https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/travel-acoustic-guitar-tuned-up-to-a/ Guitar Noise Discussion Board en-US Thu, 04 Jun 2026 11:34:44 +0000 wpForo 60 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/travel-acoustic-guitar-tuned-up-to-a/#post-145496 Mon, 19 Dec 2005 06:28:43 +0000 Guitar Players Discussion xg5a https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/travel-acoustic-guitar-tuned-up-to-a/#post-145496 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/travel-acoustic-guitar-tuned-up-to-a/#post-145375 Sun, 18 Dec 2005 22:22:42 +0000
I just bought my daughter a 1/2-size guitar for Christmas, and tuned it up to G. Made a big improvement in playability - it was definitely "floppy" tuned to E.

Thanks.]]> Guitar Players Discussion slejhamer https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/travel-acoustic-guitar-tuned-up-to-a/#post-145375 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/travel-acoustic-guitar-tuned-up-to-a/#post-145343 Sun, 18 Dec 2005 20:17:15 +0000
The shorter the string, the less tension it needs to reach a certain pitch. If you take a standard guitar and fret the fifth freth, you've shortened the scale length... so imagine that 5th fret is the new scale length, and tune it until you get standard tuning at the 5th fret. The string is going to get pretty 'floppy'.

If you look at guitars for kids, the "3/4" size guitars are usually in standard tuning. A 3/4 size is really only about 10% smaller, so they go to standard tuning. A "1/2 size" guitar is about 20% smaller than standard, and they're usually tuned up a minor third - to G on the 1st/6th strings.

The Tacoma has a 19.1" scale length, as does the Passport. They'll need to be tuned up, although you might not need to go as high as A. Other travel guitars, like the Martin Backpacker, are longer - that's got a 24" scale length; you can probably use standard tuning.]]> Guitar Players Discussion NoteBoat https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/travel-acoustic-guitar-tuned-up-to-a/#post-145343 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/travel-acoustic-guitar-tuned-up-to-a/#post-145335 Sun, 18 Dec 2005 19:53:14 +0000
So are all these so-called "travel guitars" supposed to be tuned high?]]> Guitar Players Discussion slejhamer https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/travel-acoustic-guitar-tuned-up-to-a/#post-145335 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/travel-acoustic-guitar-tuned-up-to-a/#post-144983 Fri, 16 Dec 2005 23:30:04 +0000 Guitar Players Discussion Ricochet https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/travel-acoustic-guitar-tuned-up-to-a/#post-144983 https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/travel-acoustic-guitar-tuned-up-to-a/#post-13780 Fri, 16 Dec 2005 23:09:39 +0000 Tacoma Papoosewhich mentioned that it's a small-body guitar tuned to "high A." I also recently looked at the Breedlove Passportfor which the web site says it is "like playing a guitar capoed at the 5th fret."

What's the purpose of tuning these guitars to A? Do many people play this type of guitar as their primary guitar, or are these more "special purpose"?

Also, I notice that the Tacoma uses standard 12-gauge strings - doesn't tuning up that high put tremendous tension on the neck, or does the short scale sufficiently offset the tension that comes from tuning up?]]> Guitar Players Discussion slejhamer https://guitarnoise.forum/guitar-players-discussion/travel-acoustic-guitar-tuned-up-to-a/#post-13780