# Guitars and RV's ?



## BadjerJim (May 6, 2011)

Thanks to this forum, and this group. Good information here, as I'm learning about our new 5th-wheel rig

We'd like to take a guitar along on our trips. Are there any special considerations? It should be an acoustic guitar that does not need an amp.

The recent MotorHome magazine had an article about a guitar called a Voyage-Air, and it folds in half for compact carry.

Anybody have one of these Voyage-Air guitars, or any experience with a guitar that's kept in the RV?


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## fastback4 (Oct 19, 2010)

I have taken many guitars with me through the years of camping and eventually the guitar will suffer structural wear and tear due to the climate changes. I play the guitar around camp fires and covered picnic areas and the guitars wood starts to bend and warp. The best camping guitar in my opinion is a round back Ovation applause. The entire body of these guitars are made of graphites and the back of the guitar is roounded, hence the round back guitar. Only the neck is wood. They are general cheap (200.00 - 400.00) but can with stand the weather due to it's materials it's made from. Here is a link of an example.Ovation 6 String Super Shallow Electric/Acoustic


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## artmart (Sep 21, 2010)

Nothing wrong with some music around the campfire. Just PLEASE practice at home. The sound of someone butchering a song at another campsite on a otherwise quiet peaceful night certainly wants me to grab the hatchet and make some kindling for the next day's campfire (and hopefully avoid the murder charge).

Do respect whatever the quiet hours are. If none are posted assume it is 10:00pm, SHARP!

Another fun instrument is the harmonica. Again, please have SOME talent.


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## Guitarzan (Apr 26, 2011)

I don't have any personal experience with the Voyage-Air guitar. But I do guitar repair part time. Nothing on their website really explains how the guitar's body, necks, or anything else other than the hinge section, is constructed. This is usually not a good sign. Also, the way the heel of the neck and the headstock sits up and creates a hump in the case, I don't see how you'd be saving any real space. You'd save length, but folding it up makes it really thick. 

Fastback mentions the Ovation Applause. Those actually still have a wood (spruce) top and a plastic bowl back. They are pretty solid guitars once they're set up. 

My camp guitar is an $80 Yamaha SJ-180 that I bought used off Craigslist. The Yamaha's can be had all day long for 100 bucks or less and they will serve you well. Just make sure you get one that hasn't been left under someone's bed for years and years and has a warped top. 

Whatever you get keep a Dampit Guitar humidifier in it and keep it out of the heat as much as possible. Dampit - The original string and wood instrument humidifier


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## thekamperman (Feb 26, 2011)

artmart said:


> Another fun instrument is the harmonica. Again, please have SOME talent.


The important part is... the TALENT... :yippie:
Someone playing bad the harmonica can make everybody mad. :bang:


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## harborjim (May 22, 2011)

I have seen acoustic guitars made from carbon fiber. Not sure about the neck and head.
Yes... please practice, or else I'll have to bust out my drums ...


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## BadjerJim (May 6, 2011)

Well, I'm not a pro guitar player, but the wife and I are getting ready for camping (now that it's mostly stopped raining). I'd rate myself 'advanced amateur' - I've been playing all my life, and play at church every Sunday.

At any rate, I bought one of the Voyage-Air entry-level models for $399 including back-pack case. Model VAOM-02. First was the case: it's a really well made backpack with zippered pockets for stuff. Along with the guitar, there's enough room in there for a picnic lunch and drinks and other stuff.

The backpack case is perfect. I mean, seriously, who wants to take a big guitar case, and haul it down to a campfire a few hundred yards away? 

The sound of this guitar is amazing. A folding guitar is something that just shouldn't work - but this one does. When you fold it open, it's the same size as a regular guitar, and you would never know it from a regular guitar by looking at it. The hinge locks secure, it's not wobbly at all. It's easy to play. And it's light too - about 9 lbs for the guitar and the case.

The sound does not compare to my Martin guitar - noway. But at the same time, I'd never take my Martin out camping. And the Martin is a way more than a $<500 guitar. I actually find myself playing this new Voyage-Air a lot.

A few days after I got it, the company put on a sale price for their appearance on the Shark Tank tv show. That figures. But I called the company and they credited me back $50 on my credit card to match the sale price. That's pretty cool.

Overall, this guitar is great for camping. Easy to play, sounds great. 

I'm just passing stuff along. Never thought there would be an easy way to take a guitar out camping, that actually played and sounded decent. One with a backpack case so you can just tote it around to the lakeshore or whatever without a big and heavy case. Now there is.


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