I love to travel… but I hate to be away from my guitar(s).

Three years ago my wife and I were making plans to visit Australia for 2 weeks. While I was excited to see the land down under, I was depressed thinking about spending 2 weeks without a guitar…

I had heard the horror stories of people who trusted their guitars to the airline baggage handlers only to arrive at their destination and recover their beloved axe with a broken neck.

I vowed to myself — that would never happen to me.

As for me, (and most guitar players who are honest with themselves), airline travel presents a dichotomy that must be resolved before the trip can be enjoyed.

Just how do you keep up with your guitar playing when a trip requires airline travel?

Everything changed when I discovered the Traveler Escape EG-1.

The Escape EG-1 is the most sophisticated travel guitar you’ve ever played!  It includes an onboard Pocket RockIt headphone amp with distortion & clean tones so you can plug your headphones directly into the guitar and rock out anytime, anywhere.

The Escape EG-1 has traditional guitar features like an American Hard Maple neck with an ebonized rosewood fretboard. With a full-size humbucker pickup, full 25-1/2 inch scale, and 22 jumbo frets, you almost forget that you are playing a travel guitar.  It’s sounds (and feels) that good.

The guitar comes with a very cool-looking padded gig bag that will fit in any overhead compartment.

Traveler Escape EG-1 Travel Electric Guitar Features:

* Full 25-1/2″ scale
* 5 pounds light and only 29-1/4″ long
* Built-in Pocket RockIt headphone amp with distortion and clean tones
* Fits in airline overhead compartments
* Alder body
* American hard maple neck
* Fretboard: Ebonized rosewood
* 22 jumbo frets

I will be taking another trip this week and my trusty EG-1 will be slung over my shoulder as I board the plane.  My EG-1 has been all over the United States, Mexico, France, Germany, Austria and Australia.  Next to my wife, it is my favorite travel companion.  No worries!

A new version of the Traveler Escape Guitar, the EG-2, will be released soon.  It sports a double-cutaway strat-like design with an input jack for your music file player so you can jam along to your favorite tracks through the guitar’s headphones!

(One last thing… I will be traveling this week and the posting to the blog will be minimal)

We all know that guitars are beautiful to look at. They offer originality, artistic expression and musical excellence, all in one package.

But did you ever think that a guitar could also be a little “strange” to look at? What other instrument offers a player the opportunity to express themselves via concert performance and tone as well as an innovative display of creativity in design?

Here is a fun video that is sure to spark a “what the heck” moment for every guitar player. Which one looks the strangest to you?

By the way… the song is titled “Souvenir” from the Brazilian band “Autoramas“…

Last week I started a new category to the blog titled “Guitar Art”.

The category was well received so I will make it a habit of adding more posts to it as I come across artists that focus their work, or a portion of their work, on our favorite instrument.

Today’s contribution to the “Guitar Art” category is a “Tribute to SRV”.

The artist’s name is Paul Chase.

Paul Chase is an internationally known artist, author, innovator, visionary and…you guessed it… a guitarist.

He is the founder and CEO of Graphicguitars Inc., fine art guitar paintings, prints and posters.

He received a Bachelors degree in Art and a Masters in Communications. He has taught art in high schools, vocational/technical school, and at the college level for over 30 years.

Paul is a distant relative of the “other” famous American artist Georgia O’Keeffe (and they are both developed their art “roots” in hometown Sun Prairie, WI) and his large close up guitar images reflect her large close up flower series.

These guitar paintings are also available as limited edition prints.

You can email Paul at: paul@graphicguitars.com or view his gallery by CLICKING HERE.

If you contact Paul please mention you saw his guitar art on TheGuitarBuzz.com!

I love it when the mainstream media publishes a guitar story.

It makes the story seem so… OFFICIAL!

Yesterday, CNN.com posted a video on the Gibson Dark Fire.  You know, the guitar that Gibson calls “The Most Versatile Tone Monster Ever Made”.

The feature list is over the top… it’s the “Gibson Robot” on steroids. Whatever you think the most amazing Les Paul guitar should have, this one has…and more. About the only other thing the guitar could do is play a rippin’ rock session all by itself with you just holding on to it…

Q: Does anybody out there own one of these? 

Q: Can any one guitar live up to the promise of the Dark Fire?

I am reminded of my guitar teacher’s favorite saying…”It’s not the guitar, it’s the person holding it.” That said, this LP sure is a thing of beauty… I want one!

Watch the Video:

Besides guitars, I have a passion for fine art. Maybe it is the creativity element that connects the two together for me in my head.

So as you can imagine… fine art pictures of guitars are right up my alley! There are several artists that focus their work, or a portion of it, on our favorite instrument. Today’s contribution to the “Guitar Art” category is a real gem for strat lovers.

The artist’s name is Michael Babyak. Check this out:

Michael was born in Cleveland Ohio and has lived in numerous places throughout the U.S. and Europe. He graduated from the University of Cincinnati, Conservatory of Music with a Bachelor’s degree in Ballet. He has exhibited work in several national shows, including Emerging Visions in Los Angeles, National Works on Paper at St. John’s University in New York and the 3 Rivers Arts Festival in Pittsburgh. He has numerous awards to his credit including the Critic’s Pick Award from Manhattan Arts International Magazine, winner of “Best in Show” from the South Miami Arts and Crafts Festival, and 1st Place Abstract Painting at the Allentown Art Festival. His paintings are a direct reflection of an exploration of feelings about both the physical and imagined, resulting in work that possesses an intangible aspect that somehow strikes a familiar note.

Michael currently resides in Austin Texas.

His guitar paintings are also available as limited edition prints.

You can email Michael at: babyakart@earthlink.com or visit his web site by CLICKING HERE.

If you contact Michael please mention you saw his guitar art on TheGuitarBuzz.com!

OK, I realize this title may be offensive to some of you. Please forgive me, I just wanted to get your attention!  There is a new web site service for guitar “lovers” that is totally cool.

The site is called GuitarAffair.

This new site will offer you the ability to enjoy a wide variety of high-end, professional quality guitars, delivered right to your door. At home, on a business trip, or on a vacation, you will have the chance to treat yourself to a truly luxurious guitar, if only for a short time.

From the Guitar Affair web site:

We call our rental experiences “Affairs” because we want each rental to be a positive emotional experience for you. Whether you are on a business trip, a family vacation, or just want an escape at home, we stock a variety of superb guitars that we can deliver to your location for you to enjoy. If you’re on a trip, our Road Trip™ option will deliver a guitar, headphone amp, headphones, cord, strap, and your choice of a variety of instructional items or backing tracks, all in a single road case. When you’re done, just slap on the return shipping label and send it back. What could be easier? All of our guitars are professionally maintained to give you the best experience possible.

How does it work? Enjoying a guitar from Guitar Affair is a simple process:

1. Join – You must be a member in order to rent guitars from Guitar Affair. Because a rental is essentially a credit transaction, they run a credit and background check on all members. There is a $50, one-time membership application fee. You can apply for membership by completing the registration form.
2. Select and reserve a guitar – Simply search their inventory to find an instrument that is available during the desired time frame. You can search the inventory by date, by manufacturer, or by genre.
3. Receive your instrument – Your instrument will be shipped via UPS to your destination, be it a home, hotel, or vacation home. Their guitars ship in custom made Guitar Affair Gig Bags inside a custom made CaseXtreme shipping container.
4. Have fun – Enjoy the guitar for as long as you have it reserved.
5. Return it – On the return ship date, simply put everything back in the shipping container and ship it back. A return UPS label will be provided to you inside the case.

It’s that easy!

So go ahead… have an affair… A GUITAR AFFAIR!

There is a new guitar magazine on the newsstand called Guitar Aficionado.

It is VERY different from all of the other guitar magazines. There is no tab or song translations.

There is no CD or DVD in a plastic bag.

This magazine is more like a “Robb Report” for guitar lovers. It’s all about the high life. The articles are about guitar collections worth millions and lifestyles that are typically only enjoyed by rock stars, CEO’s and celebrities.

Hey… there is nothing wrong with dreaming!

The publisher claims that every issue will include an inside look at the exotic instruments and wondrous collections of people who are passionate about guitars and life’s finer things — including expensive watches, delectable spirits, exotic cars and high fashion.

Like I said… there’s nothing wrong with dreaming!

The Premier issue featured:

• Tom Colicchio: The Top Chef rocks
• Five Blue-Chip Guitars
• At home with Aerosmith’s Joe Perry
• Superstar vintner Robert Foley
• Billy Gibbons’ new Fender Custom Shop Esquire

It also included articles on fine aged bourbons, The Harley V-Rod Muscle, The 2009 Lamborghini Gallardo and touring England like 007 .

Like I said… This is NOT your typical guitar mag!

So lest you think this is a bashing post on the new publication, let me say that I went to my local Barnes & Noble and bought one.  And I love it!

I found myself glued to the magazine for weeks — reading EVERY article. And I can’t wait for the next issue.

Here is a sneak peak at the cover of the 2nd issue… with articles about Jimmy Page, The first electric guitar, Eric Johnson and more…

Guitar Aficionado is not a clone of any other guitar magazine — it is a breath of fresh air. The cover price is $7.99 USD (remember… no cd included) and I recommend you skip the morning Starbucks and go get one.  Better yet, order a 1-year subscription (4 issues) for $24.95 or… put it on your Christmas wish list like I did!

There’s a really cool slide show on the AskMen.com web site (I understand that women can visit the site as long as they don’t ask any questions…!)

The slides depict 10 famous guitarists along with their equally famous guitars.

The idea behind the slide show goes like this:

“These iconic guitarists have owned hundreds of different instruments over the years, but the one thing all these men have in common is a deep love for that one special ax. Whether it’s a well-aged acoustic or a banged-up electric, certain guitars have the uncanny ability to become just as famous as their owners.

From the international theft of George Harrison’s “Lucy” to the raging inferno that gave birth to B.B. King’s “Lucille,” these are the stories behind the most celebrated six-strings in the music industry.”

The Top Ten Artists and their famed guitars are:

1. Erick Clapton & “Blakie”
2. Jimi Hendrix & “The Woodstock Strat”
3. Eddie Van Halen & “FrankenStrat”
4. Billy Gibbons & “Miss Pearly Gates”
5. Neil Young & “Old Black”
6. Willie Nelson & “Trigger”
7. Stevie Ray Vaughan & “Lenny”
8. George Harrison & “Lucy”
9. Keith Ricards & “Micawber”
10. B.B King & ” Lucille”

Click HERE to see the entire slide show from the start!

Do you have a favorite guitar and a special story that brought you two together?  We would love to hear about it!

The guitar community was saddened today when one it’s true pioneers passed away. Les Paul died this morning from complications from pneumonia. He was 94.

Gibson Lifestyle called les Paul “The world’s most influential, innovative guitar player and inventor.” To read the entire article from the Gibson site, click HERE.

It is not possible to write about Les Paul’s enormous contribution to the guitar world in one simple guitar blog post. Instead, I will ask you to do this:

If you own a Les Paul guitar, take it out of it’s case today and stand it prominently in your home as a statue to the man who changed music forever…and for the better.

But just before you do… watch this:

Here is a classic video with a historical perspective on the early years:

Today’s Challenge: Call 10 of your favorite “know it all” guitar playing friends and ask them what they think of Gigliotti Guitars. I bet 8 of them will say…WHAT?

Gigliotti guitars are among the finest custom guitars in the world. Impeccable craftsmanship, superb tone, and each one is a thing of beauty…actually a work of art. All Gigliotti guitars feature the unique and patent-pending Gigliotti Voicing System and unique metal plate top insert. This system allows the tops to resonate like a fine acoustic guitar, giving a rich and luscious tone with or without an amp.

The photo to the left is a Gigliotti GT Custom Telecaster. The tops on these guitars look stunning and Gigliotti offers over 60 different finishes to make that metal pattern really stand out. They actually look 3-Dimensional!

These guitars are not new, Joe Bonamassa has been playing a Gigliotti since 2005!

Visit the official Gigliotti Guitar site by clicking HERE. They have some really cool videos, photos and computer screen wallpapers you can download for FREE.