Hiking with a guitar

[RobinD]

I’m looking for any ideas about hiking with a guitar. (10-20 miles a day, for a couple of weeks, no climbing).

Some years ago, I tried with a Martin Backpacker, and my opinions are best left unshared.

I’ve sorted of selected the guitar (or type), being less than 1kg (2lbs+).

But how do you get your back-pack to work with carrying your guitar?

Have you got a special bag? Or did you mod something?

I saw a golf cart that “follows you”... this could be fun, but may be a heavy faff.

Any ideas?

PS: I’ve posted “The Big Rock Candy Mountain” in the “Show and Tell” section to get you in the mood

[RP]

My Emerald Amicus is a short scale 12-string guitar that only comes in a gig bag with shoulder straps as most most gig bags seem to have these days. It seems that there should be a way to attach those shoulder straps to a back pack or just carry by its handle...

[Acousticado]

Another carbon fiber option is the Journey OF660 with detachable neck that comes with a specially designed aircraft friendly backpack. You didn’t state your budget and you might be hard-pressed to find a 2 lb. guitar that is any good. You might be able to snag a used Journey for around $1k. If interested in it, peruse the Carbon Fiber subforum where there have been many threads about this guitar. It is quite well regarded.

[OPJ77]

Originally Posted by RobinD

I’m looking for any ideas about hiking with a guitar. (10-20 miles a day, for a couple of weeks, no climbing).

Some years ago, I tried with a Martin Backpacker, and my opinions are best left unshared.

I’ve sorted of selected the guitar (or type), being less than 1kg (2lbs+).

But how do you get your back-pack to work with carrying your guitar?

Have you got a special bag? Or did you mod something?

I saw a golf cart that “follows you”... this could be fun, but may be a heavy faff.

Any ideas?

PS: I’ve posted “The Big Rock Candy Mountain” in the “Show and Tell” section to get you in the mood

If you have any cargo hooks on your backpack, I think crisis-crossed bungee cords may work to secure the guitar. Or laid across the top of your pack, parallel to your shoulders. Both will keep the weight centered. I would also ditch the case and wrap it in plastic or waterproof textile, otherwise a good rain will ruin it.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by RobinD

I’m looking for any ideas about hiking with a guitar. (10-20 miles a day, for a couple of weeks, no climbing).

Some years ago, I tried with a Martin Backpacker, and my opinions are best left unshared.

I’ve sorted of selected the guitar (or type), being less than 1kg (2lbs+).

But how do you get your back-pack to work with carrying your guitar?

Have you got a special bag? Or did you mod something?

I saw a golf cart that “follows you”... this could be fun, but may be a heavy faff.

Any ideas?

PS: I’ve posted “The Big Rock Candy Mountain” in the “Show and Tell” section to get you in the mood

You must have the same opinion as mine on the Backpacker.

Not sure how available Canadian made used Simon & Patrick / Art & Lutherie / Seagull / Norman parlor guitars are in France? I'd look at one of them.

I like Tom's (Acousticado ^) recommendation on a guitar with a retractable neck.

[hifivic]

Lol, good luck finding a 2lb guitar!

[KenL]

Hire a sherpa, maybe?

[The Bard Rocks]

Well, you could learn harmonica.... Of, if you don't like that idea, mandolin. I once backpacked an autoharp. They are heavier than a guitar but far more compact. It worked out OK - but I was young then.

Now on to a serious answer.

I'd be thinking of a carbon fiber. You don't save weight as wood is often lighter. But you may be able to ditch the case. Even a gig bag weighs a couple of pounds. Or more if it is any good.

Another approach is a cheap parlour guitar, one you don't care about if something happens. If it does, except for the tuners and strings, they burn. A real campfire guitar that would be.

Strapping it in the pack should be easy as most packs have places you can tie things to. It will be lighter than the pack's contents, and higher so the weight distribution should be reasonable.

Remember, the smaller and more packable the body is, the less volume you get and, perhaps, the less tone. Think: "Backpacker". But if you leave it at home, there is no volume and no tone. Still, I'd think hard about how much time I would actually be able to play it, especially if you cover 20 miles in a day. In my heyday, I'd average 15 and that was enough.

[Sage Runner]

Back in late 70s. I backpacked with a inexpensive Yamaha Classical. Around 1979 I even x Country skied 6 miles into a abandoned Sierra Boy Scout lodge with that guitar. I have few old snapshots of that guitar from those trips

[Sadie-f]

I'm going to go out and a limb and suggest that your thoughts on the backpacker about match mine on Big Rock Candy mountain ;-).

I have absolutely no idea where you're going to find a six-string guitar like instrument that weighs under two kilos unless it's a Martin backpacker. How about a uke, or a banjo?

[Tricky Fish]

At 10 to 20 miles per day, I’d look at a Guitalele

[s2y]

That kind of distance and I'm leaving the guitar.

[waterboy]

Could try this… https://www.outdoorukulele.com/collections/guitars. Not sure what the weight is, but I sure a quick phone call could get that. I think there might be a thread in the CF section.

[121]

Originally Posted by RobinD

I’m looking for any ideas about hiking with a guitar. (10-20 miles a day, for a couple of weeks, no climbing).

Some years ago, I tried with a Martin Backpacker, and my opinions are best left unshared.

I’ve sorted of selected the guitar (or type), being less than 1kg (2lbs+).

But how do you get your back-pack to work with carrying your guitar?

Have you got a special bag? Or did you mod something?

I saw a golf cart that “follows you”... this could be fun, but may be a heavy faff.

Any ideas?

PS: I’ve posted “The Big Rock Candy Mountain” in the “Show and Tell” section to get you in the mood

They are not being manufactured any longer,
but if you could find a used
"Alpaca Carbon Fiber Travel Guitar",
it is the ideal hiking guitar.
https://www.mynbc5.com/article/whats...itars/2826329#

[RobinD]

Oh, I lust after the “Alpaca Carbon Fiber Travel Guitar”... it’s got “made in the 21st century for pursuits as old as man” written all over it.

I did buy a Guitalele, a Yamaha GL-1. It is my emergency travel guitar. But if I am away from home for more than a day or two, I’d try to arrange something else. Because at that kind of distance a guitar becomes essential.

But it’s still how to transport?

The sherpa option… an “electric follow me golf cart”. Seriously, this looks do-able.

The back-pack bag… there’s various small and lite, but when you want to play it, you’ve got to open the case, get it out etc. have bits of laundry fall out too, etc. etc. And for me, I need to keep my hands free when walking.

Used bungee cords etc. with the Martin (of which we will speak no more).

Or naked… just rotate around my shoulder. Use a towel, which I’ll need anyway, to keep it out of direct sunlight. I.e. machine-head end down. Ready to go in an instant. I like this, but I wonder if anyone has tried and I’d welcome their feedback.

And my plan is to be able to play while walking. Anyone done this?

Aha, the 1kg (2lb) guitar… Lots were made by the French and Germans from ~1880 to 1930. I have several now, and string them with replica period strings. It helps my arm that they also tend to be narrower than the more modern parlours.

And yes, that’s one of them on it’s way to The Big Rock Candy Mountain.

Cheers!