Home 
Washburn Steel String Travel Acoustic Guitar (Natural)
Washburn Steel String Travel Acoustic Guitar (Natural)Washburn Steel String Travel Acoustic Guitar (Natural)
US Music Product Details - Ratings and reviews for washburn steel string travel acoustic guitar (natural).
Enlarge View
List Price:
Featured:
$133.00
Sales Rank: 358
US Music
Released: 2008-06-02
Avg. Customer Review: 
Media: Electronics (1)
Color: Natural
TODAY'S BEST DEALS
Springdale Music
Price: $133.00
Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Amazon.com
Price: Too low to display
Usually ships in 24 hours
Product Features
Washburn Steel String Travel Acoustic Guitar (Natural)
- Full 24" scale and guitar sized neck
- mahogany body and SOLID spruce top
- Cordura case with plush line interior, back pack straps
- Guitar strap, picks and Learn to Play CD ROM
- Bound body and fingerboard
Product Review
Product Description
The Ultimate Travel Guitar!Play the Rover any time or any place. Now you can easily bring your guitar with you when you're... on a plane, a boat, a car, the beach, camping, hiking... Anywhere!The high-quality RO10 steel string guitar is built with a Solid Spruce Top, a mahogany neck & body, a rosewood fingerboard and quality geared tuners.The package comes complete with case, instructional CD ROM, strap and three picks.Washburn GuitarsFor over one hundred years, Washburn has built more than just great guitars, they've built a history. The Washburn tradition of craftsmanship and innovation has withstood the tests of economics, brand competition and fashion. Since their birth in Chicago in 1883, the name Washburn has been branded into the world's finest stringed instruments. If your interest in guitars borders on passion, you will settle for nothing less than a Washburn.The history of Washburn Guitars is the history of a wide range of musicians. From blues players who shaped rock 'n roll to multi-platinum recording artists to emerging guitar virtuosos. It is a history that can be heard and experienced every time you turn on the radio or listen to a live performance. It is a history built by skilled craftsmen and musicians who share one common love-a passion for the guitar.Nuno Bettencourt, Dimebag Darrell, Roger Waters, Bootsy Collins and Jennifer Battenhave the distinction of being some of the few artists ever to be honored with a Washburn signature model guitar.Washburn continues to be a consistent leader in combining design, innovation, and technology to deliver the rich, bold sounds for a vast musical landscape.
Product Details
Washburn Steel String Travel Acoustic Guitar (Natural)
- Electronics: 0 pages (2008-06-02)
- Publisher: US Music
- Label: US Music
- Studio: US Music
- Average Customer Review: based on 42 reviews
- Sales Rank in Musical Instruments: #358
Special Features
- The ultimate travel guitar! Play it any time or any place. Bring your Washburn Rover with you when you're on a plane, a boat, a car, the beach, camping, hiking... Anywhere! Comes complete with case, instructional CD ROM, strap and 3 picks.
Accessories
Click on Product Listings for Details!
Customer Reviews
Avg. Customer Review:
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great value, but what is that smell? 2010-08-19
Comment: We bought this guitar to take to France on vacation -- it was an easy fit on the plane, and the sound for the size is very good, so it's been brought out and played on a regular basis. Only gripe is that the case and strap are treated with some awful chemical that stinks to high heaven, even after letting both air for 4-5 days outside. It has lessened now, and we would still recommend the guitar, but be prepared for the need to thoroughly air out the accessories.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Only buy if you can't travel with a larger guitar 2010-08-12
Comment: I really wanted to like the Rover, but I returned it. Here's why:
Pros:
- Nice tone, when you get used to it. As everyone says, you can't compare this to a larger guitar. It sounds great on its own, however.
- The neck plays nicely.
Cons:
- It's very, very hard to hold. I didn't install a front strap button as some people suggested, but I just couldn't get over having to deal with how to hold the Rover every time. I'd rather travel with a slightly larger guitar that I can play while resting on my leg. Example: The Emerald X7 carbon fiber guitar, which admittedly is much more expensive ($900), is very small and light, yet sits perfectly on my leg. I'd rather try to find a cheaper guitar for camping, etc. that I can play resting on my leg than keep the Rover.
- The included straps and case had a horrible, sickening, chemical smell that didn't go away after a whole week on my balcony. I got this for a great price from Amazon, but shipping an item with this kind of strong smell is unacceptable. I shudder to think what the factory employees are dealing with who inhale this all day.
- With the included strings, it was difficult to tune. I didn't try other strings because I returned it.
- The case is larger than it needs to be, somewhat negating the Rover's size advantage.
Pros:
- Nice tone, when you get used to it. As everyone says, you can't compare this to a larger guitar. It sounds great on its own, however.
- The neck plays nicely.
Cons:
- It's very, very hard to hold. I didn't install a front strap button as some people suggested, but I just couldn't get over having to deal with how to hold the Rover every time. I'd rather travel with a slightly larger guitar that I can play while resting on my leg. Example: The Emerald X7 carbon fiber guitar, which admittedly is much more expensive ($900), is very small and light, yet sits perfectly on my leg. I'd rather try to find a cheaper guitar for camping, etc. that I can play resting on my leg than keep the Rover.
- The included straps and case had a horrible, sickening, chemical smell that didn't go away after a whole week on my balcony. I got this for a great price from Amazon, but shipping an item with this kind of strong smell is unacceptable. I shudder to think what the factory employees are dealing with who inhale this all day.
- With the included strings, it was difficult to tune. I didn't try other strings because I returned it.
- The case is larger than it needs to be, somewhat negating the Rover's size advantage.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Convient 2010-08-04
Comment: I bought this for my husband and he plays it every day. Be forewarned though whatever the leather is tanned with (on strap) stinks. I have insisted everything but the guitar be stored in the garage till the smell dissipates. Made in china!
Customer Rating:
Summary: A fun little guitar in a nice package! 2010-07-29
Comment: This is a fun to play guitar that comes in a well designed, sturdy traveling case. The sound is more than adequate, as long as you accept the fact that it's going to be trebly and not a well-rounded acoustic sound.
After hearing about the bad smell with the strap, I corresponded with the seller who confirmed that there was indeed an acrid, gluey smell. He also said that the guitar itself had some of this odor, but that it should dissipate quickly. Told him not to bother shipping the strap, and he was kind enough to send a different one for free. A month later, the smell is much less and it isn't bad at all.
My main issue with the Rover is that it is so unbalanced. If you are used to playing sitting down, you will likely not be able to find a comfortable playing position (plus the fact that since the body is so much small narrower than a full-sized guitar the right hand position is quite awkward.) It just doesn't sit well, and I find myself using the left hand to balance it - not good, since the left hand should be busy fingering and not have to worry about holding the guitar in place! A classical position can help, but it looks a bit silly with that slightly quirky Rover shape. (One kid said, "what is that - a ukulele?") So a strap is a must. I'm not a fan of straps that tie near the neck (also a balance issue) and so purchased an inexpensive ($3) strap button to install at the heel. Still trying to figure out the best place to install it, however, and I'll follow up later with the results.
As far as compact, traveling guitars go, I don't think that you can do better for the price.
After hearing about the bad smell with the strap, I corresponded with the seller who confirmed that there was indeed an acrid, gluey smell. He also said that the guitar itself had some of this odor, but that it should dissipate quickly. Told him not to bother shipping the strap, and he was kind enough to send a different one for free. A month later, the smell is much less and it isn't bad at all.
My main issue with the Rover is that it is so unbalanced. If you are used to playing sitting down, you will likely not be able to find a comfortable playing position (plus the fact that since the body is so much small narrower than a full-sized guitar the right hand position is quite awkward.) It just doesn't sit well, and I find myself using the left hand to balance it - not good, since the left hand should be busy fingering and not have to worry about holding the guitar in place! A classical position can help, but it looks a bit silly with that slightly quirky Rover shape. (One kid said, "what is that - a ukulele?") So a strap is a must. I'm not a fan of straps that tie near the neck (also a balance issue) and so purchased an inexpensive ($3) strap button to install at the heel. Still trying to figure out the best place to install it, however, and I'll follow up later with the results.
As far as compact, traveling guitars go, I don't think that you can do better for the price.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Great Travel Guitar (that smells terrible) 2010-07-03
Comment: If you want a compact travel guitar with a full scale neck that plays great, looks cool and is of good build quality, the Rover is hard to beat. But if you don't like things that smell bad, prepare for an extended period of airing this puppy out. The worst offender is the case. As was mentioned in more than one other review, the finish of the Rover has a sharp smell. But the case is simply wretched - strong, acrid, and highly synthetic. I'm not saying it's toxic, but it smells like it is. The odor reminds me almost exactly like walking into a Harbor Freight store. HF is a franchise that sells insanely cheap Chinese tools and supplies and the outlets have an unpleasant industrial smell. The Rover case has that smell. I've had it open in the sun for several days and it seems to be dissipating...a bit. I love the smell of old time garages, shops and automotive centers, but the Chinese stuff has a tangy reek that is something new -- sickly and CHEAP. The guitar is nice, but be warned.
You are currently viewing
Washburn Steel String Travel Acoustic Guitar - Natural
