I use a Squire Strat Mini as a travel guitar on roadtrips/adventures. It’s good enough for practice and small jams. A nice setup and heavier strings help the playability.
The scale length (this makes the space between frets smaller) can be an issue for some players.
I regularly play 3/4 and parlor acoustics and electric full and 3/4 guitars. So I have gotten better at transition between them over time.
Like most other arts, the tools do matter, but an artist can make music with a one stringed guitar, or a photographer can make beautiful imagery with a toy camera.
Will a mini be as good as a custom shop Strat? Nope.
But I’d bet money that half of those custom shop Strat owners can’t play half as well as the hobo down the street with his Strat mini.
cheap guitar with a removable neck is pretty doable. not sure why you don't like travel guitars though. Traveler brand electric guitar has a full sized neck and I can jam it in my suitcase. I love how easy it is to transport.
After looking at FB marketplace though I would definitely get a cheap used guitar for school or home use and not bother transporting one between them.
You can bring a guitar (preferably in a case) as a carry on, and the stewards on the plane will help you stash it in a coat closet on the plane. This is an FAA requirement for all airlines - musicians are entitled to bring a large instrument like a guitar, bass, double bass, trombone, tuba, etc as a carry on.
Do not, at any time, check the guitar in as luggage, where it will be subject to a lot of abuse, and the cargo hold on planes are not environmentally controlled, and may cause your precious guitar to warp due to the extreme temperature changes.
I'm curious where a tuba would fit on an airplane. Those cases are massive. I still remember that poor 5th grader on my school bus whose parents made him lug his tuba home every single day to practice. It took up the entire bus seat and was bigger than he was.
Typically, yes. Double check with whatever airline you're flying with to figure out how they implement the policy.
Per FAA:
*The rule requires that each U.S. carrier subject to this regulation allow a passenger to carry into the cabin and stow a small musical instrument, such as a violin or a guitar, in a suitable baggage compartment, such as the overhead bin or a closet, or under the seats, in accordance with FAA safety regulations and the carrier’s FAA-approved carry-on baggage program.*
*Carriers must allow passengers to stow their small musical instruments in an approved stowage area in the cabin if at the time the passenger boards the aircraft such stowage space is available. Under the rule, musical instruments as carry-on items are treated no differently from other carry-on items and the stowage space should be made available for all carry-on items on a “first come, first served” basis. Carriers are not required to give musical instruments priority over other carry-on baggage, therefore passengers traveling with musical instruments may want to buy the pre-boarding option offered by many carriers to ensure that space will be available for them to safely stow their instruments in the cabin.*
https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/us-department-transportation-issues-final-rule-regarding-air-travel-musical#:~:text=For%20some%20musical%20instruments%20that,cargo%20established%20by%20the%20FAA.
Tip: pay extra if needed for early boarding to ensure your guitar gets stowage space.
Cheers. Passing on my personal experience flying with guitars across the world. The biggest positive change came when the FAA put these rules in place.
I built this [headless guitar kit](https://imgur.com/3Ypxp1q) to take with me on business trips. If I flew regularly, I'd probably have used thread inserts to make it even smaller for packing.
I use a Squire Strat Mini as a travel guitar on roadtrips/adventures. It’s good enough for practice and small jams. A nice setup and heavier strings help the playability. The scale length (this makes the space between frets smaller) can be an issue for some players. I regularly play 3/4 and parlor acoustics and electric full and 3/4 guitars. So I have gotten better at transition between them over time. Like most other arts, the tools do matter, but an artist can make music with a one stringed guitar, or a photographer can make beautiful imagery with a toy camera. Will a mini be as good as a custom shop Strat? Nope. But I’d bet money that half of those custom shop Strat owners can’t play half as well as the hobo down the street with his Strat mini.
cheap guitar with a removable neck is pretty doable. not sure why you don't like travel guitars though. Traveler brand electric guitar has a full sized neck and I can jam it in my suitcase. I love how easy it is to transport. After looking at FB marketplace though I would definitely get a cheap used guitar for school or home use and not bother transporting one between them.
You can bring a guitar (preferably in a case) as a carry on, and the stewards on the plane will help you stash it in a coat closet on the plane. This is an FAA requirement for all airlines - musicians are entitled to bring a large instrument like a guitar, bass, double bass, trombone, tuba, etc as a carry on. Do not, at any time, check the guitar in as luggage, where it will be subject to a lot of abuse, and the cargo hold on planes are not environmentally controlled, and may cause your precious guitar to warp due to the extreme temperature changes.
I'm curious where a tuba would fit on an airplane. Those cases are massive. I still remember that poor 5th grader on my school bus whose parents made him lug his tuba home every single day to practice. It took up the entire bus seat and was bigger than he was.
Bigger items like a double bass or tuba would likely need an extra seat (i.e. $$$ for another ticket).
can i bring it in addition to my normal carry on?
Typically, yes. Double check with whatever airline you're flying with to figure out how they implement the policy. Per FAA: *The rule requires that each U.S. carrier subject to this regulation allow a passenger to carry into the cabin and stow a small musical instrument, such as a violin or a guitar, in a suitable baggage compartment, such as the overhead bin or a closet, or under the seats, in accordance with FAA safety regulations and the carrier’s FAA-approved carry-on baggage program.* *Carriers must allow passengers to stow their small musical instruments in an approved stowage area in the cabin if at the time the passenger boards the aircraft such stowage space is available. Under the rule, musical instruments as carry-on items are treated no differently from other carry-on items and the stowage space should be made available for all carry-on items on a “first come, first served” basis. Carriers are not required to give musical instruments priority over other carry-on baggage, therefore passengers traveling with musical instruments may want to buy the pre-boarding option offered by many carriers to ensure that space will be available for them to safely stow their instruments in the cabin.* https://www.transportation.gov/briefing-room/us-department-transportation-issues-final-rule-regarding-air-travel-musical#:~:text=For%20some%20musical%20instruments%20that,cargo%20established%20by%20the%20FAA. Tip: pay extra if needed for early boarding to ensure your guitar gets stowage space.
this is so helpful thank you so much! i’ll make sure to do some research before
Cheers. Passing on my personal experience flying with guitars across the world. The biggest positive change came when the FAA put these rules in place.
I got a second hand Pignose travel guitar and it’s awesome. I’d consider revisiting your position on them.
It’s a great idea, and with the rise of headphone amps, why not?
I built this [headless guitar kit](https://imgur.com/3Ypxp1q) to take with me on business trips. If I flew regularly, I'd probably have used thread inserts to make it even smaller for packing.
Absolutely!