Guitar on Board

[cdarwincole]

I've have a Go guitar travel guitar for maybe twenty years now, no issues. My understanding is that the company was founded luthier who left Taylor. I've taken it cruising, camping, flying -- just about everywhere. Walnut body, spruce top, full size freboard -- sounds and plays great, especially considering the small body size. The build is very solid it's well finished. https://go-guitars.com/

[SY Kelpie]

I bought a little carbon fibre guitar from Emerald, specifically for use on the boat. It has no wooden components at all and is pretty much immune to changes in humidity. It spent all winter on the boat with no heating, and when I visited in February it was still in tune.
That specific guitar (an X3) might not be for everyone- it is very small, despite the full length scale- but they make more conventional models too.

[MicHughV]

I have a 50 year old Yamaha 6-string acoustic guitar I keep in a vinyl bag..it has been all over the world with me...still plays good, no signs of cracking, distortion, etc...
make sure you have a good supply of strings....get the good one's, it will be worth it.

[MicHughV]

I should add that the vinyl bag has seen better days after 50 years on the road, so to speak....but the guitar is fine. My preference would be to remain with the vinyl bag, it's lighter, less cumbersome, etc....my preference off course.

[SY Kelpie]

I'm surprised by people saying that they get on OK with their wood guitars. My first boat guitar was a lovely little cedar top parlour guitar that was pretty much ruined by a summer on the boat. But then again I'm in Scotland and the damp gets everywhere...

[MicHughV]

Before the Yamaha I had an Aria..also 6 string acoustic....loved that thing...never had a lick of problem with it either on a boat until someone stepped on it one night...the guy stepping on it bought me the Yamaha, which I still have...but would have preferred to keep the Aria...
I don't you think you need to spend a lot of money here...and a good vinyl bag will do the trick just fine...
the strings is key.... I like the softer type for finger picking, I keep mine in a ziplock bag...the nylon strings are usually ok, but the other three wire bound will rust eventually...and come apart....I have no ready answer for that.....'cept put new one's on.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by SY Kelpie

I'm surprised by people saying that they get on OK with their wood guitars. My first boat guitar was a lovely little cedar top parlour guitar that was pretty much ruined by a summer on the boat. But then again I'm in Scotland and the damp gets everywhere...

Might depend on the boat and the circmstances as much as on a guitar itself.

We wintered a couple years ago with my PRS on board, and last year with my Ovation Legend 12-string. No problems with either...

But then again, we were on board, with temp and humidity control inside, etc., so climate was pretty much like it would have been at home.

Carbon fiber models -- Rainsong and so forth -- would maybe be better if there's little to no climate control inside. $$$$$ though.

-Chris

[Sam8989]

I think that so much depends on what we want to do with the guitar on board. Play/practice for one's self? To entertain guests? Or provide the rythm/chords for wine/beer/tequila inhibition inhibitor sing-along. I am just looking for a new guitar for myself and found some good options on https://bestelectricguitars.reviews/...rs-under-1000/. Keep you posted on what I get.









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[NedX]

Hello,

Lots of good thoughts in previous posts.

Denying the validity of none of them, here are my two cents as a traveling guitarist/active cruiser.

1) Hard case, six buckles, snug-not-too-tight fit. Keep her in there shut tight unless you are playing. That's most of the battle right there.

2) Two-way humidification system. D'Addario sells them. Buy lots. Make sure they are live.

3) Long-life strings. You'll thank me in four months.

4) Lighter gauge than you're used to. On land, I'm a 13-56 guy. On the water, 11-52. (BTW most solid-wood guitars want you to play medium-light strings)

I play a solid spruce/East Indian rosewood orchestral model now, but these rules worked for a cedar-cherry 12-string, a solid mahogany auditorium, and a laminate/laminate dreadnought. And a Taylor baby.

5) Oh, and you're a sailboat person. You've learned all kinds of systems you never thought you'd be able to learn. Consider having the repair person at Guitar Center walk you through truss adjustment. Once you explain your situation, they'll be happy to help.

Just don't try to do guitar repair in a seaway.

6) Get a Snark or equivalent tuner, and make sure she's in tune at concert each time you play. Very underrated thing about guitar maintenance.

PS: Guitars hate dry. At least you don't have that problem.

PPS: If you just want to go electric and blast off in your mind, get a Tele, a set of headphones, and Garage Band or the equivalent for your laptop, and you won't have to worry about any of the above. You can even use it as a paddle, and it'll still play.