I need a "little" sound advice.

[TrueNorth]

   It's the weekend    thanks for stopping in.  I travel 10-12 days a month and need a durable travel guitar I can play and practice with at the hotels.  I was leaning towards a Martin LXM which are made from 100% high pressure laminate. They must be almost indestructible, (with the possible exception of a woman's scorn). They also make a LX1 which is also mostly high pressure laminate with the exception of the top, which is sikta, and the fingerboard which is either rosewood or morado. From all accounts they both sound pretty good for their size, but of course the spruce top sounds better. I'm just wondering how a spruce top guitar will hold up as a travel guitar. I won't be abusing it, but it will be exposed to lots of taxi rides and commuter flights in all kind of weather. I don't have the option of playing one or talking to a Martin dealer, this will be an internet deal. Anyone have any opinions/comments on any travel guitars or these "Little Martins."  Thanks, James.       (sorry, I ran out of peanuts)

[MissouriPicker]

I'm not a big fan of the Martin composite guiitars.  However, that just my view.....On the up side, I do believe they are very durable and likely ideal for what you are suggesting. 

[ElJefe]

We always glad to give "sound advice".   

Have you thought about a Larrivee Parlor?

[ronmac]

Have you considered the SLG100 "Silent Guitar" from Yamaha? http://www.yamaha.co.jp/english/product/guitar/silent_guitar/index.html

They are very easy to carry and sound very decent through a set of headphones. Recording to a laptop would be a breeze.

[skramer]

I've owned the Martin guitar and the operative word is (past tense)"owned"! Junk in my opinion. My Larry parlor travels well, but it can be a pain in the rear also.  I do not travel alot, but when I do travel I borrow my friends Treveler Guitar nice and can put it in my suit case it need be.

http://www.travelerguitar.com/

[TrueNorth]

    Thanks for all the tips & opinions. ElJefe, yes I thought of a parlor, but I don't think it would hold up so well as a travel guitar. The Yamaha silent guitar & the traveler guitar are also good suggestions, but I want an acoustic mostly to keep my fingerstyle chops up when I'm away from home, and seize the moment if inspiration for a new song developes.

[dberch]

I've never had a travel guitar, but I thought I'd post anyway. 

If you can find one, and you can afford it, you shoudl check out a composit parlor or baby.  Something like the Rainsongs or CA(?).  The few I've heard and played were surprisingly good, and of course, impervious to environmental conditions. 

David

[cocuscannon]

A friend of mine has an older Rainsong (Dred) guitar, and while they may (in theory) be unaffected by weather they certainly aren't unaffected by time and the the limitations of their construction and materials:   I've seen quite a few all wood guitars that held up far better, to much more abuse than this Rainsong has taken.........  Sounds like crud too, IMO.