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| Sound: | |
| Value: | |
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Pros:
- Lightweight
- Easy to play
- Made for Travel
Cons:
- Tuning Instability
- Weak projection
There are many unique guitars out there that are designed to blow your mind. The instrument has taken so many different shapes and grown to so many different sizes that it becomes hard to say whether there is any way to create a unique design nowadays. This fad is especially apparent in the travel guitar world, as these guitars try to get smaller, all the while attempting to retain a solid sound. Enter the SX Trav 1 Travelling guitar, that comes with a bag in so many deals. Let us take a closer look and see if it is as good a guitar as it wants to be.
Body Quality
The body style of the guitar is reminiscent of the old Spanish acoustic guitars, or another stringed instrument that never became as popular as the guitar around the world. It is a small body, meaning that it is rather lightweight, and its shape of it allows the guitar player to keep it in his or her lap with the comfort of a full-size guitar. The sound is rather powerful, owing to the slightly elongated body shape. It also has a great effect on the mid-tones of the guitar. Don’t expect the sound to be as powerful and full as with a dreadnought or a folk guitar, but also don’t underestimate what a good design this is, especially for a traveler.
The top wood of the guitar is a nice and traditional choice of solid spruce hardwood. This results in the top and mid-tones being very well expressed and highly nuanced in how they are projected. The back and sides are solid mahogany, which adds a nice little detail of bass to the sound of the guitar. Definitely a good combination which results in the guitar being very sturdy.
The neck of the guitar is mahogany as well. This is a good choice of hardwood since mahogany is a very lightweight material that is also very sturdy. Definitely a great combination for a travel guitar. The neck is topped with a rosewood fretboard, very smooth, and very pleasant to look at and play with.
Hardware
The bridge of the guitar is rosewood – a more or less traditional choice for guitars looking to boost their bass response ever so slightly. The bridge looks very handsome on the guitar and does its job very well.
The nut and saddle of the guitar are nubone. Nubone is a synthetic alternative to the bone which is actually a good synthetic option for any guitar. As a result, the guitar has a very nice harmony and a very nice resistance to string buzz.
The tuning machine on this guitar is decent. It will keep the guitar while you play and if it is left alone for a couple of weeks, but don’t expect it to be able to keep tuning through arduous hikes.
SX Travel Guitar Sound
The sound of the guitar is a combination of many things both positive and negative. The projection of the guitar is not as powerful as I would like, and yet, judging how it will most of the time be played around a campfire, should be sufficient for a traveler. The tone of the guitar is rather pleasant, with solid bass and treble. Where the guitar truly shines is the mid-tones though, as the guitar feels like it could take over your soul in an instant with its warm, relaxing sound.
Conclusion
The purpose of this guitar is not to dazzle large audiences or to perform in front of thousands of people. This is an instrument that exists to be performed in a personal concert. It is for a night around a bonfire, with the fire crackling away, warm tea boiling on it, and the canopy of trees swaying over you. It is the guitar that you play on the side of the road, waiting to be picked up. Finally, it is a guitar you play when you are in the back of a car, trying to play the good music that the radio never seems to have. Overall, a good recommendation for travelers, but not one of large audience performers.
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