In this episode of Acoustic Tuesday, you’ll see why these 5 travel guitars under $500 are really unmatched. And if you’re still on the fence about owning a travel guitar, you need to watch this video!
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The holidays can be a difficult time to maintain your guitar routine. That’s why I highly recommend looking into travel guitars.
They offer unparalleled portability, are perfect for folks with smaller hands, and can sound incredible with a very small investment.
On this episode of Acoustic Tuesday, you’ll see my pick of the 5 best travel guitars under $500. In addition, I’ll give my analysis of the benefits of owning a travel guitar — and why you should have one!
You’ll also get a look into the TAC Family and how the TAC Method is changing lives. This week, we’re focusing on TAC Family member Michael G., who celebrated his very first anniversary of being a TAC family member (we call it a TACiversary!)
As always, you can catch Acoustic Tuesday at 10 am every Tuesday in these four places:
- Acoustic Life YouTube channel
- TAC Guitar Instagram Page
- Get show notes emailed directly to your inbox.
- Listen to audio-only below or in iTunes
What guitar are you playing at the start of the video??
Hey Tony, since you asked, I’ll share what I have found to be my go to travel guitar. First, let me add that I work as a pilot, so I am on the road quite a bit, and sometimes find myself in a hotel room late at night and I don’t want to make a lot of noise, so my choice works perfectly. The Yamaha Silent Guitar, SLG220S (they make both folk and classical models), is small, light weight, and doesn’t make a lot of noise, except in my headphones. Now, the electronics are not perfect, and it does retail for around $700, but it has been a great companion on the road.
By the way, I have enjoyed watching your Acoustic Tuesday series, it is also a great companion on the road. Keep up the good work….
Bill – I just picked up a Silent Guitar recently. I can suggest you bypass the on board effects, and use outboard gear for things like reverb. I play through a Roland Micro Cube on the acoustic setting, and the Yamaha sounds as good or better than my Piezo equipped Parker Fly.
Martin 000Jr-10 I’ve owned a Taylor GS Mini and like the Martin far better.
A great travel guitar is the Washburn AGM5K apprentice series G-Mimi. They are listed new for around $199, but can be picked up used around $100-150. These are truly well made guitars and real easy to play. Also, has a soft travel case very similar to the Taylor.
Thanks love your show!
Hi Tony. Great stuff…wish I had seen this years ago. I like the GS Mini too (Koa preferred), and the neck and action are wonderful…but for me it is not travel sized for airlines. That’s why I have a Journey Parlor boxed up waiting for Christmas (also thanks for your review of that). It will also double as a 12 fret/couch guitar, so double-word-score!
I also love my GS Mini Hog but my 1st travel and still have and cherish is my Yamaha APXT2EW coming in at about $220. Comes with electronics std.
Thanks to Tony Polecastro I am now the proud owner of a Taylor GS Mini-e Mahogany! It sounds great, feels great and will be the perfect travel companion for me. And she’s become my instrument of choice right now for my daily TAC lessons. Thanks Tony!
I am very happy with my snapdragon travel guitar (see https://snap-dragon-guitars.com/). I have a snapaka, which is about 250 dollars depending on the exchange rate. It’s not as nice sounding as some of Tony’s choices, but it is more compact and durable. It’s also loud enough to hear but not so loud that you will be bothering people in the next hotel room. They have solid wood models too and some electric guitars that hold their tuning even when compacted.
Tony: I have the Taylor GS-Mini mahogany and I am VERY happy with it, including the terrific case. I looked for one used for months and finally bought it for $365 – great buy! I am curious about the little Yamaha, though, since the nylon strings offer such a different sound.
For travel guitars I found Cordoba guitars are very good. They also make a guielle
My travel guitar is not really quite small enough, but close. Guild M-120. Favorite guitar in airport story? Met lanky older guy with shock of white hair and battered Martin case. Yup. Del McCoury.
Gretsch G9500 Jim Dandy Flat Top – Vintage Sunburst $169.00
My son and I are working on this one. He’s six and just starting out. G-D-A is his jam. I bought this guitar for myself as a gift to start my TAC Journey and I haven’t regretted it yet. I love the way it sounds and love the size. My only knock is that my giant hands have trouble gatting to the 15th fret…I get creative though. Anyway, I travel a lot for work and I never forget to bring it for those long boring hotel nights. I hope this helps. -BOB
Good Show Tony!
Greetings from Florida. Love your show. Two questions: #1. What’s the difference between a parlor guitar and a travel guitar? #2. When you showed the video of the bear out back what was the white stuff on the deck?
Thanks, Richard
GS Mini — win have a mahogany and my daughter has spruce top. They sound awesome.
It might be above the price point, but what is your opinion of carbon fiber? I find it’s great for arid climate travel. Also incredibly durable.
I have a Breedlove Pursuit EX Companion in Myrtlewood and I love it.
I have a Recording King RPH-P2-TS Parlor guitar which makes a nice travel guitar at a very low price for its features. I love playing it and it has great action. I bought it from my local guitar shop and they set it up and it plays great. It does not have Martin level low end but it has a great mid range and top end.
Tony You have to try the Harley Benton Mini It is really hard to tell the difference between the Taylor and it The price tag is under $100.00 I think I paid 60 It also comes with a great gig bag
Just bought the Washburn Koa. Blows the Taylor away for $300. That being said if I had the money it would be a Furch little jane. End of story
Hea Tony, I have not heard any congrats to Vasie & THE LIGHTNING for winning the Stanley cup
Hope you got to wear the Vasie tee i sent you. Your hockey friend Guy B. in Tampa.
My travel guitar is an Ibanez EWC30QHERLG1201. Not manufactured any longer ? It’s one of the Exotic Wood series instruments, smaller body quilted maple and has the sound of a full sized instrument at a bit less than 3/4 size. It has some kind of resonator inside that makes it cut through and hold it’s own when playing with full sized guitars but is small enough to be a very comfortable couch guitar.
Tony I was trying out guitars and looking to buy. The one I liked the sound of, was the Taylor GS mini and that is what I ended buying. Who would have thought? Thanks for the affirmation
Hey Tony, I am from Australia and was looking for a travel guitar and nearly bought a Taylor as I do have a full size Taylor that is my go to guitar. Then I found Artist Guitars who are an Australian company who are producing some good quality guitars and very reasonable prices. I bought the artist travel guitar as it has a solid spruce top and while the tone is not as good as my full size Taylor (and I didn’t expect it to be), it is pretty good and hopefully will get better as the guitar ages. You should have a look at Artist guitars.
How about Martin backpacker?
Thanks Tony- see you next week
Cheers- Billy😎🎸
I have a Traveler Escape Mark III and really like it. It’s super compact and easy for traveling. I especially like it because I can plug in headphones to hear the music without being disruptive to neighboring hotel rooms.
I have a Mark III also. I used to travel a lot (10-20%) around the world and the Mark III was great. It was light and compact. I would also use a line in from my cell phone and connect headphones and jam right in the airport without bothering anyone.
I really enjoyed todays acoustic Tuesday. I am interested because my full dred Yamaha FG800 seems awfully big even after 4 years of trying to get used to it. The idea of a smaller guitar is very interesting to me. I tried a small guitar first but it sounded tinny, so I thought the only thing was the full dred. This gives me hope of finding a smaller body at sometime. Thanks
Great video as always, Tony. I have a Martin LXM (Martini) that has literally been around the world. You’re right, I’ve met MANY people as a result of this guitar and I’ve played it in many cool places. Recently on a vacation to Belize, I met the late Jerry Jeff Walker at the airport as a result of Martini. I had no idea who he was until his wife told my wife! Great guy. The size, playability and sound of the LXM is perfect for travelling.
Many Thanks Tony. I really enjoyed this show. To be honest, it is the first full show of yours I have ever watched and found it very entertaining & informative. I will try my upmost to try to catch your show each week from now on 👍😀. I am quite new to guitar, being honest and am really considering your TAC method programme. Would it suit a relative newby to guitar please?
Many thanks.
Dave 😀
I’ll never travel outside the four walls of my room, so I’m looking for a short-scale model (for use by by short-scale hands) with the best low-end/overall sound I can get. I have a Taylor BT-1, but it sounds too much like a ukulele to me, although the tone seems to be getting deeper with age. I was looking for another Taylor, hoping that another would also have the bolt-on neck like the BT-1, but other than the Babys, the Big Baby is the only other one that has that feature. I’m wondering how the Taylor GS Mini Koa electric/acoustic sounds compared to the mahogany…. There are lots of suggestions in this thread here that I will have to check out….