If you’re about to take a trip and want to bring along a good sounding travel guitar that will fit on the over head bin of an airplane or can be easily be placed right at the back of a car. These lightweight and small travel acoustic guitars on our list are worth considering to accompany you on your lengthy travel and every adventures.
The acoustic guitars you are about to see are popularly used by many on the go guitarist not because for just being small to a full size acoustic guitar, but they are good sounding as well, with their own flavored tones and has the awesome playability that can keep you wanting to play them more.
So without keeping you too long and have you already start picking the perfect travel guitar for you, here are now our suggestion for the best sounding and compact acoustic guitars for frequent travelers.
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Ibanez PN1 Parlor Guitar
- Parlor guitar
- Spruce soundboard with X-bracing
- Nandu back and sides in gloss finish
- Comfortable C-profile mahogany neck
- 18 frets nandu fingerboard marked by dot inlays
- Set of open-geared chrome die-cast tuners
- Nandu bridge with compensated plastic saddle and plastic nut
If you’re looking for a guitar that has the playabilty and sound of a parlor guitar with a budget friendly price. The Ibanez PN1 parlor guitar fits that description.
The guitar is made of X-braced spruce for it’s top, a sapale sides and back with a gloss finish. Neck is then made of mahogany with a 18 frets nandu fingerboard marked by dot inlays. Nandu bridge with compensated saddle and open-geared chrome die-cast tuners to compliment the whole guitar’s beautiful mellow sound.
A good sounding parlor shape guitar for such a low price. Great to use during trips and campfires that can be played by both beginners and enthusiast alike.
Fender CP-60S Parlor Guitar
- Parlor guitar
- Solid spruce top with scalloped X-bacing in sunburst finish
- Mahogany back and sides
- C-shape mahogany neck
- 20 vintage style frets rosewood fingerboard complete with dot inlays
- Rosewood bridge with compensated plastic saddle and plastic nut
Fender offers you in the long line of guitars they make an affordable acoustic guitar that is synonymous with excellence and performance known to the world over called the Fender CP-60S palor guitar.
The body of the guitar is made out of solid spruce top with laminated mahogany back and sides. The neck is also made of mahogany with 20 frets rosewood fretboard and a rosewood bridge. Tuning machine are chrome die-cast at its best, contributing also for the overall look and tonal characteristic of the guitar.
Craftsmanship and finish of the guitar is superb. The sound is top of its class for such a low price guitar. With the name recognition and quality of guitars that Fender makes, you can rest assure that you have a great sounding guitar for your travel and every day play.
Gretsch G9500 Jim Dandy Flat Top
- Parlor guitar
- Basswood top with X-bracing in two color sunburst finish
- Basswood sides and back
- Comfortable set-neck is crafted using nato with a semi-gloss finish
- 18 frets walnut fingerboard garnished by dot inlay markers
- Walnut bridge with synthetic saddle and synthetic bone nut
- Set of tuners are open-geared in crome die-cast finish
Gretsch is a well-known brand that started making other instrument and guitars since 1883. They are famous for their archtop hollow body guitars, chambered solid body electric guitars and acoustic guitars in different shape and sizes as well. The company with its long history is now in strong partnership with Fender which handles the distribution, sales and marketing while Gretsch still retains the ownership of the company brand.
Gretsch G9500 Flat Top is a 24” inches scale parlor guitar with the whole body made out of basswood. The neck is crafted using nato with an adjustable truss-rod, 18 frets walnut fingerboard and walnut bridge. Tuners are open-geared in die-cast finish.
The guitar is undoubtedly a good small body guitar with a pleasing sound to bring during travels. It is compact and lightweight, and having the good quality Grestch is known for.
Yamaha JR1 3/4 Scale Acoustic Guitar
- 3/4 size steel string acoustic guitar
- Spruce top in natural finish
- Meranti back and sides
- Comfortable C-profile nato neck
- 20 frets rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays
- Set of chrome die-cast tuners
- Rosewood bridge with compensated urea saddle and urea nut
A household name when it comes to the number of products and services Yamaha provides. The brand caters to all through the range of guitars, basses, and other instruments they make. From entry level to more premium models of instruments.
The Yamaha JR1 is a great travel guitar made of spruce top and has a meranti sides and back. Nato for the neck with 20 fret rosewood fingerboard and rosewood bridge as well. Equipped with chrome die-cast tuners takes care of tuning and completes the major parts of the guitar.
This guitar is a great choice for beginner guitar players, kids and to bring when traveling for its small body, mellow sound without spending too much for a travelers acoustic guitar.
Martin LX1E Little Martin
- Little dreadnought acoustic guitar
- Solid spruce top with X-bracing and in natural finish
- High pressure laminate mahogany back and sides
- Standard tapered neck made of rust birch laminate
- 20 frets richlite fingerboard with dot inlay markers
- Set of closed-geared tuning machines
- Morado or Indian rosewood bridge with compensated white tusq saddle and corian nut
It is really hard not to include this guitar on the list even though the guitar is a bit expensive for a travel guitar. The quality of play and sound this guitar bring to the table is worth every penny spent and a guitar that you can be proud of.
The Little Martin dreadnought acoustic guitar is made of a solid spruce soundboard with a high pressure laminated mahogany sides and back. Other appointments are the 20 frets richlite fingerboard on a standard tapered neck made of rust birch laminate, solid morado or Indian rosewood bridge and chrome enclosed geared tuning machines for awesome playability.
A guitar that every guitar player want to play and include in their collection. Dependable good sounding guitar for your travels.
Taylor BT2 Baby Taylor
- Baby dreadnought acoustic guitar
- American tropical mahogany soundboard with X-bracing
- Sapale back and sides
- Easy to play neck is crafted in the American tropical mahogany
- 19 frets ebony fingerboard with white dot inlays
- Set of chrome die-cast tuners
- Ebony bridge with compensated micarta saddle and tusq nut
Battling it out with Martin and other brands more premium small body acoustic model, Taylor gives you their version of 3/4 scale guitar on a fairly reasonable price is the BT2 Baby Taylor. This guitar is on top of it’s game. The look and feel of the guitar is beautiful contributing to the sound the guitar has to offer.
The guitars body top is made from tropical mahogany while the sides and back is layered sapele wood. Neck is easy to play crafted in the same American tropical mahogany with a 19 frets ebony fingerboard to match the ebony bridge plus the set of chrome die-cast tuners for performance and a classy look.
Another great sounding guitar on a premium level that is worth the bucks for it’s quality and sound that Taylor is respected and recognize for.
Takamine EGMINI-NS Acoustic Electric Guitar
- Mini acoustic electric guitar
- Made with a solid cedar top in natural finish
- mahogany back and sides
- 19 frets rosewood fingerboard with small dot inlays
- Set of tuning machines are chrome die-cast
- Rosewood bridge compensated plastic saddle and plastic nut
- Built-in under-saddle pick-up with gain and tone control
Acoustic electric guitar is always popular because the guitar can work in many ways. You can either plug it on a guitar amplifier of choice to begin carving out tones using the volume and EQ of the preamp, mic’ed it up or plain acoustic at the comfort of your home and bring it on travels.
For a small body acoustic electric guitar, the Takamine G Series EGMINI-NS is a great find made of a solid cedar top with mahogany sides and back. Neck is mahogany with 19 frets rosewood fingerboard and rosewood bridge to compliment the whole guitar looks and play. Tuning machine are chrome die-cast for the look and performance.
An awesome guitar to have and own. The look has the classic vibe for a guitar and considering the sound this guitar produce. It is one of the top pick on this list on the right budget.
Traveler Guitar AG450E Acoustic Electric Guitar
- Short full scale acoustic electric guitar
- Made with a solid spruce top in different color finishes to choose from
- Comfortable to play mahogany neck without a headstock
- Rosewood fingerboard with 20 frets and marked by dot inlays
- Traveler’s tuning system that doesn’t need the use of a headstock
- Shadow preamp system plus chromatic tuner controlled by phase, volume, treble and bass
From all the guitars on the list, the acoustic guitar made by Traveler Guitar is the most obvious. It’s a great short full scale acoustic guitar that offers high quality sound and as the name fully suggest, dedicated for traveling guitar player.
The Traveler AG450E is made out of solid spruce top, mahogany for the back and sides in natural, black and sunburst finish for players to choose from. For the neck, it is a combination of mahogany and rosewood fingerboard with 20 frets marked by dot inlays. Taking care of tuning and intonation is Traveler’s tuning system that doesn’t need the use of a headstock.
Overall this acoustic guitar with a preamp system is like no other and will cost about a few hundred dollars. The guitar’s playability is superb and sound is excellent for a full-scale guitar to accompany a frequent traveler.
SX Trav 1 Traveling Guitar
- Traveling acoustic guitar
- Solid spruce soundboard in natural finish
- Mahogany back and sides
- 20 frets rosewood fretboard with dot inlays
- Set of chrome die-cast tuners
- Rosewood bridge with compensated GraphTech NuBone XB saddle and bone nut
SX is consistently building up its name and good reputation with the guitars, bass and gears they make on a very affordable price range. The company produces entry level to mid-range instruments that competes with all the popular brands out there.
The SX Trav 1 travelling guitar they offer has a solid spruce top paired with a mahogany sides and back. Mahogany neck has a truss-rod for adjustment when needed then is top of by a 20 frets rosewood fretboard. Rosewood for the bridge with compensated GraphTech NuBone XB saddle, bone nut and chrome die-cast tuners keeps the guitar in perfect pitch.
Shape and size of the guitar is great for backpackers. The guitar also includes a padded gig bag specially built for the guitar. You don’t need to worry about it’s safety and where to find a gig bag best use for this guitar.
Johnson JG-TR3 Trailblazer Travel Guitar
- Travel acoustic guitar
- White wood soundboard in natural finish
- White wood back and sides
- C-shape mahogany neck with adjustable truss-rod
- 20 medium jumbo frets rosewood fingerboard
- Set of tuning machines are all chrome die-cast
- Rosewood bridge with compensated plastic saddle and plastic nut
This travel guitar from Johnson is best for its price and for those who wants to try playing a different shape travel guitar. The guitar can be a big part of any guitar enthusiast collection, will offer good sound with enough volume and easy to carry when in commute or place it on the car.
The Johnson JG-TR3 Trailblazer is made from a white wood top, sides and back in natural finish without a pickguard. The mahogany neck is C-profile top of by a medium jumbo frets rosewood fingerboard for playability. Rosewood for the bridge and die-cast tuning machineheads for stable tuning.
A great travelers guitar if you want to try out something new. It has a lightweight slim body, easy to carry around and can fit on the back of the car or overhead bin when a plane for overseas travel.
Washburn RO10 Rover Travel Acoustic Guitar
- Traveler acoustic guitar
- Solid spruce soundboard in a collection of colors to choose from
- Mahogany back and sides
- 17 frets engineered woord fingerboard with dot inlays
- Set of chrome die-cast tuning machines
- Engineered wood bridge with compensated ABS saddle and ABS nut
Washburn is an American brand well-known for making acoustic, electric and bass guitars. The Washburn brand offers their version of travel guitars to those who love’s the outdoors and going for trips with a guitar on their side.
The Washburn R10 Rover travel guitar top is made form solid spruce with mahogany back and sides. Mahogany for the neck with 17 frets engineered wood fretboard and engineered wood bridge. Tuning system are chrome die-cast machineheads.
A great guitar for travelers who wants a slim body guitar to accompany them on their every adventures. The guitar has a reasonable price coming from a brand favored by many guitarist all over the world.
Martin Steel String Backpacker Guitar
- Backpacker guitar
- Solid sitka spruce top for tonewood
- Solid mahogany back and sides
- Comfortable C-profile hardwood neck
- 15 frets certified richlite fingerboard with inlay dot markers
- Set of chrome enclosed geared tuning machines
- Certified richlite bridge with compensated white tusq saddle and corian nut
Martin as an an excellent guitar making company also makes their own travelers guitar with a different slim body design. The shape of the Martin Backpacker guitar is ergonomic, light and compact, wide on the base tapering toward the neck.
Material used for the top is solid spruce tonewood and has a solid mahogany for the back and sides. Select hardwood for the neck with 15 frets certified richlite fingerboard and certified richlite for the bridge as well. Chrome enclosed geared tuners for tuning machines.
The name of the guitar says it all. With a brand famous for their acoustic guitars and a guitar that sells for a reasonable price. This guitar is one of the best if not the very best for travelers.
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