Vacation Practice Suggestions

Hi all, looking for some adviceā€¦

Iā€™m a beginner who picked up the guitar in January. It took forever to develop good calluses! Iā€™m progressing through Beginner Level 2, trying to take my time to consolidate skills from earlier lessons as I go along. In September, we are taking our first vacation since before Covid. Weā€™re very excited, but: how do I practice in a way to keep my calluses? (Skill maintenance is important too, but thatā€™s not as physically painful to restore as the thick skin at the ends of my fingers!)

Some logistical details: we live on the West Coast (U.S.) and will fly to England; will travel around by train, end up in France, then fly home. We have a travel-sized guitar - itā€™s bigger than I want to carry. Been looking at those 4-6 fret fingerboard things, but am hesitant about their real utility. The Traveler Guitars look interesting - Iā€™ve seen some folks mention them in this forum. If I were to get one of these, would acoustic or electric be best? (I currently play acoustic, but thereā€™s used electric Travel Guitar available in my town for $200). Are there other options I should explore?

Awaiting your wisdom! Thanks in advance.

On a trip like that, I wouldnā€™t drag a guitar along. The silly little finger spring strengthen devices often have small ridges in one side to help with calluses. Maybe that would be easier. Or just screw a few string segments to a small piece of would and keep pressing on it.

How long are you going for? I just spent a week doing zero guitar stuff and soaking my callouses in salt water ocean and a pool (and booze). No harm to the calluses in that time frame.

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Weā€™ll be gone two weeks - forgot to mention that!
Thanks for you advice.

As Jamolay suggest, if you are going for a short time, focus on enjoying your vacation and donā€™t bother or worry about guitar practice.

If itā€™s going to be a longer vacation (say, 2-3 months or more) and you think you will have periods of downtime where you might want to practice, the electric Traveler Guitars are pretty good.

Having had one for a while I wouldnā€™t have one in place of a normal guitar, as there are a few compromises I found difficult to live with longer term. But when traveling, I could easily live with them if the only alternative was no guitar for a few months or more.

Cheers,

Keith

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Thanks Keith. Iā€™ve been trying to shed possessions recently, and donā€™t have any long trips on the horizon. Iā€™ll follow your and @Jamolayā€™s advice and just. go. on. vacation. :smiley:

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My advice if itā€™s a short trip - grab a cheap Ā£20 ukulele and play around with it, it should easily squeeze into your cabin bag :grinning: Justin has a few lessons on Uke so if you find some time during your holidays that could be cheapest option :grinning: enjoy your time in Europe!

Never thought about that - great idea! Lots of cheap ukes to be found around here!

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Keeping a bottle cap handy will give you something to press into your fingers if you want to maintain callouses - but itā€™s probably not really necessary, they will come back fast.

Maybe take a book on theory (Justinā€™s practical music theory course is great) - that way you wonā€™t feel like youā€™ve lost two weeks, at least not completely.

Iā€™ve been in the market on and off for a travel guitar for ages. I still havenā€™t bought one and I think the advice given above is pretty accurate. Just enjoy your holiday.
You plan to be away for a fortnight and from your itinerary a lot of time will be on planes and trains when you canā€™t play anyway.

Unless you plan to be away for months (in which case I would buy a second hand guitar abroad and then sell it when you are due to return home) itā€™s perhaps not worth the hassle.

If I do end up buying a ā€˜travel guitarā€™ I think it will be more with a view to getting a guitar that I can take to friends houses for BBQs etc. or throw into the car for long weekend breaks and the like and not risk damaging my ā€˜goodā€™ guitar. In other words, a cheaper guitar, not necessarily a smaller guitar.

However if you want more thoughts on the subject, I posted this topic a while back.
Travel guitar - any recommendations?

I have a journey brand travel guitar and it goes with me even on the shortest of holidays. The neck comes off and it sits beside the body in a case that fits in an overhead locker in an airplane, itā€™s dimensions just fit in the sizing frame at the airports. It also has a place in the case for my laptop and I fit a few other things like device chargers and cables and medication inside the body of the guitar. The model I have is the OF-660 (carbon fibre) and several friends have bought the cheaper wooden models offered by Journey.

A bottle cap - clever! Iā€™ll pack a couple for sure. Then when I donā€™t tend to my calluses after all I wonā€™t feel so silly! :rofl:

I have a feeling Iā€™ll end up in a similar place!

Thanks Tony. Iā€™ve seen thoseā€¦they are intriguing. Itā€™s good to know your experience is positive. Iā€™ll keep it on my when-I-grow-up-as-a-guitarist list. :slight_smile:

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Itā€™s a good option for me. The saddle has had to be replaced a few times but they are cheap. Best to keep a spare or two.

I ran into the same situation and bought one of those grip exercise things with ā€œsimulated stringsā€ to maintain callouses and while good I soon found I wanted to maintain skills on travel as well.

I then bought a Traveler brand Guitar (Acoustic version). I canā€™t say enough good things about this instrument, stays in tune, super easy to throw into an overhead bin on a plane/train or the back of the car on a road trip. I even keep it next to my desk so if inspiration strikes at work I can practice for a bit.

As for whether you get electric or acoustic Iā€™d get whichever you have a deal on or access to (Youā€™re probably going to want the one you didnā€™t get in a year anyway!). Good luck on your decision and trip!

Thanks for sharing your experience! This has put me right back on the ā€œshould I or shouldnā€™t Iā€ spot. I do love toysā€¦which is why I have to downsize! Perhaps this should go on my ā€œwhen I grow upā€ list as well.

Hereā€™s a bit of an idea, if youā€™re coming to the UK you could pick one of these up, a very nicely designed and manufactured electric guitar with attitude!

I was out of town for 4 weeks and rented a guitar from a local shop. Just rent a basher and use to keep in shape. Plus, its fun!