Rover RB-45P Plectrum Resonator 4 String Banjo Review

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(More customer reviews)This 4 string banjo was made in China. I thought I was getting an American made model.It`s pretty to look at but cheep strings & the bridge was missing when I receive it. Also the fret dividers have a sharp feel as you run your hand up & down the neck. Too bad because it was made with somewhat quality materials. I sent this item back. buyer beware.

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Rover Front Porch Series RB-115 Resonator 5 String Banjo Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this banjo on a budget after a few hours of researching a bunch of different beginner level banjos. This one definitely seemed like the best value for what I needed, and having it now I feel like it definitely was the right choice. The banjo initially came with a busted tuner for the middle G string that wouldn't allow it to hold a tune, but I called the company as soon as I figured that out and they mailed me a new one right away. I just Installed the new tuner and the banjo works very well. I'll give a little breakdown of how I felt on each aspect of the banjo:
Sound: I'd give it a 3 out of 5 in the sound category. There were no problems with buzz on any frets and it stays in tune very well throughout the neck, but the sound can get a bit muddy at times and the banjo lacks a bit of warmth in the sound. That being said, it is a student banjo, so you can't really expect it will sound like a gibson.
Playability: 4 out of 5. It's really easy to play and the action was perfect for it for me. It's just a fun banjo to play in my opinion.
Looks: As far as looks, in real life it looks basically like in the picture. Sometimes student banjos end up looking much cheaper and lower quality in real life than they did in pictures, but this is a pretty solid looking banjo for the money.
Value: I'd give the value a 5 out of 5. I got it on sale here for about 195 bucks, and it sounds like it cost much more than that. I'm definitely very pleased with my new banjo!

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Rover RB-35T Tenor Resonator 4 String Banjo Review

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(More customer reviews)Just plain awful sound. Not to mention one of the attachments for the resonator was bouncing around inside when it arrived. Cheap Chinese junk. I returned it and bought a Gold Tone TS-250, also made in China, but far better quality and sound. Don't waste your time and money on a cheap banjo. Spend at least $500 and get something that will not frustrate you and you end sitting it in a corner allowing it to collect dust.

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Aria AS-100S Sinsonido Travel Guitar - Steel String Review

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(More customer reviews)First of all, I think this guitar is everything the description said it would be. I am completely satisfied. But, for your complete satisfaction, there are a few things your should know.

First of all, the strings. I have no idea what kind the manufacture installs on this guitar, but they are not what I would want to use. Additionally, they had a bit of tarnish on them. Like many new guitars, the stings may have been on the guitar for a long time, so the installation of new strings is always a good idea.

Although this is a travel/practice guitar, and comes in a nicely padded gig bag, the owner should still take care to not put too much pressure on the bag, as the tuners are plastic, and stick up high enough to possibly be broken if jammed into an overhead baggage compartment on an airplane.

Those are the only negative things I can say about this guitar, and neither are showstoppers.

The first thing that is impressive about this guitar is the workmanship. Although not an expensive acoustic made of several varieties of fine woods, the mahogany is beautifully finished. The fingerboard is as nice as any you'll find. Although this guitar doesn't look like typical instrument, it is quite attractive.

This guitar is everything a travel/practice should be. Very portable, but within seconds, it assembles into a full-size guitar. Physically, the guitar resembles an electric guitar more than an acoustic guitar. But plug in the headset or an external amp, and you'd swear you were placing a full size dreadnought.

Every guitar I have ever bought, I had a luthier set up withing the first week of purchase. Somehow, the factory settings are never quite right. Not so with this guitar. I found the set-up to be perfect, at least for me. Once I got my favorite strings installed (Elixer Nano strings), this guitar played beautifully. Of course, depending on your preferences, you might want to have this guitar set up to your wants.

Finally, one mark of a good guitar is its ability to stay in tune. In this respect, this guitar is pretty amazing. From day to day, this guitar seems to stay in tune. Even when transported from one climate to another, there is very little, if any, need for tuning. It is very stable.
Keep in mind, they make this guitar as a classical and a four string bass, too.

Would I recommend the purchase of this guitar? Absolutely!

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Voyage-Air Transit Series VAOM-02 Folding Orchestra Model Acoustic Guitar Review

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(More customer reviews)We tried out several smaller travel guitars at local guitar shops. We searched for several other online. Martin Backpacker, Mini Taylor, Mini Martin, Washburn Rover all sounded good for their size, but really cannot be compared to any full size guitar. If you are basically strumming, then those smaller travel guitars are fine. You can even buy them on E-bay for cheap. If you are doing some more intricate playing, then a full size guitar is a minimum. This Voyage-Air line of guitars fits that need.
This model is the laminate-top model. The least expensive too. Paid 355 bucks here on Amazon with free shipping. We decided that since it is primarily for travel, the laminate would withstand the abuse of travel better than a solid-top. That was confirmed after reading advice from guitar experts.
When locked into position the neck is secure, and it has the full sound of a regular guitar... not the sound of the smaller travel ones. The screw which secures the neck to the base does protrude a bit and you do feel it when your hand slides down toward the body of the guitar. It's no high-end Martin or Taylor, but that is not the right comparison.
The backpack is high quality and custom fit. I'm sure it will fit in the airplane overhead bins as we had hoped. The backpack even has a padded area to fit a notebook computer.
Now my teenage son is excited to be able to bring a full size guitar on our upcoming vacations. I'll try to get him to post a video review.
Voyage-Air has raised the bar with travel guitars.
Update 5/20/11:
Traveled to central america with this guitar. He loved having a full size guitar on our vacation. Fit into all the overhead airline bins easily. No problems with the humidity of central america. Easy to carry around compared to a regular guitar.


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Voyage-Air Songwriter Series VAOM-04 Folding Orchestra Model Acoustic Guitar Review

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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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