Evan - too bad I did not think of this earlier but I could have loaned you one of my X5s. I realize its not perfect based on what you just wrote, but would have been more than servicable. All you would have had to cover is the cost of shipping back and forth. It probably would have been less than the Voyage-Air (maybe not,since I dont know what you paid). If you send back the Voyage - Air and want to borrow an X5 let me know. It would be the Redwoody - Woody which was the one played in the Acoustic Guitar Magazine travel guitar test report. The video is probably available on their website if you want to hear it being played. I believe it was played acoustically and plugged in.

Just a thought...

wow, john! such an offer! i love that this forum is packed of such nice people!

I hear ya' Evan. Until I got my Cargo, I had just about given up on a small travel guitar.

I went through several: Martin backpacker, Long scale, and easy to play, but sounded pretty bad.
A "Little Martin" LX1, liked the sound better, but not very playable IMO. Also tried the Washburn Rover, Don't waste your money on that one :-)

So far, the short scale on the Cargo has not bothered me at all. I do know that every time I pick it up to play, it brings a smile to my face :-)

Best of luck on your search...

I'm with you, Evan. I've got the VAOM-06, and it's a fine guitar for its purpose, but even as a travel guitar I find it too bulky, and heavier than I really want to lug around. In fact, I'd much rather travel (which I do when I fly on Southwest) with my Rainsong because of its lightness.

JD

John:

Thank you for your gracious offer. Before getting the Voyage-Air I did make a bit on an X5OS that I probably should have just bought. Oh well, I'm going to make this trip with the Voyage and then I'll pass it along to someone in the village.

The X5, the Cargo, and the Rider are, in my book, superior small guitars. Other than the Rider (which I do not find comfortable) the others are steel string. They are all more expensive than I wanted to pay at this time, and they are all longer than I like for travel.

And I think the bottom line may be that we've all played full sized guitars, we know the feel, the sound, the projection. It's difficult for a small guitar to perform to the level we all have in our mind. The three guitars mentioned above come close.

I will say, however, that he Voyage-Air is a nice product. And it is a composite product so I'm not straying too far from the carbon fiber line.

Evan - enjoy your trip, I am sure the Voyage Air will work out well. They seem to get favorable reviews by those that have them. I have 2 X5s and can only play one. One is my ' Alistair Hay ' signature model, which I will never let out of my sight. The other one just needs to be played and I thought this would be an excellent outing for it. I know its hopes were up you would take it on a trip, so I will have to break the news to lil Redwoody later. Oh well...:)

If you change your mind let me know.

Ah Ha! You just wanted to put me to work, servicing your lovely. I see the plot. And thank you again.

And you're right, the Voyage air is going to do just fine. I ran it down to the tree bar this afternoon and 4 players gave the instrument a try. Universal approval. But they noticed that it was not carbon fiber. I almost feel shame.

As I listened to other, and better, players, I could see how the guitar could appeal to performers. It is really well-made, it sounds very nice, has great sustain, and projects well. I would think that the high-line models are pretty sweet. Lisa could speak to this, if she's around

I think Alistair would be the most likely luther to bring a folding neck to carbon fiber guitars. The X5, X7, and X10 models would all work well as folding travel guitars. I suspect the hollow neck would have to be plugged at the heel, for the hinge affair, but I'm not sure how important the hollow neck is, relative to projection and tone. Nor do I know how the hinge affair would work with a cut-a-way. In any event, any of the Emerald smaller guitars would make a smaller, and probably lighter, package. One day....

Well, whoever does it would likely have to invent a different mechanism for folding and/or detachment. I'm guessing that Harvey Leach's patents don't expire for a while yet:

http://www.google.com/patents?hl=en&lr=&vid=USPATD516114&id=ZZV4AAAAEBAJ&oi=fnd&dq=harvey+leach+guitar&printsec=abstract#v=onepage&q&f=false

FWIW - I've demoed the solid wood versions of the VAs, including the OM-1C and 2C. As you guessed, they are fine sounding guitars and great values in their own right.

JD

JD:

The hinge looks like a custom variation of the Soss Invisible Hinge (I think that's what it's called). The different neck/heel/body and so forth of the carbon fiber instruments would require a unique shape to accomplish the same function. A different kind of hinge might also work with carbon fiber--a piano-type hinge, with the exposed part being a fret, might also work. Lots of possibilities.

Harvey Leach is a true genious (by the way, he has been one of the master luthiers at martin and their top master for finishing and custom decorative works). whoever i prefer the system of the Brunner. the possibility to also change the neck for a different one really appeals me!