The Quiet Room Guitar Review
Voyage-Air VAOM-04

An acoustic guitar that folds-up into a rucksack? and it doesn't sound like a shoebox with rubber bands? We were skeptical about the Voyage-Air - so we asked Tim Slater to investigate. He came back looking slightly unhinged...

Read the full feature in the interactive version, click here, it is really cool!
Click here for the web version of the article.

Hands-On Review
Songwriter Series VAD-06 Dreadnought
A different breed of travel guitar
By Mike Fitch, Musician’s Friend Staff Writer

Creating an acoustic guitar that’s both truly satisfying to play and compact enough to be an easy traveling companion has until now proved to be a daunting challenge for guitar makers. Voyage-air Guitar has come up with an innovative approach to the problem, designing guitars so pleasurable to play that it’s easy to forget you’re playing a guitar that folds up for travel. It’s perhaps more accurate to say that Voyage-air makes high-end guitars with the added advantage of innovative folding necks that allow them to be carried in a compact backpack that fits in an overhead compartment or under your seat.

Up until now air travel with an acoustic guitar has meant either buying the instrument its own seat, checking it as baggage in a bulky ATA travel case, or settling for one of the short-scale guitars marketed specifically as travel instruments. These mini-instruments are great for keeping your chops in shape, but they don’t compare in projection or volume to a full-sized dreadnought or orchestral guitar; hence they are typically only used as practice instruments. They are woefully inadequate for jamming or performance use with musicians using full-sized instruments.

Enter world-class luthier and recognized guitar icon (the guys at Martin call him that) Harvey Leach, who was approached by a client requesting a full-sized, professional-grade acoustic guitar that would break down into a compact package for travel. After experimenting with detachable necks, Leach finally hit on an ingenious solution—a hinged joint that allows the neck to fold up without having to remove the strings. It’s a logical extension of the bolt-on neck, with the specialized hinge and knurled bolt providing a rock-solid connection to the guitar’s rosewood heel plate. Voyage-air Guitar now offers six instruments with this patented folding technology in a range of body styles and woods, including dreadnought, orchestral, and cutaway models. For this review I was sent the VAD-06, a spruce and mahogany dreadnought—one of the new and affordable Songwriter Series guitars that took home the “Best In Show” award at the 2009 Winter NAMM music industry tradeshow.

Know when to fold ’em
I unzipped the sturdy backpack style case, taking note of the straps that keep the guitar neck in place when folded and the thick padding that protects the guitar’s durable, high-gloss finish. I lifted the guitar out, admiring the broad expanse of solid Sitka spruce top and the tight grain of the mahogany back and sides. Unfolding the guitar for playing was intuitive and simple. It takes only seconds to move the neck into playing position and secure it with the threaded bolt that doubles as a strap button. Folding it back up is just as intuitive. Voyage-air has an excellent video demonstrating the process on its website.

I tuned the guitar up and strummed some chords. Full, deep sound filled the room, ranging from rich, piano-like lows and mids to sparkling high notes. The African mahogany neck’s slim profile was easy to get my hand around, and the ebony fingerboard with large frets made for pleasurable fingerpicking, with the hinged joint between the 13th and 14th frets all but imperceptible to the touch. Again, playing my VAD-06 was a lot like playing other high-end acoustics—such as my favorite Martin mahogany dread.

Another surprise came when I unfolded it the next day to find it still remarkably in tune, requiring just a few minor tweaks! I found it was fun to see the astonished looks on people’s faces when I unfolded it and started playing in tune.

Supporting cast
Along with their very high-quality folding hinge mechanism that comes with a lifetime guarantee, a number of other features help make these guitars world-class performers. A “captured nut” design has enclosed channels in place of the usual slots to keep the strings in place when the guitar is folded down. A fret in the zero position establishes the sound range of the open strings, a feature of many gypsy and European guitar designs resulting in near-perfect intonation. The compensated saddle lets you adjust the string action, if you like, though the default string height felt quite comfortable to me. Forward-shifted, scalloped X-bracing is used in the body to enhance resonance and sustain.

A simple dark back strip; three-ring, white rosette inlay work; flared black pickguard; and six-ply white top binding accent the attractive look of the woods without overstatement. The streamlined, compact headstock design is reminiscent of an electric guitar and provides a comfortable balance. Truss rod access is easy, and die-cast chrome tuners provide sure, accurate tuning.

A portable tone-fest
The VAD-06 definitely won me over, but don’t just take my word for it. Top singer-songwriters including Brad Paisley, fingerpicker extraordinaire Thom Bresh, Chris Wallin, Lisa Carver, and others are big fans of Voyage-air guitars. Easier air travel is just one of the advantages offered by these instruments. Many have commented on the ease and convenience of the backpack case that lets you keep your hands free and eliminates the hand-strain of lugging around a conventional heavy guitar case. The Voyage-Air’s advantages aren’t limited to air travel. Players are finding them ideal for taking on foot, motorcycle, bicycle, and even on horseback! Now you can take a guitar with you on all your travels with no compromise in playability or tone.

The Voyage-Air VAOM-04 is featured in a Camping Life magazine review of various "travel" guitars in the August 2011 issue.

"As I gazed upon it, I thought to myself there’s no way a nearly full-sized guitar can fit into the handsomely crafted cordura backpack sitting before me with the name Voyage-Air printed on it." Read the complete article here.

 

MotorHome Magazine tests Voyage-Air Motorhomes, 5th wheel rigs, RVs... wow! What a great way to enjoy the Great Outdoors! But what if you want to take along a full-size, great-sounding guitar? Even the largest RVs can be tight on space when packed with all the comforts of home. And obviously, an electric guitar and its amp are out of the question, considering power hook-ups and all. The best solution is an acoustic guitar. Even then, you need a guitar that is travel-ready, travel-tough, full-size, yet still compact. Voyage-Air guitar has the solution! A full line of acoustic guitars that include OM-style, Dreadnought, and the new Mini-Dreadnought... and they all feature a full-size body, neck and fretboard. They play with a deep, rich resonance and a traditional guitar body size and shape. These guitars fold in half, and fit into a custom backpack case so you can take them anywhere with your RV adventures! Now you can truly 'sing around the campfire!' Or take them hiking. For a stroll down to the lake. Maybe just sitting out under the awning outside your rig. Affordable? Yes. Prices start at just $399, including the backpack case! MotorHome Magazine recently did a review of the Voyage-Air VAD-04 guitar, and did a great job of pointing out the highlights of this affordable instrument. The Voyage-Air guitars are the perfect solution for taking your music along with your travels. Click here to read the Publisher's "On Ramp" Column. Click here for the complete MotorHome magazine feature.

Vintage Guitar gave a Rave Review of the new Voyage-Air Belair guitar in the March, 2011 issue.

"The Belair's materials help it produce an array of tones. Chords chime, particularly through the bridge pickup, and there's a good bit of sustain. The neck pickup, while warm-sounding, is tighter and more defined than the sound of a P-90 usually makes in a mahogany body... the bridge pickup is very full-sounding, with deep bass response..."

Click here to read the full article.

Video review by By Gayla Drake Paul of Premier Guitar Magazine

 

300 Guitars.com Review of the VAD-06
 It is the best travel design I’ve ever seen and is completely worth the price.
I would take this guitar into a studio, on stage or a road trip without hesitation…..it’s that good.

Guitarist Australia Magazine Review Voyage Air VAD-2

It folds, but how does it sound? by Kris Petersen
"...As far as acoustic guitars go, the Voyage Air is a great instrument. It has everything you would expect of a guitar in its price range and more. While the folding down of the guitar would appear to be a gimmick, the quality of the tones created and the craftsmanship gives it a clear advantage over other acoustics in its class.

The Voyage Air has really challenged what we previously believed constituted a good acoustic guitar. Having the ability to fold an acoustic in half to make it more portable is a clear cut advantage for the travelling musician. The fact that the guitar sounds and plays great as well makes this one instrument that you have to check out.

Our preconceptions about how it might sound were not only challenged but completely destroyed...
read the complete article

Acoustic Guitar Magazine Video Review of the VAD-2

Then when you actually hold the instrument in your hands and take the full size guitar neck, loosen the screw/strap holder that securely bolts the neck to the body and fold over the neck towards the top of the body you can see the uniquely patented hinge system that makes this feat possible. Now when the “foldingyour-guitar-in-half” conversion takes place keep in mind that your strings are fully up to pitch (tuned to “E”). Reverse the action and tighten the neck screw down again and guess what? You are in tune! What! Yes, you are in tune (or close enough for rock n’ roll). A captured nut system keeps the strings from jumping out of their proper position during the process. This is really fun to do and quite impressive to guitar playing onlookers. Read the complete article

The Art of the Sing Along By Tim Brookes - Photography By Adam Voorhes

If I had owned a Voyage-Air back at college, I would have been the coolest person imaginable. This guitar was cool even at airport security. The X-ray belt stopped. Went back. Stopped. Transportation Security Administration workers gathered around to look. Sometimes the TSA team insisted I open up the case so they could see how the guitar worked. One X-ray guy peered at his screen and said with a straight face, “I’m sorry, Sir. Your guitar’s broken.” Whenever I
assembled it or broke down the Voyage-Air, women gasped, men got excited over the engineering. But would they break into song?
In D.C., the first challenge was finding a quiet corner. Piped music, people talking on cell phones, a guy yelling into his Bluetooth—the very notion of a quiet corner has become an anachronism these days.
I thought I’d start out by looking for another guitarist, strike up conversation, see if we could play together. Soon enough, I saw what I was after: the classic black pressed-cardboard case of the beater guitar and, sitting guard over it...Read the complete article

 

 

 

Premier Guitar Magazine Review of the VAOM-1C
By Gayla Drake Paul

"it truly is a remarkably portable instrument; however, that label does it a disservice, because honestly, it’s a damn nice guitar..."

Read the complete article