Traveler Guitar Ultra-Light Electric

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Guitarist december 2018
first play
TRAVELER TRAVELCASTER DELUXE & ULTRA-LIGHT ELECTRIC
TRAVELER GUITAR
TRAVELCASTER
DELUXE
PRICE: £299 (inc gigbag)
ORIGIN: China
TYPE: Full-scale Strat-inspired
travel electric guitar
BODY: Poplar
NECK: Maple, bolt-on
SCALE LENGTH: 648mm (25.5”)
NUT/WIDTH: Bone/42.8mm
FINGERBOARD: Maple (face of
neck), black dot inlays
FRETS: 22, medium
HARDWARE: 2-post vibrato with
steel saddles and die-cast block,
3-a-side enclosed tuners (14:1 ratio)
– chrome-plated
STRING SPACING, BRIDGE: 54mm
ELECTRICS: 3 single-coil pickups,
5-way lever pickup selector switch,
master volume, tone 1 (neck), tone 2
(middle)
WEIGHT (KG/LB): 2.22.2/4.84
OPTIONS: Colour only
RANGE OPTIONS: Plenty to choose
from, such as the best-selling
Speedster (£385) and Speedster
Hot Rod (£435). Topping the range
is an ESP-style EC-1 (£599) or the
more LP-like EG-1 at £499
LEFT-HANDERS: No
FINISHES: Surf Green (as reviewed),
Candy Apple Red Metallic, Gloss
Black – gloss body with satin neck
w/gloss headstock face
TRAVELER GUITAR
ULTRA-LIGHT
ELECTRIC
PRICE: £299 (inc gigbag)
ORIGIN: China
TYPE: Full-scale travel electric guitar
BODY: Maple
NECK: Maple
SCALE LENGTH: 648mm (25.5”)
NUT/WIDTH: Bone/43.9mm
FINGERBOARD: Unspecified,
pearloid dot inlays
FRETS: 22, medium
HARDWARE: Roller saddle tune-o-
matic, body-mounted 3-a-side
enclosed tuners (14:1 ratio) –
chrome-plated
STRING SPACING, BRIDGE: 51.5mm
ELECTRICS: Single dual rails-style
humbucker
WEIGHT (KG/LB): 1.43/3.15
OPTIONS: None
RANGE OPTIONS: Ultra-Lights are
available in steel- and even nylon-
string electro-acoustic formats at the
same price. There’s even an electro
acoustic bass (at £389)
LEFT-HANDERS: Yes, at £309,
natural maple only
FINISHES: Natural Maple satin,
Matte Black, Torino Red
Selectron UK Ltd
01795 419460
https://travelerguitar.com
PROS Compact size and weight,
bearing in mind that it’s a full-scale
electric guitar
CONS Again, the lack of mass affects
the playing feel and sound; tuning is
fiddly, re-stringing even more so
PROS It’s a perfectly good, fully
functioning full-scale entry-level
Stratocaster-alike
CONS The lack of body affects the
playing feel (both strapped on and
seated) and impacts on the sound
8
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Verdict
There’s no shortage of down-sized travel
guitars out there, or indeed unusual
guitars made from oil cans or cigar boxes
and the like, so Traveler is in good company.
However, the compromise in both playing
feel and sound may be just too much for all
but the most dedicated practising player
(who is faced with draconian carry-on
rules or lack of car space thanks to the kids’
paraphernalia when you set off on your
hols). You could certainly pack the Ultra-
Light into a small suitcase or carry bag
and stow the Travelcaster in an overhead
compartment… as long as you haven’t
closed the airport because security thought
you were carrying a weapon, of course.
If you need small – but not in-scale
length, fret complement or neck feel –
Traveler Guitar certainly has a big and
diverse range of electrics, electros and
even acoustics with which to tempt you.
And, c’mon, if you turn up at your local
blues jam toting a Travelcaster you’re going
to be noticed. What would Leo have said?
5. The roller saddle tune-
o-matic is a nice touch,
as is the perfectly good
dual-rail humbucker.
Due to lack of space,
however, there are no
volume or tone controls
6. Looking like a part from
a headless Steinberger,
this nicely machined
anchor block illustrates
the careful construction
of these Traveler guitars.
By the way, the leather
‘hook’ is so the guitar
can be displayed on
a wall in-store – it’s
easily removable
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GIT440.rev_trav.indd 32 31/10/2018 11:45