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Once we get to Mexico we're planning to travel for about 3 months a year so a travel guitar is probably mandatory. The top candidates right now are a Kiesel Zeus or a Yamaha SLG200S. I'm not really an acoustic player so I lean towards the Kiesel but getting it on an airplane is probably a bigger priority than getting a perfect fit. I'm already taking my guitar on the flight so it also has to be something that I can take delivery of after I get to Mexico.
Thoughts? Options?
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07-03-2018 02:29 PM
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Get a concert size uke replace 4th str g with a low G str. It's the original gui-tar. Or a bary uke! Use everything you know about the guitar just starting at the 5th fret and not going below G beLow Middle C
Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
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Somehow I find it hard to get excited about playing only four strings for three months at a time. Originally Posted by rochroch
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What happened to your Forshage? Myself, if I was in the need for a travel guitar I would go the Yamaha steel string route. Doesn't need an amp, has a headphone jack and smaller footprint. Plus I imagine you could get a convincing tone with the controls and your favorite strings. Not to mention it is significantly cheaper. By it on Amazon Ca and check it out before going for the Kiesel.
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I sold the Forshage when we got home from Mexico. The logistics of handling two guitars while we're in transit is way too hard with all of the other things we're shipping. That's why the plan is to take delivery of this after we get there. The Yamaha is available in Mexico and Kiesel have made a great deal with Fedex for international shipping. Originally Posted by rob taft
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I asked about the Forshage because your review of his guitar factored in to my decision to purchase my own and I was surprised to see you sold it. Hopefully mine will arrive in about 4 weeks or so and I will be as pleased as you seemed to be. But again, if I was to buy something strictly for the ease of travel I would go the Yamaha route. The only downside for me would be the 1 11/16" nut width as I prefer something 1 3/4" plus.
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And I stand behind everything I said about the Forshage. For the 6 months of our travels it was the only guitar I played and I played it a lot. It was a first rate instrument made by a first rate builder. But the reality is that I'm not really loyal to things. I have owned, played and sold a lot of great guitars over the years. The only guitar that I have kept for a long time is the one guitar I had when I closed Soloway Guitars. I've kept it because it represents the 12 years of my life that I built and ran that business but I've even made noises about selling that. Originally Posted by rob taft
The logistics and cost of the move from Canada to Mexico have been overwhelming. We have committed to reducing our lives to 7 boxes, 4 suitcases and one guitar by the time we leave on August 15. Everything else has had to go and that includes a lot of things that I never thought I'd let go.
BTW, the advantage of Kiesel over Forshage is simple: Kiesel can ship a guitar anywhere in the world for $29 and if it doesn't get there, it's their problem. I wouldn't expect it to be as well crafted as the Forshage and it wouldn't have the finger-style spacing. The Yamaha would be even easier ... I could buy it from a local dealer in Guadalajara.
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Hey Jim,
Have you played the Soloette guitars by Wright (or the Aria-licensed models)? I just picked up a used classical model for a great price (2" nut); comes in a gig bag that could fit in my suitcase!
Marc
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Jim, Thanks for taking the time to reply. I have no idea what it takes or what is required to move to Mexico. I asked about your Forshage because (1) you have built professional level guitars and know what is required and (2) you are a pretty good musician who plays mostly finger style and as a result, your opinion carries considerably more weight than some anonymous poster on a guitar group. I wish you well in whatever you decide and I hope you and your wife enjoy Mexico.
With regard to headless guitars and having looked at and owned travel guitars. A Pre Sept 11 2001, job had me every week on an airplane. It is much worse today but I would say that as far as factory built guitars and given your set of circumstances, I don't think you will find anything that is a good as the two you selected.
rob
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Certainly is a personal choice, but for portability you can't beat a uke, also better intonation and string tension, as most of these travel guitars have awful intonation and the tension on the strings is not what I'm used to. do you really need those 2 bass strings? Playing in the upper register of the instrument is a revelation.
Sent from my VS501 using Tapatalk Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
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Originally Posted by rochroch
Do I need them? Yes. A lot of my pleasure comes from the use of the lower register of the instrument in large widely voiced chords.
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Sure. Personally the trade-off is worth it. When I'm traveling I generally realize I have to compromise on something because I'm not home in my studio with my rigs and my favs.
Sent from my VS501 using Tapatalk Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
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There are lots of ways to compromise. Switching to a different instrument is not one that would make my list. Originally Posted by rochroch
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Good luck but you don't know what you're missing.
Sent from my VS501 using Tapatalk Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
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How about the Soloette a la John Stowell?
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Haha I'm a uke guy and took one down to Jamaica in January, but I agree with Jim--they ain't the same. Fun in a different way. For sing-alongs, nothing beats a uke.
I'm familiar with out-of-country moves. Challenging, to say the least. Where are you moving to?
The ones you suggested look to be well-made machines. Have you tried the Traveler guitars? I've heard nothing but good things about them, and have considered one myself.
Good luck with your search and your move!
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Certainly not the same! Speaking for myself I have discovered that there are yoox and then there are yoox. I'm endorsing a concert size instrument or a baritone instrument. These instruments are approximately the size of the early Spanish guitar or Vihuela before the 5th and 6th strings were added. I have fingerstyle technique so it's comfortable in that regard and w the right gauge strings I have a choice of pics size, not just the standard felt pick. I've got a Kala with f holes. I wouldn't trade it for a travel guitar ever. Coincidentally, today I received a promo for a new Kala called the Guitarelelee a six string ukulele! Plus you can't beat the price difference. Originally Posted by Doctor Jeff
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Jeff Linsky plays a Ukulele as an alternative to guitar and he plays it brilliantly so I do understand that it is capable of being a complete and expressive instrument but what it's not is a guitar. I've been playing guitar for 55 years and the idea of switching to Uke for 3 months at a time is about the same to me as the idea of switching to mandolin. I don't doubt that in the right hands it can be a great instrument but they're not the instrument that I play. That doesn't make them better or worse, just different in a way that really doesn't interest me. Yes, it is an alternative to guitar but no, it is not a direct alternative. Originally Posted by rochroch
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I kind of wish Yam made a SLG that sounded like an L5 or a 175. No money in it I guess.
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I got the SLG200N a couple weeks ago. Sounds amazing.
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i had a close call last year with the yamaha before i backed away at the last moment. i wanted a travel busker that works on planes and i can break down into luggage and such. three things that may be of interest to you-
-you can pop off the bottom half of it, but if you are crafty enough (and i suspect you are), you can pop off both sides, with some mild modification. i saw a video on youtube somewhere.
-if you can tolerate the inbuilt whatevers, you can use headphones and forgo the ownership of an amp altogether. not ideal, but something to think about for sure.
-the nylon version has a wider nut, which you are kinda into; though 2 1/16" strikes me as a lot of nut.
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I think there are 2 nylon string models: the N and the NW (wide).
There are some complaints about high action.
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The action is a little high, compared to my Cordoba studio negra, the nut slots need to be filed and the saddle could be lower... There is a truss rod, so the neck can be adjusted to flat.
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I had the opportunity to do a hands on test drive of the Yamaha SLG200S this afternoon. It was ok and i liked the electronics but in the case it's 41 inches long so it's really not very useful as a travel guitar.
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Yeah, I always wondered why they don't make it headless. Originally Posted by Jim Soloway
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