best travel tenor guitar

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?

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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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Best travel guitars: Top acoustic and electric guitars for musicians on the go

Out top picks for practicing your guitar on the move, wherever the road takes you

Best for tone

Best for volume, best for value.

• Best Strat-alike
• Best electric
• Best full-scale
• #1 acoustic-electric

Best for portability

• Best solid wood
• Buying advice
• How we choose

1. The quick list 2. Best for tone 3. Best for volume 4. Best for value 5. Best for Strat players 6. Best electric travel guitar 7. Best full-scale travel guitar 8. Best acoustic-electric model 9. Best for portability 10. Best solid-wood travel guitar 11. Buying advice 12. How we choose products

As guitar players, our passion and joy shouldn’t have to stop the second we leave the house or the practice room. Sometimes, when you’re on the go; whether that be travelling for work or just for fun, you want to be able to take your music with you. That’s where the best travel guitars come in.

Travel guitars are smaller, more compact instruments that are easier to take on the road. If you’re heading out on a road trip, and space in the car is tight, a travel guitar will fit in a much smaller gap than a full-size guitar. Some of them even pack down into a rucksack so you can take them on a plane as hand luggage.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re more into playing acoustic or electric, we’ve picked out the best travel guitars currently on offer to make sure that the music doesn’t have to stop when you hit the road.

Chris Corfield is a journalist with over 12 years of experience writing for some of the music world's biggest brands including Orange Amplification, MusicRadar, Guitar World and Dawsons Music. Chris has spent years writing about and testing guitar gear for MusicRadar, in addition to nerding out about everything from synths to microphones, DJ gear and music production hardware.

Best travel guitars: Quick list

Want to cut to the chase and find out exactly which we think are the best travel guitars on the market right now? Below, you’ll find a round-up of our top choices. You can jump to a more detailed review of every pick, along with our price comparison tool to help you find the best deals.

This ¾-sized dreadnought comes with all the quality and projection you’d expect from one of the acoustic world’s biggest names, just in a size that can be hauled around anywhere without breaking your back. Or, indeed, your wallet. 

Read more below

The Martin Backpacker has a unique body shape, that’s for sure, but coming from a name like Martin you can rest assured this guitar will perform brilliantly. What surprised us was the volume and projection this little guitar pumps out, thanks in part to the solid mahogany used in the body.

The Steinberger Spirit GT-Pro Deluxe definitely fits the travel guitar bill due to its distinctive size and shape. Despite the smaller body, the Spirit GT-Pro Deluxe features a scale length of 25.5”, making the actual playing area larger than that of a standard Les Paul.

You can instantly see those famous Stratocaster outlines of the pickguard, the three single coil pickups and the control knobs. Yet the eagle-eyed among you will have noticed anything on the body that isn’t underneath the pickguard has been shaved away, leaving a guitar which is 35% lighter and 14% shorter than a regular Strat.

This is a short-scale travel electric guitar featuring a single mini-humbucker, two-piece poplar body, bolt-on neck and fairly sturdy tuners. It doesn’t pack down any smaller than it is, though it’s very compact already and if you really needed to, you could always take the neck off, if you were packing it up in a suitcase for example.

The Shorty provides full scale-length familiarity which, when combined with the tiny body, makes for a comfortable playing experience. The single humbucker at the bridge is meaty enough to blast out your favourite riffs, while you’ll feel instantly at home with the classic maple/rosewood combination neck and fingerboard.

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The Traveler Escape Mark III comes equipped with plenty in the way of tools and toys, and it all comes in 26% shorter and 10% lighter than a standard dreadnought. The Escape Mark III features tuning pegs within the body itself, which means it has no need for a headstock and is instead strung in reverse.

This handy, foldable acoustic is great for players who want something quality but affordable. It’s got a solid spruce top and layered mahogany back and sides. You can get a great tone from it, whether you’re playing with a pick or with fingers. It’s dynamic, and while it might not be as loud as a full size guitar, can still throw out a good amount of volume.

This is one for serious acoustic players. It bears a hefty price tag, but you can get some serious tones from this guitar. Boasting a solid red cedar top and solid African mahogany back and sides, the Furch Little Jane yields a beautiful, rich and balanced tone with a good amount of projection. 

The best travel guitars right now

MusicRadar's got your back Our team of expert musicians and producers spends hours testing products to help you choose the best music-making gear for you. Find out more about how we test.

Below you'll find full and detailed write-ups for each of the best travel guitars in our list.

1. Taylor Baby Taylor

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

If the more outlandish styles of travel guitar aren’t for you, maybe the Baby Taylor will be. This ¾-sized dreadnought comes with all the quality and projection you’d expect from one of the acoustic world’s biggest names, just in a size that can be hauled around anywhere without breaking your back. Or, indeed, your wallet. 

The Baby Taylor would be the perfect option as a second (or third) guitar in anyone’s collection, designed to be stashed in the included gig bag and taken anywhere. Players with larger hands may feel a bit cramped navigating the 22.75” scale length, but for the majority of people the Baby Taylor is easy to recommend.

2. Martin Backpacker

We weren’t lying when we said travel guitars can jar a bit visually. The Martin Backpacker has a unique body shape, that’s for sure, but coming from a name like Martin you can rest assured this guitar will perform brilliantly. What surprised us was the volume and projection this little guitar pumps out, thanks in part to the solid mahogany used in the body.

Originally launched in 1992, the Martin Backpacker has carved itself a nice niche in the world of travel guitars, and its exceptional build quality means it will last for many more years to come.

3. Steinberger Spirit GT-Pro Deluxe

While not officially marketed as a travel guitar, the Steinberger Spirit GT-Pro Deluxe definitely fits the bill due to its distinctive size and shape. The classic Steinberger ‘headless’ design is correct and present, making the same bold visual statement of its more expensive stablemates, yet the decision to use wood over composite materials makes the whole thing more cost-effective and suited for travelling. 

Despite the smaller body, the Spirit GT-Pro Deluxe features a scale length of 25.5”, making the actual playing area larger than that of a standard Les Paul. It’s also pretty rare to find neck-thru bodies at this price point, which all adds up to a decent value instrument regardless of how you end up using it.

Best for Strat players

4. Traveler Travelcaster Deluxe

It’s called ‘cognitive dissonance’. That conflict you feel when something you know to be right is challenged. The Traveler Travelcaster Deluxe is a relative example; to look at it, you can instantly see those famous Stratocaster outlines of the pickguard, the three single coil pickups and the control knobs. Yet the eagle-eyed among you will have noticed anything on the body that isn’t underneath the pickguard has been shaved away, leaving a guitar which is 35% lighter and 14% shorter than a regular Strat. 

Weighing in at only 5 lbs, the Travelcaster Deluxe may take some getting over visually, but in use it provides that same Strat experience, the same 25.5” scale length and the same tonal versatility of those pickups. If you can get over the cognitive dissonance, it may just be the perfect travel guitar for you.

Read the full Traveler Travelcaster Deluxe review

Best electric options

5. Blackstar Carry-On Travel Guitar ST

This is a short-scale travel electric guitar featuring a single mini-humbucker, two-piece poplar body, bolt-on neck and fairly sturdy tuners. It doesn’t pack down any smaller than it is, though it’s very compact already and if you really needed to, you could always take the neck off, if you were packing it up in a suitcase for example. 

It plays great and the shorter 20.7” scale length doesn’t take long to readjust to - younger beginners might find that they can fret chords and make stretches between frets more easily too. The mini-humbucker covers a lot of ground, so will suit any musical style you can throw at it. Whether you’re playing clean or super distorted, this little thing can really pack a punch! 

There is a more expensive version that’s around double the price with some upgrades, but in terms of value for money, we feel that the Blackstar Carry-On ST is one of the best travel guitars around. 

Best full-scale experience

6. Hofner Shorty travel guitar

The Hofner Shorty has been around since the 1980s, and has long been a favourite for players looking for a portable electric they can travel with. It provides full scale-length familiarity which, when combined with the tiny body, makes for a comfortable playing experience. The single humbucker at the bridge is meaty enough to blast out your favourite riffs, while you’ll feel instantly at home with the classic maple/rosewood combination neck and fingerboard.

Sure, it’s not going to win any awards for tone, and you’re unlikely to see them used on album-of-the-year contenders, but as an inexpensive way to add a bit of portability to your line-up the Hofner Shorty is well worth consideration. 

Best of both worlds

7. Traveler Escape MKIII Mahogany

Choosing a travel guitar doesn’t necessarily mean compromising on your needs. The Traveler Escape Mark III comes equipped with plenty in the way of tools and toys, and it all comes in 26% shorter and 10% lighter than a standard dreadnought.

The Escape Mark III features tuning pegs within the body itself, which means it has no need for a headstock and is instead strung in reverse. The onboard electronics are both extensive and useful too, with an under-saddle Shadow NanoFlex piezo system, tuner, aux-in and studio headphone out making for quite a comprehensive setup for the traveling player.

8. Journey Instruments PJ410N

This handy, foldable acoustic makes for one of the best travel guitars for players who want something quality but affordable. It’s got a solid spruce top and layered mahogany back and sides. You can get a great tone from it, whether you’re playing with a pick or with fingers. It’s dynamic, and while it might not be as loud as a full size guitar, can still throw out a good amount of volume.

It fits perfectly inside the included padded rucksack, and can be assembled in 20 seconds. Simply put the neck into position, snap it in place and lock it from the back of the body. Then you’ve got a guitar with a 23” scale ready to play. It’s great for experienced players who want something that sounds good while they’re on their travels (the bag will fit under many airline seats), but also makes for a great beginner guitar for kids . 

Best all-solid option

9. Furch Little Jane LJ-10

This is definitely one of the best travel guitars for serious acoustic players. It bears a hefty price tag, but you can get some serious tones from this guitar. Boasting a solid red cedar top and solid African mahogany back and sides, the Furch Little Jane yields a beautiful, rich and balanced tone with a good amount of projection. 

The guitar can be folded down and fit into a rucksack (included). The headstock, neck and body are separate from one another to save space but can be assembled into one piece very quickly and easily. Once the neck is locked into position using Furch’s proprietary assembly system, it’s ready to play and will even go back in tune. 

The included rucksack is well padded and will ensure that it’s protected enough on your travels. Travel acoustic guitars seldom sound this good, and to be fair the price reflects that, but it really is one of the best out there. 

Best travel guitars: Buying advice

What is a travel guitar?

Essentially, a travel guitar is a guitar designed with portability and mobility as its key function. This will usually mean the guitar has a significantly smaller body or weight, and they often boast creative solutions to common issues like tuning or storage. From conception to construction, the travel guitar is designed to be thrown in a bag and transported anywhere, everywhere, and all those places in between. 

Standard-sized guitars can be, as we know, too large, too heavy or too delicate to carry around for long stretches, so travel guitars offer a specialist tool for those specific situations. Realistically, you’ll not find too many studio musicians reaching for the travel guitar to nail that perfect tone, but then that’s not what they’re for. Portability, size and weight are order of the day here, and it helps that there are travel guitars on the market today which also nail that other crucial element; tone. 

What makes travel guitars different?

At first glance, the sight of a dedicated travel guitar can jar a little. Often, they have quite striking aesthetic differences from regular guitars. Like looking at something you know, only quite different. Manufacturers employ all kinds of measures as they seek to reduce the overall size and weight of the guitar, and it’s not uncommon to see guitars without headstocks, or with radically different shaped bodies, or even no body at all. Yet a guitar still has to function, so there is still the need for tuning pegs, a bridge, and other essential components.

What are the key features of travel guitars?

There are two major schools of thought when it comes to travel guitars. One is to take a regular sized guitar and zap it with a shrink ray, keeping the same proportions relatively but in a smaller overall package. This approach ensures the instrument retains its familiarity, and also makes them attractive to younger learners.

The other approach is to redesign the instrument completely, perhaps taking the tuning pegs and installing them in the body. Of course, such radical design changes can create other problems, so you may see these compensated for with the inclusion of detachable arm and leg rests, for example. While these guitars may look unfamiliar, the playing experience should be largely the same as a regular guitar. Scale lengths, fret locations and pitch will be the same, even if the physical form of the guitar is quite different.

Are travel guitars playable?

If you’ve never had the chance to play a travel guitar, you may be looking at the best travel guitars in this list and wondering if it’s playable in the same way as a regular guitar. The good news is that yes, absolutely they are playable. In the same way that jumping from the thin neck of an Ibanez RG-style electric to a 50’s style Stratocaster neck may take a bit of readjustment in your technique, so too will the leap from a regular to certain travel-sized guitars. It’s not difficult to adjust though. You may also have to sit differently to accommodate the smaller body, but as these guitars are inherently lighter in weight, this shouldn’t cause too much of a headache. Or, more accurately, backache.

Electric or acoustic?

All of the best travel guitars will either be electric or acoustic. Electrics do tend to be thinner, as the body doesn’t need to resonate as much to get a good sound, although it’s worth remembering that you’ll need an amp to get the most out of it. The body of a travel acoustic will normally be deeper, but as a result of this you can get a fairly loud sound without any amplification.

What do I get when I spend more?

The quality of the best travel guitars does vary, and as you might imagine, it does go up as you spend more money. As the price increases, you’ll likely find better hardware, which can not only help keep the guitar in tune and playing nicely, but can also improve how it sounds too, increasing resonance and sustain.

On electrics, you’ll find better quality pickups - these will be more dynamic and have a wider frequency range so you’ll get more detail and clarity. With travel acoustic guitars, you’ll get better quality, and even solid woods which will give you a better, more responsive and richer sound.

Who might use a travel guitar?

The breadth of today’s range of travel guitars means there is a guitar to suit most playing styles and genres, so the quick answer is that yes, there is a travel guitar for everyone. In terms of scenarios, travel guitars are, as their name suggests, designed to be taken places ordinary guitars cannot reach. 

Small enough to fit on your back as you scale a mountain, or taken on a plane as part of your hand luggage, travel guitars give players the freedom and convenience of being able to play anywhere, at any time. For that, we applaud them. Let’s examine some of the best travel guitar options available today.

Can you buy travel guitars for children?

Travel guitars, as well as being the perfect accompaniment to a musician on the go, can also make for great instruments for children. If you’re looking for one of the best travel guitars to get a kid started on their guitar playing journey, then look for one that has a shorter scale length. This will mean that the notes are closer together and will be easier for small hands to fret. 

Scale length and string gauge

Speaking of short scales, the gauge of strings you use is also worth considering. The strings on a guitar with a shorter scale will feel slinkier - they will be easier to bend and to some players may even feel too loose. One way to combat this is to use thicker strings, so something like 12s on an electric might make them feel a little more like 10s on a full size guitar. Though, if you’re just starting out then the thinner, slinkier strings might be better so they don’t quite hurt your fingertips as much.

How we chose the best travel guitars for this guide

Here at MusicRadar, we are experts in our field, with many years of playing, creating and product testing between us. We live and breathe everything music gear related, and we draw on this knowledge and experience of using products in live, recording and rehearsal scenarios when selecting the products for our guides. 

When choosing what we believe to be the best travel guitars available right now, we combine our hands-on experience, user reviews and testimonies and engage in lengthy discussions with our editorial colleagues to reach a consensus about the top products in any given category.

First and foremost, we are musicians, and we want other players to find the right product for them. So we take into careful consideration everything from budget to feature set, ease of use and durability to come up with a list of what we can safely say are the best travel guitars on the market right now.

Find out more about  how we test music gear and services  at MusicRadar.

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Chris Corfield is a journalist with over 12 years of experience writing for some of the music world's biggest brands including Orange Amplification, MusicRadar, Guitar World, Total Guitar and Dawsons Music. Chris loves getting nerdy about everything from guitar and bass gear, to synths, microphones, DJ gear and music production hardware.

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Best travel guitars 2024: top acoustic and electric travel guitars for portability and performance

Top travel guitar choices and buying advice for musicians on the move

• The quick list

Best overall

Best acoustic, best electric, best for metal, best for kids, more options....

• Buying advice
• How we choose

1. The quick list 2. Best overall 3. Best acoustic 4. Best nylon string 5. Best electric 6. Best for metal 7. Best for kids 8. More options... 9. Buying advice 10. How we choose products

We guitarists are supremely lucky – we already play an instrument that we can take and play anywhere with us. Let’s face it, drummers already look at us with envy at our relative portability. However, the best travel guitars enhance and refine that concept further to offer the ultimate in portability without compromising on tone and playability. From travel-size stalwarts from Taylor and Martin to fascinatingly unexpected options from Blackstar and Yamaha, there’s something here for everyone. 

Whether you’re constantly on the move and need a travel companion to satisfy your musical urges, perhaps your office has to hear your progress with Eugene’s Trick Bag, or maybe you want something a little comfier for the couch. If so, we’ve selected the very best travel guitars for you and they’re a surprisingly varied group – from full-scale electric guitars to 3/4-size acoustic electrics.

There’s a good reason for this variety; a travel guitar needs to be portable, of course, but how it achieves that can be decided by several factors. We’ve taken them all into consideration with our choices for the best travel guitars you can buy right now. You can find our top picks below, and if you need any further guidance, head straight for our buying advice section at the bottom of the page.

Best travel guitars: The quick list

Despite being released in 2010 the Taylor GS Mini-e is still one of the best implementations of travel guitar design ever. A solid top and excellent pickup make it the perfect travel guitar.

Read more below

Originally made famous by Ed Sheeran, the Martin LX1E 'Little Martin' carries all the famous build quality and tonal properties of this legendary guitar maker, in a super compact format.

For the nylon string players out there, this fast-playing and unusual-looking electro-acoustic features a removable upper bout, making it easy to transport anywhere.

There aren't loads of options for electric players when it comes to travel guitars, but the Blackstar Carry-On is a fantastic choice.  The body is tiny, giving you a 'proper' size neck to play on.

A marriage between ESP and the Traveler Guitar company, this mini metal guitar features locking tuners, an active humbucker, and the distinct looks of a full-size ESP LTD EC-1000.

Read more below 

With its cute colors, tiny build, and fantastic tone, the Epiphone Power Player SG is a great guitar for budding guitarists, whilst also being small enough to go wherever they do.

1. Taylor GS Mini-e Koa

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

Taylor’s GS Mini was ahead of most of the pack when it launched in 2010, and it still stands up as a masterful design from the company’s design wizard Andy Powers. It’s a benchmark example of a guitar that sounds far fuller than its dimensions – aided by the slight arch of its back. Although over a decade old, due to its continued success, fantastic playability, and many attempted iterations we have honored it as our number one pick. 

With spruce and mahogany options proving popular, the Koa stands out for the visual clout of its dramatic figuring. A solid top, layered back and sides, Sapele neck, and ebony fingerboard provide a rich tonal recipe here. 

Taylor’s Expression System preamp system (including a handy tuner) and the high-quality included gigbag round out a superb package for one of the company’s best-value models. Left-handed models are available too – yay! 

2. Martin LX1E Little Martin

A firm favorite of Ed Sheeran – although he has made a move to Lowden in recent years – the Martin LX1E is Martin's pint-sized offering (and one of our top picks for the best 3/4 acoustic guitars ), delivering the outstanding built quality you’d expect from the acoustic giant and a quality amplified sound. 

This guitar is made with a solid Sitka spruce top and high-pressure laminate back and sides, as well as a composite neck. It may not have the elegant looks of the D-28 or HD-35, but it is incredibly strong and damn near indestructible. This mighty little guitar will undoubtedly handle any of the harsh conditions bestowed upon it. 

Read our full Martin LX1E Little Martin review

Best nylon string

3. Yamaha SLG200N Silent Guitar

The Silent Guitar is an unusual proposition with a detachable frame for folding down. It’s also designed to be plugged in for amplification or via headphones – it makes very little acoustic sound of its own. This has the advantage of quiet practice but the Silent Guitar’s SRT and pickup blend system also shines via a PA or acoustic combo live for surprisingly organic tones to mimic a real acoustic being mic’d. 

Its low action and slim neck will suit electric guitar players if they can accept its untraditional looks. The onboard chorus and reverb are reminiscent of the Transacoustic series and further enhance the SLG200N’s usability as a traveling companion. 

When it comes to traveling, the SLG200N can be partly disassembled as the bass side of the body screws off. This allows you to slot the guitar in the Yamaha-branded gig bag like you're carrying around a laptop. Easy peasy. 

4. Blackstar Carry-On

Blackstar have made a guitar!? Yes indeed, the guitar amp company joined forces with fellow Brits Gordon Smith Guitars on a down-sized electric; 20.7-inch scale with a ukulele -sized body is certainly compact but the result stacks up comfortably well with a full-size neck.

It’s a one piece body and neck design to aid resonance and we really like design touches like the tortoiseshell-like plastic binding and the playing comfort of the matt neck, sides and back. It’s also great to see a coil-split on the humbucker pickup for tonal versatility through an amp – you can even buy the Carry-on as a package with Blackstar’s Fly3 mini amp.  

Read the full Blackstar Carry-On Deluxe Pack review  

5. Traveler Guitar LTD EC-1

Another collaboration between two successful guitar brands, Traveler already have a formidable reputation for electric travel guitars and ESP build some of the finest guitars for heavy rock and metal around with its EC series; the LTD EC-1 is the combination of those skills.

The full-scale singlecut model first surfaced in 2016 and is now available in Vintage Black with gold hardware – a Traveler design calling card is to cut down on overall length by placing locking tuners within the body design. The pickup here is an ESP-designed active humbucker, so it’s ideal for higher gain tones and cutting lead work with the inbuilt headphone amp. It even features a bevelled cutaway for higher fret access. 

6. Epiphone Power Players SG

Although Epiphone’s Power Player series has a strong appeal to a young beginner, it also presents a fantastic option for some traveling humbucker bite. The SG variant comes in three awesome finishes – Lava Red, Ice Blue, and Dark Matter Ebony – and the included Epiphone branded gig bag almost begs you to take one on your next trip. 

Far from being just another beginner guitar, this SG is equipped with a set of 650R/700T ’buckers which will satisfy any cravings you may have when parted from your beloved housebound axe. Although you’ll have to bring some kind of amplification to utilize the guitar fully, a pocket-friendly headphone amplifier like the fantastic Fender Mustang Micro will have you covered. 

The Slim Taper D neck profile and contoured neck heel help with playability, and we found that the string spacing feels natural enough not to mess with our muscle memory. Also, if you aren’t a fan of the slightly off-kilter feel of an SG, there’s a Les Paul variant if that’s more your thing. So, if you’re after a viable travel size option to rock out on the road, check out the Power Players, you won’t be disappointed. 

Read the full Epiphone Power Players review

7. Yamaha APXT2

This is the third entry for Yamaha on this list, but we felt it needed to be included. Yamaha has taken their ever-popular APX and shrunk it down to create the APXT2. This 3/4 sized acoustic is one of the smallest on this list, measuring in at only 34 inches, and will happily fit in most traveling situations. 

The onboard pickup is surprisingly good on the APXT2 and offers a tone far greater than the unplugged sound. The preamp also comes with a handy built-in guitar tuner , meaning you don't have to pack any extra gear. The satin finish not only looks great but is very smooth to play. In fact, the whole neck is very familiar, and if you have played Yamaha guitars in the past, then you'll get on with how this feels. It also comes in a range of different colors, just like its big brother, the APX500. 

So if you are a fan of the APX series or are looking for a unique-looking travel guitar, then it's worth checking these out. 

8. Sheeran By Lowden S03

Whatever you think of Ed Sheeran’s music, he has great taste in luthier’s. George Lowden actually designed the Wee Lowden travel-size guitar for the songwriter and their friendship blossomed into a full series of guitars in 2019.

The S03 had a refresh in 2021 – the ‘S’ stands for small body and the latest 24.8-inch scale model features a solid cedar top but with a rosewood and mahogany layering at the back and sides this time. An impressively full sound is matched with the quality of the LR Baggs VTC system for plugging in, and with the cutaway design this is one of the best travel-size acoustics for live performance. 

Read the full Sheeran By Lowden SO3 review  

Best travel guitars: Buying advice

Should I get an electric or an acoustic travel guitar?

One of the initial choices you’ll have to make when purchasing a travel guitar is between electric and acoustic. Both have their pros and cons, so deciding what will work best for you is the most important.

With an electric travel guitar, you’ll be able to practice quietly, with the assistance of a headphone amp, so if you don’t want to bug anyone in your vicinity, an electric one may be the better option. Also, it’s far easier to record with an electric travel guitar on the move; if you have your laptop and a small audio interface then hey presto, you can record the next platinum-selling album on your bus to work. However, needing additional pieces of hardware, like a headphone amp, may put people off getting a travel electric. If you want to travel with the least faff possible, an acoustic may be the better option.

Although acoustic travel guitars don’t need additional amplification, they will be slightly deeper than their electric cousins. This depth does come with an advantage, it will project the sound a lot further and you will get a much louder sound out of an acoustic travel guitar.

What makes a great travel guitar?

A travel guitar’s portability can be due to a smaller body, lighter weight and shorter scale (this is the distance from the guitar’s nut to its saddle) but a guitar can still be great for carrying around with you and have a full-scale. 

Having said that, acoustic travel guitars tend to have a shorter scale and smaller bodies to be portable, but they will still be tuned and play like a regular guitar. Indeed, the best travel guitars we have selected in this guide all shine for their playability as well as tone so they don’t take much getting used to. 

Electric travel guitars can usually plug into guitar amps and PAs but some have their own inbuilt amps to use headphones with, making them all-in-one practice tools. 

Can I gig with a travel guitar?

Absolutely, and many acoustic travel guitars include inbuilt pickups and preamps to allow for this. Ed Sheeran is one of the most famous living guitarists on the planet and uses a small-scale travel guitar onstage and in the studio. He likes them so much he’s even got his own series of them now.

Even electric travel guitars designed for headphone practice can be used with amps if you wish, so they could be a great choice for travelling to jams or impromptu gigs with. 

What string gauge should I use for a travel guitar?

Due to their shorter scale length, the strings on a travel guitar usually feel pretty slinky and a lot bendier. This can throw some players off, particularly if your playing style includes a lot of note bends or if you’re a little heavy-handed. A way to combat this can be with a heavier string gauge. Heavier strings will compensate for a short scale length and using a set of 0.012s on a travel guitar will feel more like a set of 0.010s on a full-sized guitar. So if you’ve had trouble with super slinky strings on your travel companion go for a thicker set of strings, it should hopefully solve your issue.

How we choose the best travel guitars

Here at  Guitar World , we are experts in our field, with many years of playing and product testing between us. We live and breathe everything guitar and bass related, and we draw on this knowledge and experience of using products in live, recording and rehearsal scenarios when selecting the products for our guides.

When choosing what we believe to be the best travel guitars available right now, we combine our hands-on experience, user reviews and testimonies and engage in lengthy discussions with our editorial colleagues to reach a consensus about the top products in any given category.

First and foremost, we are guitarists, and we want other players to find the right product for them. So we take into careful consideration everything from budget to feature set, ease of use and durability to come up with a list of what we can safely say are the best travel guitars on the market right now.

Read more about our rating system, how we choose the gear we feature, and exactly  how we test  each product.  

Related buyer's guides

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.

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Rob is the Guitars Editor for MusicRadar , handling news, reviews, features, tuition, advice for the strings side of the site and everything in between. Before MusicRadar, he worked on guitar magazines for 15 years, including as Editor of Total Guitar. He's currently set aside any pipe dreams of getting anywhere with his own songs and is enjoying playing covers in function bands.

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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.

Our GREATEST Travel Secrets…

Pop your email here & get the original Broke Backpacker Bible for FREE.

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!

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

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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10 Best Travel Guitars in 2023

If you are here for a roundup of the 10 best travel guitars in 2023 then you are in for a treat. We have selected some pretty great products that meet the criteria for a range of different reasons, each one deserving of being a worthy candidate.

We live in an age where technology keeps us connected at our fingertips, the world wide web has made the world seem a whole lot smaller, more appealing and traveling the length and breadth of it a lot less of an impossibility.

The majority of guitarists away from home and wished they had an instrument with them, it is also fair to say that our musical instruments can hold a fair amount of value whether it is literal or sentimental. Taking them on the road inevitably means they could end up damaged.

What makes for the best traveling guitar is actually a little bit more complex than you might at first think. Along with durability issues and transportation safety measures, the size and components need to be considered.

Table of Contents

At a glance: Our top 3 picks

1. ibanez ewp14opn, 2. washburn rover, 3. traveler guitar ec1 vbkm, 4. traveler guitar eg1c blk v2, 5. taylor guitars baby taylor bt1, 6. martin lx1 little martin, 7. luna safari series muse mahogany, 8. traveler guitar mark iii mk3 mhg, 9. cordoba mini m, 10. fender ct-60s, what is a travel guitar, where to buy a travel guitar, which travel electric guitar, best backpacker guitar, best sounding travel guitar, best cheap travel guitar.

We are going rifle through the best travel size acoustic guitar reviews to determine what makes each ideal for what, where, and whom to help make your purchase a sensible one.

As ever we have included a buyers guide in which we will attempt to answer your niggling questions. Read on to find 10 top travel guitars that don't suck!

• Piccolo Size
• Gorgeous Looks
• Unique Voice
• Durable Build

Find The Best Travel Guitar Below

Check Amazon Price

Check Sweetwater Price

Ibanez is a much-loved company in the guitarist community as its products tend to be reasonably priced while also performing like much more expensive instruments. That’s also the case with this travel guitar, which also lives up to Ibanez’s reputation for creating cool-looking axes.

The piccolo size makes this guitar ideal for taking on the road with you. It has a shorter scale length, at 17”, and can be compared in size to a ukulele. This smaller size gives it a unique voice. It is a little higher pitched than a standard acoustic while it also has something of a mandolin about its tone too. It has to be heard to be appreciated.

Also surprising for such a little instrument is the amount of volume it produces. It could easily be used to entertain a small group at a campfire or in the park.

Pros: + Piccolo Size + Gorgeous Looks + Low Price + Unique Voice + Durable Build

Why We Liked It - It’s a gorgeous little guitar that has a truly unique voice. It also provides an impressive amount of volume for a piccolo.

Fretboard size - Some travel guitars feature a small body so that they can still include a full-sized fretboard, meaning the guitar's layout will feel familiar. This is a great space-saver, but you sacrifice some of the "roundness" of sound produced by a regular-sized body, especially on travel acoustics. If sound is more important to you than portability, look at models with a full-sized body.

Miles Forman FOR MUSIC CRITIC

Diff brand & model - change content

Next up is a fantastic product from Washburn. This guitar has been designed with travel in mind. For that reason, it features a sleek, slim-bodied aesthetic that lends itself to easy portability.

Washburn has compromised on the body of the instrument to make it easier to carry around, but it hasn’t shortened the scale length. It’s got a full scale of 23.75”. That means that you can play it in the same manner as your standard acoustic.

As you’d expect for the price, this product features high-grade materials. It’s got a spruce top and body, as well as a mahogany neck and back. These materials don’t just enhance the durability of the instrument, they also contribute to a surprisingly rich, warm tone. This sound is made even better by the D’Addario strings that come as standard.

To make traveling with this lightweight product easier, Washburn provides you with a high-quality gig bag.

Pros: + Sleek Design + Perfect for Traveling + Includes Gig Bag + D’Addario Strings + Superb Sound and Tone

Why We Liked It - It’s a lightweight, sleek guitar that’s been designed for traveling. On top of that, it offers a beautiful tone, which is typical of Washburn.

If you’re looking for a premium, high-quality electric guitar for traveling, then you’ll likely be impressed by this awesome Traveler ax.

It’s a solid-body electric that weighs a little over 5lbs. This low weight allows for easy portability while you’re on the road. One of the reasons why it weighs so little is because it doesn’t have a headstock. Tuning is done within the body of the guitar. This unique design keeps the guitar shorter – therefore more portable – without having to reduce the scale length.

As this ax has been designed for traveling, it also includes lots of handy features for you to be able to play it while out and about. First, it has an in-built amp that allows you to plug your earphones in and add effects to the guitar, such as overdrive or reverb. You can also plug in your smartphone and play along to tunes on it.

Pros: + Exceptional Solid Body Guitar + Lightweight + Shorter Length + No Headstock + Includes Gig Bag

Why We Liked It - It’s simply the best electric guitar around for traveling. It’s lightweight, shorter in length, while also loaded with lots of handy features.

Travel Amps - If you're considering a electric travel guitar, then you'll need to carry a small amp around with you as well. Size and weight are the prime factors here, but you still don't want to scrimp on sound quality. A very popular choice is the tiny battery-powered Marshall MS2, which offers switchable clean and overdrive channels plus a headphone out for silent practice. And it looks SO cute!

This next travel guitar is an electric guitar option and the company has really thought about its travel abilities every step of the way throughout its design. The traditional tuning mechanism has been replaced with an entirely different more forward-thinking one. The tuning is facilitated on board within the super lightweight body itself tuning pegs are subjected to a lot especially when we travel so this is a great idea as far as we are concerned.

This steel string silent guitar is substantially shorter than a standard electronic sized guitar the lack of headstock contributes largely to this and it is around half the typical weight as well.

The built-in shadow e-tuner is integrated into the pickup offering onboard chromatic tuning which can only be beneficial. Other notable features include the V2 headphone amplifier which allows for silent guitar practice great for a late night strum in a hotel and the Jack plate auxiliary input enabling players to plug in other devices to play along to their MP3 tracks.

The sounds are pretty good, the custom tap pot allows you to cycle through clean, boost, overdrive and distortion tones, and its gold Humbucker and cream pickups stand out visually against its dark mahogany body.

Pros: + Full size scale length but smaller overall size due to head stock sacrifice. + Super Lightweight. + Great on-board features

Why We Liked It - This one makes for a fantastic choice of electronic travel guitar the range of tones are awesome and you can get away with a cheap mini-amp that doesn't need any tone abilities. We like the silent guitar playing option also all in all it is one of their original series and a contender for best traveler guitar.

Next up in our travel guitar review is the Baby Taylor BT1 the predecessor to the Mahogany body BT2 we we have already listed. This little baby was the one that kick-started the popularity among seasoned musicians looking for a small knockabout ideal for their travels that rose from a humble product aimed at children starting to learn guitar.

This Taylor guitar is a solid Sitka spruce guitar and we have included it in our review because it actually provides the rich and deep altogether fuller sound than the newer refined model. The level of volume from this ¾ sized instrument is amazing although we dare say the higher frets on the treble string are a little tinnier than would be truly desirable and this is probably the reason for the second model development.

As previously mentioned the BT2 Taylor guitar doesn't have much bass reverb, the two are equally priced o the decision between them boils down to how you prefer your overall tone.

Pros: + Powerfully naturally loud. + Best seller + Great grab and go guitar.

Why We Liked It - This Taylor guitar is a great candidate for the ultimate guitar travel companion the tonal qualities are top-notch, which is how it earned its popularity among adult players despite its initial concept being aimed at young beginners.

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The Martin LX 1 makes for a vastly superior travel guitar. It is almost twice the price of the LXK2 (the Koa we reviewed) but the differences go way beyond cosmetics. The Martin guitar features a solid spruce top which will make it a little bit more fragile in terms of dents and dings but ultimately the sound is everything you get with a traditional Martin.

This Martin guitar has a Rut-stratabond neck which features Martin'sortise joint construction, Micarta bridge, Tusq saddle and rosewood fingerboard which feature 20 frets (14 clear of the body) and the whole thing is hand-finished.

The LXK2 tones are just completely outshone by this one it is full rich and deep and a perfect starter guitar, as well as a great choice for travel but it, as we said, set you back more and you may not want to take it on particularly adventurous travels.

Pros: + Padded gig bag seems better quality than standard free gig bags. + Fullest tone. + Compact and affordable high quality.

Why We Liked It - This Martin traveler guitar is a wholesome toned compact guitar that makes it a perfect choice of travel without a 'travel guitar sound', not to mention the padded gig bag you get with it!

This Luna Safari Series Muse Mahogany
 is an attractive ¾ size travel guitar with an equally appealing price range. The production doesn't come from a top brand and however, the manufacturer seems great. The Luna Safari Series Muse Mahogany
 travel guitar is a typical dreadnought body it features a Celtic laser etched henna design and is a fairly eye-catching little beauty. It was constructed mainly from mahogany (neck back sides and top, it is non-specific when listed but the top is probably HPL considering the dramatically lower price range, it has a rosewood fingerboard.

This backpacker travel guitar has an adjustable truss rod and the overall construction good there is no tell-tale sign of substandard construction (like extra glue etc. On the whole, its pretty sturdy with its high-pressure laminate top although this doesn't give the beautiful reverberations that are expected in a great acoustic travel guitar it does mean it has good durability.

Pros: + ¾ size. + Ideal travel buddy & great backpacking guitar. + Low priced.

Why We Liked It - This Luna Safari Series Muse Mahogany
 guitar makes for a great cheap and cheerful option , the sound is pretty sweet and would be the best option for any trips where your guitar is going to face some extreme exposure. Perfect for round a campfire out into the wild style gatherings. Half the price of the Baby Taylor and hold it's own among them in terms of it's sound capabilities.

Another travel acoustic electric guitar model here from Traveler guitar, a company which formed 20 years ago with the sole purpose of providing full-size travel guitars and have been innovative front-runners from the get-go. Like the EG V2 we reviewed, it features their genius in-body tuning function eliminating head-stock from the guitar length and thus providing a full-scale length guitar that is smaller, to begin with. Overall this acoustic-electric travel guitar is 26% shorter and 47% thinner than a typical electric but the frets have not been scaled back.

Again this acoustic-electric travel guitar features the built-in shadow headphone amplifier and auxiliary input. The under-saddle pickup is super sensitive and gives an acoustic style sound without the need for bigger body resonance. It has standard EQ controls to shape your tone.

The Traveller acoustic-electric travel guitar is constructed from mahogany and has a cutaway for better access to higher frets.

Pros: + Headphones for silent guitar practice. + Aux in for jamming with tracks. + On-board tuner. + Mahogany body.

Why We Liked It - The Traveler Guitar brand are dedicated to the travel guitar niche and tailor their products to specifically cater for travel playing needs, they also come with a lifetime warranty, they are beautiful in appearance and have some nifty on-board conveniences.

Cordoba produces some amazing classical guitars in their many ranges The Cordoba Mini M is a solid spruce topped travel instrument. The classic guitar alternative has a lighter weight and can be purchased in different side and back options to suit different tonality preferences. Find some classical guitar strings here .

It has the same feel and playability as a full-size guitar as the neck is of a typical width as is the fret spacing. It comes with acoustic guitar strings tuned up a fourth from standard tuning ADGCEa. This is the recommended optimal tuning for the best vibrancy but you can replace them with a standard E set.

It sounds very bright and is surprisingly loud for a miniature musical instrument, the basses are very strong, we recommend adhering to the A tuning as the E guitar strings change it dramatically into a somewhat lackluster instrument and they hold far less tension.

Pros: + Miniature sized. + A-A tuning. + Great volume level.

Why We Liked It - It is a great deal for the dollars spent, it has good bracing and is finely constructed and is genuinely mini making it another good backpacking option.

Our last option is an excellent contribution from Fender noteworthy acoustic travel guitar lines, it also has the lowest price of all our product listings. The CT features a brand new modified body size and shape, which they aptly name “Travel” it also has a shortened scale length this is what makes it so fitting for travel pursuits.

It is a solid spruce topped instrument at 23.5” scale length, it makes for a quintessential travel buddy with it's compact size and portability. It plays better than some of Fenders other smaller model which are aimed at junior players.

This acoustic travel guitar has scalloped X bracing for added durability required when you are on the move. If you know your Fender acoustics this one is essentially the CD60S but tailored to backpacker travel needs. This acoustic travel guitar has great across board tones and plays straight out of the box and keeps good intonation.

Pros: + Affordable price. + Incredibly lightweight small travel guitar. + Solid topped. + Great portable travel guitar.

Why We Liked It - It is a great affordable entry from a leading brand, which they have developed exclusively for optimized travel abilities. Perhaps one to fit in the overhead compartment of a plane?!

Where's the headstock? A lot of electric travel guitars appear to have been in an accident, as the headstock is completely missing. Instead, the tuning is has been relocated to inside the body. Specialist manufacturers like Traveler Guitar boast rock-solid tuning. And not having a headstock allows these guitars to use a full fretboard, yet still be up to 30% shorter.

Travel Guitar Buying Guide

So you've seen our reviews now let's resolve some of your queries in our buying guide.

A travel guitar is an instrument which has been created to tackle some of the drawbacks of taking a guitar out and about whether that is for an outdoor retreat or abroad, for a long weekend or an arduous adventure. When we travel and how we travel will affect the toll taken on your musical instruments. Many guitarists feel lost without something to strum when the mood takes them and quite often when we are on holiday and relaxed or meeting new people we can find our selves wishing we hadn't left our guitar at home.

On the other hand, we also know the logistics of carrying our pride and joy into the unknown territory of travel can put it at risk of damage or even getting lost altogether. Ideally, we want a lower priced and probably even smaller sized (and weighted) travel companion as a solution especially if you intend to lug it about for long period of time. The most essential thing is that it is an easily portable guitar for travel.

There are many places to buy a backpacker travel guitar, many outlets will cater for travel options in modern times. It is, however, a huge market and in this day and age, it is easier to sift through your options online. All of the above products we have reviewed are available through Amazon. The majority can also be bought online via their brands own websites.

We have only listed 2 of the best travel electric guitars and they are both by Traveler Guitars we feel they represent the most cutting-edge electric guitars specifically designed for traveling purposes. Usually, we see instrument companies creating travel instrument models in this case travel instrument models have created a company, this speaks volumes for the quality goods which they are producing. Their electric travel guitar features and design concepts are, undeniably, "State-of-the-art". Grab some great electric guitar strings here .

If you are planning on backpacking you are going to want to streamline everything you typically take traveling so size here is key depending on how hardcore your backpacking will get you will probably want the smallest backpacker travel guitar you can get your hands on. Martin's backpacker is a great option although some have found its unique shaping awkward to get along with. In which case you could try going with the Little Martin Koa or the Taylor backpacker models.

You will likely be carrying your instrument for lengthy periods backpacking, the Cordoba Mini M is incredibly small and super lightweight if you can embrace it's higher tuning it might be another superb choice for you.

In terms of sound and strictly talking about best travel acoustic guitars for the road, the Martin LX1 is the pinnacle of our product reviews. If you want an electric option the Traveler Guitars EG1C has unbelievable onboard features and effects.

From our acoustic travel guitar reviews the Luna makes a pretty great budget travel guitar its is priced at the same region as the Fender CT-60S so either make a good low priced option it just boils down to your individual sound preference The CT60S acoustic travel guitar has a great overall tone but we feel the Luna's low might just give it the edge here in terms of sound despite Fender being the more notorious brand.

We are optimistic that our traveling guitar reviews will have made for a good selection of top travel guitars for the road to choose from and think about.

Initially, you will have to determine if you want acoustic or electric abilities there are some companies making pickups for smaller musical instruments so that can be something you could change at a later date.

The key things to remember when searching for a good travel guitar are how you intend to travel (modes of transport etc), whether you want a cheap knockabout option that you aren't too invested in or prefer something as exquisite as it is roadworthy. Is it going to sit in a hotel room and be pulled out for the local jam night at the club at the end of the strip or are you going to hitchhike your way across Europe?

Lastly, your budget is really what sets your limitations, if it is on the smaller side you ought not to expect too much from cheap travel-size guitars for the road.

Once you know what you want from a travel guitar you can make a better thought out decision and find the most practical solution for your needs.

If your heart is set on dragging around your pride and joy to show it off in all it's beauty on a worldwide scale you will want to seriously invest in some high-end flight cases for the overhead compartment.

Did You Know?

Several leading brands and their discount competitors are manufacturing fold away, collapsible or sliding guitars with some pretty advanced mechanisms, which in terms of compact guitar design solutions is pretty ground breaking so we are excited to see where guitar development goes from here as they will likely make for another great guitar for travel choice.

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

• 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.

Related posts:

• Fender CD100CE Review (2024) – 5 Reasons Why This Guitar is A Worthy Investment
• Taylor 214ce Review 2024 – Is it Worth Buying?
• Fender T-Bucket 300CE Review (2024)- Balanced Guitar With Laminated Perfection
• Orangewood Brooklyn Live Acoustic-Electric Guitar Review (2024)

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7 Best Travel Guitars of 2024

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

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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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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

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

7 available used from $250.00 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

2 available new from $180.78 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

2 available used from $299.99 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 $189.99 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

14 available used from $392.64 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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The 25 Best Travel Guitars (Acoustic, Electric) In 2024

It is not easy to find the ideal travel companion as a musician as guitars are designed to perform instead of traveling. They are heavy, fragile, and sometimes too expensive to travel with and play on the go, which is always a shame as you can not play your guitar at perfect moments.

Luckily, now there are acoustic and electric guitars designed with on-the-go musicians in mind. They allow you to travel with them easily, thanks to their compact sizes, lightweight designs, and extra added durability for any case.

So here are 25 of the best guitars that can be the ideal travel companions for guitarists.

Taylor Baby Mahogany BT2

• 6-string Acoustic Guitar with Mahogany Top
• Layered Sapele Back
• Sides - Natural
• Neck Width 1-11/16 inch
• 6-String 3/4 Size Dreadnought
• Layered Sapele back and sides
• Tropical American Mahogany top
• Laser-Etched soundhole rosette 
• Tropical American Mahogany neck
• Ebony Fretboard
• Ebony Bridge
• Tusq Nut/Micarta Saddle 

Taylor Baby Mahogany BT2 is a compact dreadnought guitar with its 3/4-scale yet full voice. The portable guitar has a warm and sweet tone like a full-scale guitar, and it shines with its versatility for different playing styles, from strumming chords to playing with alternative tunings. 

It comes with a solid mahogany top, layered Sapele sides and back, mahogany neck, and ebony fretboard. The mahogany body gives an excellent mid-range punch and an attractive dark color. This mid-range punch is often called the bluesy edge, as mahogany guitars shine with their bluesy mid-range tones, which are ideal for genres like blues and classic rock.

Furthermore, the looks and the feel of the guitar are also amazing again, thanks to the great quality mahogany wood on the neck and the body.

Washburn Rover

• Solid spruce top with mahogany back and sides, matte finish
• Travel size/mini body
• Quarter sawn scalloped Sitka Spruce bracing
• ABS Rosette, Mahogany neck with 18 frets and offset dot inlay
• Solid Spruce top
• Mahogany back, sides, and neck
• Engineered wood fingerboard
• 1-11/16″ Nut Width

Equipped with a solid spruce top, mahogany back and sides, a full 23.75″ scale length, engineered wood fingerboard, and different color finish options, Washburn Rover is an excellent blend of feel, sound, and great looks.

Furthermore, it comes with a deluxe gig bag for safe transport. The guitar is lightweight, the smooth finish feels great in the hands, and the guitar’s sound is quite powerful and balanced. The compact guitar has 18 frets on the fretboard, which is quite enough to play on the go.

Enya Nova Go Carbon Fiber

• ♫ A TASTE OF CARBON FIBER - Carbon Fiber may have become a buzzword in...
• ♫ WHY CARBON FIBER - Nova Go is made of carbon fiber composite material,...
• ♫ SOLID BUILD & EASY TO PLAY - The body of Nova Go is 1/2 sized (35 in.),...
• ♫ ZERO FRET - Also, the "Zero Fret" feature is added to this acoustic...
• 1/2 sized (33 in.) body, molded all in one piece
• “Zero Fret” feature is added to this acoustic guitar for smoother tuning
• Fret ends are polished to round edges for a more comfortable hand feel
• Comes with an EVA case, custom-made

Carbon Fiber guitars may be a topic of huge discussion, but there is no denying that they are perfect for traveling with. Often carbon fiber guitars are pretty expensive, but Enya Nova Go Carbon Fiber is an exception. The guitar is lightweight, it also feels and sounds great, but also it is pretty affordable for a carbon fiber guitar.

Carbon fiber guitars are perfect choices if you do not want to worry about temperature, humidity, or impacts. They are highly durable and resistant, so you can travel as you’d like, and this guitar will follow you without any issue.

Ibanez EWP14OPN Exotic Wood Piccolo

• Piccolo cutaway style EW body Ovangkol top Ovangkol back and sides Rosewood...
• Smaller scale instruments have increased in popularity over the past few...
• From the on-the-go businessperson who needs a guitar that can fit in a...
• The EWP14OPN is a 1/3-size, steel string Piccolo acoustic guitar
• Cutaway Tenor Style EW body
• Solid Ovangkol top
• Ovangkol back & Ovangkol sides
• EWP Okoume neck
• Purpleheart fretboard
• Maple dot inlays
• Abalone Soundhole Rosette
• Chrome Die-cast Tuner machines

Ibanez EWP14OPN is a very compact instrument that has the ⅓ size of a traditional guitar. It is somewhere between a guitar and a Baritone ukulele (17”). Plus, it has an EW-style cutaway body made from Ovangkol wood, like the top and back. The EWP Okoume neck and Purpleheart fretboard also feel great in hand.

For travelers, children, and beginners, Ibanez EWP14OPN Exotic Wood Piccolo is a great choice. If you are looking for a small guitar to play while on the road, you should check this one.

Journey Instruments OF660M Overhead Carbon Fiber

• The guitar can collapse into a compact size with a unique removable neck system.
• It can fit into any luggage and overhead compartment on the planes when folded.
• The carbon fiber is temperature and humidity-resistant to prevent cracks and warps.
• The Low C profile neck and 24.5” scale fretboard is a highly playable instrument.
• Easy access to all 20 frets on the fretboard thanks to the scoop away function
• Under-saddle transducer pickup provides greatly amplified tones
• Bone nut and saddle, along with the ebony bridge pins, give extra sustain, stability, and tonal richness 
•  It comes with a travel backpack with a TSA-compliant laptop foldout

Journey Instruments OF660M Overhead is another great carbon fiber guitar built for traveling musicians. It has a unique removable neck system, allowing you to assemble and disassemble the guitar in a few minutes. When disassembled, the guitar fits into a small bag that can accommodate a car’s small trunk to an airplane’s overhead compartments.

The bag is specially designed for TSA regulations, and the airport security can scan the panel on the bag, so you would not even need to open the bag.

The guitar has a peculiar shape with a deeper depth than a dreadnought. This way, the guitar delivers a powerful sound like a full-scale guitar with its small body. The offset soundhole also helps the resonance to be more powerful. Also, the proprietary bracing also gives the tone fantastic clarity.

Gretsch G9520E Gin Rickey

• Solid Spruce Top w/ Laminated Maple Back & Sides, Midnight Sapphire Color...
• 25" Scale Standard "U" Maple Neck w/ Rosewood Fingerboard
• Built-In Chromatic Tuner w/ On/Off Switch, Volume, Bass, Mid, Treble...
• Rosewood Bridge & Deluxe Die-Cast Tuners
• Highly playable parlor-style acoustics for powerful volume
• Gretsch Deltoluxe acoustic magnetic soundhole pickup provides great tones and volume
• Basswood body with supported X-bracing for enriched tones
• Walnut fretboard with a 24-inch scale
• Walnut bridge with synthetic bone saddle
• Vintage frets, open-gear die-cast tuning machines, and pin strap

One of the earliest instruments of Gretsch was the Gin Rickey from their Roots collection. This reissue of the vintage guitar is an excellent instrument with the smooth walnut fingerboard and 24-inch scale nato neck. Thanks to the classic parlor-style design and Gretsch Deltoluxe acoustic magnetic soundhole pickup, the volume is amazing for the size.

The compact and lightweight guitar is a great travel companion and delivers a big, bold, and full sound for live performances, practices, or recording on the go.

Cordoba Mini II M

• Comfortable 1/2 size guitar, with standard tuning
• Layered Mahogany top, back and sides
• Nub one nut, 1. 875" Width
• C-profile Mahogany neck; 22. 875" Scale Length
• Layered Mahogany top, back, and sides
• Nub one nut, 1. 875″ Width
• C-profile Mahogany neck; 22. 875″ Scale Length
• Satin polyurethane Body and neck finish

This guitar is light and portable for those on the move or for younger learners. It has the feel of a guitar but with the sound of a ukulele. It is a well-made instrument with a good tone.

The neck is quite wide for a small guitar, and there are some limitations with regard to the range of tones that the Cordoba Mini can produce. Nevertheless, it will be ideal for use at open mic nights or on trips away with the walking group. Not so sure about the strings that came with it, though. The fourth string is already on its way out, and it has been less than a month since I purchased the instrument. 

Taylor GS Mini-e

• Great looking and sounding solid koa top
• Excellent tones with the Hawaiian Koa back and sides
• Comfort and high playability with Sapele neck and ebony fingerboard
• Great koa grain patterns on the body without a pickguard
• Good ES-B pickup
• 5mm Dot fretboard inlays, chrome tuners, and 3-ring rosette accent

One of the best and most popular travel guitars is the GS Mini-E model of the great Taylor Guitars. The guitar is inspired by the Taylor’s Grand Symphony (GS) body shape but built with portability in mind. It offers great playability in comfortable travel size and fantastic sound with a full-voiced and tonally rich sound palette.

The guitar features an Expression System-B that uses a proprietary pickup behind the saddle instead of under-saddle piezo transducers. The custom-designed preamp system delivers a hotter signal up to %25. The overall sound is very natural, rich in dynamic range, and highly responsive, thanks to these innovative approaches from Taylor.

Luna Safari Acoustic-Electric

• Design by Alex Morgan
• Body: 3/4 Travel
• Top: Select Spruce
• Outstanding performance and looks for a great price
• Great artistic design made by lasers
• Dynamic and expressive spruce top
• Rich mahogany back and sides
• Comfortable 3/4-sized Dreadnought body style

Luna Safari is yet another great travel-size acoustic-electric guitar made from high-quality woods such as dynamic spruce and mahogany. The dreadnought 3/4 size body is quite comfortable to hold and sounds good with enough punch, balance, and overall output volume.

One of the most significant aspects of this guitar is its looks. Luna Safari has great artistic touches made from a laser and luna Pearloid dots on the fretboard. It also has a nonboard preamp with 3-band EQ, master volume, and phase controls. Plus, the onboard tuner is convenient on the stage or in the house.

Martin Backpacker

• Solid Spruce Top
• Solid Tonewood Back and Sides
• Unique Contour Neck Shape
• Features 24-Inch Scale Length
• Features 15 Frets

Martin Backpacker is a trendy travel guitar thanks to the Martin quality and reliability. The compact guitar features a solid spruce top and solid tonewood back and sides. The rich and warm sound of the high-quality woods makes it one of the best-sounding travel guitars.

Furthermore, it is very light, around 2.5 lbs, and the guitar comes with a great padded-back gig bag for safe traveling and a Martin woven strap. It only has 15 frets with a 24-inch scale, but the sound is so fantastic you will not be looking for the extra frets.

Traveler Guitar LTD EC-1

• BUILT FOR TRAVEL: The LTD EC-1 is a portable and travel-friendly version of...
• PERFORMANCE WITHOUT COMPROMISE: Our proprietary In-Body Tuning System...
• PROTECT YOUR INVESTMENT: This electric guitar includes a custom gig bag...
• UNMATCHED FEATURES: Equipped with an active ESP designed pickup, an aux-in,...
• Built-in conjunction with ESP LTD
• 24.75″-scale guitar in a 28.5″ frame
• Compact design to fit in a luggage
• Resonant mahogany body
• ALH-200B active humbucker
• Built-in headphone amplifier with onboard distortion
• 1/8″ auxiliary input

Traveler Guitar’s LTD EC-1 shines with its full scale and handy features that you’d expect from an ideal guitar on the road. The compact body with a full 24.75″-scale, an active humbucker, onboard headphone amp , and aux input are great touches for versatility. Plus, the guitar can easily fit anywhere from a piece of luggage to airplane overhead compartments.

The looks of the guitar are also pretty sleek. It is small but does not feel small in hand. It is one of the greatest innovative travel guitar designs ever made.

Squier Mini Jazzmaster HH

• 100% Designed by Fender
• Thin and lightweight body
• Dual humbucking pickups
• Sealed die-cast tuning machines
• 3/4-size Jazzmaster guitar, perfect for young and-or entry-level players
• Great humbucker pickups
• Real maple neck and fingerboard
• Comfortable slim “C” neck profile and 22.75-inch scale length
• Chrome hardware
• Hardtail 6-saddle bridge

Jazzmaster Squier Mini Jazzmaster HH might be ideal for you if you want a smaller version of an iconic guitar to travel with. It comes with a HH pickup layout with great-sounding two humbucking pickups. The sound is much bigger than the compact guitar’s size and instantly gets you ready to rock n’ roll.

The 3/4 sized guitar comes with a three-way toggle switch, single volume knob, and single tone knob layout. Plus, it has a short 22.75-inch scale making the barre chords and long stretches easier for beginners and small-handed players. The mini C-shaped neck is highly comfortable and playable, while the maple neck feels great and smooth.

PRS SE Parlor P20E

• 6-string Acoustic-electric Guitar with Mahogany Top
• Ebony Fingerboard - Pink Lotus
• Mahogany Neck
• Compact parlor sized acoustic-electric guitar.
• Made from the solid mahogany top, back, and sides for a rich and warm tone
• Fishman GT1 under-saddle pickup system 
• Mahogany neck and ebony fingerboard
• Great looking herringbone rosette and accents
• Bone nut and saddle for enriched tone support

PRS SE Parlor P20E is ideal for players looking for a parlor-sized yet full-sounding acoustic-electric guitar. The guitar has an eye-catching look with its traditional acoustic appearance combined with modern adornments and embellishments. The construction quality is impressive with the solid mahogany top, X-brace/classical hybrid bracing, herringbone rosette and accents, and a bone nut and saddle. 

The electronics also perform great as the Fishman GT1 under-saddle pickup system delivers powerful tones. The crystal-clear sound and ample projection are great features to go with the PRS SE Parlor P20E, along with its comfortable neck, easy-to-pack, and travel with system.

Traveler Guitar Travelcaster Deluxe

• Travel-size compact guitar with a full-scale and S-style body
• Made of poplar and maple wood
• 3 single-coil pickups layout
• Vintage type tremolo
• 5 lbs weight and 33.75 inches long
• Comes with a padded gig bag

As the name suggests, Traveler Guitar Travelcaster Deluxe was created with mobility in mind. The 25.5-inch scale length, solid body from poplar, maple necks, fingerboard, and 5 lbs weight make the guitar great for playing on the road with the sound of a traditional guitar.

The 3 single-coil pickups design and traditional controls give you good versatility and make it feel like playing a Strat. The vintage-style tremolo gives extra sustain and control. Finally, it comes with a padded gig bag, and its compact size can fit most luggage and overhead airplane compartments.

Martin LXK2 Little Martin

• Koa Wood Pattern HPL Textured Finish
• Natural Stratabond neck
• Richlite fingerboard material
• Rosewood bridge
• Padded gig bag

Another great travel guitar by Martin is the Martin LXK2 Little Martin model. The guitar features a Koa wood pattern high-pressure laminate on the body, top, back, sides, and headstock. The fretboard and the bridge are made with rosewood, while the neck is created from natural Stratabond. The great Martin workmanship can be felt all over the instruments as the guitar sounds quite fantastic.

The instrument is highly durable and comfortable to play. The pick-up-and-play design makes it highly easy to play the guitar, and the padded gig bag gives extra safety for the road. 

Journey Instruments FP412 FirstClass Parlor

• FINALLY A FULL SIZE GUITAR THAT'S EASY TO TAKE WITH YOU - Our mini travel...
• QUALITY SOUND SYSTEM TO AMAZE THE CROWD - Traditional sound-hole boasts a...
• BACKPACKER’S HEAVEN - Fit our premium TSA compliant carry-on backpack on...
• LIFETIME WARRANTY - Your satisfaction is guaranteed! Our stainless steel...
• Travel-ready, collapsible acoustic-electric delivers outstanding tone and playability.
• Patented collapsible neck system that lets you detach and reattach the guitar neck with just a few simple clicks and turns
• It easily fits inside its included travel backpack and into overhead bins on planes.
• Solid spruce top and solid Sapele body for exceptionally rich acoustic tone
• A proprietary under-bridge transducer pickup system delivers stellar amplified acoustic tone.
• Ovangkol Bridge and bone nut and saddle add to the rich tone.

When you need portability and great tone, the FP412 FirstClass Solid Sitka/Sapele Parlor acoustic-electric from Journey Instruments is an amazing instrument that truly has to be experienced to be believed. The FP412 features Journey Instrument’s patented collapsible neck system that lets you detach and reattach the guitar neck with just a few simple clicks and turns, letting you easily fit the FP412 inside its included travel backpack and into overhead bins on planes.

This traditional parlor acoustic features a solid spruce top and solid Sapele body for a vibrant acoustic tone. A solid Sapele neck with carbon fiber reinforcement is beautifully playable and responsive. When you are ready for the plugin, a Proprietary under-bridge transducer pickup system delivers stellar amplified acoustic tone.

Gretsch G5021E Rancher Penguin 

• Body Body type: Parlor Cutaway: Non-cutaway Top wood: Spruce Solid Back &...
• The G5021WPE Rancher Penguin Parlor Acoustic/Electric delivers classic...
• The Isys III pickup/preamp system provides a modern sonic complement to...
• Elegant look with gold hardware, unique finish, and headstock designs
• Maple back and sides, solid spruce top delivers great sonic performance with a punchy direct tone
• Fishman Presys III pickup system for top-quality sound
• U shaped neck for increased playability and comfort
• Compact parlor body shape for extra mobility

Gretsch G5021E Rancher Penguin is one of the top-quality travel-sized acoustic-electric guitars with its Rancher style from the ’50s. The iconic looks with triangle soundhole and compact design combined with the great sound of the instrument make this one the ideal travel guitar for acoustic guitar lovers.

The unique look of the guitar is pretty elegant and eye-catching. The high-quality wood used in the construction delivers amazing tones, while the Fishman Presys III helps fantastically to amplify the sound when necessary. 

The natural timbre is present without any coloration with the pickup. You can also shape your sound with volume mid-sweep and bass knobs on the control board of the guitar. Plus, it also has a chromatic tuner.

Takamine GY93 New Yorker 

• Solid spruce top, rosewood sides and a stunning three piece rosewood/quilt...
• Slim mahogany neck and 12"-radius bound rosewood fingerboard provide great...
• Split-saddle design of the rosewood bridge provides superior intonation for...
• Maple body, neck and headstock binding
• Parlor-style guitar with a unique tone
• Solid spruce top for the extra resonant body along with X-bracing for extra volume output
• Maple center with 3-piece walnut back for tonal flexibility and high definition
• Mahogany neck with laurel fretboard on top
• 20 frets with dot inlays on the fingerboard
• Gold finished machine heads

When it comes to acoustic guitars, Takamine is one of the most reliable and popular brands on the market. The GY93 New Yorker model shines with its parlor-style construction, compact size for mobility, and high-quality woods such as solid spruce top, maple center, mahogany back and neck, and laurel fretboard. The sound of the guitar is fantastic, just like its pretty look, all thanks to the high-quality wood used in the workmanship.

The neck is highly slim for an acoustic guitar, making it an extremely comfortable and fun-to-play guitar. The 12-inch radius laurel fingerboard has a fantastic feel to it, and the playability is in the sky.

Furthermore, it has a Takamine TK-40D preamp system with a built-in tuner, three-band EQ, gain controls, notch filter, EQ bypass, and a mid contour switch for increased versatility and sound quality.

Luna Gypsy Parlor Mahogany

• This full parlor guitar is part of our all mahogany Gypsy series which...
• A surprisingly affordable price is paired with elegant features
• Features walnut stringers at the back, Luna's signature moon phase fret...
• This acoustic is ideal for finger-style players who desire a powerful punch...
• Mahogany top, back, and sides
• Mahogany set neck, C profile
• Black walnut fingerboard, 14″ radius, MOP Moon Phase inlays
• 25.25″ scale length, 21 frets
• 1.6875″ nut
• Black walnut bridge
• Chrome sealed die-cast tuners.

Parlor-sized guitars are great for traveling with, as you probably have figured out by now. This one, Luna Gypsy Parlor Mahogany, is a relatively affordable acoustic travel guitar with a big sound that you would not expect from such a compact body.

The guitar features a great-looking mahogany top, back, and sides, along with blackwood stringers on the backside of the neck. The black walnut fingerboard has a 14” radius and is quite comfortable to play with. Another great detail is the Luna signature MOP moon phase design of the dot inlays.

There is also a Celtic-themed rosette which looks fantastic with the quality tonewoods. The sound is pretty warm and clear, with great mid frequencies. The neck has a C-shaped profile that is great for beginners and small-handed players. For the price offered, Luna Gypsy Parlor Mahogany is a great travel acoustic guitar with its comfortable playability and amazing sonic performance.

Fender PS-220E

• Compact sized parlor guitar from Fender with traditional and modern features combines
• Sitka spruce top and mahogany body for warm and natural sound
• C-shaped mahogany neck with ovangkol fretboard
• Fender-Fishman Sonitone Plus Soundhole pickup system for organic amplified tones
• Ovangkol bridge, ebony pins, open-back tuners for a traditional appearance

If you are after the Fender quality for your travel guitar, Fender PS-220E is a great choice. It is inspired by parlor guitars and combines the traditional features with modern enhancements for amazing looks and sonic performance. The guitar performs and looks fantastic with the mixture of high-quality tonewoods, including mahogany, Sitka spruce, and ovangkol.

The acoustic-electric guitar has a highly resonant tone which is organically reflected by the Fender-Fishman Sonitone Plus Soundhole pickup system. The sound of the natural woody tones gives impressive results, while the volume and blend controls are there to help you shape your tone as you would like. It is a great overall guitar in terms of sound and feel, as you would expect from Fender.

Kala Solid Cedar Top Parlor

• The KALA solid Cedar top Parlor guitar is a smaller-bodied guitar
• Its tone is very warm and full-bodied and pleasant without being...
• It is dressed in walnut Binding with herringbone purfling, an ebony...
• Every solid Cedar top Parlor guitar come with a gig bag, making this...
• The solid cedar top 
• Mahogany back and sides 
• Comfortable mahogany neck
• Easy-playing 19-fret ebony fingerboard
• Toneful bone nut and saddle
• Light-diffusing satin finish

Kala Solid Cedar Top Parlor is one of the most portable guitars on the list. It is a great choice for recording, songwriting, or performing while on the road with its lightweight and compact design. The guitar features a solid cedar top, mahogany back, sides, and neck, an ebony fingerboard with 19 frets, as well as a toneful bone nut and saddle. The light-diffusing sating finish looks excellent and adds to the elegance of the instrument.

The playability of the guitar is extremely high thanks to the smooth neck, balanced weight, and 19-fret ebony fingerboard. Thanks to the bone nut and saddle, the sustain and tone are increased. 

The price range is also great for this guitar as it can be considered affordable. The small body, big sound, and fantastic looks make this guitar ear, eye, and budget pleasing all at the same time.

Guild P-240 Memoir

• 6-string Acoustic Guitar with Solid Spruce Top
• Pau Ferro Fingerboard - Natural
• Mahogany Back and Sides
• Mahogany back and sides align with solid spruce top
• Outstanding mahogany neck with Pau Ferro fingerboard for increased comfort and playability
• X-bracing for enhanced tone
• 24.75-inch scale length and 19 frets 
• Mother-of-pearl rosette and vintage-inspired Guild script logo on the slotted headstock 

Guild P-240 Memoir is another compact yet big-sounding guitar for singers and songwriters. The parlor size and the lightweight are ideal for traveling with the instrument. The woods used in the construction are mahogany for the back, sides, and the neck, Pau Ferro for the fretboard, and solid spruce for the top. The combination of the woods provides a rich, full and varied tone.

The guitar has 19 frets and a 24.75” scale length which is ideal for fingerpicking and flatpicking. The Pau Ferro fingerboard feels great and plays incredibly well on the 16” radius C-shaped neck profile.

The guitar is one of the best travel guitars for recording as it provides amazing tones with a natural woody touch.

Squier Mini Strat Electric

• Three single-coil pickups
• 3/4-size Stratocaster-style guitar, for the traveler or younger players
• 3 single-coil pickup configuration like a traditional Stratocaster
• Great-feeling maple neck
• Indian Laurel fretboard
• Traditional vintage-style large headstock
• Chrome-finished tuners and hardware
• Hardtail bridge with 6 saddles

The Squier Mini Strat is the perfect choice for guitarists who are after a compact Stratocaster while on the road. It is also a great entry-level guitar for younger players and beginners. Just like a traditional Stratocaster, it comes with three single-coil pickups, tone and master volume controls, a 5-way pickup switch, and the famous great-feeling maple neck of Strats.

The guitar’s sonic versatility is impressive, just like a genuine Stratocaster. You can shape the sound with tone and volume controls and a pickup switcher. Thanks to the real maple neck and Indian Laurel fingerboard, the neck is highly playable and comfortable. 

The guitar also looks great with its vintage design and large headstock. There are multiple color options for different tastes as well. Overall, it is the perfect guitar for kids, small-handed players, and musicians on the move.

Fender Sonoran Mini Acoustic Guitar

• Fender-exclusive Sonoran Mini body shape
• Spruce or mahogany top with scalloped “X” bracing; mahogany back and...
• ¾ body size; 23.3” scale length
• Nato neck with slim-taper "C"-shaped profile; walnut fingerboard and bridge
• Classical acoustic guitar with a vintage design
• Compact sized body for improved playability and comfort
• High-quality mahogany top, back, and sides for warm tones
• C-shaped neck and Walnut fingerboard for increased playability and comfort
• Short scale length for portability and softer string feel

Fender Sonoran Mini is a unique travel-sized acoustic guitar equipped with a scaled-down, all-mahogany body for meaty, beefy, and present tones. The guitar competes with full-scale guitars in terms of sound as its innovative and high-quality design provides impressive tonal versatility and richness. 

The compact size and lightweight are ideal for traveling with this guitar. You can use it on the stage, in the studio, on the street, or wherever you are without any hesitation. Thanks to the C-shaped neck and Walnut fingerboard, the guitar also looks pretty good, and the neck feels great in hand.

Yamaha APXT2 3/4-size Thin-line

• 6-string 3/4-sized acoustic-electric guitar with spruce top
• Meranti back and sides
• Hardwood neck
• The compact version of Yamaha’s iconic and popular APX500 acoustic-electric guitar
• The 3/4 size is perfect for a travel companion instrument
• The high-quality tonewoods deliver natural and balanced acoustic tones
• ART-based preamp and System 68 contact pickup provides amazing amplified sound when plugged in
• Built-in-tuner and volume-tone controls come in handy for tone shaping and getting ready for playing

Yamaha APXT2 3/4-size Thin-line is a versatile travel-sized 3/4 acoustic-electric guitar for musicians on the go. The guitar blends quality, performance, looks, and versatility in one pot, offering one of the best travel companions. It can also be a great choice for small-handed players.

The guitar has the APXT2 with a System 68 contact pickup and active preamp for plugged-in performance, which successfully reflects the balanced and natural tones of the guitar provided by the high-quality tonewoods. Plus, it comes with a great gig bag to carry it around with.

Travel guitars come in so many shapes and forms. They are different in size and style. Whether you need acoustic or electric, there is a lot to choose from. Today, fortunately, companies improved travel guitars a lot, and they are much more functional than travel guitars in the past. Most of them really are pretty inexpensive, and if you travel a lot, buying one is a no-brainer.

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Last update on 2024-06-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

I have been playing guitar since 2004. As long as I can remember I always had a huge passion for rock music and I extremely enjoy playing it. Helping people on their rock journey is what drives me to keep on playing. Read More About Me

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10 best travel guitars for the musician in you

We all know a guitar player; perhaps it’s you! At some point in the life of a musician, it’s inconceivable that they are parted from their instrument. I’ve seen guitars on planes and busses with their own seats.

Guitars are light but cumbersome and can be quite a demanding travelling companion. Musicians who are often on the move may want to look into buying the best travel guitar for them. Portable, light, and compact, transporting a guitar has never been easier for travelling musicians.

Travel guitars come in a few varieties. There are ½ and ¾ size scale versions of the classic acoustic and electric guitars, but recently we have seen some interesting and creative developments.

READ MORE : We rank the best travel wallets for you in 2021

This article will explore the ten best, from big brands to the smallest travel guitars; we have you covered and help you narrow down your search.

Our Top Ten:

The Baby Taylor BT-2

• Martin Steel String Backpacker

Cordoba Mini M Travel Acoustic Nylon-String Guitar

Hohner hag250p 1/2 sized.

• Traveler Guitar Travelcaster Deluxe

Hofner Shorty Travel Guitar

Voyage-air vaom-02g2 – acoustic travel guitar, martin lxk2 little martin koa, luna safari series muse mahogany, fender ct-60s.

It’s hard to begin any discussion about travel guitars without a nod to the one that set the standard, the Baby Taylor. The BT-2 is a ¾ scale travel acoustic guitar, and as soon as you hear it played, you realise it is not a toy.

Despite being less than 4″ deep and only 12.5″ at its extremities, it has wonderful warm tones. This is nothing short of a classic guitar in appearance and sound.

Order your Baby Taylor BT-2 here .

Martin Steel String

The Martin Steel String, or Backpacker as it is known, has all the requirements for travel. Its slender design of solid wood is only 24″ long.

The lightweight and sleek design are not delivered at any compromise to the sound, which reflects the solid wood construction in its warmth.

Get your hands on one on Amazon .

This is another guitar that doesn’t exceed 24″. The solid rosewood and mahogany build with nylon strings combo give a loud resonant timbre.

This little guitar is especially suited to a jazzier sound than its steel stringed rivals.

Buy it here .

This ½ sized classical guitar is great for both kids and travelling adults (but only for those of us with small hands). The price is a big bonus, and if it’s only a travel guitar, then it’s easier to justify than the bigger budget options.

Again the nylon strings give an excellent loud sound, and while the body is solid, it is prone to be easily dinged and scratched. Still, I included it mainly for the value-for-money aspect as some travel acoustic guitars are more expensive than the full-sized versions we have to leave at home.

Buy one from Amazon .

Traveler Guitar Travelcaster Deluxe 

So to our first travel electric guitar — a sawn-off fender! It has a shorter headstock, tucked-in tuners, and a trimmed-down body with what seems like no loss in performance.

This guitar only weighs 5 lbs but is 33.5″ long. It also comes with a nicely padded travel case.

Get yours from Amazon here .

Another short electric guitar with a trimmed-down body, but to be honest, it lacks both the balance and aesthetic of the fender.

It was a brand favoured by the great Paul McCartney, and this model retains that lovely rich sound associated with Hofner.

A 3\4 scale electric always made more sense to me for travelling, but some players value the retention of the fretboard over the body, so for them, this guitar is the answer!

Check it out on Amazon .

This one really has the emphasis on travel! The fold-down neck on this makes it the ultimate on the road companion.

The ‘OM-Style’ body shape is the only traditional part of this full-size acoustic design.

My main concern would be the strength of the neck, but by all accounts, it is solid and reliable. It is not a gimmick; the sound is a professional standard acoustic guitar!

Pick one up from Amazon here .

Martin Guitars are a top-level brand, which for me, gives one of the most beautiful and classic acoustic sounds.

This is not a budget travel guitar, but it remains excellent value for money as the sound belies its small 23″ size. The only drawback for me here is the laminate that it’s made from, but to be honest, that’s a personal taste issue, as the sound is almost perfect. Again this would be ideal for a young teen to learn on.

Find yours on Sweetwater’s online store.

This ¾ size mahogany body and rosewood fretboard acoustic guitar is beautiful and delivers a great sound.

Luna always puts great detail into their designs, but a shortened fretboard takes a bit of getting used to. However, with a bit of creative tuning, you will find a setup that you are comfortable with in no time as this warm, sounding guitar has a great feel.

These ¾ scale guitars are also great for the smaller adults as some of the larger dreadnoughts can be hard work on small hands!

Find your perfect one on Amazon .

A superb guitar from a renowned brand. The balance between price and quality of sound is perfect. By that, I mean the sound is pretty much spot on to me, warm and crisp, and the sub $200 price tag means that as a travel guitar, it’s not an outrageous investment.

The only improvement I would make is a personal preference — I like the aesthetic of a cutaway body — but this is a beautiful looking and sounding guitar.

Check Amazon for this beauty.

Maybe trying to find the best travel guitar is just another excuse to sit in music shops and play, but hey, that’s ok by most of us!

• travel guitar

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Best travel guitars for playing and learning on the go

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For a great many people, playing an instrument is the purest form of ‘happy place’.

Committing time and energy to the development of a craft, the generation of a new creative thought, or the performance of a lifetime is a profound pleasure - whether you’re doing so alone in your bedroom, out on the street, or up in front of thousands.

If you’re a guitarist – newcomer or old hand – who has experienced some form of the above, then you’ll know all too well the pains of attempting to bring that ‘happy place’ on the road with you.

Guitars are cumbersome things, and difficult to transport without facing some form of existential difficulty. Weighty and unwieldy guitars practically invite injury on the move, from dings and scratches accrued on the bus to fatal breakages at the mercy of airline baggage handlers.

The travel guitar, then, is the potential answer to numerous issues brought on by travelling with an instrument. Travel guitars are smaller, lighter and otherwise less awkward than their dreadnought-sized or pointy counterparts. There is no formal definition for the ‘travel guitar’, but guitar manufacturers have divined a number of different forms for such a thing; half-sized mini guitars rub shoulders with nifty narrow-bodied designs and unique mechanical marvels.

But what should you be looking out for?

Anatomy of a travel guitar

There are no strict rules behind what constitutes a travel guitar. Quite simply, if it is easier to travel with, it’s a travel instrument! That said, there are some specific things that the savvy consumer might be on the look-out for, with regard to their own wants and needs.

Bringing a guitar down to travel size might involve reducing its scale length. This is the distance between the nut (at the top of the guitar’s neck) and the bridge (where the strings are anchored to the body). Short scale lengths are not unusual even in full-sized guitars, but guitars that sneak below 22-inch scale lengths can get a bit flabby to play in standard tunings.

Travel acoustic guitars, whether smaller in scale or sacrificing body in some other way, also run the risk of losing volume and clarity. There are many fun ways to circumvent this, as some of today’s reviewed brands reflect.

Electric guitars have less to worry about in terms of raw sound, but new challenges are presented in weight balance and string hardware. With such a wide playing field for travel instruments, there are a wide variety of options for consumers on the hunt for a travel guitar.

Best travel guitars at a glance

• Best overall: Vintage Mahogany Series ‘Travel’ - £139, PMT Online
• Best for songwriters on the move: Martin LX1 ‘Little Martin’ - £529, Gear4Music
• Best for backpacking travellers: Martin Backpacker GBPC Travel Acoustic - £320, PMT Online
• Best for comfortable noodling: Vintage Paul Brett Series ‘Viator’ Nylon - £149, Gear4Music
• Best for younger learners: Fender California Redondo Mini - £165, Fender
• Best for quiet writing and practicing: Traveler Pro Series Antique Brown - £409, Amazon
• Best for old-school folksters: Vintage Paul Brett Series ‘Viaten’ Tenor - £249, Gear4Music
• Best for overhead luggage: Journey Instruments PJ 410N Puddle Jumper -  £498, Thomann
• Best for the learner that has everything: Yamaha SLG200S Steel String Silent Guitar - £725, Gear4Music
• Best for widdly-wah virtuosos on tour: Steinberger Spirit GT-Pro Deluxe - £345, Thomann

From stage-ready axes to capable busking guitars, here are ten of the best travel guitars on the market today.

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Vintage Mahogany Series ‘Travel’ Electro Acoustic

Best: overall

The Vintage brand is one of the best regarded when it comes to low- and mid-budget instruments. The range of acoustic and electric instruments has fostered many a beginner’s early practice, while being dependable enough for gigging musicians and session professionals. Their acoustic guitars, designed in the UK, are impeccable examples of value for money – and the Mahogany Series ‘Travel’ is no different.

The Mahogany Series is as it sounds – a series of acoustic instruments with beautifully-finished mahogany construction. Mahogany is a fantastic tonewood, bringing real depth in the lower end of the frequency spectrum and a bell-like resonance to the high-end. This is extremely welcome in the Mahogany Series’ ‘Travel’ entry, diminutively sized as it is with a 22.6” scale length. Vintage guitars always find a way to surprise this reviewer, and the Travel does just that – with a pleasing in-the-room sound, a comfortable C-shaped neck and ergonomic playability despite its size.

It also boasts the same on-board pre-amp and tuner that its larger siblings do, making it extremely versatile – and levelling the playing field where live performance through an amplifier or PA system is concerned. Indeed, the shorter scale length does the ‘Travel’ a huge favour here, with looser strings granting a much deeper warmth to plugged-in play.

This guitar is already a fantastic all-rounder, but to do it at below £150 is astonishing.

Martin LX1 ‘Little Martin’

Best for: songwriters on the move

Martin has fostered a strong reputation as a prestige maker of acoustic guitars over its near-200-year history; Martin guitars are the sole choice for many of the world’s most successful singer-songwriters, and most hard-working session musicians. This reputation commands a high price – at least usually. But Martin’s X Series bucks the trend, bringing their signature sound and quality to an affordable price-point.

The LX1, or ‘Little Martin’, is Martin’s pint-sized offering from this range, and one of the more surprising acoustic guitars this reviewer has played. Despite its ¾ size, the Little Martin is an exceedingly powerful thing. Where other short-scale instruments give way to indistinct low-end muddiness, the LX1 retains clarity – even in drop or open tunings. It is a perfect guitar for writing music with.

There is an electro-acoustic model on the market too, in the form of the LX1E, which offers a little more flexibility for the gigging performer – but for the beginner, the traveller or the performing musician on the hunt for great tone, the LX1 fits the bill just fine.

Martin Backpacker GBPC Travel Acoustic

Best for: backpacking travellers

As well as offering a 3/4 guitar in the form of the LX1, Martin also has a unique acoustic guitar design expressly built for travel purposes: the Backpacker.

This travel acoustic dispenses with the wide, deep bodies of conventional acoustics – designed for both projection and articulation of sound - in favour of a narrow, scalloped wedge shape that reduces its profile significantly.

The Backpacker retains a scale length of 24”, despite its slightness in other areas. Trade-offs are made, though, to retain the structural integrity of the body; the Backpacker’s fretboard only extends to 14 frets, somewhat limiting the player’s options even if higher frets are rarely used. Still, the thing is responsive and rewarding in most player situations. It can sound a tad boxy when strummed, and a little brittle when fingerpicked, but is otherwise a sturdy play.

In all, the Backpacker is a perfectly serviceable instrument. It gets the job done sonically, feels comfortable in-hand, and slots nicely alongside clothes and camping gear. A travel guitar, but also very much a traveller’s guitar.

Vintage Paul Brett Series ‘Viator’ Nylon

Best for: comfortable noodling

The brand Vintage collaborates with other artists and designers to bring a wide range of quality instruments to the fore. One such musician is Paul Brett, who has enjoyed multiplicitous success as a lead guitarist, 12-string composer, music writer and now, guitar designer.

One of the most popular, and indeed most accessible, of the Paul Brett series is the ‘Viator’ Nylon: a travel acoustic with nylon strings and a few sonic tricks up its sleeve. The ‘Viator’ Nylon is a slight instrument that sits extremely comfortably in the hands and on the lap. It resembles 19 th -century guitarras more than it does modern-day parlours, both in shape and size. It’s a welcome departure, and a rewarding one to boot.

The Viator Nylon is a delight to fingerpick with, offering tight articulation and a well-rounded sound. As we’ve come to expect from these smaller-scale instruments, the Viator Nylon isn’t the most boisterous when it comes to projection. However, what it might lack in volume, it makes up for in spades in other areas. It’s exceedingly comfortable to sit down with, and plays nimbly up and down the neck. Its nylon strings complement the warm sound of its body, and attain a beautiful sonorous quality via the 21.5” scale length. The Viator Nylon is a joy to pick up and play, and all the easier to pick up for its size and weight. It lacks little, regardless of its stature, and invites you to wrap yourself around it.

Fender California Redondo Mini with bag

Best for: younger learners

Fender is perhaps the most famous guitar brand on the planet, having presided over some of the most iconic designs ever – from Stratocasters and Telecasters to Jaguars , Mustangs and Kurt Cobain’s Jag-Stang . Fender is less well-renowned for its acoustic offerings, but they are nonetheless representative of Fender’s stature and quality in the guitar world.

The California Series is Fender’s gainful attempt at revitalising traditional acoustic guitar design, with striking body shapes and colour palettes on instruments that still deliver quintessential tone. The Redondo Mini is the smallest in this range, and also the cheapest, coming in under £150.

It’s a ½-size instrument with a 22 ¾” scale length, a size and scale length typically marketed to younger learners. But the size makes it a perfect travel instrument, and it is eminently playable for guitarists of all sizes. The Redondo Mini reflects the idiosyncratic tonal characteristics of Fender’s mainstay acoustics, boasting well-developed mids and a tight high end – if at the expense of any gripping low-end response. The mids do a lot of the heavy lifting, but the player is not left wanting too much. Its pleasing sound and classic looks pitch it perfectly to the younger musician, either as a learner instrument or a new instrument to sling in the boot before heading off to uni.

Traveler Pro Series Antique Brown

Best for: quiet writing and practicing

Traveler Guitars have been pioneering travel-friendly instruments for 30 years, and in so doing have built an impressive array of genuinely practicable products for musicians both serious and casual.

Traveler have made music industry headlines with fun travel-conscious iterations of popular instruments, such as its Stratocaster ‘copy’ that reduces its body to the size and shape of the pickguard. The Pro Series, though, is Traveler’s flagship series, where its innovation began – and it’s an intriguing specimen.

For want of a better word, the Traveler Pro Series is something of a... stick. Body and neck are a single piece of wood, with the body only wider than the neck to account for the width of the bridge. There is no extraneous material here. The Pro Series is able to retain a full 24 ¾“ scale length by eliminating the headstock altogether, niftily placing the tuning pegs in the body and either side of the strings.

The Pro Series is a box of tricks, beyond its unique minimal approach. It is an electric guitar, with single-coil pickup and accompanying tone and volume control; as well, it features a piezo pick-up for a more natural resonant sound. But for the private practicers who don’t have the facilities to plug in, there is a novel feature in the ‘stethophone’: stethoscope earpieces attached to the body, that conduct the resonance of the body without the need for amplification.

The Pro Series plays well, and is ergonomic too on account of a well-sized foot attachment for the body. The sounds it produces are not world-shattering, but it is a highly useful utility for the recording or writing guitarist on the move – and could even sit in on a session or two in a pinch.

Vintage Paul Brett Series ‘Viaten’ - Tenor

Best for: bards and old-school folksters

We return to Vintage, and its Paul Brett signature series, for an alternative take on an instrument we’ve already met. The ‘Viaten’ Tenor is a four-string tenor guitar variant of the Viator, with a similar shape and slightly longer scale length of 22”.

Tenor guitars are folk instruments through and through, and often the next step in the learning journey for folk-inclined ukulele players. Of course, the tenor is a viable mode of expression in its own right, and stands apart as a tonally beautiful way to approach playing.

There are no surprises here with the Viaten; it displays the same warmth and responsiveness of the ‘Viator’ Nylon, but the steel strings add some chime and bit to proceedings. The sonokeling fingerboard has a practical and pretty flourish to it, with half of it extending down over the fingerboard to enable higher runs.

The Viaten is a well-built, warm-sounding and enjoyable alternative to travelling with a six-string, and naturally lends itself to bard-like travels through the green.

Journey Instruments PJ 410N Puddle Jumper

Best for: overhead luggage

Journey Instruments have built their brand around creating unique and practical designs for travel instruments and instrument travel, fostering a wide range of guitars and purpose-built cases to make life easier for the player on the move. The mechanism behind their range is the ‘Overhead’ system, a feat of engineering that enables detachment and reattachment of the instrument’s neck without removing strings or hardware.

The PJ 410N Puddle Jumper is one of Journey’s newer instruments, being a 00-bodied travel acoustic that can be disassembled to fit in an aeroplane’s overhead luggage rack with no drama at all. This detachable-neck functionality might seem gimmicky, but is a genuinely practical gimmick that promises to greatly mitigate risk of breakage for regular flyers. It is also surprisingly easy to do, and sturdy to boot.

The Puddle Jumper’s body is a little deeper to compensate for its shorter scale length, as a result retaining some of the sonority that larger dreadnought acoustics possess. The Sitka spruce soundboard provides a balanced output for that sonority, creating a good all-round acoustic sound.

It sounds great for a travel instrument, but by no means sets any records; its value comes from its unparalleled portability, making it the best for international travel.

Yamaha SLG200S Steel String Silent Guitar

Best for: the learner that has everything

Yamaha’s contributions to music are well-documented at this point, with the Japanese brand having pioneered in the field of music for over 50 years. From portable keyboards to portable electric drums, Yamaha hasn’t missed a step, and its portable guitar offerings are not to be sniffed at, either.

The SLG200S is a full-scale, steel-stringed pseudo-acoustic guitar. Its form is unusual, with a central ‘staff’ adorned with a removable bout – or outline of one, at least. The SLG200S is geared towards private, personal and quiet practice, with a headphone out and a line-in function to enable play along with a music source like a smartphone. The onboard system includes an SRT Powered pre-amp, which utilises DSP to imbue your playing with the sound of a real, recorded acoustic guitar, whether in your ears or through a PA system. Other effects like reverb and chorus can also be dialled in right on the body. Even with the effects and clever pickups, though, it is a little lacking in low-to-mid performance.

There are features galore here, which can make playing and learning while out and about much easier. None of these features are particularly necessary in a travel guitar, but different users will find different aspects of this tech highly convenient. This is a travel guitar for the musician who has everything else.

Steinberger GT-Pro Deluxe

Best for: widdly-wah virtuosos on tour

Steinberger is something of an obscure name in the guitar world, but Steinberger’s impact has been nonetheless indelible. Steinberger is responsible for a famous – or infamous, by some estimations – electric guitar body that combines practical utility with unique minimalist style. The Steinberger has since fostered a reputation as a real player’s instrument, dispensing with aesthetic fripperies in favour of sheer performance.

The Steinberger GT-Pro Deluxe is a revitalisation of this signature style, brought on by guitar behemoth Gibson’s buy-out of the Steinberger brand. As a result, this idiosyncratic electric guitar is, thankfully, back on the market. The GT-Pro is a trapezoidal thing, with a miniscule body that houses almost all of the guitar’s hardware. The GT-Pro is another ‘headless’ guitar, and one of the first to innovate here; tuning is done at the bottom of the instrument, with a locking nut at the top of the headstock holding the strings in place.

This guitar stands apart from the rest on account of being fully, unapologetically electric. This is not designed to stand in for an acoustic instrument, and is instead a fundamental distillation of the electric guitar’s function. Not only this, but it lends itself to more extreme forms of musical expression, with three versatile pickups capable of breaking up the most obstinate of Marshall stacks, and a locking tremolo for those irresistible Eddie Van Halen divebombs. A handy ‘kick-stand’ folds out from the body to enable play while sitting, but really this is a guitar to stand with. Session musicians and touring rockers on a budget need look no further for the ideal musical travel companion.

We’ve seen smart and downright magical innovations across the world of travel guitars, and narrowing down to one best-in-class option is difficult as a result. These instruments differ widely in form and purpose, making any evaluations here purely subjective.

With this in mind, the Vintage Paul Brett ‘Viator’ Nylon is a strong contender, on account of its nimble feel and rich sound. However, the Vintage Mahogany Series ‘Travel’ Electro Acoustic wins out on a technicality; it is more versatile, and unbelievably inexpensive for both its features and its sound.

9 Best Travel Guitars 2024, We Compare & Show You What To Look For

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Travel guitars are awesome. They’re small. They can be carry-on luggage. You can take them anywhere, so you can write and practice wherever you go.

The problem is that a lot of them are just terrible in terms of quality. They play poorly, their sound is thin and tinny, and they can even be awkward to hold. The only thing that's universally good about travel guitars is that they’re cheaper than standard guitars.

And, they should be! Travel guitars are small by nature, so they use less materials to make. Plus, in many cases, they aren't using the more expensive materials used on full sized instruments.

We don’t want you wasting your time and money on a travel guitar that you’ll hate, so we’ve reviewed nine of them for you below. They’re not necessarily in order of best to worst, because they all have some pros and cons depending on your needs. But I’ll start with my favorite and take it from there.

Note: If you also need top guitar lessons then check this out .

Larrivee P-03 Parlor Acoustic Travel Guitar

The Larrivee P-03 isn't marketed as a travel guitar, because honestly it sounds too good to be one. It’s a parlor guitar that's easily small enough to be a travel guitar – especially when carried in a soft case. And, there are other parlor guitars out there in case you're wondering.

Larrivee makes some of my favorite acoustics . They’ve got this distinctive, full, rich sound. Something I’ve always loved about these guitars is how balanced their sound is. Right across the sonic spectrum, these guitars stay even and beautiful.

As they're top quality, they retail on the higher price for travel guitars. They're also fairly difficult to find used – simply because people love them and rarely give them up. If you want a travel guitar that does more than just travel – that stands up to any full size guitar – this is the one for you.

Top Small Guitar On Sale: Baby Taylor BT2

This is a great little guitar . It’s a classic dreadnought build and all wood. It's durable and will last you a long time.

The guitar is also surprisingly loud, which is perfect for practice. It has a clean bright sound, and the fretboard is quite fast and responsive too.

Now, if you’ve played a Taylor before, you’ll know that they’ve got a certain “Taylor sound” to them. Some people love it. Some people don’t.

But either way, this guitar doesn’t have that signature sound. It makes for a decent travel guitar, but this is not a cheap way to get your paws on a Taylor, so don't look at it as a hack. If you want that genuine Taylor sound, you should be prepared to fork out more cash.

All in all, this guitar has an attractive look (sharper than most travel guitars) and a sound that sets it apart. If you’ve got the money, I would recommend it.

Martin Backpacker Guitar, Discounted Compared To The Rest

Shaped like a paddle, this guitar will definitely make you stand out from the crowd. It’s a weird-looking beast, but it packs a lot of volume! What's more, it comes at a reasonable price for a brand name guitar.

As far as the sound goes, however, you are making a serious sacrifice for the portability of the instrument. The top end is loud and bright, which is fine, but there’s none of the deep richness you would expect of a Martin.

Perhaps I’m being too critical – the best part about this guitar is that it's tiny. It comes with a cool little soft case, and you can fit it pretty much wherever you need to. It’s also super-light, so you can carry it wherever!

The guitar is made of solid wood, which is uncommon among cheaper travel guitars . That should give it a better sound in theory, but that's not necessarily the case here (the shape might have something to do with that).

All in all, this would be my first pick for a travel guitar under $300. The durability and construction are huge bonuses for me, and while the sound leaves something to be desired, it does have a pleasant, loud tone, which is good enough for practicing purposes.

Little Martin Acoustic Backpacker Guitar

This is another Martin that definitely deserves a spot on the list. Somehow, this guitar, as opposed to the Martin Backpacker, has the rich low end you'd expect out of a Martin.

There are a number of different models for this particular product, so the price range varies. This is why I feel it's justified to put another Martin on the list. It sounds better than the Martin Backpacker, but you will pay for that difference, and this guitar is bigger.

To make it cheaper, these guitars are made of laminate wood through and through. But you can get a solid-wood top for more money (of course). Personally, I doubt you would need to, because these sound great as-is.

I would say that this guitar is on par with the Baby Taylor, but it just comes down to the tone that you’re into. The Taylor is shiny and bright, the Martin is rich and, well, Martin-y in tone.

Yamaha FGR1 Travel Guitar, A Small Option For Kids

This little guitar is one of the best in the cheaper range. It's billed as a great kid's guitar, as well as a travel guitar. Because of its aim at the kids market, it’s built very well. Well enough to hold up to how kids typically handle their guitars!

The sound is fairly loud and clear, which is all you can ask of a guitar in this price range and size.

The FGR1 looks like many of the full-size Yamahas do, except smaller. The neck is quite playable and it seems to stay in tune too.

The only reason I would buy the Martin Backpacker over this gem is because of its truly tiny size. But this is a great little travel guitar – make no mistake.

Dean Flight Travel Guitar, Best Price

Dean guitars are favorites among beginners. As far as travel guitars go, this is on the low end of average – below $200.

Personally, I think they’re fairly visually appealing. I’ve always liked the winged Dean head stock. As far as aesthetics go, the Deans come in four colors/makes: spruce, mahogany, black mahogany or bubinga.

The build is average. It's all-laminate, and made in China. But hey, you’re saving money, and these guitars come with a custom soft case.

These guitars do what travel guitars are supposed to do: they play nice, travel well and aren't terribly expensive. They’re great options for the traveling guitarist or guitar newbie.

Yamaha GL1 Guitalele

No, that’s not a spelling mistake. “ Guitalele ” is a combination of a guitar and a ukulele.

The Yamaha GL1 is like a mix of a classical guitar neck with a ukulele body. It might seem a bit unbalanced at first brush, perhaps, but it’s perfect for travel.

If you prefer pumping nylon over steel, or you’d just like to bring something different with you on the road, you’ll enjoy this low-priced and portable axe.

One thing you should be aware of, however, is that while it does have six strings, it does not use the standard guitar tuning. It has been pitched up to A, making the tuning closer to a ukulele except with two additional bass strings (A, D, G, C, E, A).

Maybe a bit unusual, but a great instrument nonetheless. It’s hard to go wrong at this price point.

Cordoba Mini M Travel Acoustic Nylon String Guitar

Here’s another worthy entry into the nylon category.

Nylon string instruments is what Cordoba does best, and the Mini M is no exception.

This instrument comes with a solid spruce top with mahogany back and sides. This certainly goes a long way towards enhancing its surprisingly big tone. It also has a great neck despite being a travel guitar. As with the Guitalele, however, it's tuned to A, so that's something you should be aware of.

This axe also comes with a gig bag to carry in, and the asking price is perfectly reasonable.

Nylon strings tend to be easier on the fingers, so for casual players, this might be a good choice.

Cordoba Mini SM-CE Travel Acoustic-Electric Nylon String Guitar

So, maybe you like the idea of traveling with a nylon string guitar, but you’re looking for something with a little more “oomph”.

Well, you’ve found it. The Mini SM-CE is like the Mini M on steroids.

It comes with a cedar top and spalted maple back and sides. The neck is essentially full size and is attached to a small body.

As with the Mini M and Guitalele, it’s tuned to A, so if that bugs you, then maybe move onto another option.

But did you notice that this guitar is also acoustic-electric? That means you can plug it in and play it through an amp or PA system while you’re out and about. In case you want to attend and play at open mics (not to say you couldn't use the house guitar if there is one), that might be a nice option to have.

The price is about double of the Mini M, so it’s up to you whether the extra features are worth it.

Traveler Guitar 6 String EG-1 Custom

When you think “travel guitar”, you're probably thinking acoustic or maybe a noiseless option. But that doesn't mean there aren't electric guitars suited to travel too. The Traveler EG-1 Custom is the perfect example.

This guitar was designed specifically for travel. For one thing, you can see that it doesn't have a headstock, one of the most vulnerable and breakable components of a guitar.

The tuning pegs instead rest on the body of the instrument, which can help protect them.

The guitar is also incredibly lightweight and small, which is another great feature for travel.

The EG-1 includes a built-in headphone amp with clean, boost, overdrive and distortion modes. It also comes with an aux-in for jamming along to your music, a built-in E-tuner on pickup ring and deluxe gig bag.

Best of all, the guitar sounds great, especially for what it is. And, it can be plugged into an amplifier too.

Most customers are quite happy with the guitar though some said they weren't happy with the sound. You can only expect so much from a tiny guitar.

But if you'd prefer to go on your journeys with an electric rather than an acoustic guitar, the Traveler is a must-see.

Yamaha APTX2 3/4-Size Acoustic-Electric Guitar

We've featured the Yamaha APTX2 in some of our other guides, because honestly, it's a great little guitar. You wouldn't necessarily expect that from the price.

This guitar comes with a spruce top, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, System 68 pickup and gig bag. These materials are sturdy while offering a good tonal quality.

While not strictly a travel guitar, it's small enough that it should prove easy to cart around. But it is a bit bigger than some of the guitars mentioned here, so be mindful.

Best of all, it offers most of what a full-size guitar offers – 21 frets, inlays and a cutaway for access to higher frets.

Reviewers are mostly happy with this kit though some say it's not as good as they thought it would be. Again, you must keep the price and intention of the instrument in mind.

This is another Yamaha worth your consideration.

KLOS Black Carbon Fiber Travel Acoustic Electric Guitar Package

The KLOS travel guitar features a hybrid carbon fiber and wooden construction. It comes with a mahogany and blackwood neck, a carbon fiber foam core sandwich soundboard, carbon fiber body , blackwood bridge, ABS nut, saddle and bridge pins and D'Addario .11 gauge strings.

This guitar has 18 frets with dot inlays, full scale length and a medium to low action setup.

And, because this is a package deal, it comes with all the bells and whistles – custom made gig bag, cotton and leather no-slip guitar strap , custom neck sleeve for protection while traveling, a custom fitted gig bag rain cover, screw driver, capo and a hex wrench for adjusting the truss rod.

The KLOS guitar also offers plenty of headroom. Many say this is one of the best traveler guitars available, though there are several options at this price point, so choose wisely.

Washburn RO10TB Rover Steel String Travel Acoustic Guitar

It may be an odd looking guitar, but the Washburn RO10TB Rover guitar is certainly travel ready.

It features a full 24″ scale neck, solid spruce top, mahogany body and neck, rosewood fingerboard, geared tuners, professional binding and inlay and a gig bag. Plus, it was designed to fit in airline overhead storage.

The guitar doesn't sound amazing by any means but it's decent. It's a travel guitar, after all, so what do you expect?

If you know what you're doing, you can even get a good recorded sound with it.

Many guitarists are happy with their Washburn purchase. Some say it doesn't sound that great and others say the gig bag isn't anything to write home about.

If you're using the guitar exclusively for travel, you should enjoy it.

SX Trav 1 Traveling Guitar Portable With Bag

The SX Trav 1 guitar comes with a solid spruce top, mahogany back and sides, rosewood neck (truss rod adjustable) and bridge and a Graphtec NuBone saddle and bone nut.

SX is not a well-known name, but as far as travel guitars go, this one is pretty decent.

The guitar has good action and intonation out of the box, is lightweight and has a good sound to boot. Many users suggest changing the strings once you get a hold of it, however.

Some say the size isn't ideal. But travel guitars generally take some getting used to, especially if you're used to full-size guitars.

The SX is surprisingly good, and if you don't care too much about brand names, it's worth grabbing one.

What Should I Look For In A Travel Guitar?

If you’re looking for a travel guitar, it either means: a) you can’t live without a guitar and want to take it with you everywhere you go (I've been there), or b) you travel a lot, and you simply can’t find a way to practice your instrument if you don’t have it with you (this is especially important if you're paying for courses, training, or lessons, since you want to make the most of the money you're spending).

If neither of these descriptions fit, then maybe a travel guitar isn’t what you need. You may be looking for a full-sized instrument instead. Otherwise, a travel guitar will just become an accessory among your guitar collection, a novelty you won’t get much use out of.

Granted, travel guitars generally aren’t that expensive, so you wouldn’t necessarily be wasting your money on one. But it’s better to put your money towards things you’ll use, would you agree?

So, here are a few things to think about as you consider the various travel guitars available.

Playability

You’ll be wasting your money on a guitar that’s a pain to play.

Imagine being the proud owner of a Taylor 412ce Grand Concert Cutaway Acoustic/Electric (a $3,000 guitar). This axe never leaves your home, of course, because you keep it humidified, take good care of it, and you don't want it going missing or damaged.

Then, you pick up your travel guitar on vacation. What’s this? It feels horrible. It sounds bad, too.

Now, granted, you’re going to be making some compromises with a travel guitar. It’s not going to feel like a $3,000 guitar no matter how hard you try. But it should at least play decently , right?

So, it’s worth taking a travel guitar for a test drive before settling on it. As with most guitars, you can get a tech to adjust your instrument, and some guitars have an adjustable truss rod, but don’t count on this to save it. Start with a guitar you like – that’s a sure bet.

Keep in mind – this is a travel guitar we’re talking about. You can’t have it breaking on you the moment you happen to drive over a massive pothole in the road in your car.

Your travel guitar should stand up to some abuse. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be careful with it, but you should experience relatively few problems wherever you take it (we'll be talking about flight cases a little later).

You can’t expect any guitar to be perfect in this regard. After all, the majority are made of wood or some facsimile thereof.

Also, you can’t test out the durability of a guitar unless you’ve got money to waste. Your best bet here is to read online reviews and find out if anyone has had trouble with their instrument. One bad report may not signal a poor-quality product, but many negative reviews may. Choose wisely.

A Price Point You Agree With

How much do you want to spend on your travel guitar?

Most are going to be somewhere in the $200 to $450 price range, which is quite accessible, but you can spend less or more depending on what you want.

How much guitar can you expect to get for that price?

If you’re familiar with guitars and their typical sales price, then you already know that you can get a good quality product for $200 to $450, but not necessarily an amazing product.

That’s okay, because it’s a travel guitar, and you’re going to make some sacrifices. It’s just a matter of how many sacrifices you’re willing to make. The fewer the sacrifices, the higher the price point. In many ways, you're not paying for the quality of the instrument but rather the convenience it offers.

Ultimately, buy a guitar that’s in a price range that resonates with you.

A Manageable Size

Size is obviously an important consideration when it comes to travel guitars.

If it’s too big or awkwardly made, it defeats the purpose of buying a travel guitar to begin with. You must feel relatively comfortable with it when you sit down to play with it.

Some travel guitars are foldable or collapsible, meaning they can fit into smaller cases or compartments if necessary. If you’re flying a lot, then this may be a good option for you, despite some of the sacrifices you will make with the features, tonal characteristics or sound of the instrument.

If you’re mostly hiking, driving or taking public transportation, then size may not be as big of a concern. The main thing is to find a guitar that’s still portable and lightweight. This will allow you to move around more freely.

So, think about how you’re going to be traveling, as that may be a deicing factor.

Is It Worth Finding A Travel Guitar With A Great Sound/Tone?

That depends on how important tone is to you.

Even if you’re traveling a lot, you probably have a lot of time at home, and that’s where you spend most of the year. So, for the few times you’re away, does it matter? How much of your guitar will you be playing when you’re surrounded by beautiful beaches or picturesque mountains?

Only you can answer these questions, but I think it’s worth thinking about.

If you’re a stickler for tone, sure, find a guitar that sounds good to you. But don’t obsess over it. You’re not going to find a travel guitar that sounds like your $4,000 Gibson. At the very least, it’s highly unlikely.

If you can practice and write songs with it (and in a rare instance record or perform with it), that should be good enough. You shouldn’t ask too much more of a travel guitar.

Should I Buy A Steel Stringed Instrument Or A Nylon Stringed Travel Instrument?

There are a few ways of answering this question.

Some guitarists would probably look at what they are most familiar with. So, if you already play steel stringed guitars for the most part, you might be inclined to buy a travel guitar that comes equipped with the same strings. Likewise, if you’re used to nylon, you might go with a nylon string guitar.

Other guitarists might want to challenge themselves a bit or just try something different while they’re on the road. In that case, you might buy a guitar that comes with a different type of strings.

Still others might just look at the price point and practicality of the instrument rather than its features. This isn’t a wrong way of thinking about it either.

So, there isn’t necessarily a right or a wrong, only a right or wrong based on what you’re looking for. But I will say that if you’ve never tried one or the other, then you might want to stick to what you’re most familiar with.

Should I Buy An Acoustic-Electric Or Just An Acoustic?

As with other considerations, this one is entirely up to you.

If you’re planning to perform at open mics while on the road, or you foresee having the opportunity to play your guitar through an amp or PA system, you might consider going in the acoustic-electric route. Otherwise, it might not be worth the extra money you'll pay for it.

Here’s the thing: It’s unlikely you’re going to be using your travel guitar as a performance guitar if you’re playing close to home, or even on tour. You’ll probably only use it while traveling abroad. And, if you do end up booking performances while overseas, there might be a house guitar you can use (confirm in advance).

It’s certainly fun to have that option of being able to plug in if you need to. But there probably aren’t too many situations where you’ll require it.

If you think you’ll use it a lot, then maybe a travel guitar with a pickup would serve you well.

Transporting And Protecting Your Travel Guitar With A Guitar Flight Case

While having a travel guitar is great for your journeys, don't forget to protect it properly. You should always bring a guitar flight case so you can transport it safely when traveling abroad. This will help protect it from breakage, as the last thing you'd want after a long flight on tour is a guitar which you can't play. There are a number of good cases to choose from so have a look.

Compare The Best Travel Guitars Conclusion

If you're dedicated to your instrument, it's nice to know that you can find a travel guitar you can take with you wherever you go. Some will be cheap, some not so much. But the greatest benefit is you'll never have to miss a day of practice! Just don't forget your guitar picks and get traveling with your new guitar. 🙂

P.S. Remember though, none of what you've learned will matter if you don't know how to get your music out there and earn from it. Want to learn how to do that? Then get our free ‘5 Steps To Profitable Youtube Music Career' ebook emailed directly to you!

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Hi great review, but can you tell us the overall dimensions and weight of each guitar?

Many thanks.

You show a picture but no review of the Traveler Brand ultra-light guitar. Did this one not make the cut for your list?

How does the Washburn Rover compare? There are always a few for sale on e-Bay for a few quid either side of £100. Many thanks for your time and attention.

Hi. I know it’s hard to cover everything but you really missed out by not including the traveler guitar made by Gretsch. I’ve owned one for years and just love it. But of course that just my opinion. Thanks. Gary.

Comments are closed.

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The Kala Tenor Guitar (New Model Update!)

The tenor guitar is a four-string, mid-sized instrument that some might describe as a smaller guitar that plays like a baritone ukulele but doesn’t quite feel like either. So what’s so special about this instrument? Let us break it down for you and show you the great potential this instrument has and also let you in on why Kala’s Tenor Guitar has become our most popular web store product and arguably the most talked about tenor guitar of the last few years.

The History

The tenor guitar first began to appear in the 1920s, which is when some of the first four-string guitar-shaped tenor instruments began making appearances. It is likely that the tenor guitar was preceded by the tenor lute which was made in 1924 and featured a lute-shaped body with a tenor banjo neck. Many banjo makers began experimenting with this concept and around 1927 many of the major instrument producers of the time began manufacturing what is now known as the tenor guitar. Tenor guitars are probably most closely associated with the tenor banjo. They share a comparable all fifths standard tuning of CGDA and usually have a similar scale length. They were often marketed towards banjo players in the 1930s as an instrument that could be played in both orchestra and jazz bands without having to cross the learning curve challenge that would be presented by a new six-string guitar.

The Tenor Guitar Today

Contemporary players have been placing a renewed interest in this instrument, especially in the folk scene where the tenor guitar offers something fresh and new to the conventional instrument choices that are most prevalent in today’s folk genre. Many players choose to tune their tenor guitars to (DGBE) like a baritone ukulele (we recommend you get a standard pack of DGBE Tenor Guitar strings before attempting this tuning) and some ukulele players have found ways to buy and match multiple brand’s string packs to tune our tenor guitars (GCEA) like a standard ukulele. The bright clear sound of the instrument and larger more substantial body is appealing to many uke players looking to expand their instrument arsenal as well as their sonic range.

  The Kala Tenor Guitar

When Kala began development on our own tenor guitar, as always we wanted to keep the player in mind. We prioritized accessibility for modern players over the traditional style of the 1930s tenor guitars that would often have body sizes just as large as a parlor or archtop guitar. We made our own tenor guitar shorter and lighter, making it more suitable for fingerpicking and more amenable to people of all hand sizes. We wanted our take on this instrument to look good but most importantly we wanted it to sound good. 

Our original tenor guitar with Solid Spruce Top and Pau Ferro back and sides possesses both a bright, pure, and resonant sound with a bold and contrasting look. We currently also have a limited edition Solid Spruce Top Mahogany  version that delivers a similar tonal experience. The newest addition to our lineup, the   Solid Mahogany Top Sunburst Tenor Guitar , features a solid mahogany top with an earthy brown sunburst finish paired with mahogany back and sides for a timeless appearance and a warm, rich tone .

Our hope with this project is to help make a quality, traditional instrument like the tenor guitar find a new home in the hearts of contemporary players just as the ukulele has.

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The 40 Best Songs of 2024 (So Far)

Our critics select 33 standouts from our weekly Playlists — and seven more tracks they had missed.

Credit... Photographs via Getty Images

Supported by

By Jon Pareles and Lindsay Zoladz

• June 20, 2024

Every Friday, pop critics for The New York Times weigh in on the week’s most notable new songs . After six months of listening, here’s what they have on repeat. (Note: It’s not a ranking, it’s a playlist.) Listen on Spotify and Apple Music .

Sabrina Carpenter, ‘ Espresso ’

Atop a mid-tempo beat that recalls the muffled retro-funk of Doja Cat’s smash “Say So,” Sabrina Carpenter plays the unbothered temptress with winking humor: “Say you can’t sleep, baby I know, that’s that me, espresso.” Make it a double — you’ve surely heard this one everywhere. LINDSAY ZOLADZ

Tyla, ‘ Safer ’

Following her worldwide 2023 hit “ Water,” Tyla pulls away from temptation in “Safer,” harnessing the log-drum beat and sparse, subterranean bass lines of amapiano. Her choral call-and-response vocals carry South African tradition into the electronic wilderness of 21st-century romance. JON PARELES

One We Missed

Ariana Grande, ‘ We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love) ’

At once strobe-lit and silky, Ariana Grande appropriately channels Robyn — the patron saint of crying in the club — on this nimbly sung, melancholic pop hit, a highlight from her bittersweet seventh album, “Eternal Sunshine.” ZOLADZ

Billie Eilish, ‘ The Greatest ’

Billie Eilish extols her own composure and skill at dissembling — holding back her unrequited love — in “The Greatest” from “Hit Me Hard and Soft.” Delicate picking accompanies her as she sings about how she “made it all look painless.” Then she shatters that composure, opening her voice from breathy to belting while the production goes widescreen with drums and choir. When the music quiets again, her furious restraint is as palpable as her regret. PARELES

Kacey Musgraves, ‘ Deeper Well ’

Folky fingerpicking and new-agey thoughts about self-help make “Deeper Well” a gentle but firm rebuff. After musing on astrology and negative energy, Kacey Musgraves notes, “I’m saying goodbye to the people I feel/are real good at wasting my time.” In the next verses, she leaves behind marijuana and rises above the limits of her upbringing. There’s no rancor, no gloating, just added shimmery reverberations as she grows up and moves on. PARELES

Zsela, ‘ Fire Excape ’

In “Fire Excape,” Zsela croons what turns out to be a love song — but only eventually, after she notes, “There’s a fire in the ocean when the oil starts spilling.” The song takes shape over a lurching, start-stop beat, with some gaping silences, odd harmonic turns and sudden electronic surges, but amid the asymmetries Zsela proffers some husky reassurance: “We’ll get along quite fine, thank you.” PARELES

Beyoncé, ‘ 16 Carriages ’

In a flex of genre-spanning musicianship that’s also a workaholic’s lament, Beyoncé recalls her past and doubles down on her ambition, singing, “Ain’t got time to waste, I got art to make.” The music is an arena-country crescendo, from acoustic-guitar strum to full-band impact topped by pedal-steel guitar. She’s not only claiming an expanded demographic base; she’s using her celebrity clout to force some doors open . PARELES

Mk.gee, ‘ Little Bit More ’

A virtuoso with both fingers and effects, the guitarist, songwriter and producer Mk.gee (Michael Todd Gordon) creates murky, contrapuntal tracks suffused with yearning and diffidence. In “Little Bit More,” from his album “Two Star & the Dream Police,” he promises, “Baby, take what you want” to the one who “opened the door.” A hopping six-beat guitar loop, a conversational bass line, high backup vocals peeking in here and there and occasional piano interjections conjure an elation that may not last. PARELES

St. Vincent, ‘ Broken Man ’

“I can hold my arms wide open/but I need you to drive the nail,” St. Vincent sings in “Broken Man.” It’s a volcanic buildup of a song, from the sparsest ticking electronics to a hard-rock stomp to a full-scale pileup of guitars, drums and horns. PARELES

Mdou Moctar, ‘ Funeral for Justice ’

Over a hurtling beat and a chain of frantic, trilling, overdriven guitar riffs, the Tuareg guitarist Mdou Moctar insists that African leaders should work together and push back against foreign interests, to “Retake control of your resource-rich countries.” The band couldn’t sound more urgent. PARELES

Kim Gordon, ‘ Bye Bye ’

Kim Gordon , 71, explores the common ground between no-wave cool and SoundCloud rap on this corrosive opening track from her second solo album, “The Collective.” Atop an abrasive, hypnotic beat, she recites a fictional tour packing list, contrasting the chaotic and banal with flair. You’ll never enunciate “Eckhaus Latta” the same way again. ZOLADZ

A.G. Cook, ‘ Britpop ’

The zany electronic producer A.G. Cook turns a simple, hypnotically repeated Charli XCX refrain — “Brit, Brit, Brit, Brit, Brit, like Britpop” — into an alternate-universe national anthem. Blur and Oasis never did it quite like this. ZOLADZ

Ibibio Sound Machine, ‘ Pull the Rope ’

The London-based, Nigerian-rooted band Ibibio Sound Machine has evolved into a starkly efficient electro-funk group, delivering community-minded messages in English and the Nigerian language Ibibio. “Pull the Rope” deploys an octave-hopping bass line, video-game blips and eventually a horn section to propel a constructive chant: “Even though we’re eager to trigger/Let’s pull the rope, together we hope.” PARELES

Chappell Roan, ‘ Good Luck, Babe! ’

The rising pop star Chappell Roan sends an ex-lover off with an eye roll on the wrenching “Good Luck, Babe!,” a synth-driven tune topped by her best Kate Bush. Roan imagines her former flame kissing “a hundred boys in bars” and eventually becoming a man’s dissatisfied wife in the aftermath of their affair. But ultimately, Roan chooses herself, singing with all her heart, “I just wanna love someone who calls me baby.” ZOLADZ

Dua Lipa, ‘ French Exit ’

Dua Lipa’s album “Radical Optimism” cruises past heartaches, treating bad choices and failed romances as setbacks that might be painful, but not for too long. In “French Exit,” she decides to ghost a relationship that’s not working, comparing it to ducking out of a party early. The ingenious track, produced by Kevin Parker ( Tame Impala ) and the hyperpop pro Danny L Harle, stacks up syncopations — drums, acoustic guitar, flamenco handclaps, a little flute lick — behind her not-too-regretful voice. PARELES

Maggie Rogers, ‘ Don’t Forget Me ’

Maggie Rogers admits her friends’ relationships don’t provide models for what she’s looking for: Sally’s getting married, Molly’s out partying every night. She’s after something more casual — but still lasting in its own way. “Love me till your next somebody,” Rogers sings to whomever’s listening. “And promise me that when it’s time to leave, don’t forget me.” ZOLADZ

Waxahatchee featuring MJ Lenderman, ‘ Right Back to It ’

Waxahatchee’s Katie Crutchfield marvels at long-term love by admitting how much she tests it. “I let my mind run wild/Don’t know why I do it,” she sings, “But you just settle in like a song with no end.” The track is easygoing and countryish, and MJ Lenderman provides supportive harmony vocals and electric guitar. But the scratchy tension in Crutchfield’s voice betrays her continuing self-doubts. PARELES

Norah Jones, ‘ Staring at the Wall ’

Like the rest of her latest album, “Visions,” “Staring at the Wall” is a collaboration between Norah Jones and the producer and drummer Leon Michels. Between his backbeat and her twangy guitar, understated keyboards and reassuring vocal harmonies, it’s clear she’ll make it through her misgivings just fine. PARELES

Jessica Pratt, ‘ Life Is ’

The milky-voiced singer-songwriter Jessica Pratt brings her sepia-toned sensibility to this dreamy folk-pop tune, making it sound like a glowing portal to an alternate past. ZOLADZ

Lido Pimienta, ‘ He Venido al Mar ’

“I still don’t know where I am going/But I have joy in my heart,” the Colombian-Canadian songwriter Lido Pimienta sings in “He Venido al Mar” (“I Have Come to the Sea”). She’s making a journey toward renewal, with her guileless soprano sailing above a track that begins with sparse electronic chords and gathers layers of percussion and voices, assembling a cumbia and a community out of thin air. PARELES

Kendrick Lamar, ‘ Euphoria ’

This salvo in Kendrick Lamar’s feud with Drake starts with Lamar rapping quickly but calmly over a smooth-jazz backdrop, taunting, “I make music that electrify ’em, you make music that pacify ’em.” But after he warns, “Don’t tell no lie about me/And I won’t tell truths about you,” the track changes to a tolling, droning trap dirge and Lamar’s delivery becomes biting, nasal and percussive. He switches from flow to flow with an accelerating barrage of attacks, professional and personal, from recording deals to parenting skills: “cringe-worthy” is a milder one. PARELES

Charli XCX, ‘ Girl, So Confusing ’

In snaking melodies atop shimmering club beats, Charli XCX pivots between cool-girl braggadocio and raw confessions of insecurity on her new album, “Brat.” “It’s so confusing sometimes to be a girl,” she sings on the chorus of one of its most vulnerable songs, which explores her ambivalent relationship with a certain unnamed pop star doppelgänger. Her unabashedly messy, run-on candor is especially refreshing. ZOLADZ

Saya Gray, ‘ AA Bouquet for Your 180 Face ’

The Canadian songwriter and producer Saya Gray’s voice is wry and a little sleepy as she reconsiders a relationship, singing, “I bent over backwards so many times/I turned into a golden arch for you to walk through.” But her production is alert, hyper-detailed and surreally unpredictable, segueing among ticking electronics, syncopated indie-rock, spacey vocal chorales, distorted guitars and what might be a koto. She may be lonely, but she’s resourceful. PARELES

Hakushi Hasegawa, ‘ Departed ’

The laptop-wielding Japanese musician Hakushi Hasegawa delivers a manic demolition derby of a song with the hyperpop of “Departed.” Sweet vocal harmonies top a barrage of drums and sliding-pitch synthesizers; a brief respite midway through only makes the closing blitz sound more lightheartedly merciless. PARELES

Les Amazones d’Afrique, ‘ Musow Danse ’

“Musow Danse” (“Women’s Dance”) is the title track of the jubilant new album by Les Amazones d’Afrique — a Pan-African, proudly multilingual alliance of singers and songwriters carrying feminist messages to dance floors, like this chorus: “Rise up African woman!” PARELES

Nilüfer Yanya, ‘ Like I Say (I Runaway) ’

“I run away, ’cause I’m on precious time,” the British musician Nilüfer Yanya sings. In classic Yanya fashion, “Like I Say (I Runaway)” has an almost collagelike feel, reveling in contrasting textures and suddenly erupting into a blaze of guitar distortion on the chorus. ZOLADZ

Clairo, ‘ Sexy to Someone ’

The alt-pop singer Clairo yearns to be the object of just one person’s affection — “nothing more, nothing less,” she sings on a track that pairs her breathily muttered vocals with a persistent groove, resulting in a kind of strutting summer anthem for introverts. ZOLADZ

Angélica Garcia, ‘ Color de Dolor ’

The music sounds absolutely joyful: major chords, a waltzing but flexible beat, a supportive backup choir reinforced by orchestral strings. But Angélica Garcia is singing, in Spanish, “What is the color of pain?” with vocal inflections that hint at both Latin pop and Indian ghazal. PARELES

Vampire Weekend, ‘ Mary Boone ’

“Mary Boone, Mary Boone, I hope you feel like loving someone soon,” Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend sings, name-checking a once-powerful art dealer who recently served a prison sentence for tax fraud. The song itself is a kind of musical mosaic, combining floating atmospherics that recall the band’s “Modern Vampires of the City” with breakbeats and a lush, heavenly choir. ZOLADZ

Arooj Aftab, ‘ Raat Ki Rani ’

The arrangement is largely acoustic, yet there’s almost a trip-hop undertow to “Raat Ki Rani” (Urdu for “Queen of the Night”) by Arooj Aftab , the Grammy-winning, culture-fusing Pakistani singer. One piano note repeats throughout; Asian percussion supplies deep, deliberate syncopation; and Maeve Gilchrist’s harp swirls between verses. Aftab sings about allure and desire in a long-breathed melody suffused with melancholy poise. PARELES

Lila Iké featuring H.E.R., ‘ He Loves Us Both ’

Polyamory gets complicated in this yearning reggae duet. “Don’t be too quick to judge,” the Jamaican singer Lila Iké urges; H.E.R. counters, “You just keep lying to yourself.” Neither of them wanted to “lose a good thing just because,” but that’s all they agree on. The man in question never states his case. PARELES

Usher and Pheelz, ‘ Ruin ’

Usher embraces South African amapiano, with a tinge of Nigerian Afrobeats, in “Ruin,” a track produced by Pheelz, a Nigerian songwriter who adds a rap verse. Mixing accusation, plaint and humblebrag, Usher croons, “You broke me and took your time with it/you gave me all these memories that I regret.” But he also makes clear he has options: “A different girl be on my line/Constantly be calling, every day I still decline.” PARELES

Enrique Iglesias and Yotuel, ‘ Fría ’

In “Fría” (“A Cold One”), the denials and excuses keep coming from Enrique Iglesias, singing, and Yotuel, rapping, over three chords and a perfectly infectious beat set up by lean percussion and rhythm guitar. “I only went out for a cold one,” Iglesias insists. “Your friends lied to you.” It’s so upbeat, they might get away with it. PARELES

Carin León and Kane Brown, ‘ The One (Pero No Como Yo) ’

Country and Mexican music have long been close neighbors across the Texas border. Here, the regional Mexican superstar Carin León welcomes the country singer Kane Brown for a bilingual duet that has León warning someone that no one will love her like him, while Brown proclaims, “Whatever you’re looking for in love/You know I’m the one.” It’s a lean, acoustic Mexican polka underpinned by a sousaphone. PARELES

Hello Mary, ‘ 0% ’

Hello Mary, a three-woman New York City band, whipsaws through a raucous embrace of uncertainty that peaks with the drummer and singer Stella Wave screaming, “I don’t know! I don’t know!” But within less than three minutes the track also jumps amid spindly indie-rock guitar chords, a bruising one-note bass riff and an unexpected dip into folky picking joined by a plinking vibraphone — all while making a waltz sound feral. PARELES

Pearl Jam, ‘ React, Respond ’

Pearl Jam’s LP “Dark Matter” reinforces the band’s longtime strengths: ferocious hard-rock riffs, neo-psychedelic guitar tangles and Eddie Vedder’s urgent moral compass. “React, Respond” hurtles ahead, with guitars blasting in unison and then ricocheting in stereo, as Vedder calls for unified, purposeful action, insisting, “We could be fighting together/Instead of fighting ourselves.” PARELES

Willow, ‘ Big Feelings ’

Willow embraces her outsize emotions in the full-tilt finale of her new album, “Empathogen,” which veers from her old pop-punk into jazz and prog-rock. Her voice sails over choppy piano chords as she announces her “big feelings,” and when she sings, “Yes, I have problems, problems,” she turns “problems” into a six-syllable arpeggio. PARELES

Julia Holter, ‘ Evening Mood ’

​​Julia Holter displays a light touch on the celestial shape-shifter “Evening Mood.” Twinkling keys and Holter’s soft vocals are accompanied by subtle percussion which, in part, features the filtered sounds of her daughter’s heartbeat as recorded on an ultrasound. ZOLADZ

Iron & Wine featuring Fiona Apple, ‘ All in Good Time ’

Somewhere between a hymn and a sea chantey, “All in Good Time” has Sam Beam’s earnest tenor and Fiona Apple’s huskiest alto trading lines about togetherness, estrangement, shared memories and lessons learned: “You wore my ring until it didn’t fit,” Apple observes. Piano chords ring and strings swell as the song’s two ex-partners harmonize to find, if not reconciliation, a mature sense of resignation. PARELES

Adrianne Lenker, ‘ Fool ’

Adrianne Lenker sings about connections — “They say when it’s right it’s right” — that can last or disappear: friendship, infatuation, romance, marriage, family. A six-beat web of picked, manipulated guitar tones are likely to bend, float in, stutter or vanish at any moment: as fragile and needed as the human companionship she longs for. PARELES

Jon Pareles has been The Times’s chief pop music critic since 1988. He studied music, played in rock, jazz and classical groups and was a college-radio disc jockey. He was previously an editor at Rolling Stone and the Village Voice. More about Jon Pareles

Lindsay Zoladz is a pop music critic for The Times and writes the subscriber-only music newsletter The Amplifier . More about Lindsay Zoladz

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