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(More customer reviews)I first encountered Voyage-Air guitars at the Kerrville Folk Festival in 2010. A stranger I jammed with had one of the dreadnought versions and it sounded as good as any full-size dreadnought. (It doesn't sound as sweet as a well played and cared for pre-war Martin but few new guitars do.) Seeing it folded and stashed into a backpack intrigued me. I am primarily a finger-style player and a few weeks ago when I saw that Voyage-Air had an OM model I sprung for the VAOM-04. I've been using it for a few weeks now and am quite impressed.
I've tried other travel guitars but found they are either nearly as large as a full-size guitar (e.g., Baby Taylor) or so small they don't sound much like a full-size guitar (e.g., Martin Backpacker). The size not only makes a difference in the sound, they don't feel like a regular guitar. The Voyage-Air has a full-size body with a full-size neck with normal string spacing. It sounds, plays, and feels just like a full-size guitar but the folding neck makes it much easier to transport.
The hinge in the neck is ingenious and, once you've done it a time or two, opening and closing the guitar is quick and easy. (Check out the video at VoyageAirGuitar.com.) The most remarkable thing is how well the guitar stays in tune. I would have thought that releasing all tension on the strings would have thrown it out but if the strings are installed properly the tuning is pretty close when you lock down the neck. Tweaks are necessary but it is routinely within a few cents. To my ear the VAOM-04 sounds best with light (.012 - .053) strings. Note carefully how the original strings are installed and stick to two wraps around the post. Folding & unfolding is easier that way. Voyage-Air suggests replacing the stock tuners with Schaller locking tuners. That might be good if you open & close the guitar frequently but I haven't found it necessary.
Voyage-Air has models ranging from budget to professional. The main difference is the woods used, internal construction, and ornamentation. I've had a chance to compare a Transit Series VAOM-02 with a select Spruce (plywood) top to my Songwriter Series VAOM-04 with a solid Spruce top. The guitars are visually similar. Both have Mahogany back & sides and an unfinished neck. The solid Spruce top on the VAOM-04 sounds a little better side-by-side versus the VAOM-02 but I'm not sure I could tell them apart blindfolded. I'm hoping I run across a retailer that carries the Professional Series so I can compare them to the others.
Fit and finish of the VAOM-04 is better than I expect on a guitar in this price range. (They are built in China.) The neck hinge works flawlessly, I see no tool marks or excess glue, and the frets are level and comfortably dressed. The action was good out of the box and will be easy to take down a little if needed. The guitar uses a zero fret and the Voyage-Air nut has holes rather than slots which helps hold the strings in place when you fold the neck. The included case is a well-padded backpack with a separate pocket large enough to hold a laptop computer. More than enough space for picks, strings, tuner, capo, strap, and all the typical guitar case knick knacks.
I haven't traveled by air since buying the VAOM-04 but I have traveled extensively and the backpack will easily fit in the overhead bins of most commercial airlines. It is smaller than many of the rolling bags you see on airplanes today so there should be no trouble carrying it on.
I don't know if it is practical but if someone at Voyage-Air can figure out how to put a folding neck on a National-style single-cone resonator guitar I would be in heaven!
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