If you’re like me, your precious Martin guitar doesn’t leave your home…ever. How can you risk anything happening to it? After all, it’s your baby. But that doesn’t mean that you don’t get the itch to play when you’re on the road even if it’s just a weekend getaway. That’s where a travel acoustic guitar can step up to the plate.
These guitars are often smaller than your standard one. You might see ¾ size models too. It doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice great sound. And you don’t have to break the bank to buy one either. If size isn’t a factor for your travels, consider picking up a cheap beginner acoustic guitar from my recommendations.
Some guitars come with a gig bag which is always a plus given their smaller sizes. You’ll find them with some goodies like picks and a strap thrown in too.
Bear in mind that the sound and tone will vary from what you’re used to playing. Some may have narrower necks or different body shapes. For the most part, they’re a sideways move and aren’t game changers.
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SX Trav 1 Traveling Guitar
The SX Trav 1 stands out as a great value. It has a solid spruce top and a mahogany body. The sound is surprisingly good—after you replace the stock strings.
The tone is bigger and clearer than we expected. It has a welcome richness to it that we can see enjoying while playing around the campfire.
The action is decent too. The neck is smaller, so it will take some time to get used to playing it. That’s not a big deal though to us but may bother others.
Besides, it’s so darn cute! The guitar comes with a gig bag.
- Portable Travel Guitar with impressive sound built from quality materials
- Solid Spruce Top and Mahogany back and sides help generate a professional sound
- Mahogany truss rod adjustable neck
Martin Steel String Backpacker Travel Guitar
The first thing you notice about the Martin Steel String Backpacker is its odd, paddle-like shape. It doesn’t even look like a guitar!
Don’t let its small size deceive you because it delivers big sound despite its ergonomic shape. Even though it’s a bit out there, it is ambidextrous which is a point in its favor.
It has 15 frets which isn’t uncommon with these instruments. It’s well-made from its solid spruce top to its chrome tuners. It has lovely resonance. The intonation is excellent too, and it stays in tune.
The neck is heavier than you may expect, so it’s a good thing that it comes with a strap. It also includes a bag. The only downside we found is its unique sound. It has a banjo-like quality to it too which some may think is too twangy.
- Solid Spruce Top
- Solid Tonewood Back and Sides
- Unique Contour Neck Shape
Cordoba Mini O Travel Acoustic Guitar
Cordoba Mini O Travel Acoustic Guitar is a gorgeous instrument thanks to its solid ovangkol top. It has laminate back and sides with a mahogany neck and a rosewood fretboard.
The neck is a bit on the wide side for some players. The sound is warm and big, considering its diminutive size.
There are no electronics on board with this one which may be a dealbreaker for some. It does have a full-size neck which is certainly a point in its favor. However, it has a ukulele tone to it that also may turn off a few looking for something more in the acoustic line.
Overall, it’s well-made which we’d expect from Cordoba. The guitar comes with a gig bag.
- Comfortable 1/2 size guitar, with standard tuning
- Layered Flamed Mahogany top, back and side
- NuBone nut, 1.875" width
Luna Safari Series Muse Travel Acoustic Guitar
Luna Safari Series Muse would make a fine entry-level guitar for someone. It’s affordable and well-made, making it a good investment.
It has a stunning mahogany top, back, and sides with a satin finish. It will certainly turn some heads when you pull it out of the bag.
The sound is great despite its ¾ size though the volume isn’t overwhelming. On the downside, you’ll need new strings out of the box.
It comes with a gig bag such as it is without any padding to protect it. You’ll definitely want to pop for something more substantial before hitting the road. Tuning is a bit wonky, but otherwise, it’s a decent guitar for the price.
- Package Dimensions: 21 L x 16 H x 16 W (inches)
- Package Weight : 1 pounds
- Country of Origin : United States
Luna Safari Series Tattoo Travel Guitar
Luna Safari Series Tattoo is one that you either love or hate because of the design. We liked it.
It has funky moon phase inlays on the rosewood fretboard and an island-inspired tattoo on its face. It has a mahogany top and body for those mid-range tones. It’s a good choice for beginner guitar with a huge wow factor to it.
It’s well-made with good action. It’s comfortable and easy to play. The sound is full and rich even when considering its ¾ size. But you might want to swap out the stock strings to kick it up a notch.
It’s worth mentioning that it doesn’t include a gig bag. Other than that, it’s a good value for this price point.
- Mahogany Body
- Mahogany Top
- Set Neck
Traveler Acoustic-Electric Travel Guitar
The Traveler Acoustic-Electric Travel Guitar brings the best of both worlds for your travels. If you thought the Martin Backpacker was out there, this one takes it a giant step further.
It is the only instrument in our roundup that is a one-piece model with its Eastern American maple body and neck. It also has 22 frets.
We weren’t sure what to think about the tuner placement in the body, but it actually makes sense for a travel instrument. It makes it lighter and shorter. It has an under-saddle Piezo pickup and features an adjustable truss rod.
The sound isn’t anything to write home about concerning its volume. However, it scores major points on portability. It is a bit trickier to tune it, given its design.
It’s a bit more expensive which is a given considering the electronics. Overall, it is the essence of a travel guitar.
- BUILT FOR TRAVEL: The Ultra-Light is a portable and travel-friendly version of your favorite at-home...
- PERFORMANCE WITHOUT COMPROMISE: Our proprietary In-Body Tuning System eliminates the need for a...
- COMPACT TRANSIT: Forget lugging around your full-sized acoustic electric guitar and worrying about...
Conclusion
No matter what your budget, there’s a travel acoustic guitar waiting for you. Any of these models will fit the bill for an instrument to take on the road to satisfy your urge to play wherever your journey leads you.
The best things about them are their affordable prices and lighter weight which makes them convenient to take along whether you’re driving or flying.
Our picks all delivered bigger sound than you’d think possible with these smaller instruments. The quality of the construction was top-notch too.
A travel guitar is a worthwhile investment if you have to have your music fix even when you’re away from home. You can get a lot of guitar for the money for a new instrument.
Last update on 2025-01-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
