Best guitar for the road!

[killdeer43]

*Redundant, perhaps, but always worth a revisit, especially if you're on the go a lot. :rugby:

Away for the weekend and pondering a lot of things....as usual....and one thing that comes to mind is the concept of taking one of my/your Guilds along for the ride.
Lots to consider here but I have an all-time favorite, for a number of reasons, like portability, reason for/mode of traveling, etc. Not surprisingly, here's my all-timer.

F112-6

Great sound, easy to pack, and even though I don't abuse it, it has enough dings, cracks, and issues that I don't spend time worrying about it. It's a joy for me to take along a special guitar for the times when I feel the need to grab one!
And it's a Guild!! :encouragement:

So, what's yours?

Joe

 

[richardp69]

Nearly always my Blueridge BR 160. I've had it a long time, don't baby it a bit and it holds up to any abuse I can dish out.

 

[idealassets]

"On the Road" for me is usually bringing one of my nice guitars to play that everyone wants to hear and see. This means into the temperature controlled car and then into someone's house in the beautiful northern part of Michigan, for example Traverse City. Then we have a jam indoors, which is great to do. I have never played a guitar at a campfire or on a sandy beach.

On occasion we have outdoor jams on a gazebo or inside a 4-H building. I only do that if the weather permits and no warmer than 75 degrees, or I bring along a cheap guitar to play in those cases.

 

[chazmo]

This is an Ibanez Artwood, which is a really nice all-solid guitar, but I'm comfortable taking it with me pretty much anywhere. Got a gig bag that I sling it around in:






Got a cool, adjustable neck system that lets me play luthier:



Sweet rosewood back and sides with maple binding.

 

[killdeer43]

Hey Charlie, what are we seeing on the back in the last pic, lights on the ceiling?

Curious Joe

 

[Neal]

My beat-nearly-to-death '71 F-20. Small, cosmetically challenged to the extreme, and a very worthy guitar in terms of tone and playability.

Honestly, it barely needs a case. You could toss it in the bed of a rusty pickup truck and let it slide around back there for a while, and not be able to notice any new damage.

 

[killdeer43]

My beat-nearly-to-death '71 F-20. Small, cosmetically challenged to the extreme, and a very worthy guitar in terms of tone and playability.

Honestly, it barely needs a case. You could toss it in the bed of a rusty pickup truck and let it slide around back there for a while, and not be able to notice any new damage.

That's what I'm talking about. :encouragement:

Joe

 

[jeffcoop]

For my current road trip, I'm using my stepmother's GAD-M20 (no, I didn't steal it; she's here too, with her Collings Baby). I've enjoyed my time with it, and used it for a first-ever duet with my folk music inspiration, Vermonter Jon Gailmor. I've liked playing that guitar in the past, but now I'll treasure thinking about it.

 

[chazmo]

Hey Charlie, what are we seeing on the back in the last pic, lights on the ceiling?

Curious Joe

'zactly, Joe. That's my "chandelier"-style light above the kitchen table -- my main guitar workspace. In fact, I'm changing the strings on that guitar today, maybe I'll post up another thread and take some pictures of the top from the inside... This era of Artwood Studios was very unusual; they used a Lukas Brunner bracing for the top and had that "FAST" neck attachment. Ironically, Mr. Brunner makes some very cool outdoor/travel guitars -- how about that for staying on topic?!

 

[Quantum Strummer]

I've traveled with both a Maccaferri polystyrene archtop (punchy sound!) and a Steinberger GL-4T electric & Fender Mini-Twin amp. The electric rig is smaller while the Maccaferri is lighter and more practical. The nice thing about plastic or carbon fiber guitars is their obliviousness to humidity or lack thereof. The Steinberger has spent a lotta time in Singapore while the Mac has been all over the Middle East.

-Dave-

 

[Rustbucket]

I fly a lot for work and typically throw my tele in a gig bag because it's nearly indestructible and fits nicely in the overhead bin above somebody else's stuff. It's also the perfect volume in the hotel room late at night unplugged or through my Blackstar Fly 3W mini amp (which I absolutely love by the way!)

If I want to bring an acoustic I usually bring my cheap Takamine acoustic/electric. I wouldn't care if it got lost/dinged up, but It's got a great hard plastic case that I've checked many times without any damage. I've used this guitar for many open-mic nights across north America and it does the trick just fine. Also doubles as my "camping" guitar because it can handle the abuse of bumpy dirt roads and sandy river banks.

 

[killdeer43]

Sounds like you've covered all your bases! :rugby:

Joe

 

[Neal]

Hey, Rustbucket. Have you tried a Vox headphone amp for that Tele?

I traveled with an electric guitar for a few years, and that was $40 well spent. And you can also attach your phone via the 1/8" jack to play tunes to jam along with, all of it inside your head and none of it heard by anyone else!

After a while, I splurged and go try an M-120 to travel with me. It was perfect for the job.

 

[Rustbucket]

Neal,
I have tried a friend's version of the AC30 headphone amp and they are definitely cool. I was actually on my way to go get one when the salesman turned me on to the Blackstar Fly. The base model is going for $60 and does everything the Vox does and so much more. It has the headphone jack if I want it but it's also loud enough for my wife to ask me to turn it down when she's in the other room. Like the Vox, I can jam along to tunes in my I-phone & use it for a stereo. Plus the thing just sounds awesome. The overdrive button is ok but the delay effect provides a great slap back sound for me.

I sprung for the combo pack which also gives you an AC adapter & extension speaker so I can play in stereo. They go for about $100. I was in Toronto when I bought mine so took advantage of the sweet exchange rate.

 

[Smitch]

Lil Martin travel guitar. Tough as nails, fits in a overhead bin and sounds better than many dreads.

 

[Tiki295]

Lately, I've been travelling with one of my ukuleles instead of a guitar on vacations, etc. It fits nicely in a hard viola case, easy in the car, and pops right into the overhead compartment of airplanes.

When I have done flyaway guitar gigs, it is usually with my Gitane gypsy guitar, which goes in a Golden Gate hardshell case. Airlines are happy to gatecheck it if requested. When I have taken a Telecaster, I unbolt the neck and put both parts into a carry-on bag.

I wouldn't have a problem travelling with my trusty Guild F47CE, but I haven't had any gigs that require me to travel with it.