Help! Travel Electric Guitar??

BlockInlay

BlockInlay

Octavate.band
I'll be spending several weeks offshore between May and October. There'll be a fair bit of down time so I'm thinking about a small, travel type electric guitar would be fun to have. I have plenty of software on my laptop for effects, amp sims, etc.

The hitch is, we're transferred on and off the vessel by helicopter, so we have baggage restrictions on weight. I'd need to be able to fit this sucker into a duffel bag and still leave room for clothes, PPE, etc.

Anyone have experience with smaller or travel-specific electrics?
 
I have traveled a lot with my steinberger. It is a standard Fender scale guitar, with the length savings being the small body and lack of a headstock. Finding an original US model is kid of hard, and likely very expensive, but the Korean made model can still be bought new.

DSC02909.jpg
 
The US model I have is 29 and 1/4 inches in length. I think the Korean model is the same, or very close to that. I'm talking about the ones that look like a cricket bat here.

The newer Steinbeger ZT3 models are 35 inches long, and come with a redesigned trans-trem unit. They also cost a lot more than the import cricked bat version.

FYI, A fender strat is around 39 inches long.
 
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Look for something from MiniStar.

Like this: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/MINSTAR-BRAN...716?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27fd380db4

Seems this place has a bunch, but they seem a bit pricey to me.
http://www.musiclandcentral.com/mismfutrguin.html

I picked up a barely used ale star years ago for $100.

Sure, they look goofy, but they work. The pickups in my Lestar have a good amount of output.

It travels well. I can fit it in my medium roller suitcase on a diagonal. It fits perfectly in a duffle bag too. I used to strap it to the handles of my duffle until someone asked me about "the gun" I was carrying...
 
I just picked up a Hofner shorty. Cheap and plays and sounds really good. I was pretty surprised at how good it sounds.
hofner.jpg
 
@Chad How long is it? (that's a rather personal question, sir)

comfy to play while seated? would it survive being stuffed in a duffel bag?
 
I realize this isn't a response to your question, so apologies in advance, but have you thought about spending 200 bucks on a used MIM Strat, breaking it down to fit in the bag, and then not really giving a shit if it gets knocked around?
 
BlockInlay said:
@Chad How long is it? (that's a rather personal question, sir)

comfy to play while seated? would it survive being stuffed in a duffel bag?
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it is 33" long. I think it is easy to play seated, strapped up it has a tendency to fall forward, kind of away from the body, but that my be the strap I am using and could easily be handled by just tying the strap a the headstock like I used to do with acoustics. It is pretty solid and I think if it were thrown in a bag it would be fine. It came shipped in a pretty flimsy gig bag single boxed with virtually no padding.

and it has a bolt neck so if you wanted to take it apart for travel, you could.
 
Guitar Heel said:
I realize this isn't a response to your question, so apologies in advance, but have you thought about spending 200 bucks on a used MIM Strat, breaking it down to fit in the bag, and then not really giving a shit if it gets knocked around?
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Considering that too. Which opens up a ton of options.
 
Guitar Heel said:
yeah, I mean you could get a CV Squier or something used for even less than that... Probably what I'd do if I were in your shoes, but they make travel guitars for a reason I suppose. :thu:
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Any bolt-on would be an option if i go that route. I have to tell myself NOT to do this with my Nash tele though.
 
There's this, but for $599 I would rather have the Korean Steinberger (Hohner makes a Steinberger copy, too)

 
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