RuggedReviews.com Review of Traveler Ultra-Light Acoustic Electric Travel Guitar

Guitar playing is addictive. After the first week of playing, I didn't want to put my Seagull S6 Acoustic Guitar guitar down. I gazed at it hanging on the wall each morning and wiped away a tear as I left for work. I couldn't stand going on vacation without a guitar, but the Seagull S6 was too big to take along.

Then I found out I don't have to go without. A few companies make travel guitars that can take the hard knocks inherent in travel. The most solid travel guitar I ever saw is the Traveler Ultra-Light Acoustic Electric Travel Guitar. The full 24-3/4" scale, 22-fret guitar is basically a solid piece of maple with strings on it. Attach it to an amp or mini-amp (sold separately) and headphones and you have a sweet sounding axe.

I tested my Traveler Ultra-Light on a rough-and-tumble tour of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. I landed in Cancun and stayed in the Old City. Then I took a series of buses -- not tour buses, mind you -- across the Peninsula to the historic coastal city of Campeche, staying in rustic hotels and touring Mayan ruins along the way.

While the bus made its way through the jungle, I took the Traveler Ultra-Light guitar out of its tough gig bag, plugged the metal lap rest into the bottom of the guitar, added a mini-amp and headphones, and played away for hours. The Traveler fed my guitar addiction and made the long hours on the bus more than bearable.

The Traveler Ultra-Light is best described as a bat. It's so solid, I wouldn't hesitate to swing it in self-defense, and I suspect it would do a lot of damage to the other guy. When it's in the gig bag -- which has a pocket for a mini-amp, headphones, picks, tuner and extra strings -- it looks an awful lot like a rifle. In fact, locals seemed a little nervous when they saw the gig bag until I took the guitar out. (They were even more relieved when they found out they didn't have to listen to me play.)

Despite the rifle-like appearance of the Traveler Ultra-Light gig bag, I had absolutely no problem getting it through airport or ground security, though a soldier at one highway checkpoint in the central Yucatan did ask me to open the case. He grinned when he saw the guitar. I grinned back. Phew!

The Traveler Ultra-Light was set up perfectly right out of the box. The action is low enough that I don't have to strain my hand to sound notes, but high enough that the strings don't buzz when I fingerpick. I haven't had to change strings yet, but I understand it's a challenge until you get used to the unique position of the tuning pegs, which are in the body instead of at the top of the neck.

Another point to consider is that the Traveler Ultra-Light's small body size may make it a little difficult for beginners to stabilize the guitar when they're playing. If they're dedicated, it won't take them long to keep it still.

I use my Traveler Ultra-Light guitar on the road and at home, when I don't want anyone to suffer through my practice sessions. One day, I hope to play it for others. The look alone will wow them.

The Traveler Ultra-Light Acoustic Electric Guitar is a solid go-anywhere guitar for all occasions and a real blast to play.