Carbon fiber not only has a cool aesthetic all its own, but since it's quite a tough cookie and isn't affected by changes in temperature and humidity, it's a pretty sound choice for travel guitars. Adam Klosowiak of Klos Guitars has given an electric edge to his range of carbon fiber travel acoustics, by adding a Fishman pickup.
Klosowiak's third outing on Kickstarter, his crowdfunding journey starting in 2015 with the first Klos travel guitar, and all backers were rocking carbon fiber on the move by April 2016. A more refined instrument hit the platform in July of last year, with pledges fulfilled by December. Those models were both acoustic travelers, the new member of the Klos family rocks a Fishman AE Sonitone preamp system for plugged or unplugged playing.
The Sonitone system includes a Sonicare pickup, onboard tone and volume controls, and a 9 V battery box, and allows roving noodlers to plug the guitar into a portable amp, capture creative moments in app-based music production suites via a guitar interface like the iRig, or just get the strings to pitch using a cabled tuner.
Though the acoustic/electric's 15-inch long mini-dreadnought body is fashioned from carbon fiber composite, with spruce bracing on the sound board and a rosewood bridge, Klos recognizes that players may prefer the familiar feel of real wood for the fretting end.
As such, the travel guitar has a 24.75-inch, 19 fret (with 14 clear of the body) mahogany neck topped with a rosewood fingerboard, ending in an ABS headstock. Also of note, the neck can be detached and reattached for travel convenience. The whole shebang tips the scales at just 2.85 lb (1.3 kg).
As mentioned previously, the new Klos traveler has launched on Kickstarter to fund production. The campaign has already surpassed it funding goal ... and some ... with just over 3 weeks left to run.
Early bird pledges of US$559 are still available, and a Deluxe level includes custom extras like a Tusq nut and saddle, backer-specified action setup and black hardware. If all goes to plan, shipping is estimated to start in June. Have a look at the pitch video below for more about what's on offer.
Sources: Klos Guitars, Kickstarter