Music

Novel travel guitar folds down to backpack size for transport

Novel travel guitar folds down to backpack size for transport
The Ascender is a premium full-size electric guitar that can be folded down to fit in a standard backpack for travel
The Ascender is a premium full-size electric guitar that can be folded down to fit in a standard backpack for travel
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The ebony-topped neck features a two hinge setup that allows it to be folded back over the body for travel
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The ebony-topped neck features a two hinge setup that allows it to be folded back over the body for travel
The lever which locks and unlocks the neck and tensions the strings is hidden from view in a recessed part of the lower body
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The lever which locks and unlocks the neck and tensions the strings is hidden from view in a recessed part of the lower body
The patented mechanism pulls the strings tight and locks the neck using translating trussrods for play mode
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The patented mechanism pulls the strings tight and locks the neck using translating trussrods for play mode
The ebony-topped neck features a two hinge setup that allows it to be folded back over the body for travel
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The ebony-topped neck features a two hinge setup that allows it to be folded back over the body for travel
The headstock is home to 3x3 Gotoh locking tuners
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The headstock is home to 3x3 Gotoh locking tuners
A patented mechanism inside the Ascender unlocks the neck and loosens the strings for travel
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A patented mechanism inside the Ascender unlocks the neck and loosens the strings for travel
The Ascender is a premium full-size electric guitar that can be folded down to fit in a standard backpack for travel
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The Ascender is a premium full-size electric guitar that can be folded down to fit in a standard backpack for travel
A patented mechanism inside the Ascender unlocks the neck and loosens the strings for travel
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A patented mechanism inside the Ascender unlocks the neck and loosens the strings for travel
A cutaway at the rear of this Ascender travel guitar shows the patented mechanism
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A cutaway at the rear of this Ascender travel guitar shows the patented mechanism
Guide marks at the ends of each folding section of the ebony-topped neck keep the strings from flopping about during travel
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Guide marks at the ends of each folding section of the ebony-topped neck keep the strings from flopping about during travel
The Ascender should fold down to an airline carry-on size
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The Ascender should fold down to an airline carry-on size
Rocking out at the airport with the Ascender premium travel guitar
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Rocking out at the airport with the Ascender premium travel guitar
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Guitars are already pretty portable instruments. You just throw one in a gig bag and you're all set. But those long necks can suffer much more than a ding on long journeys, particularly if air travel is involved. So for players who want to keep strumming when on a trip, various travel guitar designs have emerged. The latest is a premium design from Ciari Guitars that features a fold-over neck and hides a novel locking mechanism inside the body.

The Ascender hasn't been designed to be a cheap replacement for your studio guitars, it has premium written all over it. The patented mechanism hidden inside the body allows the guitarist to lock the neck to play, and unlock for travel.

Rocking out at the airport with the Ascender premium travel guitar
Rocking out at the airport with the Ascender premium travel guitar

That neck is jointed in two places, has two translating truss rods and works with a floating bridge to allow it to fold back behind the body. A string management system ensures the strings don't flop all over the shop. In travel mode, the guitar will fit into "a standard backpack" and should be good for airline carry-on.

When it comes time to rock, the neck is unfolded and a lever hidden from view in a recess on the lower part of the body is pulled from front to back. This pushes the trussrods up through the neck to lock it in playing position and brings the strings to tension. You can see the mechanism in action below.

The Ciari Ascender Travel Guitar

Elsewhere, the single cut Ascender features an ebony 22 fret fingerboard, Gotoh locking tuners and Seymour Duncan humbucking pickups.

Originally demonstrated at the NAMM show in January, 2019, the guitar is now set to make its production debut at the Summer NAMM show in Nashville later this month. The exact ticket price has yet to be determined, but Ciari estimates that it will be in the region of US$3,000.

Source: Ciari Guitars

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