When on vacation, you probably don't want to heft around a 10-lb vintage Les Paul. A compact travel guitar could be an attractive alternative, but will you need to compromise on built-in tech? Not with the latest model from Mogabi.
The first version of the Mogabi travel guitar was successfully crowdfunded in 2022, and the company has returned to Kickstarter for the launch of the V3.
During travel, the whole thing collapses down into a supplied fabric gig bag that can be taken as airplane carry on luggage. At your destination, it folds out to a length of 41.6 inches (105.8 cm), before wings are mounted top and bottom for a hollow body look reminiscent of Yamaha's Silent Guitar.
The body block is home to a single-coil magnetic pickup at the neck position and a humbucker at the bridge, controlled by a 3-way switch plus volume/tone knobs. Cooked-in reverb offers room ambiance, and the guitar features a headphone jack for quiet play, plus there's an instrument output for cabling to full rigs at rehearsal or venue – or plugging in headphone amps like Fender's Mustang Micro.
There's also a built-in 10-W sound system rocking full-range speakers and a passive radiator in a fan-shaped configuration for tones on the go that disperse over a wide area. The makers are promising a marked improvement in sound quality compared to the 100 and 200 series models, and 15 volume levels are available to help you dial in the best output level for your location.
Chops and noodles can be recorded to 32 GB of onboard storage, too. The company also reckons that these multi-track recordings can capture the sound of the guitar and any floor stomps that are cabled in, which is reported to be a first for such instruments. A microphone pre-amp comes as standard for simultaneous vocal/guitar recording.
Players can also connect to a smartphone or laptop over USB-C to copy over creations for editing and sharing. And the system can pair to a smartphone over Bluetooth for mixing in backing tracks.
The electronics are powered by a 2,600-mAh battery for 6 hours of play for every 3 hours on charge, and interestingly, the battery compartment is accessible to the user for replacements – potentially extending the operational life of the instrument.
Elsewhere, the guitar features a 20-fret maple neck and rosewood fingerboard with a 25.5-inch scale length that ends in an angled headstock for this outing, instead of the odd-looking open circle of the original, making for more traditional vibes.
The standard electric V3 with an alder body weighs in at 8.15 lb (3.7 kg), but a 648M electric-acoustic version with a mahogany neck and single piezo pickup is also available – which tips the scales at 6.39 lb (2.9 kg).
Kickstarter pledges for the V3 electric currently start at US$749, while the V3-648M comes in a little cheaper at $699 – representing savings of 48% on the expected retail prices. The usual crowdfunding cautions apply, but if all goes to plan for the already funded campaign, shipping is estimated to start from January 2025.
Source: Mogabi AMT
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