When we are on the go, we often still want to play guitar, but this can be frustrating. When traveling we often don’t have much room for a full-sized guitar which takes up a lot of space. There’s ways we can overcome this as you’ll find several travel sized guitars to choose from in the market.
Finding good travel guitars, especially electric ones can be a real challenge. I know how hard this can be because I found it hard to find a good travel when I wanted one. I have made this easy for you by reviewing several travel guitars for you. They have ton of nice features for those that need a good travel style guitar while on the go. Let’s have a look at several best electric guitars for travelling with.
Traveler Guitar EG1C BLK V2 Custom Electric Travel Guitar with Gig Bag
Traveler makes a lineup of excellent travels style guitars which are small enough to take with you on road trips or other trips. One of their better models is the EG1C BLK V2 Custom Electric.
This guitar features a Les Paul style body so it’s a familiar guitar design. The strings are attached in the middle of the guitar and not by the headstock like regular guitars are, so its a unique design. There’s an E-tuner built into the pickup ring which makes tuning the guitar easier. It and it features one humbucking pickup. This instrument is 27% shorter and it’s 50% lighter than a full size electric guitar. The guitar has V2 headphone amplifier that’s built into the guitar so you can practice on your own without bothering anyone. The amp has a clean, boost, distortion, and an overdrive channel. You can also use your guitar with a normal amplifier. The neck is made from mahogany with a rosewood fingerboard with 21 frets and the body is made from alder. There’s a tone and a volume control for the pickup.
Pros
- Looks great
- Easy to travel with
Cons
- Tuning ped location takes some getting used it
- Needs another pickup
Final Verdict
The Traveler EG1C BLK V2 Custom Electric is a fantastic travel guitar that has an amazing sound. I love the feel of the neck on this guitar. This instrument is perfect for anyone that wants a smaller sized guitar for traveling or just wants a smaller guitar in general. The tuning peg locations take some time to get used to, but this guitar does stay in tune well and the pickup is decent one for the price you pay. I consider this a top pick in a travel style guitar.
Squier by Fender Mini Strat
Fender makes some excellent guitars and they even have a travel version of their famous Fender Stratocaster. This guitar is smaller than average and makes an excellent travel style guitar.
This Fender Mini Strat has regular single coil pickups that the regular Strat does. It has tone control, volume know, and a pickup selector for the pickups. The fingerboard is made from rosewood and has 20 frets. The guitar has a ¾ body size and 22.75” scale length so it’s smaller than an average guitar which makes it easy to travel with. The bridge is a hardtail so it stabilises the guitars tuning and makes changing the strings easy.
Pros
- Looks great
- Easy to carry the guitar
Cons
- Lacks traditional Fender tremolo
- Needs another tone control
Final Verdict
The Fender Mini Strat is the perfect guitar for anyone to take with them traveling. It’s a solid design and sounds like a Fender. The guitar has a very nice neck even though the guitar is quite small and it’s very fun to play. The chrome hardware on the guitar is also very well made and looks great. This guitar has all the options you need to sound great in a very small package.
Anygig Travel Guitar Portable Electric Guitar for Travelers, Beginners and Music Lovers
If you want a great travel guitar that’s easy to play and carry around with you wherever you go, the Anygig Travel Guitar Portable Electric Guitar for is an excellent choice. This guitar has many great features which you’ll love.
This guitar is perfect for the beach, the car, and in the hotel room. It’s an easy to play guitar and features a rosewood fingerboard with 24 frets which most travel guitars simply don’t feature. This instrument also has a humbucker pickup which is perfect for rock, blues, metal and many other guitar styles. The tuning of the guitar is unique as the tuning pegs are by the bridge and the instrument has no headstock. The bridge is a Tune-O Matic style which helps keep the tuning stable on the instrument.
Pros
- Nice looking guitar
- Easy to play
Cons
- Could use another pickup
- Tuning peg location takes getting used to
Final Verdict
This guitar is perfect to travel with as it has a small compact, design. The pickup has a lot of output and sounds great for the sound of this instrument. I like the neck on this guitar as it’s very smooth to play. There’s a swing out arm which you can attach a strap to which makes it easy to hold the guitar when you stand up to play. It comes with a handy gig bag which fits this guitar exclusively so you can take it with you. This guitar is ideal for anyone looking for a solid travel guitar.
Epiphone Les Paul Express "Travel-Size" Electric Guitar
Epiphone makes a lot of different guitars and they also have a travel type guitar called the Les Paul Express. The instrument is a Les Paul type design so it’s a familiar shape which you’ll love.
The Epiphone Les Paul Express is a solid travel guitar. There’s a 21-fret rosewood fingerboard and a 22” scale length which makes the guitar smaller than normal, but perfect to travel with. It comes with Epiphone 650R and 700T ceramic humbucking pickups. There’s a hardtails style bridge to keep the tuning stable and top make string changing easy. There’s a volume knob, tone control, and a pickup selector switch to control your pickups. The body is mahogany and there’s a bolt on maple neck which are solid.
Pros
- Nice small size for travel
- Looks great
Cons
- Needs another tone control
- Might be too small for larger hands
Final Verdict
For anyone that needs a solid travel guitar that sounds great, the Epiphone Les Paul Express is a wise choice. The neck is smooth and it’s very easy to play. There’s a nice cutaway on this guitar which makes it easy to hit higher notes on the instrument. You’ll be able to get tons of rock, shred, blues, country, and other tones out of this guitar. This guitar is perfect for anyone that needs a good guitar to take with them on the go and the Les Paul Express by Epiphone delivers.
Shredneck Travel Guitar - Vintage Sunburst - Model: STVD-VS
Shredneck makes different practice guitars, but they also make a travel version called the Travel Guitar. This instrument has a lot going for it and many great features. It’s small enough to fit in the compact bin on an airplane..
This guitar is a ¾ scale so it’s smaller than others and perfect to travel with. The instrument has a maple neck and a 22-fret rosewood fingerboard. The pickups are solid humbuckers and they sound quite good. The body is Les Paul style shape so it’s comfortable to play. There’s a tone, volume, and a pickup selector switch. The bridge is a traditional hardtail so the tuning stays stable and the strings are easy to change.
Pros
- Very compact for tight spaces
- Sounds great
Cons
- Needs another tone control
- Might be too small for some players
Final Verdict
This guitar is the right choice in a travel guitar. The instrument sounds very good for it’s small size, so you’ll get plenty of sounds out of the guitar. I liked the neck on this guitar as it’s very easy to play and smooth. I found leads and rhythms easy to play on the neck of this instrument. The Les Paul shape is comfortable and it weighs a lot less than a regular Les Paul. It’s comfortable to hold for a long duration without any fatigue. The inlays on the fretboard are also quite nice. This guitar is the perfect choice for anyone that needs a small travel sixed guitar to take with them on the go.
Traveler Guitar SPD HRB V2 Speedster Hot Rod Electric Travel Guitar
One of the leaders in the travel guitar market is Traveler Guitar and they have a lot of great models which are perfect for guitars players on the go. This instrument has several nice features.
This guitar features a built-in amplifier which has a clean, boost, overdrive and distortion tones which sound great. You can also use this guitar with a regular amplifier if you prefer. The guitar is lightweight at 4 pounds so it’s easy to take with you. The tuning machines are built into the body of the guitar and there’s no guitar headstock which a different design, but it works quite well and the instrument still stays in tune. The humbucking pickup has a coil tap which makes it sound like a single coil as well as a humbucker so you get more tonal variations out of the guitar. The bridge is a Tune-O Matic style, which keeps the strings in tune and makes changing them easy. The guitar has a tone, volume knob, and selector switch for the pickup.
Pros
- Solid hardware
- Sounds very good for it’s size
Cons
- Tuning peg design is a bit confusing
- Could use another pickup
Final Verdict
Travel Guitars are some of the best travel guitars you can buy. The SPD HRB V2 Speedster is a solid design and quite easy to play. It’s comfortable for anyone to hold and play and you can take it with you wherever you go. I love the built-in headphone amp as you don’t have to take an amplifier with you if you don’t want to. The included amp is very nice for its price and sounds better than you think it would sound at this price. I was quite impressed with the sound of this guitar and I recommend it for anyone that wants to try out travel guitars.
Hofner HCTSHBKO Shorty Travel Guitar
Hofner makes a wide range of musical instrument and they also offer a lineup of travel style guitars which are perfect for the musician that’s on the go. The Hofner HCTSHBKO Shorty Travel Guitar is one instrument you might want to check out as it has a number of great features.
This guitar has a basswood back and neck. The neck is made out of maple and it has a rosewood fingerboard with 22 frets. This guitar has an open Hofner humbucker so you can get a wide range of sounds out of the guitar such as blues, rock, metal and other styles. The guitar has a tone and a volume knob to control the pickup. The bridge is a Tune-O Matic style which helps to keep the tuning of the guitar stable.
Pros
- Easy to play
- Sounds great
Cons
- Could use another pickup
- Might be too small for some players
Final Verdict
This guitar has a very nice size and the shape makes it easy to hold for almost anyone. It has a good sound for many styles of music and it’s compact, so you can take it with you wherever you go. I found the neck on this guitar to be very comfortable and the cutaway makes it easy to hit higher notes with ease so you can play fast leads and other music with ease. This is the perfect choice for anyone looking for a solid travel guitar that not only looks good, but sounds good, too.
Pignose PGG-200 Deluxe Electric Guitar with Built-In Amp
Pignose makes great amplifiers, but the company does have a nice travel style guitar which would be perfect for anyone that needs a guitar to take with them. The Pignose PGG-200 Deluxe Electric Guitar has a lot of nice features that you’ll like.
This guitar features a rosewood fingerboard and 22 frets. The guitar has its own built in amplifier so there’s no need to take an amplifier with you. The amp is 1 watt and takes a battery for operation, so it’s easy to use. The instrument has a single coil pickup and a volume control. The bridge is fixed and it helps keep the guitar tuning stable. The instrument also solid tuning machines which further enhance the tuning.
Pros
- Compact amp/guitar design in 1
- Nice sound
Cons
- Need another pickup
- Too small for some players
Final Verdict
Pignose has a winner here in the Pignose PGG-200, this guitar sounds amazing for it’s small size and I really like the Pignose sound from the built-in amp. It’s nice because you can take the guitar with you and not have to carry around a heavy amplifier with you. I love the sound of the built-in amplifier as it sounds like a regular Pignose amp does, just in a smaller package. For those that need a great travel guitar as well as an amp in one package, the Pignose PGG-200, is an amazing bargain and well worth the price.
Dean Playmate EVO Junior Solid Body Electric Guitar, 3/4-Size
Dean makes a wide range of guitars in all price ranges and they also produce a nice travel guitar which you should take another look at.
This guitar features a basswood body and top. The neck is bolt on and it has a rosewood fingerboard with 21 frets. The instrument has two humbucking pickups so you can play a wide range of musical styles like rock, metal, blues, and other styles. The bridge is a Tune-O Matic bridge and it helps keep your guitar in tune and sounding great. The guitar is quite small, so its perfect for younger players or anyone that wants a simple guitar to take one on the road with them. The instrument has a tone, volume, and a selector switch for the pickups.
Pros
- Easy for beginners to hold
- Sounds good for its size
Cons
- Needs another tone control
- Might be too small for some
Final Verdict
For anyone that needs a good guitar for practice, travel, or are a new player, this Dean EVO is a good choice. It’s very easy to play and has a nice Les Paul feel to it without the big weight of the Les Paul. The guitar has a good cutaway so the higher notes are easy to play. It’s a very comfortable guitar which anyone will find very easy to play. For anyone that needs a good travel guitar which still sounds good, this Dean is a recommended choice and sells for a great price.
Traveler Guitar 6 String Travelcaster Deluxe Electric, Right Handed
Traveler makes some very unique and stylish travel guitars which sound great and are very versatile because you can take them with you. The Travelcaster is a guitar which has a lot of amazing features that you’re going to like.
This guitar features a Fender Stratocaster style body, but it only features the pickguard and electronics portion of the guitar so it’s a lot smaller than a full Stratocaster. The main body of the guitar is missing. Which cuts down on a lot of the guitars size. There’s three basic Fender style single coil pickups. The instrument has two tone, one volume, and a pickup selector switch to control the pickups. The bridge is a Fender style tremolo so you can play all sorts of dive bombs and guitar tricks with the guitar. The neck is maple and it features 22 frets.
Pros
- Cool design
- Sounds amazing
Cons
- Odd shape may be uncomfortable for some
Final Verdict
This guitar is a unique design which make sit deal for travel as it’s so much smaller than a regular Stratocaster would be. The neck is very smooth and all the notes are easy to reach on this instrument. The guitar does sound very good and the single coil allow to you get plenty of rock, blues, country, and other tones out of it. If you need a small sized travel guitar that has a full guitar sound, the Travelcaster is an excellent choice that is recommended for anyone that needs a good travel style guitar.
Things to Consider
When you buy a travel guitar, you’ll usually have a quality instrument, but there are a few things to keep in mind. Here’s what you need to think about with your new guitar. In some cases, a few small changes can make a basic travel guitar sound even better.
Pickups
One thing to note about travel guitars is that they are mainly designed for practice sessions. The pickups that ship with travels guitars do ok, but you may want a better sound that what they offer. In this case, you could change the pickups to something that has more output. Travel guitar pickups are generally not as high of a quality that you’ll find in a full priced guitar because some corners have to be cut to get the guitar down to size for traveling purposes. New pickups will cost more, but better pickups can add more value to your travel guitar if you ever decide to sell it later on. A good set of pickups will also allow you to get more sounds out of the travel guitar and give you more playing options than just general practice, such as recording, for example.
Travel Guitar Setup
Another thing you’ll want to do with your guitar is have it setup properly. The main setup you’ll nee dot do is to adjust the string action. By having the right string action, it makes the guitar easier to play. Higher action makes blues and digging into notes easier, but lower action make sit easier to play fatter guitar lines like legato and so on. The action on a travel guitar may not be what you prefer, so have this adjusted by doing it yourself or having a guitar tech help you out.
Another adjustment will be to intonate the guitar which puts all the stings in tune up and down the guitar neck. Intonation can be off on travels guitars so have a guitar tech adjust this for you to make the instrument sound better. Intonation is an important adjustment, so don’t neglect it on your travel guitar if you want to get the best sounds out of it. The neck may also need a bit of adjustment, but this usually isn’t required. Take the guitar to a guitar tech to determine the exact setup options that might improve the playability of the guitar. In some case, no adjustments need to be made because the factory settings may be what you prefer. Only adjust the guitar if it doesn’t feel tight to you and what you like.
Strings
The sting gauge you use with your travel guitar will be up to you. For beginners I recommend 009s, as these are easier on the fingers and much easier to bend when you compare them to standard 010s guitar strings. You’ll need to experiment with several guitar string brands to find the best tone for your individual needs. In general, you should change strings a couple of times per month to make the guitar sound better. If you sweat heavily, you may need to change them more often, but this is up to you. A fresh set of strings have more tone and make the guitar sound better overall. Always change the strings that ship with a new guitar right away as they have been sitting on the guitar from the factory in most cases and need to be changed.
I have a Travel Guitar Now What?
If you have a good travel electric guitar you have a few things that you need to think about to make the guitar more enjoyable. Travel guitars can sound a lot better with the various types of gear that you buy. Here’s what to keep in mind in terms of gear to go with your new travel guitar.
Amplifiers
There’s several small amplifiers on the market now that are perfect for travel as they are quite small. Some of them will attach to the output jack of your guitar and give you a good tone for practice session. Other amps are a bit bigger but use batteries so you can take the amp to the beach or on a road trip with you. Yamaha, Boss, and Pignose make some great small amplifiers which are perfect for travel purposes and they all sound great. A few travel guitars have built in amps so you may not even need to buy an amplifier for travel purposes, but a small travel amp is recommended as it will give you better tones than most built-in amplifiers do. My favorite is the Yamaha THR series as they sound amazing for a very good price.
Effects
When you travel you may not want to take effects pedals, but there are several travel type effects you can get which are perfect to use with your travel guitar. These are classified as mini guitar pedals and they are smaller than many regular pedals are, but still produce great tones. Many of these are mini versions of popular effects pedals such as wah wah, tube screamer, and so on, but in smaller compact cases for easier traveling and less weight. You can decide the various brands to ty out as there’s a wide range of options in the mini pedal category.
Other Tips for Traveling with Guitar Gear
One way you can save a lot of space when traveling is to leave the song books at home. There’s many great apps and programs you can use on your smartphone. This makes it easy to play along to all of your favorite songs without the need to carry big heavy song books around with you as you travel so this is a good option to reduce the amount of paper you carry with you. Another thing to do is use a headstock tuner as many of these tuners are quite compact which just saves you more space. Instead of using a metronome for example, use a metronome app on your smartphone which does the same thing with the need to carry around an actual metronome. The main thing is to limit the amount of gear you take with you and to just go with the basics when traveling. This will cut down on the amount of space you need and the overall weight. If your gear requires batteries, get a battery charger and use rechargeable so you don’t have to carry around a bunch of heavy batteries with you while traveling.
Practicing with a Travel Guitar
It’s always a good idea to get a set of quality headphones so you can practice with the guitar while away from home. Headphones can give you the privacy that you need to practice without disturbing other people. Some travels guitars also have headphone amplifiers built in, so a good set of headphones is recommended for that type of guitar. Make sure you buy a good pair to get he best sound out of your amp and guitar.
Summary
If you travel all the time or even just occasionally, there’s many excellent travel guitars that you’re going to love. Travel guitars make it easy to play, learn, and enjoy your favorite music when you’re away from home. Travel guitars might not have all the features of a regular guitar, but they have come a long way in recent years and they sound pretty good. You can always improve the sound by getting a better amplifier or by changing the pickups on your travel guitar.