Music On The Road

Strumming on a guitar is a great way to get out of your head and I'll miss this significant part of my down time while I'm traveling. The guitar is already a portable instrument, but people have found ways to make them smaller and lighter for travel. Note that these images are not to scale.

Hollow Bodied Acoustics

There are several acoustic travel guitars available (nylon string is available from some makers) but they're not just smaller and lighter guitars. Consideration has been made in choosing their materials so that they withstand environmental extremes like airplane cargo holds, and the knocks and bumps of camping and hiking. Here are some popular ones:

• Martin Backpacker
• Washburn Rover
• Vagabond

From left to right: Martin Backpacker, Washburn Rover and the Vagabond

These are "true" acoustics as they have hollow bodies and sound holes to project sound without amplification, necessarily making them the largest of the travel guitars. They are most suited for business trips, single-destination holidays, and remote camping trips. They are perfect for singing around a camp fire because they don't require an amplifier to make sound, though their volume is reduced due to reduced body size. For a backpacker, they are far too large and cumbersome to carry around in addition to a large pack, or take with you on the bus if you're afraid to entrust it to the luggage compartment. The following guitars maybe more convenient for backpacking.

Electric Acoustic "Silent" Guitars

These are acoustic guitars that require a pickup, amplifier and speakers because they lack a sound hole or hollow body. Some electric acoustics will have a built-in amplifier enabling you to simply plug in your headphones or speaker. The ones without built-in amplifiers require amplified headphones or a mini-amp with your headphones.

The main advantage of electric acoustics over mini hollow bodies is that they are smaller purely because they don't rely on a large hollow body to make sound. Many utilise the body to house the tuners, which means that strings are set up backwards and result in a headless system, saving several inches in overall length that the head would take up. A minor disadvantage of any electric guitar is the requirement of batteries. Here are some popular electric acoustics:

• Songbird by Soloette: It has a steel frame knee rest that can be taken apart for transit. Without a knee rests, a strap is necessary to position the guitar properly. The Classic Soloette is a nylon string and also available is the Songbird Jazz steel string. These guitars come in different woods.
• Ultralight by Traveler Guitar: Their smallest, lightest and simplest guitar has a retractable steel frame knee rest. I like minimalism and bare-bones simple practicality, but it sure is a fugly guitar!
• Pro-Series by Traveler Guitar: Like the Ultralight but has a few more features and somehow manages to be even fuglier. In addition to the piezo (acoustic) pickup, it has a double-coil (electric), so it is both an acoustic and an electric guitar. A unique feature is a built-in diaphragm for a "stethophone" (a stethoscope without the bell/diaphragm) that allows you listen without needing batteries and an amp. It's a great idea that guarantees you to look like the biggest dork.

From left to right: Soloette Classic, Ultralight and Pro-Series

• Escape (original and MkII) by Traveler Guitar: Rather than retractable or detachable knee rests, bodies are designed to accommodate knees, making them prettier, but also larger and heavier.
• Miranda: Similar to the Soloette, but a different method of frame assembly/disassembly. Steel string (S-250) and nylon string (CFX-200) available.
• Silent Guitar by Yamaha: Similar to the Soloette but longer due to the full head; probably not really designed as a travel guitar. Available in steelstring (SLG100S) and nylon string (SLG120NW).

From left to right: Escape, Escape MkII, Miranda S-250 and the Yamaha SLG100S

Some of these may be good choices to take backpacking.

Electrics

Electric travel guitars have the same features as electric acoustics; the differences are only in the type of pickup used, and sometimes a smaller scale of 3/4.

• Lapstick: The bench-mark in travel guitars, being the smallest and most beautiful of all travel guitars, each one hand made and customisable to order. It is simple; no fiddly add-ons or detachable things, but you have to wear a strap to play it.
• Speedster by Traveler Guitar: These full-scale guitars have a unique but practical design.
• Chiquita by Erlewine: This 3/4 scale electric is the famous little electric guitar that Michael J. Fox plugged into the massive amp in Back To The Future. 

From left to right: Lapstick, Speedster, and Chiquita.

Alternatives

Perhaps it is not possible to take a guitar with you. It's a hard decision but for a hobbyist like me, a guitar is something I will have to sacrifice.