Erlewine travel guitars - Chiquita or Lazer?

SalemB · #1 04-15-2002, 05:58 PM

I will be starting in a new job soon and I will be travelling a lot. I am therefore looking for a travel guitar. So far I've been looking at Erlewine's.
From looking at the specs I'd rather have a Lazer than a Chiquita as it's got a 25.5" neck scale. Do you know how much they cost? New, used? There's one at Ebay right now where the owner demands $1700. That sounds rediculous to me.

What about the Chiquita. It's even smaller which is an advantage but it's got a 19" neck scale. Can you really play on a thing like that? If I'm lucky I can probably find one of these between $100 and $200. Do you know what they go for brand new?

There is probably other brands of travel guitars as well. Suggestions are welcome.

rlintz · #2 04-15-2002, 07:25 PM

I can't answer your questions except to say that a 19" scale sounds pretty short. *A friend of mine has one of these Traveler Guitar's though and he loves it. *They're Les Paul-scaled at 24.75"

Randy

GuitarLunatic · #3 04-15-2002, 07:32 PM

Dude, don't spend that kind of money. *Get a Fernandes Nomad Deluxe. *Built in amp and speaker, digital effects (Zoom), tuner, etc. *It's an awesome little toy. *All for about $350 new, way less on ebay. *Plus you can get way cool paint jobs (mine's the hot rod flame model).

G

Two hands31 · #4 04-15-2002, 08:54 PM

There's one of those "Pro-Series" ones at a local guitar shop. *Not bad sounding (someone plugged it in for a couple min.). *A little odd, IMHO.

Two hands31 · #5 04-15-2002, 08:54 PM

There's one of those "Pro-Series" ones at a local guitar shop. *Not bad sounding (someone plugged it in for a couple min.). *A little odd, IMHO.

swirlgirl · #6 04-15-2002, 11:15 PM

Quote:

GuitarLunatic on 6:32 pm on April 15, 2002
Dude, don't spend that kind of money. *Get a Fernandes Nomad Deluxe. *Built in amp and speaker, digital effects (Zoom), tuner, etc. *It's an awesome little toy. *All for about $350 new, way less on ebay. *Plus you can get way cool paint jobs (mine's the hot rod flame model).

G

Actually, the 2002 version has a Digitech processor with drum machine. It also has a jack for an expression pedal (to control the whammy and, I suppose, a wah).

SalemB · #7 04-16-2002, 04:22 AM

Thanks for the suggestions!
I wasn't aware about these other brands of travel guitars. The fernandes web pages doesn't say how long the Nomad is. The pro series/speedster is 28" total length and sounds like a winner so far. Then again the Nomad sound processor stuff sounds very cool. I gotta find someone who stocks them before I make a purchase.

I had initially thought about spending up to $300 on this guitar but I might be tempted to raise the limit a bit as these aren't that common used.

wallopwallop · #8 04-16-2002, 05:19 AM

Salem,

Get the Chiquita. Then you can replicate the scene in Spinal Tap when Derek Smalls gets stuck in the pod on stage!!

Matt

SalemB · #9 04-16-2002, 07:09 AM

:rotf:
That would actually be worth it.
I'd also like replicate the scene from Back to the Future when Michael J. Fox blows up a speaker using a Chiquita guitar. Now where can I find a 60" speaker cabinet...?

kuma · #10 04-16-2002, 09:57 AM

While not strictly a travel guitar, some folks use the paddle-shaped Steinbergers that MusicYo sells. *Though I understand you have to be careful walking around with them, as the gig bags bear a striking resemblance to rifle cases.

wallopwallop · #11 04-16-2002, 10:37 AM

Quote:

kuma on 1:57 pm on April 16, 2002
While not strictly a travel guitar, some folks use the paddle-shaped Steinbergers that MusicYo sells. *Though I understand you have to be careful walking around with them, as the gig bags bear a striking resemblance to rifle cases.

That's what I use when travelling. Mine is actually a licensed Hohner but it's still a nice little travel guitar.
You're right about the gig bag too. I've been stopped at customs a couple of times.

darren wilson · #12 04-16-2002, 10:45 AM

Here's a direct link to the Steinberger Spirit GT-Pro.

$319. It's got 24 frets, 25.5" scale, H-S-H pickup config and is 30" long overall. They're also neck-thru construction and pretty solid.

Polaris20 · #13 04-16-2002, 11:47 AM

Or for something completely different check this out. I love the way they sound, and play. But if you want electric, the Nomad is the way to go.

wallopwallop · #14 04-16-2002, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Polaris20 on 3:47 pm on April 16, 2002
Or for something completely different check this out. I love the way they sound, and play. But if you want electric, the Nomad is the way to go.

I would love one of these babies (literally). I played one briefly in a shop a while back and loved it. Really compact but sounded awsome and felt amazing too.

chronic insomnia · #15 05-02-2002, 03:54 PM

I have a chiquita that I've had for years it is YELLOW like the one in Back to the Future. It takes heavy guage strings which the guage is printed on the back of the headstock. I don't play it very often but, it actually has a decent tone. It has 23 frets kind of odd and hard to play on those upper frets because they are tiny. I got mine at a flea market where a bunch of bluegrass pickers were playing. They acted like it was on fire and were glad to sell it. I paid $100 for it still in the original box.

PeAcE