Post: #1

Hey guys,


How do you "deal" with travel over a number of months, countries?

I traveled this summer for 3 months... without a guitar. I didn't think
it would suck as much as it actually did. Seems to me, the options are
pretty limited:

Take a guitar - not really practical for so many reasons.

Buy one abroad - probably buying a cheap axe, getting whatcha pay for.

Stalk anyone playing in the park - I actually did this... (Do not advise)

Hit up music stores - Did that too. IS actually kinda cool... if you've got chops.



So what do you guys do?

Post: #2

If it's to one location, take one.

Its more luggage, but you got to make that sacrifice.

If its bouncing around a number of destinations, either buy a second hand one and sell it just as you leave or take music lessons, particularly in styles/genres you aren't familiar with and have the tutor supply the guitar.

That

Post: #3

You could consider a cheap Parlour Guitar: they've got a great, storied history in Bluegrass and Blues music, and their smaller size makes for much easier portability, though you lose out on bass response.



I have a feeling my next album might be me in 1930's Dustbowl Preacher mode, so I'm looking at one myself.

Post: #4

On your travels hit up any local guitar/music stores and see if they'll let you rent a guitar. In Canada the big music store chain Long and McQuade will rent out guitars at reasonable rates. I know guys who worked in the Northern Alberta oil sands who brought along rented guitars and kept in practice on their downtime.

Maybe renting is a Canadian phenomenon only, but see if it's a possibilty, wherever you go.

Post: #5

Mandolin - small enough to carry and enjoy.

Post: #6

Well, 'Travel Guitars' are a 'thing' and quite an advanced market.

I suggest looking on the main Chinese and Japanese websites first of all to get an idea of what is out there. You may or may not decide to buy one of these later on (Japanese is better than Chinese but ymmv), but for a one stop shop of seeing what is out there, it can't be beat.

First up, Aliexpress and the Chinese ones:
https://www.aliexpress.com/wholesale?cat...vel+guitar

These are some I've shortlisted for you:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/2015-New...246648085a

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/ALP-Head...246648085a

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-shi...246648085a

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/2016-New...246648085a

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/IN-STOCK...246648085a


These are the Japanese ones:
http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/k-gak...-trabel-n/

http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/guita..._light_br/


This just gives you an idea of what is out there. Try and find one locally to actually check it out - size, feel, playability etc.

This kind of thing is top of the range and pretty sweet:


But then again, if you can stretch for that, and you have the space, you might as well get a Steinberger. Depends if you are gonna plug it in or not. Acoustic is a different ball park. You are covered however, with different options.

There's a lot more out there than the few I've linked but it should give you an idea. Travel guitars are a big market.

Post: #7

As Bosch above stated, a Parlour guitar, or, there's a foldable guitar ... if you can afford one.

http://www.playawayguitars.com/play_away...temID=1598

   

Post: #8

Traveler Guitar Pro Series Acoustic/Electric

I have one of these that was perfect for travelling in Europe. It can be plugged into a headphone amp or mini amp (I had a battery/AC powered Danelectro mini amp that was $25 and surprisingly good). Fits easily in overhead compartment when you take the "legrest" off.

It even comes with a stethoscope you plug into it and you can listen acoustically- actually works really well.

As a side benefit, while I never had to use it for this reason, the guitar is built like a fucking tank with a 1 piece solid maple neck-through-body - should you ever find yourself in a physical altercation you can swing it effectively like an axe (even while still in the gig bag). Definitely would ruin someone's day.

Post: #9

Just want to add a word or two about the Chinese and Japanese guitar markets. Hope no one minds and thinks I'm hi-jacking the thread, even though I might be a bit :-).

First off, there's a big shake up in the guitar building world going on at the moment. I've been researching it as I'm thinking of building my own line of guitars, even though I am an amateur Luthier (not even that). But the winds of change are there for anyone to see who is following this 'game'.

The biggest change is in the fact the big players like Fender and Gibson are just doubling down with upping their prices and outsourcing their product. Quality goes down, but prices go up. Mitt Romney and his venture capital group own most of the main guitar outlets (last time I looked). It's a good bet. Everyone wants an 'authentic' Fender, be it MIA (made in America) or MIM (made in Mexico). One is built in Mexico by Mexicans, the other is built in America by Mexicans. Go figure, as the ham shanks say.

Now Fender is changing its line again and killing off old models and bringing in new ones. Basically, the market is so massive, they can't build them fast enough for the suckers, so they will gouge you even more. The information is out there and I can expound on this, but suffice it for now.

Anyway, the Chinese are killing it with cheap guitars. Really killing it. They all are made on CNC (computer numerical control) machines these days and it's hard to go wrong. Some poor Chinese sap is probably breathing in carcinogenic paint spray (I think they do use protection, but still) in the name of progress, but there you go. You can get amazing quality Chinese guitars for a 150 bucks (US Dollar). The Yngwie Malmsteen scalloped neck is about 180 bucks. It plays like a 500 quid fender or rather 800 Dollar Fender. Looks great, plays great, feels great, sounds great. Can't go wrong. The Chinese are killing it. You can get duds however, and you pays yer money and takes yer chances. More on this later. Much more info on this, I have.

As for the Japanese, this is where it gets really interesting. The Japs made guitars for Fender back in the day, but Fender are stopping production there now. The Japs are taking over. They have been building guitars for the top brands for decades and they have the know how and experience to take it to the next level. Fender can't pay them enough, so they are going it alone and knocking them out of the park, quality wise and price wise. They are introducing subtle new technologies to advance the art of the guitar. This remains to be seen and I will report on this later when some heavy hitter guitar collectors get back to me with their new purchases. They could have bought Chinese, but Japanese is where the exciting shit is these days.

I probably should do a data sheet on it, or at least make a new post - maybe I will.

There are also new movements in Indonesia with regard to cheap guitars.

Basically, the computer equipment exists to make a guitar very quickly and very accurately, but still you need human involvement to finish it off. So cheap labour is paramount to the model. As long as you don't mind hacking down your native forests to provide source materials, you are good to go in the global market.

It's a new day. And a very exciting one.

Me? If I get in to the game it will be mass-produced $100 guitars that play like a dream and sound just as good ( as long as you aren't a snob ). I'll leave all that poncey $8000 boutique crap to those that have been doing it a while. But every guitar ever made is always sold, as cheap or an expensive as you fancy. There never was an unsold guitar, even if it was given away and bartered, it had a market.

Sorry for hijacking the thread. I got a new Japanese guitar today and I spent a couple of hours setting her up. It's better quality than a 500 bucks Fender, and I only paid about a oner (100 quid) for her. Pure bliss she is. I am simply stunned at the quality of the neck and the fretwork (even though I had to smooth off the rough edges - wood contracts more than metal so they stick out a bit).

I'll stop there.

These are very very exciting times to be alive, and especially in guitar world, it's a great time to be alive.

Excuse me for hijacking your thread OP.

Btw, if you want an electric guitar that you can plug in to a headphone amp or computer software or whatever, you can get Chinese knockoff Steinbergers for next to nothing and they don't get much smaller than that. Just make sure you buy from the right factory and seller - some are rogue, but some are great.

A real Steinberger is 2000 bucks, and a copy is 200, so if it gets stolen...

I leave the morals and the ethics of it up to you. There is no law against buying knock-off imitations in the UK and the US at least, but of course it is illegal to make them. You can even get Chinese 'shops' to put the Fender and Gibson logo on the guitar as well. I have opinions on this, but I won't share them now - for another day. Let's just say all my guitars are 'original' or accepted copies.

The Telecaster I bought today is by Aria Pro, but Fender are so busy laughing all the way to the bank to bother with lawsuits. Aria get around it by having a different shape headstock, and all those that paid 500 bucks for a real Fender get to laugh at me and my silly little guitar (eh eh). Good for them, I'd be laughing too if I paid five times more for a guitar that isn't really any better.

Sorry for the hostile takeover. :-)

Post: #10

(12-29-2016 07:43 PM)Rigsby Wrote:  Excuse me for hijacking your thread OP.

Not a thing to excuse yourself for Rigs... i appreciate you dropping
knowledge on the thread.

I have one of those Jap Strats from way back in the early 80's. In fact to
this day, that guitar, like your favorite pair of jeans... is still my go to baby.

Probably less than a $500 dollar guitar today, it is just broken in "just right"
for everything I do. I have several other "spendy" guitars. Jacksons. Charvels.
That are worth up to 2k. The Strat is tops.

Thanks to everyone else who offered good ideas and thoughts...

I'm leaning towards just researching this market some more.. then I won't
mind spending a couple hundred. Even if I just sell it when I move on..

Thanks fellas..


.

Post: #11

I play Spanish Classical and Flamenco, so I can't comment on if the electric or steel string travel guitars are any good. I can say that I've bought and shipped these things:

https://smile.amazon.com/Yamaha-GL1-Guit...000RVYMWE/

...to places I was going to be at for extended periods then gave them away when I left. They are tuned like a regular guitar with a capo at the 5th fret.

Its a good way to get better at developing muscle memory for playing in the 5th position or higher. The frets do get pretty small high up the neck. I've actually got one hanging off the side of my desk at work right now.

Post: #12

Hey Rigsby, you got anything approaching a datasheet for that concept?

Low price but good quality. I think there's a mob in Australia bringing (reportedly) reasonable quality stuff and shipping from $250. Looking at their es-335 copy.

I know about the jap stuff, my prize in a lawsuit Greco.

Post: #13

Good post Rigsby, but the main constraint to cheaper Asian guitars is material used. Sure, it's easy enough to replace crappy pickups and electronics (as has plagued Japanese Fenders for years), and even hardware isn't much of a problem to change, but there's a real difference in wood/finish quality. Guitars made from 1 or 2-piece bodies with a good nitrocellulose finish won't be superior for certain, but there's a high likelihood of it. I bet the Chinese/Indonesian/etc. factories could make guitars as good as the US or Japan, but that's not what they're being contracted to do.

I have a Mexican made Jazzmaster with a nitro finish and it's a terrific guitar, feels and sounds indistinguishable from American made models I've picked up. In my experience Fender has gotten much better in the decade-plus I've played guitar, although the prices on the American range have become completely ridiculous.

Post: #14

(12-29-2016 07:43 PM)Rigsby Wrote:  Just want to add a word or two about the Chinese and Japanese guitar markets.

Yes, please.

Quote:Basically, the market is so massive, they can't build them fast enough for the suckers, so they will gouge you even more. The information is out there and I can expound on this, but suffice it for now.

I have been thinking that the quality has been falling off for awhile. I haven't bought a brand new electric guitar in years but occasionally I try a few out when I'm passing by a music shop. A good number of the $500 - $2,000+ (Canadian dollars so that's 250 - 1000+quid) guitars really felt off, like they were on the level of a 120 buck budget guitar that needed a ton of setup to make playable.

Quote:
Anyway, the Chinese are killing it with cheap guitars. Really killing it. They all are made on CNC (computer numerical control) machines these days and it's hard to go wrong. Some poor Chinese sap is probably breathing in carcinogenic paint spray (I think they do use protection, but still) in the name of progress, but there you go. You can get amazing quality Chinese guitars for a 150 bucks (US Dollar). The Yngwie Malmsteen scalloped neck is about 180 bucks. It plays like a 500 quid fender or rather 800 Dollar Fender. Looks great, plays great, feels great, sounds great. Can't go wrong. The Chinese are killing it. You can get duds however, and you pays yer money and takes yer chances. More on this later. Much more info on this, I have.

Wow, did not know this. Yes, data sheet please.

Quote:I probably should do a data sheet on it, or at least make a new post - maybe I will.

I am very interested in as much detail as you care to write. Both on the new tech and why the Fenders and Les Pauls and others are churning out mediocrity.

Quote:Excuse me for hijacking your thread

I don't speak for the OP, but your "hijacking" was valuable. You hijack the right way.

Post: #15

For traveling I bought a Taylor GS Mini along with an SKB hard case for it. I'm very pleased with both.

I've always been forced to check it in as baggage for flights and I've been on several with it along with it being dropped by well meaning doormen and taxi drivers and that case has always protected it perfectly.

The only dings have come from Vinny and Anti-Riot! Which is why you bring a travel guitar you don't care what happens to, because it will eventually get passed around like a two-bit Tinder chick.

Post: #16

Rigsby what do you think of Takamine? I have GN20 model.

Post: #17

Rigsby,
Would you share the Japanese "Fender" brand you bought?

One problem I've faced is cutting through all the noise. Yes, any datasheet you want to write would be appreciated.

Post: #18

First off, I only came on here tonight to post a Joe Bonamassa video, and I might as well put it here, seeing as everyone is such a good sport. I didn't want to make a new thread.





Now I'm going to answer some of your questions, that I've just seen.

Joe has got game for sure.

"Hey Honey, 500 bucks for that old dirty box, we sure could use a new kitchen sink/fridge/carpet, honey, uh, whaddyathink, honey, eh?"

I paraphrase.

Gamers gonna game, Guitars or not.

Got a soft spot for young Joe, one of the few that deserves every bit of success he gets.

Check out that video and see the first ever Black Stratocaster ever made.

Post: #19

(12-29-2016 08:54 PM)The Breeze Wrote:  

(12-29-2016 07:43 PM)Rigsby Wrote:  Excuse me for hijacking your thread OP.

Not a thing to excuse yourself for Rigs... i appreciate you dropping
knowledge on the thread.

I have one of those Jap Strats from way back in the early 80's. In fact to
this day, that guitar, like your favorite pair of jeans... is still my go to baby.

Probably less than a $500 dollar guitar today, it is just broken in "just right"
for everything I do. I have several other "spendy" guitars. Jacksons. Charvels.
That are worth up to 2k. The Strat is tops.

Thanks to everyone else who offered good ideas and thoughts...

I'm leaning towards just researching this market some more.. then I won't
mind spending a couple hundred. Even if I just sell it when I move on..

Thanks fellas..

I had a MIJ (made in japan) Strat early 80's and it was a Squier. It was incredible. A lot of people really rate those guitars as even being better than what Fender were doing. The Japs (just shorthand, not derogatory for you SJWs out there) were learning the ropes - well, at least as when it came to mass-produced major brand name guitars (they had been making instruments for some time).

If it feels good. It is good.

A good guitar is like a good woman (Swiss Tony incoming) Paul:
You can only play so many at one time, and you only have so many fingers when you do find the 'one that you want - ooh ooh ooh'.

I've never owned a Jackson, but I have fond memories of a Charvel I had. One Pup. Impossible to stay in tune or I would have kept it.

We'll talk more about them Japanese 'Fenders', in a bit...

Post: #20

(12-29-2016 10:29 PM)T and A Man Wrote:  Hey Rigsby, you got anything approaching a datasheet for that concept?

Low price but good quality. I think there's a mob in Australia bringing (reportedly) reasonable quality stuff and shipping from $250. Looking at their es-335 copy.

I know about the jap stuff, my prize in a lawsuit Greco.

Ok, seeing as I got a couple of PMs and requests over this, I've made a little shortlist, not really a datasheet (more of that to come later).
Check this video about buying from China - How to buy a Chinese Guitar:





Follow this guy's advice and you won't go far wrong.

CAVEAT EMPTOR!

The factory that this guy used was Music Dreamworks - they are pretty hard to find, but I did the legwork for you (I was curious myself truth be told):

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/1630524

Nice selection of Les Paul 'copies' for less than $200 bucks.

You probably won't get a fully working (as in action, intonation etc.) guitar out the box. You will probably need to do some work on it. If you can do this yourself you can save mucho dollars. If you can't, then you need a good buddy that will do it for a six-pack of beer. Or at least know a reputable 'Luthier' that will not charge an arm and a leg, and more importantly, fuck it up in the process whilst charging you for the pleasure.

This is explained in the video, as is the ordering process at Aliexpress. If the guitar is not delivered within a certain time you can get you money back, you are pretty covered. Watch the video.

CAVEAT EMPTOR!

Another really good and reputable Chinese guitar factory at the moment is Top Star:

https://www.aliexpress.com/store/1796319

See this guy's video for proof:




Again for about $200 bucks you can get a fully scalloped Strat clone as used by Blackmore and Yngwie! And they play just great, sound superb and even look the part. Makes you wonder why Fender charge $2000 bucks for one, don't it? It should.

Johnny A is a reliable guy, watch the video - he can shred like the best of 'em.

And don't forget what he says:

CAVEAT EMPTOR!

You can get burned by any of these companies.

Don't spend $200 bucks you don't have. If you have a bit of cash kicking around, or hell, if you are just plain tight up and want to take a gamble...

I have no affiliation or connection with these companies or youtube posters. You can get massively ripped off. But the two companies I just posted are as good a bet as any if you want a $200 bucks Les Paul of David Gilmour Stratocaster.

I will talk about the morals of this later. But for now, know that it is not illegal to order one of these guitars, not if you live US or UK.

But that might change with recent 'Rosewood' banning. And that is another thread all for itself. More on that later. For now you are good. But in a couple of months time you might not be.

More about the Japanese stuff later...

Post: #21

(12-29-2016 11:43 PM)HermeticAlly Wrote:  snip...

I take your point. But Basswood is Basswood good buddy!

My most expensive guitar - A Gibson MIA (Made in America) is ok, not special - the only guitar that had to go back to the shop to have defects fixed, in fact.

See this video:





At the end of the day, the wood that a guitar is made from affects less than 5 percent of its sound. Guitars are electric devices. Wood does not have a sound or a tone, to any distinguishable degree. Boutique makers will disagree and rich punters will argue to the death. Not gonna do that here.

But yes, good points over all. It's a free for all, and that is what makes it exciting. This is like a (close to) real time documentation of what's happening out there. And all from a total noob like me (with a bit of background).

Post: #22

(12-30-2016 01:22 AM)Germanicus Wrote:  

(12-29-2016 07:43 PM)Rigsby Wrote:  Just want to add a word or two about the Chinese and Japanese guitar markets.

Yes, please.

Quote:Basically, the market is so massive, they can't build them fast enough for the suckers, so they will gouge you even more. The information is out there and I can expound on this, but suffice it for now.

I have been thinking that the quality has been falling off for awhile. I haven't bought a brand new electric guitar in years but occasionally I try a few out when I'm passing by a music shop. A good number of the $500 - $2,000+ (Canadian dollars so that's 250 - 1000+quid) guitars really felt off, like they were on the level of a 120 buck budget guitar that needed a ton of setup to make playable.

Quote:
Anyway, the Chinese are killing it with cheap guitars. Really killing it. They all are made on CNC (computer numerical control) machines these days and it's hard to go wrong. Some poor Chinese sap is probably breathing in carcinogenic paint spray (I think they do use protection, but still) in the name of progress, but there you go. You can get amazing quality Chinese guitars for a 150 bucks (US Dollar). The Yngwie Malmsteen scalloped neck is about 180 bucks. It plays like a 500 quid fender or rather 800 Dollar Fender. Looks great, plays great, feels great, sounds great. Can't go wrong. The Chinese are killing it. You can get duds however, and you pays yer money and takes yer chances. More on this later. Much more info on this, I have.

Wow, did not know this. Yes, data sheet please.

Quote:I probably should do a data sheet on it, or at least make a new post - maybe I will.

I am very interested in as much detail as you care to write. Both on the new tech and why the Fenders and Les Pauls and others are churning out mediocrity.

Quote:Excuse me for hijacking your thread

I don't speak for the OP, but your "hijacking" was valuable. You hijack the right way.

To answer your replies, paragraph by paragraph without quoting:

The Chinese guitar market is 'emerging'. The Japanese guitar market is 'mature'.

Any guitar you buy, be it a Fender of especially a shitty Gibson these days, will need a setup. They are lazy. They are owned by venture vulture capitalists that know they have a captive market. Besides, unless you get lucky you always need to set up your own instrument to your feel.

I'm talking about doing a data sheet with someone who PM'd me and knows much more about guitar making than I ever will. Hopefully it comes about. And we can do something that makes sense and is useful.

With regard to Fender and Gibson. It is quite simple. They are taking you for mugs. Most musicians do not have $3400 bucks to spend on a new guitar, so they go to collectors or to pretenders with money - much bigger market. Fender and Gibson have been eaten up by venture money that is investing in them only getting bigger. And so it goes. Quality suffers. I don't need to explain this further, hopefully, though I know I maybe didn't explain it very well.

As for the new tech, well, it's all computers and robotics and precision machine mills right now. The person I may do a data sheet with understands this a lot more than me I think (I'm a total noob). Labour is cheap in China, so that counts too.

It's a fascinating new day especially with Trump talking with the Alibaba main guy.

Lots of small start ups happening in the States as well.

Guitar making is a nice little cottage industry that scales well.

But more of this later, too.

Post: #23

(12-30-2016 05:52 AM)sterling_archer Wrote:  Rigsby what do you think of Takamine? I have GN20 model.

I have no idea good buddy.

I know that just about everyone that has a Takamine is happy with it (that I know of).

It's on my shortlist.

Post: #24

Gibson should introduce a regular whammy bar for their models. the time is ripe now.

Post: #25

(12-30-2016 10:17 AM)TornadoByProxy Wrote:  Rigsby,
Would you share the Japanese "Fender" brand you bought?

One problem I've faced is cutting through all the noise. Yes, any datasheet you want to write would be appreciated.

[EDIT: SORRY. THE JAPANESE FENDER BRAND WAS 'SQUIER'.]


First off, I haven't bought a "Fender" for a long time. Probably never will again.

As for the datasheet, I have a pretty big guitar collector who is massive on youtube, just about to take stock of some Japanese instruments that I turned him on to, via Rakuten:

http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/guitarplanet/

For one example.

One of the main players is Fujigen.

Check out this link:
http://www.fgnguitars.com/history.html

Basically they were making guitars for Fender back when in the day, then politics became involved. Now it's all cut throat Korea and China and Indonesia. So they have consolidated what they have and are now concentrating on high-end guitars for not too much money. Ok, will still cost maybe 500 bucks, but you get an instrument of superior quality for that.

The Japs have been making super high end guitars for decades now. I have an Aria Urchin from the Matsumoku factory. They made guitars for Westone, Epiphone, Washburn, Yamaha, Ibanez, and of course, Aria Pro II.

Their workers will not work for free and do not want to be slave labour, so they have become master craftsmen.

I see a new market. A market in the US. In flyover country. Again, men that do not want to be slave labour. Boutique guitars go for 9000 bucks. But you can buy a good enough Chinese for 90 bucks. Go figure.

Can't say too much more.

There's opportunities in them thar hills.

You can have all the precision CNC machines in the world, but it's design, support, quality of paint jobs that can only be done by hand, etc. etc. that make all the difference.

I see people in America ready to make that commitment. And do it better than anyone else, whilst not charging an arm and a leg, and doing it thoroughly, properly, with pride.

Don't want to sell the farm here.


But yeah, Fujigen, used to be Fujigen-gaki.

Check out:
http://www.fgnguitars.com/technology.html

Strats, Teles, Semi-Acoustics?
http://www.fgnguitars.com/products.html

...

If I had a sub one thousand bucks figure to spend on a new guitar, and I knew that this one guitar might be my last guitar or best guitar I would ever own?

I would spend that sub thousand bucks figure on a Fujigen guitar (that made the best guitars for Fender and Squier back in the day), and not on a Fender or Gibson. You would get much much more for your money, in finishing and in setup. Well worth it if you are not a guitar tinkerer.

But as for sharing the brand I just bought, my Tele: it was an Aria Pro II Telecaster. You can get them in the UK for 140 quid!

It you want an even cheaper one (and it's my next guitar on my list in fact), you can go to Thomann and get one of these beauties:

https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_hbt1952.htm

These are actually Chinese, But the necks are superb, consistently good. It's only as good as the run that goes that you get your man on. If he looks after you. After that, entropy takes over and it all goes to rat-shit anyway.

The Chinese will work with you.

The Japs?

Well, good luck, and if you can get in then get in. But I sense they are sensing a gap in the market.

The world is kind of wide open at the moment.

It would all seem like pie in the sky, but, everyone wants to play guitar, or own a guitar (almost). Every guitar made is eventually sold.

Apologies once more for the hi-jack.