Voyage-Air VAMD-02 Review – An Innovative Full-Size Guitar that Travels Anywhere

Body And Neck:
Hardware:
Sound:
Value:

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If you’ve read our chart on the best travel acoustics around, you’ll know there are some excellent tiny travel models. However, some players still want full-size playability and sound when on the road. Enter, the VAMD-02 from Voyage-Air – a small American company featured on hit investment show Shark Tank. Unlike many on the show, this has been one very successful brand, and for good reason – their unique guitars are awesome! Let’s take a closer look at the VADM-02.

Body & Neck

First off, unlike many dedicated travel guitars, the VADM-02 features a full-size 25.5” scale length – there’s nothing mini about this guitar. However, it qualifies as a travel guitar due to the innovative neck, which folds at the 14th fret via a patented hinge system. This hinge is robust, reliable and self-lubricating, and works very well in practice – both folding and unfolding. When unfolded it locks into place and feels incredibly stable. In fact, it’s pretty much unnoticeable and plays just like a regular guitar.

The guitar isn’t cheap, as you’re still spending around $600, but thankfully the actual materials and craftsmanship stand up to scrutiny. The dreadnought body features a select spruce top and mahogany back and sides, which are all laminated and finished in high gloss, meaning it’s sturdy, protected and less affected by humidity changes. The neck is made of solid mahogany, with a rosewood fretboard and 20 frets. For a guitar that essentially snaps in half, it feels like a solid instrument, which benefits from a Stateside inspection and setup.

Hardware

Voyage-Air have several models fitted with pickups, although the VADM-02 is solely acoustic. It features a set of sealed, chrome-plated die-cast tuners on the headstock, and is strung with decent phosphor bronze strings. This model also comes complete with a carrying case, which is essential for travel. This is a good case too, with ample padding and padded zippered pockets, although it’s not waterproof – worth keeping in mind if you’re off to the rainforest!

Sound

Firstly, there’s no need to worry – the split neck doesn’t affect the sound or sustain in negative way. The overall tone of the VDOM-02 is very good, and about what we’d expect from a sub-$600 guitar. The projection is full and bold, with a good balance in tone, which is certainly more characterful than the majority of other travel guitars on the market.

Conclusion

If this guitar didn’t have the hinge, it would feel overpriced for an all-laminated guitar – it’s good, but nothing spectacular. However, adding the hinge puts the VDOM-02 into a category of its own as it beats any regular guitar in terms of portability, and beats any small travel guitar in terms of tone. So, all round, it’s well worth the cash if you’re a regular traveler and can’t live without a full-size acoustic by your side.

For more info about the Voyage-Air VADM-02, click here.
For more travel acoustic guitars you might like, click here.