn Rover or the Martin Steel String Backpacker . A classic example of the “stripped away” guitar leaving only the essential parts needed to play and create sound is the Traveler Guitar .

These minimalist travel guitars come in both acoustic, hybrid a/e and fully-electric. A pro of these guitars is that they weigh very little (even compared to a 3/4 sized guitar). They might make for a great backpack guitar since many of them will fit inside their case and slip inside a larger backpack.

A con to these guitars – more so the stripped-down version – is that they only have the bare bones for what you’d need to play. This means these guitars don’t always produce sound like a full-bodied acoustic.

Sound volume and quality also depend on if you are plugging it into an amp. Often, these guitars can be used for practicing since they are much quieter unless plugged into an amp or heard through headphones.

Also keep in mind not to confuse these guitars with practice/pocket guitars. These minimalist guitars are fully functional guitars while pocket guitars are practice aids.

Foldable/Collapsible Guitar

Another variation of the travel guitar that isn’t just a smaller guitar or a very minimalist guitar is the foldable travel guitar.

Also known as a collapsible travel guitar, these guitars do exactly what you’d expect – they come apart in one or two places, usually at the neck joint where the neck meets the body. This smaller overall size makes foldable guitars come with a special case or bag which is much easier to travel with.

Depending on the model of foldable guitar you buy, it may be able to play acoustically or it may have little to no resonating body so you have to plug it in to hear the sound.

Now, the pros of the collapsible travel guitar are that they are certainly smaller than a one-piece 3/4 guitar. You also have the benefit of a larger body to create a better sound compared to other foldable guitars that lack much of a body.

A con to these guitars is that more joints/moving parts creates room for structural issues down the line. Another con is the materials used to construct guitars that fold may affect sound quality when they are put back together.

You might look at the Cross Guitar 2.0 , the Journey Instruments OF660M Overhead (made from carbon fiber), or the Furch Little Jane as a higher-priced (but very reliable) foldable guitar that is made from solid wood. The fact that there is a solid wood collapsible guitar is pretty awesome.

Carbon Fiber Guitar

Another type of travel guitar that we haven’t already mentioned is something like the LAVA ME 2 . This is a full-scale guitar so you don’t compromise sound or size. So, what makes a full-sized dreadnought a prime candidate for travel? The material it’s made out of is super durable.

In fact, the LAVA ME 2 is an injection-molded carbon fiber guitar. This composite material that is not wood makes the guitar strong but also far more resistant to scratches, dents, impact, and temperature changes.

A pro of this kind of guitar – a guitar made from a different, more durable material – is that it’s simply more durable. This can b a great asset when it comes to traveling with an instrument. A con is that while it might be light, it’s still physically large to haul around.

One final type of travel guitar you might consider isn’t technically a guitar at all – it’s a guitarlele! Technically speaking, the guitarlele is a hybrid instrument consisting of a guitar and a ukulele. We actually talked about these instruments briefly in our post on types of ukuleles .

A guitarlele is a six-string ukulele. It’s actually the same size as a larger baritone ukulele but it plays more like a guitar with a wider fretboard and more strings. Basically, you get the six strings of an acoustic fit into the chassis (to borrow a car term) of a baritone ukulele.

In terms of tuning, the guitarlele is tuned to A-D-G-C-E-A (or a 4th up). This is the same as a regular guitar with a capo on the 5th fret. This means you can play the same acoustic guitar chord fingerings on it… they just sound higher (they are pitched up).

An obvious pro to the guitarlele is that it’s small and more compact to play and travel with. It’s good for people with smaller hands and/or people who want an instrument with a full body to create a nice round. If this interests you, check out the Kmise Guitarlele or Yamaha GL1 Guitarlele .

A con is that it’s not actually a guitar and usually has nylon strings on it. Depending on the guitarlele you get, you may be able to swap them out for steel strings to mimic more of an acoustic guitar tone.

3 Benefits Of Using A Travel Guitar

There are a number of benefits of owning and playing a travel size guitar. Below, you’ll find them outlined and explained in detail. This way, if you are on the fence about buying a travel guitar, you can gather all the necessary information to help you decide.

Compact Size/Weight

An obvious first benefit of having a travel guitar is its smaller size and lighter overall weight. This makes it ideal for packing and taking with you if you are going hiking/camping or heading to the beach for the day.

As for the mode of transportation, the smaller travel guitars make traveling on an airplane easier since some of them fit inside an airplane overhead bin. Be sure to check with any individual airline you are flying with for the size and weight dimensions of their carry-on bags.

If you end up traveling by car, these smaller guitars are easy to pack among other items and don’t take up nearly as much room as a full-sized acoustic.

One element of any guitar intended for travel – besides the compactness – is its relative durability. Short of slamming the guitar against a surface or object, you can expect most travel guitars to hold up against a little more wear and tear.

Some guitars above are made of carbon fiber while others are made from a combination of other materials. Guitars with composite material bodies and necks are meant to be even more durable but every material has its breaking point/temperature.

You can find some guitars with a mix of wood and HPL (high pressure laminate) which is a more durable material that still resonates well and has a nice tone. Compared to solid wood, HPL is generally stronger and less susceptible to dings and dents while still being a lighter material overall.

Affordability

The last benefit to buying a travel guitar is that – generally speaking – they can be priced lower than most full-sized acoustic or electric guitars. This is usually because some travel guitars are just 3/4 the size.

A smaller price tag also makes a travel guitar a good secondary guitar in your guitar arsenal. It can do the heavy lifting and traveling while your more expensive, primary guitar, gets played at other times.

That said, a Taylor GS Mini (shown above) isn’t “cheap” by any means. With a higher price tag, that particular guitar would be more of an investment. However, for that price, you get an excellent quality travel guitar with great sound quality from a top acoustic guitar maker!

5 Things To Consider In A Good Travel Guitar

There are a few different styles of travel guitar – and numerous different models within a style – to choose from. However, there are a few key things you should look for/consider when buying a travel guitar.

Overall Function/Size

When buying any kind of travel guitar, the function of the guitar is pretty important. Every guitar is going to (hopefully) be able to play music and allow you to play on the road. However, does the overall function of the guitar work for you?

Just because a backpacking guitar collapses into a small case the size of a flute – doesn’t mean you have to buy it. If you prefer a fuller-bodied but smaller 3/4 guitar because that’s what you’re used to then go for it.

If you want a smaller travel guitar that you can take camping to entertain friends, then don’t grab a 3/4 guitar when a more compact Washburn Rover or the Martin Steel String Backpacker might work best.

Along with the concept of function is practicality. Does this guitar work for you based on where you are taking it? Are you planning a road trip or are you taking the collapsible guitar in your carry-on luggage on an airplane?

Are you going on a multi-day canoe trip with the travel guitar? These scenarios for usage are important to consider when you pick a travel guitar for you.

Related to function, the overall shape of the guitar is something to consider in a good travel guitar. The actual shape of the body – whether a classic figure-8 or a minimalist guitar body – will affect both the sound quality and the way you hold/play the guitar.

Sound quality is something that you can always try to modify with different strings. However, how comfortable you feel playing the guitar is something that is hard to change once you buy the guitar. Some people don’t love the Martin Backpacker because it’s too odd of a shape for them.

For others, the weight, shape, and feel of the LAVA ME 2 is strange. It really comes down to personal preference, previous playing experience, and your ability to be open-minded and potentially adapt to something different.

Overall, the body shape affects the likeability of the guitar. This is critical. If it’s awkward for you to play, you’re not going to pick up that guitar over other guitars to jam on (given the option).

When buying a good travel guitar, you’ll want to have a think about the materials used in the construction of the guitar.

Of course, strength and durability are important – but travel guitars also need to balance this need for durability with the ability to still have good intonation and nice overall sound quality.

Some guitars are made from denser, composite materials like high pressure laminate (HPL) which can take more scratches and bumps over its lifespan compared to solid tone wood. However, these “less than wood” materials can affect sound quality.

On the other end of the spectrum, the LAVA ME 2 is made from a carbon fiber material that is super durable and even waterproof. However, this material can produce a duller, more flat sound when you play (compared to all wood).

If you really care about sound quality (see below), there are some really nice 3/4 guitars with excellent sound quality. Some of these guitars have a healthy mix of all worlds with a laminate back and sides for more durability but a solid wood top which helps the guitar to sing a bit brighter.

Sound Quality

Speaking of sound quality, it’s an important aspect to consider when buying a travel guitar. We mentioned body materials and how they affect sound quality so you need to consider that.

You can modify the sound – to a degree – with your choice of strings but overall the sound of the travel guitar isn’t going to change that much.

Again, there are some really good travel guitars with good sound quality. Travel guitars might not “sing” as beautifully as a full-bodied acoustic but you’re going to find some excellent tones coming off of these smaller guitars.

Another aspect to sound is whether you want an acoustic or electric travel guitar. Many models give the option for both – so they are acoustic-electric.

However, if you are backpacking in the woods, the ability to plug into an amp is highly unlikely so you can’t really rely on the fact that you can plug in as a potential fix to your sound quality and/or volume.

Price/Quality

Last, but certainly not least, the price of the travel guitar should be a buying consideration. To a degree, the overall price can be something that dictates which travel guitars are better than others. Price is often an indicator of overall quality – but not always.

That said, you don’t necessarily need to go out and spend just shy of $1000 on a travel guitar. You can find some excellent, well-built, nice-sounding travel guitars by guitar brands – usually top acoustic brands – that you can trust for a few hundred dollars.

Like with any guitar purchase, you might look at them as an investment. Sure, a cheap travel guitar might be more affordable in the beginning… and it might work well for a while.

But if the quality doesn’t hold up, you can run into a number of problems like poor intonation and even structural issues. Replacing or repairing this guitar is money you could have put into a better travel guitar in the first place!

And there you have it – a rundown of some of the best travel guitars out there today. In the end, there are a number of other really good travel guitars that might suit your needs.

This article was intended to bring together some of the best so you can get a solid understanding of the travel guitar options, styles, and prices. Enjoy whichever guitar you choose to hit the road with!

As always, Happy Strumming,

Ciari Guitars Ascender Standard review – a foldable travel guitar that unfolds into a fully fledged pro-level instrument

Developed with acclaimed luthier joe glaser, the ascender standard is a foldaway travel guitar with a difference – you'll want to play it all the time.

Guitar World Verdict

With folding technology that’s precisely engineered, the foldable Ciari Guitars Ascender Standard is a professional guitar that’s ideal for traveling guitarists.

When folded, it meets airline qualifications as a personal item.

Seymour Duncan ’59 humbuckers.

Unfolds in tune and ready.

Everyone asking you to demonstrate the folding process.

You can trust Guitar World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing guitar products so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

The sad fate of a travel guitar is it can never be more than just that – an occasional travel companion that gets played out of sight in a hotel room or lazily strummed on a beach. Such clichéd views have often made it seem frivolous to own one since it’ll be less likely that you’ll ever use it except when on vacation. 

But that notion will dramatically change once you unfold the Ciari Guitars Ascender Standard – a full-sized professional electric guitar with pioneering foldable tech that neatly folds the guitar in half, allowing it to be easily stowed in an overhead bin or tucked under an airline seat when you travel. Best of all, there’s nothing gimmicky about it, because it’s not your run-of-the-mill travel guitar. 

The Ascender Standard is a precision state-of-the-art instrument that can double as a travel guitar – or as your main guitar – and is equally suitable to be wielded onstage or in the studio with its full-scale design, premium components and desirable asymmetrical looks.

The Ascender Standard is without peer as a travel guitar. Whereas other travel guitars tend to look awkward or unconventional (to accommodate their compact dimensions for travel), the Ascender Standard is, by all appearances, a standard-sized electric guitar with a 24 and ¾-inch scale length just like a Gibson, and to be fair, I feel it’s better to consider it more as a conventional guitar (with the ability to fold in half). 

It has many traditional features, such as a nano-satin basswood body in a black matte finish, a 3-ply black pickguard, a mahogany neck with a natural-neck finish and an ebony fingerboard (planed and fret-leveled by Plek-machining), 22 medium jumbo nickel frets, a small 3+3 headstock with Ciari locking tuners, Tune-o-Matic roller bridge, the classic combo of two Seymour Duncan ’59 humbuckers, a master volume and tone and a three-way pick-up selector. 

The guitar incorporates a novel and patented foldable system accessed from the back of its body that looks far more intricate and intimidating than the actual act of unfolding or folding the guitar.

This folding mechanism includes an aircraft-grade aluminum alloy mid-neck hinge, a translating locking strut to selectively enable or disable the hinge and a floating tailpiece, all of which work collectively to fold the guitar down to a travel-ready 18 ½-inch length and 12 ½-inch width.

Pulling the concealed actuator lever underneath the body toward the center strap pin starts the process of folding the guitar by gently releasing the neck backward and dropping the string tension (from 118 lbs. to 3 lbs).

From there, the strings slacken into the guitar’s six “protective” V-shaped grooves at the 12th and 14th frets, allowing them to safely follow the fold and stay in place by a plastic guide bar behind the nut as the neck splits in two at those respective frets.

Conversely, holding the neck and slowly raising it up from the back of the guitar while keeping the strings in place and pulling the actuator lever toward the neck plate will lock the neck in place and fully restore proper string tension. Adding to its top-notch provenance, the Ascender was designed in cooperation with acclaimed luthier Joe Glaser and is manufactured in Ciari Guitars’ Nashville shop.

Performance

The Ascender Standard arrives completely folded inside a compact and durably quilted Ciari gig bag (there’s also a Ciari backpack sold separately that can house that gig bag along with extra pockets for accessories and room for even a laptop).

Once you unzip the gigbag , it’s astonishing to see this folded heap of metal and wood – which looks like it's been put through a car crusher – unfold into a fully fledged pro-level instrument. Nothing about the process of folding or unfolding the guitar compromises its structural stability or the integrity of its setup and swift playability.

It all neatly locks into place in seconds in an uncannily accurate and stable manner. Even more surprising, the Ascender Standard has been so precisely engineered that once unfolded, the guitar is miraculously close to being in tune – if not in tune. 

And since this guitar has been built to exacting standards, and with Plek tech, it almost seems unnecessary to tell you that it plays smoothly and without any fret buzz; plus, the versatile Duncan ’59 humbuckers sound articulate and harmonically rich for any style of music. The only drawback I foresee is that your musician friends might ask you to show them how it folds – repeatedly.

• PRICE: $1,799
• TYPE: Full-sized foldable travel electric guitar
• BODY: Basswood
• NECK: Mahogany
• SCALE LENGTH: 24.75"
• FINGERBOARD: Ebony, Plek'd
• PICKUPS: 2x   Seymour Duncan ‘59 humbucker pickups
• CONTROLS: Volume, Tone, 3-way pickup selector
• HARDWARE: Tune-o-Matic Roller Bridge, locking tuners
• FINISH OPTIONS: Black, White, Seafoam, Blue, Red
• CONTACT: Ciari Guitars

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Paul Riario has been the tech/gear editor and online video presence for Guitar World for over 25 years. Paul is one of the few gear editors who has actually played and owned nearly all the original gear that most guitarists wax poetically about, and has survived this long by knowing every useless musical tidbit of classic rock, new wave, hair metal, grunge, and alternative genres. When Paul is not riding his road bike at any given moment, he remains a working musician, playing in two bands called SuperTrans Am and Radio Nashville.

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10 Best Travel Guitars (Acoustic & Electric)

Do you miss your guitar when you are traveling? Or hate trying to get your guitar on a plane ?

Then you need a travel guitar. Yes, they exist, and no I’m not talking about guitars for children. I’m talking about amazing guitars by premium brands, which were specifically designed to be portable and travel-friendly.

In this review, I will show you both acoustic and electric travel guitars, as well as a couple of versatile options. No matter what you are looking for, there is something here for you.

At A Glance: Our Top Travel Acoustic & Electric Guitars

• BEST ACOUSTIC TRAVEL GUITAR Journey Instruments OF660 Carbon Fiber Acoustic Guitar Jump To Review
• Best Lightweight Guitar Yamaha GL1 PB Guitalele Jump To Review
• BEST ELECTRIC Traveler Guitar 6 String Travelcaster Deluxe Jump To Review
• Most VERSATILE Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light 6 String Acoustic-Electric Guitar Jump To Review

All of the travel guitars featured in this review are praised by happy owners and rated highly on dozens of websites. Find out which travel guitars are the best travel guitar options for you!

Top Product Overview

Top 10 travel guitars, martin steel string backpacker travel guitar.

The Martin travel acoustic guitar features a  t op made from solid spruce and sides made from tonewood. It has a 24” scale length and features  15 frets, which is not that much less than the usual 19. And it  comes with both a strap and a case , so traveling with it is going to be very easy.

In fact,  you can actually fit this guitar in overhead bins in planes.  Some airlines will make you pay extra for it, but you shouldn’t usually have any issues if you call or email the airline beforehand. Just give them the dimensions of the bag and you’ll be fine.

Oh, and you can put some extra clothes in the bag – not only will this make your other suitcase lighter, but it will also protect your travel guitar.

The Backpacker travel acoustic guitar is very lightweight at only 2.4 lbs. Meaning that it’s super easy to carry anywhere and that it won’t weigh you down one bit.

Martin is known for making backpacker guitars, and this one is one of their best-selling models. That is because it is  insanely portable , but also because the sound quality is really good.  You will lose some volume, but that’s expected considering the size of this guitar.

And it has  a great price tag  on it. It is by no means the cheapest travel guitar out of the bunch, but it is far away from being the most expensive one.

• Reasonably priced acoustic guitar
• Very portable and lightweight
• Comes with a strap and gig bag
• Doesn’t always stay put on your body

Product Information

• Dimensions: 4.72” x 36.22” x 9.45”
• Weight: 2.5 lbs
• Bag Included: Yes

Journey Instruments OF660 Carbon Fiber Acoustic Guitar

The Journey Instruments travel guitar comes with a really high saddle, which means the action is also really high. But, it also comes with a shorter saddle, which will give you lower action. And you can always adjust that until you find your perfect setup. It has 20 frets and 6 strings, and the sound quality is just as good (if not better) than your normal guitar.

What makes this acoustic guitar amazing for travel is the collapsible neck. You can disassemble it in less than a minute and pack it in its travel backpack. The backpack is carry-on sized and features a TSA-friendly laptop compartment,  so it is an excellent addition to this amazing travel guitar.

The OF660 has  a body made from carbon fiber,  which is reinforced with fiberglass on the back and sides. What that means is that you  never have to worry about humidity  with this acoustic guitar – you can leave it out in pouring rain, and there won’t be any consequences. Plus, it makes the guitar look very elegant and sleek.

The price of this travel guitar is a pretty big downside. In fact, this is the most expensive travel guitar that I found, and it is definitely not for everyone’s budget. But, you are paying for the amazing sound, portability, and quality of the build.

Another thing that could be improved is the weight. This guitar is a bit bigger than most others I’ve shown you, and it’s also heavier. While that doesn’t impact its portability too much, it does mean that it’s not going to be as convenient to carry around as some of the ones that weigh less than 2.5 lbs.

• Collapsible neck
• Amazing sound quality
• Excellent quality
• Very expensive
• A bit heavy
• Dimensions: 4.64” x 35.5” x 12.5”
• Weight: 4.1 lbs

Yamaha GL1 PB Guitalele

The Yamaha GL1 is  a cross between a guitar and a ukulele (something Hawaii is known for ) . It has the size of a baritone ukulele (17” scale), but it also features  6 strings,  just like a guitar. But the  strings are nylon  – that’s neither the best quality nor sound you can get out of a travel guitar. However, nothing is stopping you from cutting them off and putting regular metal strings on the GL1.

What you will love about these acoustic travel guitars are the size and weight. The Yamaha guitar was designed specifically for travel,  and you will be able to take it anywhere you want. And you will get  a soft gig case  with the guitar. Plus, it is a great option for kids to play – even though it wasn’t designed as a children’s guitar, its size makes it more than suitable for the little ones.

This travel guitar is also  feather-light, at only 2.65 lbs.  That means that the GL1 traveler guitar weighs less than most laptops, which you are carrying to work every single day and not complaining. And that is one of the things that makes the Yamaha an amazing option for travel. You could even call it a backpacking guitar.

Another reason why you will love the Guitalele is the price. It’s  very affordable, especially considering who makes it – Yamaha is a brand known for manufacturing quality everything, from motorcycles to survival bows .

Obviously, you can’t expect this to sound just like a full-sized guitar, but it is going to sound amazing for its size. This means that it is going to be perfectly suitable for practice on the go or for entertaining your friends on the beach. A great all-around acoustic travel guitar!

• Very affordable
• High quality
• Remarkably lightweight
• Not entirely a guitar
• Nylon strings
• Dimensions: 26.75” x 12” x 4”
• Weight: 2.65 lbs

Martin LXK2 Little Martin Guitar

Little Martin is  the smallest guitar from this amazing brand,  and it’s definitely a contender. It features  Koa-grained high-pressure laminate on its top, sides, and back, with a rosewood fingerboard and bridge . The neck of this guitar is carved out of Stratabond.

Even though this guitar is tiny, it produces great sound and is fun to play. With 6 steel strings and 20 frets , this is going to sound fairly close to your favorite guitar. But the Little Martin has the advantage that you can take it anywhere you want –  it weighs only 3.4 lbs and it is a very small guitar, which makes it perfect for the road.

And this guitar is great not just for travel, but also for children and adults with small hands.

The durability of Little Martin is another amazing thing about it. It is  built to survive road trips, children, and all kinds of weather.  Especially if you regularly carry it in the gig bag that comes with it. Which has an exterior made from ballistic nylon, and an interior lined with plush.

It also features backpack straps and a front zipper compartment, for any other items you want to keep close.

And the price of this guitar is not too bad either. It’s not among the cheapest options, but it is also not ridiculously expensive either. It is a little pricier than most other travel guitars in this review, but it’s undoubtedly worth it, considering the quality of both sound and build.

• Very small and portable
• Great sound
• High quality gig bag
• A bit pricey
• Action is quite high
• Dimensions: 6.3” x 38.58” x 18.11”
• Weight: 3.38 lbs

Cordoba Mini M Travel Guitar

Cordoba has a series of mini guitars, and the M Travel Guitar is their most popular model. The main difference between them is the wood combinations -the M features a solid spruce top with mahogany back and sides. The Mini M is also the best value for money – it is a high-quality guitar with a very affordable price tag ,  and it’s perfect if you’re on a tight budget.

The downside is that this small guitar comes with nylon strings,  so you’re not getting amazing sound out of the box. But that’s a replaceable part of the guitar, and should not be a deal-breaker. And if you normally prefer nylon strings, then the Mini M is going to play perfectly as is.

What could be a deal-breaker is that this is a right-hand guitar.  The others that I showed you were either ambidextrous, or you could choose between right and left hand. With the Mini M, you get no such choice.

And there’s nothing else bad about it. The acoustic guitar weighs a mere 2.5 lbs,  which makes it perfect for travel. It is  small enough that it easily fits into overhead compartments in airplanes , and it comes with a really solid gig bag.

It doesn’t sound like a full-sized guitar, but it definitely sounds like a guitar and not like a ukulele. It has a scale length of 20”, a nut width of 1.96”, and a total of 18 frets,  which not only feel familiar but also make it sound more like a traditional guitar.

• Very lightweight and portable
• Sound is great for its size
• Fits in overhead compartments on airplanes
• Right hand guitar
• Dimensions: 30.5” x 10” x 3.25”

Traveler Guitar 6 String Travelcaster Deluxe

Traveler Guitar is a brand that makes some insanely portable guitars, both acoustic and electric. So, I will show you several options from them in this section, starting with the Travelcaster Deluxe . It is a  full 25.5” scale travel guitar with 14:1 gear ratio turners.

This means that the playable area of the guitar is the exact same size as a full-size guitar –   only its body is smaller.

The Travelcaster features an overall length of 33.75” and weighs a mere 5.2 lbs.  It comes with a soft gig case for ultimate portability –  the entire case and the guitar only weigh 6.8 lbs.  What’s even better is that you are not sacrificing playability for portability – Traveler Guitar is proud of how all of their guitars sound, and we have no complaints either.

In fact, you can check out the demo of this Traveler guitar right here:

This electric guitar comes with 3 single-coil pickups – 2 tone controls, 1 volume control, and a 5-way pickup selector.  It also has a  2-point fulcrum tremolo for better and more stable tuning , as well as steel saddles for excellent playing tone.

The guitar boasts  a poplar body with a maple neck and a maple fretboard with bone nut,  which not only sound great but also look pretty good. And you can  get it in three colors  – the black gloss option is unique because it features a catalpa fretboard with a bone nut.

• Very portable
• Reasonably priced
• A little heavy
• Dimensions: 33.75” x 1.75” x 9”
• Weight: 5.2 lbs

Yamaha APXT2 3/4-Size Acoustic-Electric Guitar

Back to Yamaha –  the APXT2 is an excellent choice if you want a versatile guitar.  It is both  acoustic and electric , with a gorgeous exterior and an affordable price tag. This guitar features  a spruce top, with a rosewood fingerboard and bridge , for great appearance and sound.

It is a 3/4 sized guitar, and it is pretty much just a smaller version of the APX500III. It is equipped with an  ART-based preamp, system 68 contact pickup, and an onboard tuner,  which give you a full-bodied acoustic tone when you plug it in. And you can also tune the guitar without having to plug it in any extra gear, which is convenient and great for travel.

One downside to the Yamaha guitar is that  its orientation is right-handed  and there are no other options. So, it is definitely not going to be a good fit for all of you.

An upside is that you get a gig bag with the Yamaha, so you can really carry it anywhere. And it  weighs just a little over 5 lbs , which is pretty good for a versatile guitar. It is not the lightest option you have, but it is great for a guitar that is capable of so much.

Meaning that the APXT2 is not just a good option for travel, but also for kids learning to play, as well as petite adults that find regular guitars too big.

• Acoustic and electric
• Built-in tuner
• Excellent build quality
• Neck edges are pretty sharp
• Right handed
• Dimensions: 33.1” x 2.9” x 11.8”
• Weight: 5.29 lbs

Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Solid-Body Electric Guitar

This is the  smallest full-scale electric guitar  you can get your hands on, and it is perfect if you’re looking for something ultra-portable. And at  only 3.1 lbs,  this is also the lightest electric travel guitar out of the bunch. It also comes with a  detachable lap rest , for easy transport.

Obviously, this travel guitar doesn’t have a proper headstock. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t tune it – in fact,  the tuning system is included in its body, and it features a dual-rail humbucker pickup .

The chrome tuning machines feature a 14:1 ratio, for extremely precise tuning. This means that you can have almost the same playing experience on this guitar, as you have on a full-bodied electric guitar that weighs a lot more.

One great thing about this guitar is that you have options –  you can choose from four colors, three wood types, and also your hand orientation . And that means that it is going to be very easy for you to pick out a guitar that is perfectly suitable for you.

It  comes with a lightweight gig bag  that easily fits into overhead compartments in airplanes. Meaning that this guitar is just perfect for transport. You can carry it wherever you want, and you can fit some extra gear in the  front pocket of the gig bag. 

Other things worth noting are that this guitar features a  standard 1/4” output  and that it features a one-piece neck-through-body design.

• Remarkably lightweight and portable
• In-body tuning system
• Removable lap rest
• Lacks balance
• No volume control
• Dimensions: 31.2” x 5.25” x 2”
• Weight: 3.1 lbs

Leo Jaymz 24.75" Single Cut Curved Top Electric Guitar

The Leo Jaymz guitar features some rather  stunning and unique decals on the body . I know that alone is not reason enough to buy it, but it sure is nice to see something other than a solid color body. It is an excellent option if you want  something unique that plays extraordinarily well . It features a  mahogany body with a smooth rosewood fingerboard and a maple neck.

This travel guitar comes with 6 (stainless steel) Jaymz strings that are excellent quality and overall, it is a very compact and lightweight guitar. And  you also get an extra set for spare parts,  which is rather generous from the brand.

It features  original Grover machines that help with stable tuning , as well as  two volume and two tone switches . This electric guitar also comes with  a soft gig bag that has a front pocket for your additional gear.

While I really love the general design and quality of the Leo Jaymz guitar, I am not impressed with its portability. Compared with the other travel electric guitars in this review, this is one of the least portable ones, because of both its size and weight.

However,  if you want something that plays and feels just like a proper electric guitar, but that ultimately is more portable than one, then I think this is the right choice for you.

• Beautiful decals on body
• High build quality
• Some shipping issues
• Not the most portable option
• Dimensions: 34.48” x 16.12” x 3.2”
• Weight: 12.5 lbs (shipping weight!)

Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light 6 String Acoustic-Electric Guitar

I know this looks a lot like the previous Traveler Guitar I showed you, but there’s one huge difference – this one is  both acoustic and electric.  It has an  in-body tuning system  just like the other Traveler Guitar, and it comes with  a detachable lap rest.  But this one is lighter, more portable, and more versatile, making it one of my top choices.

And you get to choose which type of wood you want in your guitar, just like , you can choose whether you want right or left-hand orientation. 

It doesn’t have a headstock, so it is going to take some time to get used to this travel guitar. But once you do, I’m confident you will love it and carry it anywhere – you will get the full-scale playing experience but in a much smaller package.

Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light features an under-saddle Piezo pickup , for amazing acoustic sound. And the  standard 1/4” output  allows you to plug this in the regular or headphone amp you already have.

Bear in mind that even though this guitar is going to sound amazing, it is going to be  rather quiet in acoustic mode.  Which is great for practice, but not that useful for showing off. You are compromising on that, but in return, you are getting an instrument so portable you will want to take it wherever you go. And I think that is still a really good deal.

• Detachable lap rest
• Versatile guitar
• Extraordinarily lightweight and portable
• Very quiet in acoustic mode
• Takes some getting used to
• Dimensions: 28” x 2” x 5.2”
• Weight: 2.9 lbs

What To Look For

Acoustic or electric.

The main thing you should know is whether you’re looking for a travel acoustic guitar or an electric guitar. Obviously, you should get the one that you prefer playing.

The review is divided into two sections – the first section features the 5 best travel acoustic guitars, and the second section shows the 5 best electric travel guitars. So, there’s something for you regardless of what you’re looking for.

And if you’re looking for both, you might not need to buy two guitars – there are some acoustic-electric guitars, and you will find them in the second half of the review.

What Kind Of Portable Do You Need?

There are loads of ways in which a guitar can be portable. Some of them are  nearly full-sized but insanely lightweight . And there are guitars that aren’t too lightweight, but that has a really tiny body with a very small soundhole. This usually means that the sound is not nearly as good as it is on your normal guitar.

There is also a guitar that has a collapsible neck  – this is a feature patented by  Journey Instruments , and it is one of the best guitars in this entire review. You can remove the neck from the body of the guitar and easily pack it in a backpack, for ultimate portability. However, this feature is unique to this guitar, which happens to be very expensive.

Some guitars also have a pretty short neck, which also means fewer frets and weaker sound . But those are also  very portable , and a great option for air travel since they are usually treated as carry-ons.

In general, you should figure out which kind of portable suits your needs best. And  which aspect of the guitar you are not willing to compromise on . I’ve shown you enough variety, and I’m pretty sure that at least one of the guitars you’ve seen in this review is what you are looking for.

Hand Orientation

The ideal guitar for you depends on which hand you play with.  Most of the guitars that I’ve shown above are either ambidextrous or feature a choice of hand orientation.  However,  some of them are only for right-handed people, and you can see that info in the “cons” boxes below each product.

If you don’t see anything about hand orientation in the pro/con boxes, you can assume that the guitar is available in both options.

Price Range

Travel guitars are usually more expensive than regular guitars.  They are designed specifically to be lightweight and portable, and that’s going to cost you.  The usual price range of these guitars is between $150-300,  but you will find some that are much more expensive than that.

Whenever a guitar is pricier than the expected price range, it will be listed in the cons boxes. I haven’t really found any really cheap guitars – I don’t consider those to be the top guitars for travel that are available.

Our Favorite Choices For Travel Guitar

Not sure which of these travel guitars is the right option for you? That’s okay – go for one of our top choices and you will not be disappointed!

The best travel acoustic guitar is undoubtedly the one by Journey Instruments .  It is an amazing guitar that is perfect for pros, and it actually  sounds better than some full-sized guitars.  It also has a unique feature patented by Journey Instruments – a collapsible neck.  You can assemble and disassemble this guitar in just a few seconds, which is perfect for playing on the go.

• FINALLY A FULL SIZE GUITAR THAT'S EASY TO TAKE WITH YOU - Our mini travel folding bass guitar with patented collapsible neck system allows you to quickly assemble and disassemble it in around 20 seconds, so you can carry it with you at all times.
• STURDY CARBON FIBER FOR PIECE OF MIND - This collapsible acoustic bass guitar has quality pre-impregnated carbon fiber fabrics on all core components making it stable and durable, so you can enjoy transfer of energy and significantly longer sustain. Whether you are performing for yourself, small crowd or a huge gig, your Journey Instruments Guitar is ready to deliver an epic performance.

My favorite electric guitar for travel is the Travelcaster Deluxe ,  which comes with a soft gig case. It is a full-scale guitar that not only sounds amazing   but also looks pretty cool . It features three single-coil pickups, two tone controls, and one volume control, which is everything you need to sound amazing. Well, in addition to your talent – but that’s a given.

• Full 25 1/2" Scale Guitar
• 5 lbs. 3 oz. And 33 3/4" long

The most versatile guitar for travel would have to be the Traveler Guitar Acoustic/Electric option .  It is remarkably lightweight, it has an in-body tuning system and it sounds really good no matter how you play it thanks to the Piezo pickup. Sure, it’s not going to be as loud as regular acoustic guitars, but all you need to do to get volume is plug it in. And you get the standard 1/4” output for that.

• BUILT FOR TRAVEL: The Ultra-Light is a portable and travel-friendly version of your favorite at-home guitar that you can take anywhere and everywhere you go. Weighing 2 lbs 14 oz and measuring 28”, this will be your steadfast road companion.
• PERFORMANCE WITHOUT COMPROMISE: Our proprietary In-Body Tuning System eliminates the need for a headstock by relocating standard tuning machines into the body. Even though it’s small, it’s still crafted with a full 24 3/4" scale experience with 22 frets.

Head over to Amazon to see the prices of all of the best travel guitars featured in this review.

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• Acoustic Guitars

The 10 Best Travel Guitars for 2024 [Backpacker’s Guide]

Our Pick: The Martin Steel String Backpacker Travel Guitar perfectly sums up all the qualities a traveler’s acoustic guitar should have. It offers great portability and its size is just perfect for any travelers who are always on the go. Though it may lack some volume, the guitar’s playability with its low action perfectly compensates it. And oh, about the price? It is one of the main reasons why travelers prefer this over other travel guitars out there.

You need a smaller and more portable guitar not because you are small, but because you find the benefits of owning one.

The best travel guitars aren’t the smallest, they are the ones that have a balance between smaller profile and tonality. In this article, I’m going to reveal to you my top 10 favorite travel guitars.

It’s not that I travel with different guitars , it’s just that I find the need to make this list and to give you more choices. I don’t want to force you to like what I like, so I will give you the freedom to choose what’s best for you .

Of course, I’ll also provide a simple guide on the factors to consider before buying your next travel guitar .

Here are the Best Travel Guitars in 2024

Martin steel-string backpacker, traveler guitar ultra-light, yamaha apxt2, fender ct-60s, martin lxk2 little martin, taylor gs mini mahogany, composite acoustics cargo carbon fiber acoustic guitar, stewart electric travel guitar, shredneck travel guitar, washburn ro10tb rover.

Designed to take on the rigors of camping, hiking, and other outdoor activities, the Martin Steel-String Backpacker will surely be your new travel companion. It’s a 24-inch guitar made of solid spruce top and solid mahogany for the neck, back, and sides. It has a unique contour neck shape that will help you access the upper frets without a problem.

This small and lightweight guitar offers a big projection. It comes with enclosed chrome tuners which are reliable to keep the guitar in tune even when frequently used. Stock strings are of good quality and sound great.

• Sounds phenomenal, which is perfect for fingerpicking
• Though it loses some volume, it still has great projection
• Action is perfect and low, no need for any adjustment
• Still awkward to play even with a strap
• The neck is heavier than the body, so more weight on your left hand
• High E-string is almost close to the edge of the guitar

Probably the smallest and the lightest electric travel guitar on the market, yet, Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light is still a full-scale guitar. It has a 24.75-inch scale length made of Eastern American Hard Maple neck-through-body. Though it’s small, it’s no less than a regular electric guitar because it’s equipped with a high-output dual-rail humbucker.

The detachable lap rest is a good add-on to this guitar. Although you’re playing a very tiny electric guitar, with the lap rest you can play it like a normal guitar and detach it when not in use. This guitar has an overall length of 28-inch weighing only over three pounds — not a noticeable add-on weight to your luggage.

• No setup required, the action is spot on
• The sound output is amazing, though it doesn’t have volume and tone controls
• Compact guitar, but with a standard scale length
• Might still be lacking when playing seated even with the lap rest
• Doesn’t hold the tune too well

If you have played the famous Yamaha APX500III , then your choice for the best travel guitar will surely be the Yamaha APXT2 . The latter is just a ¾ version of the former, featuring an ART-based pickup system and Yamaha’s very own proprietary tuner. Hence, you’ll enjoy great sensitivity and accurate tuning, respectively.

This acoustic-electric guitar is made of spruce top, Meranti back and sides, and rosewood fretboard. As a Yamaha product, you are assured that it’s well-built. So, this compact guitar will surely be a good companion on the road and wherever you go.

• Yamaha’s pickups are just great to deliver the best results
• More modern cutaway design for easier access to upper frets
• Definitely low action for great playability
• Tuning machines are of poor quality
• Fret edges aren’t rounded and tend to be sharp
• Since the action is very low, there’s fret buzz on the low E string

Isn’t it amazing to have a guitar with you every time you are summoned by Apollo to make music? With the Fender CT-60S , you’ll be able to bring an acoustic guitar anytime, anywhere. It’s a scaled-down travel guitar with Auditorium shape and 23.5-inch scale length.

It’s made of solid spruce top, mahogany back and sides, and a rosewood fretboard. The easy-to-play neck profile and the rolled fretboard edges are the two major features I like about it. Weighing at only 11 pounds, it’s easy to carry around during your travels. Since it’s designed with X-bracing, you know you get the sound you love from Fender.

• Quality is remarkable for the affordable price tag
• Notes are rich, full and balanced
• Very easy to play with good intonation
• Slight adjustment of the truss rod is necessary
• Action is a bit high out of the box

Martin has a lot of travel guitars, and they are all good. However, I’ll just mention the second Martin that has captured a lot of guitarists all over the world, the Martin LXK2 Little Martin . This is a modified 0-14 guitar with a 23-inch scale length and Natural Stratabond modified low-oval neck.

Made with the same craftsmanship of high-end Martin, this one comes with Koa-grained HPL (high-pressure laminate) top, back, sides, and headstock. It has a rosewood fretboard and Natural colored Stratabond, which make it very easy to play. This is a perfect practice companion, and travel buddy, as well.

• Tone is balanced and more focused on mid-range
• Fretboard is flawless and no sharp fret edges
• Made with excellent material, slow to wear and tear
• Good for fingerstyle, but not so much with strumming
• Action is quite high out of the box

The best travel guitar list won’t be complete without the Taylor GS Mini Mahogany on it. It’s a Grand Symphony made of solid mahogany top, layered Sapele back and sides and Sapele neck. It’s a scaled-down guitar with only 23.5-inch scale length and has 20 frets distributed on its Genuine African Ebony fretboard.

Something is interesting in the GS Mini that made everyone fell in love, not just beginners. When you play the GS Mini, it’ll reveal an impressive powerful tone, like a full-size guitar. Hence, the combination of portability, playability, and musicality makes this guitar too hard to forget.

• Well-built and the Mahogany gives a beautiful appearance
• The rich and smooth tone for such small guitar
• Action is great and you can easily play barre chords
• The thin neck might be very vulnerable to breakage
• Due to the small scale, the first three frets are kind of tight

In need of a sturdy and durable travel guitar? You won’t surely be disappointed with the Composite Acoustics Cargo Carbon Fiber Acoustic Guitar . It’s not made of wood, but of carbon fiber , so it’s really very expensive — the priciest on the list. But, before moving into the next product, learn about this guitar first.

It boasts a 000 body shape with a single-cutaway. Probably the shortest in this list in terms of scale length as it only has 22.75-inch with 21 total number of frets on its reinforced polymer fretboard. Though its small, full-size sound and great projection are guaranteed.

• Highly resistant to climate changes and natural wear and tear
• Impressive durability with a very smooth fretboard
• Tone is good with great sustain
• If you need a loud tone, this isn’t the one for you
• Very expensive, especially for beginners

How about a full-scale guitar, but with a removable neck? If you think it’s interesting, try to take a look at the Stewart Electric Travel Guitar . It’s made of a solid Alderwood body with a 25.5-inch scale length and 22 medium frets.

The headless tuning system allows Stewart to make this guitar compact and even collapsible to meet airline policy in overhead storage restrictions. Since it’s an electric guitar, it has three single-coil pickups with the position switch, volume, and two-tone controls.

• Plays well and sounds amazing
• Easy to assemble and reassemble
• Stays in tune very well, with a smooth and fast neck
• Not all are interested in the stowaway design
• Still pricey for a travel guitar

Now, we’re down to the last guitar in this list, but the Shredneck Travel Guitar is in no way the least. It’s a ¾ scale guitar made of Nato body with Cherry burst finish over Flamed maple photo top. It has a 23.25-inch scale length with a 22-fret rosewood fretboard.

Since it’s an electric guitar, it’s equipped with two humbuckers, Master volume and tone controls, and a three-way toggle switch. Now you can play anytime with this great-sounding, stunning travel guitar.

• Has the great sound quality
• Performance is on par with regular electric guitars
• The finish is beautiful and stage-ready
• There are fret buzzes and needs truss rod adjustments

Planning to get a travel guitar that best fits the airline overhead storage? Washburn RO10TB rover is the one you need. It’s a full-scale guitar with a 24-inch scale length and has a lot of finish options. It’s made of solid spruce top, Mahogany back and sides, and rosewood fretboard.

The RO10TB features quality geared tuners for quick tuning to easily achieve sounds pleasing to the ears. This travel guitar is perfect for fingerstyle and flat-picking. With a deluxe gig bag and compact size of the guitar, it’s easy and safe to transport.

• Tiny body, but has great sound
• Narrower neck, so barre chords and bends are effortless
• Has excellent fit and color finish
• You’ll definitely need a guitar strap when playing
• Has a very high bridge out of the box

What to Consider When Buying a Travel Guitar

Of course, a travel guitar should be smaller than your regular guitar. Unless you are bringing your regular full-scale guitar when you travel, that could be your travel guitar. But, for most musicians and those who are passionate about guitars, travel guitars are handy, and portable yet has a great voice.

You already know the 10 best travel guitars on the market, but maybe you’ll ask how did I come up with the list? Very simple. I have a few considerations before jumping into the market and scavenging on what’s available. Here they are as follows:

This should be the first thing you have to consider. You know that if you are traveling, you aren’t in full control of the situation. You might bump your guitar or it’ll suddenly fall because you have a lot of baggage.

Make sure that your guitar can resist bumps and knocks. Check the wood used and the finish. Also, check the neck — very important. What’s the use of a durable body when the neck is weak?

Acoustic Guitar vs Electric Guitar

There are lots of travel acoustic guitars that are down-sized for that specific purpose. Moreover, you can also see electric guitar beginning to emerge either a scaled-down or full-sized with a detachable neck.

If you want an acoustic guitar, no problem with that. You can see a lot of small-bodied acoustics out there ready to make music anytime and anywhere. However, if you are an electric guitarist, you will always crave something an acoustic guitar can’t give you.

You can also have an electric guitar, but the first thing that you should secure after the guitar is a portable amp. An electric guitar is not as good as an acoustic guitar in the wilderness without an amp. The advantage of electric guitars is you can play it silently, using your headphones, so you won’t disturb others.

For more in-depth guides, check out our  best acoustic travel guitar  and best electric travel guitar for more info.

Full-Sized fretboard vs Scaled-Down Guitar

This depends on your preferences and how frequently you travel. If you want a guitar that feels like your regular guitar, have a guitar with the full-sized fretboard. However, if you often travel and don’t want to feel that extra weight in your luggage, get a scaled-down guitar, like the 3/4s.

One thing to remember, though, guitars with reduced fretboard have a different feel than your regular guitar. Not all guitarists are at home to this fretboard, some just hate it.

Don’t just pick it because it’s small and a good travel guitar. Make sure that you will be happy with the guitar that you choose. After all, what’s the use of the guitar when the neck is just awkward to play?

Small-Bodied vs Removable Neck

From the list, there are a lot of small body guitars , but there’s only one with a removable neck. Now, ask yourself whether you need to bring a full-scale guitar or a small travel guitar will do?

Having a small-bodied guitar won’t give you the kind of volume you need, but they are lightweight and very easy to carry. On the other hand, with the guitars with a removable neck, you can bring your regular guitar anywhere. The fear of having to detune and retune the guitar has now finally been given a solution.

If you aren’t ready to welcome a travel guitar in your life, it’s okay. Here’s a video that will help you make sense of the different guitars on the market and their sizes . Additionally, you can also explore more types of guitars – classical , acoustic, and electric.

The search is finally over and my ultimate choice for the best travel guitar is the Martin Steel-String Backpacker . It’s a scaled-down guitar with 23.5-inch scale length and 20 frets. It’s made of a solid spruce top with mahogany back and sides — a common tonewood combo of affordable guitars .

It’s unbelievably affordable for a Martin that offers rich, full, and balanced tone coming from a small-bodied guitar . The craftsmanship is excellent and the playability is unmatched. So, there is nothing that can beat this Fender as the best.

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• Fender T-Bucket 300CE Review (2024)- Balanced Guitar With Laminated Perfection
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The Best Travel Guitars – Electric & Acoustic (2024)

Table of Contents / + show /

Sigma 10mini, gretsch g9500 jim dandy, taylor baby mahogany bt2, martin steel string backpacker, yamaha slg200s silent guitar.

• Journey Instruments OF660M

Eart GW2 Headless

Traveler ultra-light electric.

• Size & Weight
• Playability (Scale Length & Nut Width)

Playing Comfort

Built-in electronics.

• Methodology – How We Chose Which Guitars To Recommend
• About the Author & Contributors

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. • • • • •

Travel guitars are compact instruments that prioritize portability, making them convenient to carry around as you move from place to place.

To shed some of the bulk and weight, most manufacturers utilize smaller and lighter components, while others go for novel streamlined designs that include having parts that collapse or fold.

Here we feature the best travel guitars, divided into mini-acoustic, collapsible, and headless electric guitar models, based on the most recent reviews and ratings data. Each of the featured travel guitars come with detailed descriptions along with important travel-friendly specifications. More importantly, we provide the pros and cons of each one, based on our analysis of actual market responses.

The Best Travel Guitars

*Notes: Gearank = Rating score out of 100. SRC = Sources, number of gear owner and user opinions analyzed to produce a product's Gearank Rating. Further details: How Gearank Works .

Author & Contributors

I have been writing about and researching music gear for many years, all while serving as a music director at my local church. I engage in guitar playing and singer-songwriter stints, in addition to mentoring young musicians and teaching guitar and bass.

The Best Acoustic Travel Guitars

• Body Profile: FG JR1
• Top: Spruce
• Back & Sides: Meranti
• Fretboard: Rosewood
• Scale Length: 21.25"
• Nut Width: 1.6875"
• Electronics: None
• Body Length: 15.3125"
• Weight: Not Specified

Most users agree that the Yamaha JR1 is a guitar that is easy to play. Most declare it as a great fit for young students of the instrument, while others even recommend it for older players who just want a compact and comfortable beater guitar. Thanks to its combination of good quality and playability, users are generally pleased with what they got for the money.

Some comment that it sounds thinner than a regular sized dreadnought, but this is to be expected given its miniature size. There are also a few who aren't too happy with the included gig bag.

With Yamaha's reputation for student friendly guitars, the Yamaha JR1 is a great travel guitar option that can double as a reliable student guitar.

Get Price & Reviews @ Amazon

The Sigma 10Mini is a compact and affordable acoustic guitar with solid spruce top, a feature that you won't normally see in its price range.

The guitar's solid top is supported by laminate sapele back and sides, forming a shape that's similar to vintage concert style acoustic guitars, albeit smaller.

The neck is crafted from nato, and topped by a 23.5" scale rosewood fingerboard.

Completing its vintage appeal is its sunburst gloss finish and square headstock shape.

Specifications:

• Body Profile: Mini Concert
• Top: Solid Spruce
• Back & Sides: Sapele
• Fretboard: 12.6" Radius Rosewood
• Scale Length: 23.5"
• Nut Width: 1.685"
• Body Length: 17.5"

Given that it comes with a solid spruce top, many comment that this guitar is a great buy. For something affordable, it is able to surpass build quality expectations, with users reporting being stunned at the feel and action of the neck. Most users are also pleased at its tone, which is described as balanced with a nice ring.

Some experienced musicians noticed minor imperfections in some parts of the guitar. Some less experienced reviewers report that it lacks low end, but this is due to its smaller body size.

It's hard to top the value that you can get from this compact vintage style travel acoustic guitar.

Get Price & Reviews @ Sweetwater

With its compact parlor style profile, the G9500 is lighter and takes up less space, which in turn makes it easier to carry around.

But it's not just about being travel friendly, because the G9500 is well received for its distinct midrange-focused tone, which works nicely with many musical styles, especially old school blues.

This acoustic is a modern reproduction of '30s era Gretsch Rex guitars, having the same look, vibe and tone - without the extra cost and fragility often associated with older instruments - thanks to modern manufacturing technology and the use of renewable materials.

• Body Profile: Parlor
• Top: Agathis
• Back & Sides: Agathis
• Fretboard: 12" Radius Rosewood
• Scale Length: 24"
• Body Length: 18"
• Weight: 2.2 lbs

Feedback on the Gretsch G9500's portability is generally positive, but more importantly, users are impressed by how good it sounds given its small size. Its distinct gritty tone and old school appearance get a lot of praise, while others note that the G9500's build quality exceeded their expectations. Being easy to play is another reason why many rate this instrument highly.

Speaking of build quality, there are a few reports of cosmetic flaws. Those who are looking for fuller sounding acoustic tones may not find its mid-emphasized voicing to their liking.

The Grestch G9500 is a compact acoustic guitar that harkens back to the parlor guitar style, highly recommended for both its portability and its distinct tone.

Known for their premium regular size acoustic guitars, Taylor is now doing just as well in the travel and entry level market, thanks to the likes of BT2.

This guitar is essentially a smaller version of the popular dreadnought shape, albeit with Taylor's brand of build and sound quality.

While it was initially designed to be a starter guitar for kids, it made its way into the hands of professionals who appreciate its balance of portability and quality.

This guitar features a solid mahogany top, and layered sapele for the back and sides, a potent combination that complements the midrange'y tone expected of small body acoustics.

• Body Profile: Dreadnought Baby
• Top: Solid Mahogany
• Back & Sides: Layered Sapele
• Neck: Sapele
• Fretboard: African Ebony
• Scale Length: 22.75"
• Nut Width: 1 11/16"
• Bundled with Gigbag: Yes
• Body Length: 15.75"
• Weight: 8.1 lbs

Sound quality and playability are the top two reasons cited by reviewers for why they love the Taylor BT2. A lot of users appreciate its warm tone, which works well with various musical styles, from folk fingerstyle to strumming. Others are equally pleased with its overall build quality. For the price, many also consider the inclusion of a solid mahogany top in conjunction with the Taylor brand to be a great deal.

There are a few who gave the Taylor BT2 lower scores because of the included gig bag, which some describe as sub-par. Some users also caution that those who are looking for a full sounding acoustic guitar will probably not like the distinctly warm tone of the Taylor BT2.

All in all, the Taylor BT2 is a travel guitar that you won't be ashamed of carrying around.

Popular Option

With its odd compact body shape, the Backpacker easily stands out from among the many traditional style acoustic guitars of C.F. Martin & Co.

The odd shaped body is stripped of much of its depth and width, having a long triangular shape - resulting in a lighter and smaller acoustic.

And while it looks different from the usual Martin guitar, it does retain Martin's penchant for build quality and even sports a solid spruce top.

More importantly the Backpacker is quite affordable for a Martin branded instrument.

• Body Profile: Backpacker
• Top: Solid Sitka Spruce
• Sides: Tonewood
• Neck: Tonewood
• Fretboard: Not Specified
• Total Length: 33"
• Weight: 2.125 lbs

Many are happy with the Backpacker because it allows them to own a good quality Martin guitar without having to shell out the usual dough. Being portable is another important factor why it continues to be popular. Reviews indicate that it does live up to its brand in terms of build quality and aesthetics, some even turn it into a display peace when not in use.

Understandably, the odd shaped body may not click with fans of Martin's vintage style designs, but it is much appreciated by travelers. Some caution that the body design makes it awkward to play without a strap. Sound projection is limited, as expected from its compact body design.

It's hard to go wrong with a Martin acoustic, well worth checking out if you're not too keen on traditional body shapes.

Collapsible Acoustic Travel Guitars

Here is a couple of acoustic travel guitars that fold up nice and conveniently.

The Silent Guitar from Yamaha is a steel-string acoustic guitar with a detachable body frame.

It doesn't have an actual body to project acoustic sound from, but it has frames in the shape of an acoustic body for supporting your arms. This way it can be as portable as possible while still providing familiar acoustic playability.

Note that its acoustic volume is very low, so it works best when plugged into an amplifier, via its built-in SRT pickup and preamp system. Speaking of preamp, it lets you blend in the sound of "miked" acoustic to the basic piezo sound.

It also comes with reverb and chorus effects built into the unit.

Wrapping up its features include a headphone jack for silent practice, an aux input for jamming along with your favorite tracks, and it has a built-in tuner.

• Body Profile: Silent Guitar
• Body: Mahogany (1-Piece Body & Neck)
• Collapsible Frame: Maple & Rosewood
• Neck: Mahogany
• Fretboard: 15.75" Radius Rosewood
• Scale Length: 25"
• Electronics: SRT Pickup & Preamp
• Body Length: Not Specified
• Weight: 4.375 lbs

The SLG200S is described as a fun all-in-one travel guitar that's good enough to be both your practice and stage instrument. Having been made by Yamaha, build quality is reported to be exemplary, which results in it being easy to play. Owners are pleased at how easy it is to assemble and disassemble, and many are impressed at how beautifully done the wooden frames are.

Since it doesn't have an actual body, it is not meant to be played unplugged. To make the most out of this guitar, many recommend using it with headphones .

The Yamaha SLG200S is a feature rich travel guitar that takes the acoustic guitar concept beyond what you'd normally expect.

Journey OF660M Carbon Fiber

As the label implies, the Journey OF660M Carbon Fiber does away with traditional wood to turn it into a super reliable travel guitar.

As special as that may be, the carbon fiber body of this guitar takes a second seat to what really makes this guitar special: which is its removable neck system. While removable necks are nothing new, the Journey OF660M has pulled it off in a way that detaching and attaching the neck is convenient and very easy - without straying too far from the familiar acoustic guitar shape.

It even comes with a matching gig-bag so you can safely store the neck and body separately, while keeping the strings in a position where it doesn't break or scratch the guitar.

• Body Profile: 00 Travel
• Top: Unidirectional Carbon Fiber
• Sides: Fiberglass Reinforced Carbon Fiber
• Neck: Carbon Fiber
• Fretboard: Carbon Fiber
• Scale Length: 24.5"
• Nut Width: 1.75"
• Electronics: Passive Piezo Pickup
• Battery: None
• Total Length: 35.5"
• Weight: 4.1 lbs

More and more guitarists are becoming fans of the OF660M, and it's not surprising because of its incredible reliability and portability. It has been reportedly put to work in places that would mess up wooden guitars, including beaches, boats, mountain trails and many more. It also impresses guitarists for its sound, which many describe as surprisingly full sounding.

Those who prefer wood over carbon fiber will not find this guitar appealing. There are also some comments about the guitar's lack of acoustic projection, but this is to be expected, given its use of special materials.

If you're willing to make the investment and go beyond conventional acoustic guitar builds, then the Journey OF660M will make a great traveling companion.

The Best Electric Travel Guitars

To get rid of the extra bulk and width of electric guitars, some manufacturers have opted for more streamlined headless designs. Case in point is the Eart GW2, which allows for standard 25.5" scale length playability, while having a travel-friendly small profile.

The guitar's body is crafted from roasted Padauk, a reddish brown wood that's similar to rosewood in terms of durability and looks.

To cater to modern guitarists, the headless neck follows a compound radius profile. And to better handle heavy gauge strings and lower tunings, the neck is reinforced by utilizing 5-pc maple/padauk material.

Giving this guitar its voice are two covered humbuckers, designed to cater to modern cleans and high-gain style playing.

Other features include having a rosewood fingerboard with zero fret, and a fixed hardtail bridge.

Finally, the Eart GW2 Headless comes with a relatively affordable price tag given its unique design.

• Body Profile: Headless
• Body: Roasted Padauk
• Neck: 5-Piece Roasted Maple/Padauk
• Fretboard: Compound Radius Indian Rosewood
• Scale Length: 25.5"
• Nut Width: 1.6417"
• Electronics: Dual Humbuckers

For an affordable guitar, the Eart GW2 headless is able to meet the playability expectations of modern guitarists. This is reflected in reviews that commend its neck for its fast and comfortable feel. Being friendly to high-gain tones is another big reason why most users rate this highly. And while it plays much like a standard size guitar, users love that it is smaller and easier to carry around.

There are some who feel that the guitar shape and weight/balance takes a bit of getting used to. There are also a few reports of bad parts, along with setup related or quality control issues.

The Eart GW2 is an affordable travel guitar meant for those who are into modern guitar styles. It is also a good entry way into the world headless guitar designs.

Weighing in at just 3.125 lbs and with a total length of just 28", the Traveler Ultra-Light Electric is a light and compact electric guitar that retains full-scale length playability.

It features a 24.75" scale length, similar to many Les Paul style guitars, and a standard nut width of 1.75".

It utilizes the company's distinct tuning system where in the tuners are located in middle of the body, removing the need for a headstock.

It also features a detachable frame that allows you to sit the guitar comfortably on your legs.

Finally, it features a dual rail humbucker that can handle both clean and overdriven tones much like a regular electric guitar.

• Body Profile: Traveler Ultra-Light
• Body Tonewood: Maple
• Neck: Maple Thru-Neck
• Fretboard: Rosewood 22-Frets 12" Radius
• Scale Length: 24.75"
• Pickups: 1 x Dual-Rail Humbucker
• Bridge: Adjustable Tune-o-Matic
• Total Length: 28"
• Weight: 3.125 lbs

The Traveler Ultra-Light Electric guitar appeals to guitarists who are looking for a portable practice axe with similar playing feel as their Les Paul style instrument. Most reviewers commend it for its incredibly light and portable design.

Ironically, there are some who are on the opposite side of the fence, complaining about the body being too light, which makes playing a bit awkward, especially when digging the strings hard in rock, metal and similar music styles. The lack of volume and tone controls also raised a few eyebrows.

Still, if portability is your top concern, the Traveler Ultra-Light Electric should be high up on your list.

Things to Consider When Buying a Travel Guitar

Size & weight, playability (scale length & nut width), best travel guitar selection methodology.

The first edition was published in 2017.

We first made a short list of the most popular and top rated travel guitars, focusing on those that can be readily bought from major US retailers. For this edition, we ended up with a shortlist of 33 guitars, which entailed the gathering of over 8000 relevant reviews, ratings and discussions, including those written recently. All these data were then fed into the Gearank Algorithm, which resulted in rating scores our of 100 that we used to finalize each list above. For more information about our methods see How Gearank Works .

About the Author and Contributors

Here are the key people and sources involved in this guide's production - click on linked names for information about their music industry backgrounds.

Lead Author & Researcher

Drawing from his experience in performing and recording, he teaches guitar and bass and mentors young artists to be better musicians. And when he is not busy playing or tinkering with musical gear, he puts on his entrepreneurial hat, which helps fund his passion for collecting guitars, mecha figures and Gunpla kits.

Contributors

Jason Horton : Editing and Illustrating.

Main/Top Image : Created by Gearank.com using a public domain photograph.

The individual product images were sourced from websites, promotional materials or supporting documentation provided by their respective manufacturers.

More Guitar Guides

6 thoughts on “The Best Travel Guitars – Electric & Acoustic (2024)”

Publication of our November 2021 Edition resulted in the following guitars coming off the recommended list above:

• Cordoba Mini M
• Martin LX1E
• Steinberger Spirit GT-Pro Deluxe

Snapdragon guitars are made in the UK, which makes them worth a mention in itself. And they fold. And they’re not the most expensive.

Would think you should add the Stewart Travel Guitar Line.

See the Stow-Away

See the following:

Recent Stewart Review

[Review removed – it was a positive review copied from another website but we don’t have the rights to publish it on http://www.gearank.com – Editor: Jason Horton ]

Snapdragon guitars are amazing and very good value too. Converted some of my mates too.

For those interested in the OF660, but not fans of carbon, Journey has collapsible wood models in steelstring and nylon for around $600 with case and pickup.

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The Best Travel Guitars: Top 5 Picks

Today we’ll be talking through some of our favorite travel electric guitars.

We’ll take a closer look at five of the best models out there, outline the pros and cons of each before giving you an idea of who we think each model best suits. Some of the most common FAQs will also be tackled so read on and you’ll be well equipped to choose your next travel-sized guitar.

For the most dedicated of players, having a trusty guitar with you at all times means you can play to your heart’s content whenever inspiration strikes. Maybe you’re sitting on a beach somewhere or watching the sunset from the top of a mountain when the perfect riff or set of chords pop into your head.

Well, fear not, getting yourself a travel guitar could be the perfect solution!

The travel guitar market is filled with plenty of options to suit all needs and styles of play. From miniature electric guitars right through to shrunken acoustic options and everything in between, there’s sure to be the right option for you.

These bespoke instruments are designed purely with portability in mind, with some incredibly clever designs that allow them to be ultra-compact and lightweight whilst also sounding as good as their larger counterparts.

Before we dive in and take an in-depth look into our five favorite travel guitars, let’s take a look at an overview of what you can expect from each one.

5 of the Best Travel Guitars

What exactly is a travel guitar.

A travel guitar is exactly that, a guitar that is designed to travel easily with. They achieve the desired levels of portability and mobility through a few clever design tricks. Firstly, the overall body is built to a much lighter spec. This usually involves reducing the overall size and using much lighter materials during construction.

Secondly, travel guitars often include a number of clever space-saving solutions, such as inventive tuning methods and well-thought-out storage options. Lastly, travel guitars are designed to be sturdy.

The overall build is much less delicate than your standard instrument as they are designed to be carried around a lot, thrown into the back of vehicles, and manhandled to a much greater extent.

Whilst portability, mobility, and reliability are the name of the game, there are other elements that cannot be overlooked. Who would buy any guitar if it didn’t sound good? That’s right, the key to the success of any travel guitar is to not only nail the travel elements but to nail the tone and overall sound too.

What Makes Travel Guitars so Different?

Due to the manufacturer’s quest for portability, travel guitars can often appear dramatically different from their more traditional counterparts. It is not uncommon to see electric guitars with little or nobody at all and some models even skip the headstock altogether.

Despite the often considerable difference in appearances, there are certain elements that all guitars, whether travel-sized or not, simply must-have. Tuning pegs and a bridge, for example, must be present in all models.

This means that the overall playing experience can differ from what you are familiar with and may take some getting used to. It is imperative that you select a model that will suit your style!

What are the Key Features of a Travel Guitar?

When it comes to the design of these specialist guitars, there are often two ways that the manufacturers go about it. The first is to essentially take a full-sized traditional guitar and shrink it down until it is deemed portable enough.

This approach works well as it allows the guitars to retain an element of familiarity and is often a popular choice for younger players or those who are slightly less experienced musicians.

The second is totally redesign the instrument from the ground up. Doing this often leads to elements of the guitar being totally repositioned and can alter the playing experience significantly.

Don’t be put off though, the company making these types of travel guitars have put millions of dollars into their research and development and often come up with innovative designs that are both portable and, crucially, playable.

Who Uses Travel Guitars?

At their core travel guitars are designed for musicians who want to take their instrument with them wherever they are in the world. They may just be heading off on vacation or planning a 6 month round the world trip but wherever they go, their guitar needs to go with them.

Alternatively, travel guitars have proved to be a popular choice with children who are not yet big enough to play a full-sized instrument. In fact, one of the guitars on our list actually started out as a design specifically aimed at kids!

In terms of style and genres, there is a travel guitar to suit all. The modern range available of electric, acoustic , and acoustic-electric options means no genre and no playing style is left uncatered for.

5 of The Best Travel Guitars Currently Available

Taylor baby taylor acoustic guitar – a classic acoustic design that produces outstanding tones.

The Taylor Baby Taylor actually started life as a guitar designed for children to play. Its compact size but the familiar layout was intended to allow younger musicians to get used to the feel of an acoustic guitar before graduating to a full-sized model.

It turned out that the design and build were so good that even players well suited to using regular-sized guitars found the sound of the Baby Taylor was perfectly good enough for them, far exceeding the expectations of a ‘learner’ model. The logical result was that the Baby Taylor became a very successful and generally well-respected traveler’s instrument.

Its classic dreadnought looks are ¾ of the size of a normal Taylor and the included gig bag makes it ultra-portable whilst being easy on the wallet. If the more outlandish designs aren’t for you then the Baby Taylor could well be a perfect choice.

Specifications

• ¾ sized dreadnought
• Solid Sitka Spruce top wood
• Layered Walnut on the back and sides
• Taylor Standard Baby X-bracing pattern
• Satin varnish finish
• Standard Taylor Baby profile
• 1 11/16-inch (42.8 mm) nut width
• Genuine African ebony fingerboard
• Sapele neck wood
• 22-¾-inch scale length
• Copafera headstock overlay
• Chrome Baby tuners & buttons
• Genuine African ebony bridge
• Micarta saddle & Nubone nut
• Taylor Deluxe Baby gig bag included
• Produces some of the best tones on our list
• Excellent build quality
• Players with larger hands may struggle

Martin Steel-String Backpacker Acoustic Guitar – A Unique Aesthetic That Won’t Appeal to Everyone

With the Martin Steel-String Backpacker , we have the first example of a guitar that has been radically changed and redesigned to fit the portability brief. Although the looks of this travel guitar won’t appeal to everyone, you can be sure that Martin has managed to deliver crisp and clear tones despite the redesign.

The solid Mahogany used in the construction of the body really helps this little guitar kick out a more than the respectable level of volume. With a name like Martin behind this one, you can rest assured you are purchasing a quality product.

This model in particular has been designed with the traveler in mind. By that, we mean that not only has it been shrunk in size, but the construction has also made this model tougher than a lot of the other options on our list.

This means that the Martin Steel-String Backpacker is the ideal choice for those planning on taking their travel guitar away on camping or hiking trips. 

• Mahogany back, neck & sides
• Chrome tuners that are enclosed
• Small, ultra-lightweight size
• Padded gig bag included for portability and protection on the road
• Creates a good level of volume
• Super easy to travel with
• Great tones
• Visually, this guitar won’t appeal to everyone

Travelcaster Deluxe Electric Travel Guitar – A Lightweight Take on a Heavyweight Electric Guitar World

The Stratocaster is an instantly recognizable electric guitar that has been around for decades. But what happens when you want to take yours away on holiday with you? Well, unless you want to be lugging around your full-sized model then you should seriously consider getting yourself a Travelcaster Deluxe Guitar !

Coming in at only 5bls, the Travelcaster is 35% lighter and 14% shorter than its older brother. Despite this difference in size, we found it to provide a pretty good version of the classic Stratocaster experience. If you can get over it visually and need your travel guitar to be electric, this is a pretty awesome one to go for.

For guitarists on the go, there aren’t too many better options. It features three single-coil pickups , one volume control, two tone controls, and a five-way pickup selection.

• Poplar body
• 1.75 inches thick
• 9 inches wide
• Bolt-on construction
• 9.5-inch neck radius
• 1.65-inch width at the nut
• Maple fingerboard
• 22 medium/jumbo frets
• Passive electronics including tone. volume, & 5-way switch
• 3-inch overall depth
• 33.75-inch overall length
• 3 ceramic single-coil pickups
• Gigbag included
• A great option if you need an electric model
• Classic Strat feel and playing experience
• Portable & lightweight
• It may not appeal to everyone. Some may say the original Strat design shouldn’t have changed or tampered with in any way.

Hofner Shorty Electric Travel Guitar – An Electric Travel Guitar That Has Withstood the Test of Time

Originally designed and brought out by Hofner in the 1980s the Shorty Electric Guitar has proved to be a popular choice for the guitarist on the go ever since.

One of the reasons for this is that it provides that full-scale feel and familiarity a lot of players automatically look for. This full-length scale combined with its shrunken body results in one of the comfiest and best playing experiences you can get from a travel guitar.

There’s a classic Maplewood and Rosewood combination on the fretboard and neck whilst the humbucker situated on the bridge is beefy enough to blast even the most demanding of riffs.

The playability of this travel guitar is really why it made our list, along with the price. At such a low price point you really can’t go wrong. There are other models on our list that perhaps sound a little better but the Hofner Shorty is a brilliant choice if you’re not looking to break the bank.

• Basswood top & back
• Rosewood fingerboard
• 24.7-inch (62.8cm) length scale
• 42mm nut width
• Hofner Open Humbucker
• Hofner gig bag included
• Ultra-lightweight & portable
• Good quality for the price
• The overall sound isn’t as good as other options on our list

Traveler Guitar Escape Mark III Acoustic-Electric Guitar – A Full-Scale Option for the Distinguished Guitarist On-The-Go

This is a really cool piece of kit. If you’re looking to take a no-compromise approach to your playing then this could well be the model for you. Featuring internal tuning pegs and extensive onboard electrics, the Escape Mark III allows you to put on a show no matter where you are.

The internal tuning pegs mean there is effectively no headstock at all. Visually this is quite something to get over but it allows for portability whilst sacrificing little to no loss of sound quality.

At 26% shorter and 10% lighter than a standard electric-acoustic guitar, you’ll have no trouble carrying this thing around whilst the integrated electrics include things like a headphone port, an under-saddle Shadow NanoFlex piezo system, tuner, and aux-in. The overall package is perfect for just about any player.

The only downside with the Mark III is the price. It comes in as the most expensive model on our list in quite some way. Depending on how you intend to use your travel guitar and where you actually intend on traveling with it, it may be worth considering some of the cheaper options.

Of course, if the optimum sound is your thing and budget isn’t an issue then we say go for it! If, however, you’re concerned your portable companion may be exposed to a few more bumps and scrapes than your dreadnought at home then maybe consider a slightly cheaper model.

• Travel body
• Single cutaway
• Mahogany or alder wood back & sides
• Modified traditional bracing pattern
• Natural satin body finish
• 1.75-inch (44.45 mm) nut width
• Black walnut fingerboard
• Mahogany or maple neck wood
• 25.5-inch scale length
• Satin Finish
• Shadow pickup
• The best sounding guitar on our list
• Excellent electronic components
• Rich sounds when amplified
• High-quality materials used
• It’s the most expensive guitar on our list

Question: Do Travel Guitars Sound Different from Regular Guitars?

Answer: Generally speaking, yes. Due to the change in size, you will find that there may be significant changes in sound. This is particularly prevalent in acoustic models as they rely on their large bodies to convey their sounds. However, you can still expect to notice a difference in electric guitars too due to the modifications made to the electrical elements. This is not to say the overall sounds will be any worse, just that they may differ from what you are used to.

Question: Can You Use Regular Guitar Strings in a Travel Guitar?

Answer: Yes, you can. In the vast majority of cases, you are free to put your favorite strings in your travel guitar or replace them as they break. However, it is always advisable to check with the individual manufacturers before you do so just in case.

Question: Are Travel Guitars Good for Beginners?

Answer: Yes, they are perfect for beginners ! Travel guitars make ideal starting instruments as their smaller size makes them generally easier to navigate when starting out. They are often much less complicated than their full-sized counterparts and are therefore easier to play. The problem is when learning you may outgrow a travel guitar pretty quickly. Also worth noting is that due to their size and weight, travel guitars can often be the ideal models for children when starting out.

Question: How Can I Take Care of My Guitar Whilst Traveling?

Answer: There are many things to remember when taking care of your guitar . When we travel with our favorite instruments there are extra things we have to worry about to ensure no harm comes to them.

For example, it is imperative that you invest in a good quality bag that will offer a level of protection as well as portability. Many models will come with a perfectly good bag but it is always worth checking that it will give you enough protection.

Another thing to remember is to loosen your strings whilst in transit. This guards against any nasty surprises when you get to the other side, the pressure and temperature changes often experienced during a flight are well known to regularly damage guitar strings.

The Final Word: Which is The Best Travel Guitar

Choosing your perfect travel companion will come down largely to your budget and where you’re traveling to. If you’re not looking to break the bank and just want to have a little fun whilst you’re away then you can’t beat the Hofner Shorty Electric for the price.

If, however, you’re uncompromising and want nothing but the best whilst on your travels, then the Traveler Escape Mark III could well be your perfect choice.

For us though, when looking through the huge range of choices available to the traveling guitarist we kept coming back to the Taylor Baby Taylor . A classic design and beautiful tonal range married with a price tag that doesn’t instantly put you off did it for us.

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Traveler Guitar Redlands Acoustic Review (bought & tested)

Written by Bobby Kittleberger 2 Comments Filed Under: Acoustic Guitars , Reviews

One of the nicest things about the Traveler Guitar Redlands is that it just feels really easy to hold and to play. I've always avoided full size dreadnoughts because they're way too big. But even my full size concert acoustic just feels like a lot of guitar, especially when I'm used to electrics.

So first, I want to recommend this acoustic for players who also play a lot of electric guitar. 

It makes for a smoother transition between the two.

With the 3/4 size body and concert shape, it's extremely easy to play.

Headstock of the Redlands acoustic.

Second, the tone:

With the help of the solid Mahogany, this guitar sounds incredibly good and competes with acoustics I've tested that are close to the $1000 mark (see pricing below). The Redlands has an in-house preamp that faithfully captures the natural resonance of the instrument, giving you a pleasantly organic sound when plugged into a PA or acoustic amp.

When I tested the Redlands (on both), I did not have to do much in the way of EQ. It's a very good out-of-the-box guitar.

We'll get into the rest of my experience with this guitar and the full Traveler Guitar Redlands review below.

This review has been conducted with the Redlands acoustic in-hand, with actual testing in our office. We do not use third party article services or ghost writing. Content is written by guitar players, guaranteed. We also use the orange Sweetwater buttons to support ourselves, yet at no extra cost to you.

One of the Traveler Guitar Redlands' biggest strengths is how easy it is to hold and play. It's a breath of fresh air after being used to much larger acoustics.

Traveler Guitar Redlands Price Guide

Prices updated Sun, September 01st, 2024.

Pricing from Sweetwater

Price Alert Tool

Price history, price history for traveler guitar redlands concert acoustic-electric guitar - spruce, last price changes.

I DEAL FOR: Electric guitar players that want a comfortable acoustic guitar, basic live performing. Great for church and a good follow up to your beginner acoustic guitar.

• Incredibly easy to hold and play
• Looks fantastic, especially with the darker mahogany
• Onboard branded preamp is surprisingly decent
• Sounds good with some reverb in the EQ
• Setup was nice and guitar played well right out of the box.
• No strap connector on the upper bout
• Tuning machines feel a bit cheap

Tone Profile of the Redlands

I'll reiterate Danielle's note at the top of our review: This is not a  traveler acoustic.  It is not designed for transport specifically, though it does travel well. Instead it's a complete 3/4 body size concert acoustic, in the same vein as the Martin LXK2. 

Given that fact, you'll get a much better tone out of the Redlands than you would an actual travel guitar. 

It's similar to other 3/4 acoustics we've tested.

Here are a few qualities I noticed:

• Finger "scrapy" (though this settled a lot when I changed to Elixir strings)
• Loud, especially for such a small guitar
• High midrange and brighter, which is to be expected from that body style
• Bluesy, kind of like a Robert Johnson vibe
• Chords sound full and not overly warm

You're not going to get the full and warm sound of a Martin dreadnought, but I also found that when plugged in, I could EQ pretty much whatever sound I wanted. I tested it with a Bose S1 Pro and one of the Blackstar Sonnet acoustic amps, and the Redlands handled pretty much whatever I EQ'd into those systems.

In particular, digital reverb sounds really good with this guitar.

So I'm not going to complain about the tone not being warm enough. With Elixir strings it did mellow out and felt like a guitar I could strum on or pick through a lead pattern.

Fingerpicking, in particular, created some nice arpeggiated chords and lead notes.

Plugged in VS Open Air

The difference between the amplified tone and the open air non-plugged in sound was pretty hard to distinguish. Even on a couple recordings I did, they sounded incredibly similar.

A big part of that is definitely the piezo pickup that's positioned under the saddle. 

I don't have a ton of experience with those, but this was definitely a positive one.

So I was surprised with the quality of the preamp. I'm never particularly excited to see a house-brand preamp (it usually means some kind of stock). And while I would still rather see something from Fishman or LR Baggs, the Traveler Guitar electronics did a surprisingly decent job.

Between an impressive preamp and a piezo (under the saddle) pickup, the Redlands captures the natural tone in an amplified environment a lot better than I expected.

Controls and Features

In this category, I want to be fair and accurate so I'll point out a few things I don't like (and of course, some that I do). 

Guitar strap buttons

First, there is only one hook for a strap which is on the side of the guitar's body, right where you plug in your instrument cable. Pretty typical. But on the upper bout, there's nowhere to hook the other end of the strap.

I know that a lot of people just use the string around the headstock method, but I've always hated that. I'm just not at all used to it.

Maybe that's typical for these smaller guitars? I didn't think that was the case, but maybe I'm just behind the gun on the norms for a 3/4 acoustic.

Tuning machines

I changed the strings to acoustic Elixirs, just because I always use those and I'm not crazy about the D 'Addario acoustic strings that the Redlands shipped with.

And while there weren't any problems tuning the guitar, I did feel like the tuning machines just weren't as strong as others I had used. They didn't move or loosen and the guitar stays in tune, but I didn't like how the tuners felt in my hand.

Still, there was no real fallout from this. It was just something I noticed as an area that I'd like to see improved.

Controls on the preamp

Okay, back to the good stuff.

Despite a smaller preamp that suits the guitar's body size, you have a  four-band  EQ that includes bass, mids, treble, and presence. You also have a chromatic tuner and an overall output control (volume knob).

• Volume (output)
• Tuner (chromatic)

This is a lot of functionality for such a small preamp. We even like it better than the ES2 systems in most Taylors, from a pure functionality perspective. 

Traveler guitar deserves some props for this.

Bobby is the founder of Guitar Chalk, and is responsible for developing most of its content. He has worked with leading guitar industry companies including Sweetwater, Ultimate-Guitar, Seymour Duncan, PRS, and many others. You can shoot him an email to get in touch.

About Bobby Kittleberger

October 15, 2023 at 11:47 am

how is the action on the guitar?

October 17, 2023 at 9:55 am

Decent if I remember correctly. I think I sold this one though so it has been awhile since I picked it up, but if action is an issue I always mention it in my reviews. To some extent, it’ll be luck of the draw as well, model to model.

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Washburn Rover Review: Acoustic Travel Delight (2023)

Discover the perfect harmony of guitar playing on the go with the Washburn Rover, an exceptional addition to the world of travel guitar offerings. The Washburn Rover line has redefined the concept of portable guitars with its small body and reasonable sound, making it the ultimate companion for musical adventurers.

Whether you’re a wandering troubadour, a globetrotting enthusiast, or simply seeking an instrument to accompany you wherever your journey takes you, the Washburn Rover is designed to cater to your every musical whim.

I am going to introduce you to the budget-friendly Rover RO10SK travel guitar. For the sake of simplicity, I’ll call this instrument Rover or RO10 in our review. Now, keep reading to find out how well RO10 works as a travel guitar at its price point.

Table of Contents

Washburn Rover Travel Guitar Review

In this Washburn Rover review, explore its build, sound, feel, and budget-friendly pricing for an informed decision.

Build Quality

The construction of the Rover guitar is fairly nice, considering the price. In fact, for the money, it was quite a surprise for us to see a solid spruce top. Typically, guitars in this price range are all laminated wood, so the solid top is definitely a plus for the Rover.

The back and sides are made of select mahogany, but they’re not solid, unlike the top.

The solid spruce top may also mature and start to sound better as you play the Rover guitar. This is one of the best traits of solid wood since it can actually start bringing more value for the money down the line.

Also, the Quartersawn X-scalloped Sitka spruce bracing is a game-changer. It not only enhances the sound and projection stability but also delivers beautifully balanced tones.

As for the body, the matte finish gives it a sleek look and a smooth feel. Plus, the guitar comes in four stunning colors – natural, black, blue, and red – so you can choose the one that suits your style.

Now, let’s dive into the neck. The guitar design features a slim body with a dreadnought style chunky round neck and there’s no heel at all, thanks to that unique tape at the back. A bit odd, but it works!

The satin-finished mahogany neck is attached to the tiny body at the 15th fret. Its engineered wood fretboard boasts 17 full frets, with two more on the treble side, ensuring easy access across the fretboard.

The scale length is 23.75 inches (60.33 cm) which is shorter than a standard acoustic guitar, but still long enough to provide good intonation and tension. The neck also has offset dot inlays for easy navigation.

The nut width is 1.6875 inches (43mm) which is comfortable for most hand sizes. The neck also has chrome diecast tuners that provide smooth and accurate tuning.

One thing to note is that it might feel a bit neck-heavy, but using a strap and attaching it to the headstock solves that issue. It takes a few minutes to get used to for an experienced player, but for some beginners, it may take a longer time and can turn out to be a major issue.

Sound Quality

In terms of tones, you are going to get the warm and punchy sound of mahogany combined with the clear notes of spruce. Nothing spectacular here, though the sound of this guitar is pretty nice for the buck.

With that said, the compact form factor of this guitar affects not only the dimensions – it also affects the sound. High-end travel guitars have a sound that is no worse than in full-size guitars, but this doesn’t apply to cheaper guitars like Washburn RO10. But hey, that doesn’t mean it lacks character.

It’s more in line with what you’d typically find in parlor and travel guitars. The Rover still delivers a clear, twangy, and overall fun sound.

Still, it’s essential to set your expectations right – don’t expect the full, rich tones of a performance guitar. This little gem is more suited for intimate settings like campfires, campus areas, hotel rooms, or even airports, where it shines bright.

If you want good sound at this price point, then you should just purchase a full-size guitar.

When I got my hands on this guitar, the action was a bit high, but I soon learned that it’s intentional to boost the volume. If you’re mainly playing chords from the first couple of frets, it’s perfect. However, if you want to explore more frets, you might need to adjust the action.

All in all, the Washburn Rover may not be the star of the stage, but it certainly has its unique charm and versatility for those on-the-go musical moments.

Compact Size

The highlight and main reason to buy the Washburn RO10 guitar is its size. This guitar is very narrow, which makes it space-saving and convenient for travel. But despite the narrowness, this guitar has a full 23.75-inch scale length – pretty standard for acoustic guitars.

Now, needless to say, you are going to sacrifice some sound quality and range to get such a compact musical instrument . However, if you truly need a travel-friendly guitar, then you’ll have to live with the sound.

Unless you are willing to spend a lot of money on a high-end travel guitar, you will need to sacrifice tone quality. That’s the trade-off of the compact body – there are going to be consequences if you remove material from a guitar and make it smaller.

Finally, another good reason to buy the Washburn Rover travel guitar is its wallet-friendly pricing.

This is a budget guitar, so it’s suitable for those who don’t have the money or just don’t need a spectacular sound. Though the pricing can vary depending on factors like the seller, product condition and availability.

From my research, the average price range for a brand-new Washburn RO-10 falls between $249 and $300. Keep in mind that the higher-priced options may include a deluxe gigbag, adding extra value to the package.

If you’re on a tighter budget, keep an eye out for used or discontinued models , which might come with a lower price tag, depending on their quality and rarity.

Pros & Cons

As a recap, here are the pros and cons of the Rover steel-string travel acoustic guitar.

• Affordable price tag
• Compact travel-friendly sizing
• Solid top – will sound better as you play more
• Boasts the warm tones of mahogany and the clarity of spruce
• The compact form factor will limit the tonal range of the guitar
• A little top heavy
• No electronics

Washburn RO10 Review: Key Specs

• Model: Washburn Rover 10SK
• Style: 6-string Acoustic Travel Guitar
• Body Shape: Miniature dreadnought
• Top Wood : Solid spruce
• Back and Sides: Mahogany
• Neck Material: Mahogany
• Fretboard & Bridge: Engineered Wood
• Strings: D’Addario EXP16
• Electronics: None (no built-in pickup)
• Overall Length: 35.25 inches (89.54 cm)
• Weight: Approximately 2.8 pounds (1.27 kg)

Washburn Rover Review: Video Demo

Alternatives Of Washburn Backpacker Guitar

When exploring alternative options to the Washburn Rover, the music industry offers a selection of great sounding and portable travel instruments that cater to the needs of musicians on the go. Two viable alternatives in the same price range are the Martin Backpacker and the Enya NOVA Go.

Martin Backpacker Travel Guitar

• Solid Spruce Top
• Solid Tonewood Back and Sides
• Unique Contour Neck Shape
• Features 24-Inch Scale Length

Renowned for their craftsmanship and high-quality instruments, Martin delivers the Backpacker Travel Guitar as a solid contender. This compact acoustic is designed for portability and features a unique shape that easily fits into backpacks.

Despite its size, the Backpacker boasts a surprisingly rich tone, thanks to its solid spruce top. Its slender body enhances resonance, making it a great choice for musicians seeking a balanced and clear sound while traveling.

Enya NOVA Go Carbon Fiber Travel Guitar

• ♫ WHY CARBON FIBER - Nova Go SP1 is made of carbon fiber composite material, which means it's impervious to temperature and...
• ♫ WHERE THINGS GET INTERESTING - The absolute differentiator of this guitar is that it’s equipped with the SP1 pickup system....
• ♫ A PRODUCTIVITY WORKHORSE - SP1 pickup system not only allows you to have tons of fun unplugged. But if you plug it into an amp...
• ♫ SOLID BUILD & EASY TO PLAY - The body of this Nova Go SP1 carbon fiber acoustic-electric Guitarra is 1/2 sized (35 in.),...

For those seeking innovation in travel guitars, the Enya NOVA Go stands out as an excellent option. Crafted from carbon fiber, this guitar offers exceptional durability and is impervious to weather changes, ensuring reliable performance in any climate.

Its ergonomic design provides a great feeling while playing, and the combination of carbon fiber and a round edged body contributes to enhanced projection and tone. The Enya NOVA Go’s small body with modern aesthetics and affordability make it an attractive choice for musicians looking for similar items to the Rover RO-10.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is washburn a good guitar brand.

Washburn appears to be a solid guitar brand to buy from, especially if you are a beginning or amateur player. The brand offers plenty of pocket-friendly guitar options, and its models have universally good feedback online.

Where are Washburn guitars made?

Washburn guitars appear to be primarily manufactured in China. Before 2017, Washburn had its instruments manufactured primarily in Korea – now, it seems that most of its guitars are made in China. This isn’t an issue in terms of quality, but buyers who prefer to buy American-made products may find this problematic.

Final Words

In conclusion, the Washburn Rover is a solid guitar, perfect for convenient transport during your travels. It offers fair enough sound quality, making it ideal for playing finger style or flat picking on the go.

However, if you prioritize fuller tones and space isn’t an issue, opting for a full-size guitar might be the better choice.

About the Author

Gustavo Gusmão Beroth

Gustavo is a music teacher and classical guitar player from Brazil, currently residing in Dublin, Ireland. He holds a graduate degree in Classical Guitar Performance from the Federal University of Pelotas. In 2020, Gustavo successfully completed a Master's degree in Sound Engineering from the Academy of Sound in Ireland.

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