The Best Acoustic Guitars for Travel

Music is meant to be shared. There’s a reason we show our favorite songs to our friends and post about new artists we’ve discovered on social media. So what better way to share your music than by bringing an acoustic guitar with you wherever you go?

The market is packed with a wide array of acoustic guitars featuring different tonewoods (mahogany, rosewood, spruce, Hawaiian koa, etc.), body shapes, sizes and aesthetic appointments. So with all the options available, what’s the guitar for traveling?

To help you focus on planning your trip, we’ve put together a list of the best travel acoustic guitars out there.

Why Buy a Travel Guitar?

You may be thinking, “I already have an acoustic guitar. Why do I need an acoustic travel guitar?” While they may not be for everyone, there are many scenarios where buying a dedicated traveling guitar makes sense. For example:

• You don’t want to add extra wear and tear to your favorite home or studio guitar
• You want to keep practicing on vacation but don’t have enough space to pack a full-size guitar
• You often fly or drive long distances to gigs
• You’re a digital nomad who doesn’t want to give up playing guitar
• You prefer a smaller-scale guitar as opposed to a larger regular guitar

Theoretically, any guitar can be a “travel guitar”—big or small. But in most cases, traveling with a scaled-down guitar is more convenient. 

When shopping for a travel size acoustic guitar, look for something compact, lightweight and easy to play. The best travel guitar fulfills all of these conditions without compromising on sound.

The Best Acoustic Guitars for Travel

For too long, traveling guitarists have had to settle for thin-sounding guitars. Every musician on the go deserves a travel guitar that’s portable, durable and sonically impressive. Our top guitars for travel deliver all that in spades.

Baby Taylor

When you think of rich tone and volume, you probably don’t picture a 3/4-size acoustic guitar. But the Baby Taylor Series packs a dynamic punch well above its weight class.

Its classic dreadnought shape will be familiar to many, but the footprint is reduced to three-quarters of a standard guitar. At just 12-1/2” wide and 3-3/8” deep, the Baby Taylor fits snugly in your car, the overhead rack on a train or and possibly even the overhead storage bin in an airplane.

The reduced scale length (22-3/4”) translates to lower string tension, which makes for a more relaxed feel for your fretting hand. The result is a more comfortable playing experience so you can strum beside the campfire all night long.

For an affordable, no-nonsense workhorse, try the Baby Taylor in Sitka spruce (BT1) or mahogany (BT2). If you think you’ll need to plug in your guitar on your travels, the BT1e and TSBTe come equipped with an ES-B pickup/preamp combo and onboard digital tuner. 

Big Baby Taylor

As the name suggests, the Big Baby Taylor (BBT) is larger than the Baby Taylor but still not quite as large as a full-size dreadnought guitar, offering most of the sonic punch of a full-scale guitar in a slightly smaller package.

Compare the body of the Big Baby Taylor to that of a standard Dreadnought. The BBT is 15-1/10” wide and 4” deep; a full-size Taylor dreadnought measures 16” wide and 4 5/8” deep. The change in size may seem minor, but it can be the difference between fitting your guitar in the bus and leaving it behind.

The Big Baby’s 25-1/2” scale length, however, is the same as its full-size counterparts, so it will mostly feel like a full-size guitar when you play.

Choose between the purely acoustic BBT and the ES-B pickup-equipped BBTe. Both models feature a solid Sitka spruce soundboard and layered walnut back and sides.

GS Mini

The renowned GS Mini acoustic guitar takes Taylor’s bold-voiced Grand Symphony body shape and shrinks it down to a more portable size. The GS Mini has long been a favorite of mobile musicians thanks to a compact frame that doesn’t compromise on tone. It may be small, but it’s mighty.

With a body width of 14-3/8” and a depth of 4-7/16”, the GS Mini is built for tight spaces. Add in a super playable short-scale neck (23-1/2”), and it’s no wonder professional musicians and casual travelers alike reach for this guitar. It’s also an ideal choice for new players, as its slender neck and accommodating dimensions make for a relaxed, comfortable playing experience regardless of your skill level.

Traveling bass guitar players can also join in on the fun with Taylor’s GS Mini Bass, which resonates with a deep, baritone voice amplified by an ES-B pickup. These compact four-string acoustic bass guitars feature specially designed nylon-core strings with a soft, easy-playing feel. For a classic look, try the standard GS Mini-e Bass, built with a solid spruce top and layered sapele back and sides. If you want something with a bit more visual flair, try the GS Mini-e Koa Bass.

Taylor GT

The Taylor GT (Grand Theater) is a revolution in compact guitars. It takes the look and sound of our largest body style (the Grand Orchestra) and makes it travel-sized.

The GT body measures 15” across and 4-1/4” deep, smaller than a standard Dreadnought. Inside, the GT boasts Taylor’s innovative C-Class bracing design, which articulates the guitar’s top to enhance bass-range frequencies for a fuller, richer sound. The 24-1/8” scale length is slightly longer than a GS Mini’s, but it still delivers on slinky hand-feel due to lighter string tension.

Must-Have Travel Accessories

Once you have your travel guitar in hand, it’s tempting to book a next-day flight. But before you go, make sure you have these essential guitar accessories.

A Guitar Case

Just like you wouldn’t drive without your seatbelt, you don’t want to travel with your guitar unprotected. A guitar case keeps your instrument safe from dust, sunlight, moisture, and impacts. It also provides a place to store all your other accessories and can often be locked to prevent theft.

All Taylor guitars come with a case, though many of the guitars listed above include a padded soft case. For longer trips and plane travel, we recommend a hardshell case or a Taylor AeroCase, which is included with certain models.

A Guitar Strap

Spontaneity is one of the best parts of travel. With a guitar strap, you’re prepared to play anywhere—from a campfire jam in Montana to an open mic night in Rome.

While padded straps are more comfortable, they’re also heavier and bulkier. A lightweight GS Mini Guitar Strap will fit perfectly in any case—without taking up valuable space.

Don’t forget the strap locks, either. Strap locks provide an added layer of security, so you won’t have to worry about dropping your guitar on a trip.

A Clip-On Guitar Tuner

You never know when you might run into other musicians on the road. Without a tuner, though, you might not be able to jam with them.

Many of the guitars listed here come with an onboard ES-B pickup, which includes a tuner. But if your travel guitar doesn’t have a built-in tuner, a clip-on tuner like the Taylor Beacon is compact and makes it easy to stay in tune. The batteries last for years, and a bright LED screen lets you tune anywhere—even in the moonlit wilderness. Plus, it includes other key features like a built-in metronome, timer and even a flashlight.

Extra Guitar Strings

Sometimes, bad luck strikes; even a brand-new string can snap on the second day of your trip. If you break a guitar string while you’re away, you might not have access to a music store, so be sure to bring extras.

For longer holidays (especially when camping or road-tripping), you may want to restring your guitar sooner than you usually do. Dirt and grime can build up quickly when you play outdoors.

A Digital Hygrometer

A digital hygrometer works by measuring the temperature and humidity of your environment. Because guitars perform optimally in 45-55% relative humidity, it’s crucial to monitor moisture levels.

Digital hygrometers are handy on any trip, though they’re especially important if you’re traveling somewhere with a vastly different climate. Keep in mind that a hygrometer only measures humidity; to maintain humidity levels, you may need to pack a guitar humidifier. We suggest the D’Addario Two-Way Humidification System.

Take Your Music with You

With a travel guitar, your artistic expression becomes infinitely portable. You can jam with friends around the bonfire, play a set at a roadside cafe, or write songs as you drive cross-country. Even beginners can benefit from a travel guitar—your practice schedule doesn’t have to wait just because you’re on an adventure.

The mistake that many players make is thinking a travel guitar is a luxury. Don’t think of it as buying a guitar only for traveling; think of it as another guitar to add to your arsenal that you can also travel with. Scaled-down acoustic guitars are affordable, and they make equally great companions in the studio and at home just like a full size guitar.

For more tips on how to travel with a guitar, as well as advice on guitar maintenance, like how to fix fret buzz, visit the Taylor blog.