Arrgghhh!...instrumental dilemma...

wanderbug

I had planned to take my guitar (a epiphone hummingbird - dreadnought acoustic) with me to delhi and around the rest of india for 6 months or so (possibly selling it if it becomes too much)

But now I am just torn between the want to take it and sit and play it everywhere, which would be cool and good fun...and the fact that it WILL be a real pain to haul around trains and buses etc.

Has any one else ever taken a guitar for a reasonably long period of time and how will I fare on Indian public transport with a guitar which is extremely light but is 115cm x 50cm x 20cm (when in case). I will not be able to take it in hand luggage on the plane which is my first problem but if properly packed should be ok.

On a 'sort of' related subject i will have to also haul it around thailand, australia, new zealand, chile & peru for the rest of the year.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

AllanM

Wanderbug, I travel with my Martin Backpacker every once in a while. I've never traveled with a D-size guitar and I don't think I'd want to. Sometimes the backpacker becomes questionably cumbersome. At the price of one, you wouldn't cry too much if it got squashed in some accident either.

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wanderbug

Thanks Allan. I wish I had forked out on a Martin BP-er now too instead of the cash for the Hummingbird! I have never even heard of them! (Backpackers i mean) I probably wont take the H.B. after all.

Anybody think purchasing one out there is a feasible option?

kaushiks

You can buy them here but you still have to haul it around in India. If you have a hard case, you will handle train journeys, bus journeys with lots of trouble and as for flights you better carry it as handbaggage.

May be you can just buy a cheap guitar when you get here and give it a try. Or you can learn flute or something .

nhoa

Good idea
I traveled India and more countries with my guitar (with soft case)... it's nice to have some instruments on your travel. The only thing is that you have to carry always
My friend used to carry Martin Backpacker, I wish I had one, so small and nice to carry...

What I felt was that Indian people have much respect to instruments. They always knew what it was and treated carefully. (when pakistani were stepping on it to pass on the crowded bus!!!)

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Ikuru

I did it on my first trip, (3 months) but I was not moving around that much. It was fun having it there. Plain was not a problem (btw it was a full size guitar in a thin plastic fabric wraping.).

You do get it in to most veichles etc, even rikshas (tuck, tucks) etc.
Pros: You meet allot of people (can impress allot of girls if your good).
Cons: It is a big thing to carrie (I allso bought a drum that I eventually sold or gave to someone) allthough you Can leave it somewhere once you find a guesthouse you trust and pick it up later.

All in all I would not bring it next time around, I feel these days I dont want ANYTHING to carry, but thats me.
Learning the flute while in India is not a bad Idea.

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wanderbug

I play harmonica as well which is clearly the better option from the sound of it! But would like to play flute (kill bill style ) Yeah, when i settle somewhere I may try to get one...or borrow one off someone! I'm sure there will be some crazy fools who did take their Telecaster!
Thanks everybody... for me this has definetly been the worst thing to try to decide over i think!

Ikuru

If you bring it or Dont bring it the FLEAMARKETin Anjuna (wednesdays) will be a good place to buy one from someone or to sell the one you brought...
If I was you I might buy a really cheap guitar so it doesnt matter if you trash it..... OR I would try to learn and play the Flute KILL BILL Vol2. Style.

If you feel like listening to a REALLY COOL Asian flute (ZEN STYLE) CD you SHOULD check out "MUsic for Zen Meditation" by Tony Scott (american jazz musician impovising with traditionall Japaneese musicians) REally good stuff.

machadinha

Hmm if it's flutes you're after ye olde Hariprasad Chaurasia can't be beaten of course...

Anyway I agree a Jew's harp or harmonica or kazoo would seem to be in order... I take it you're leaving soon but learning it on your way might give you something to do (in the unlikely event India itself doesn't present you with enough to keep you occupied)

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wanderbug

Yeah, I am leaving in a week but may buy a flute to take actually before I go now...a 'Bansuri' possibly..

I hate to sound too impressionable but I will buy that Tony Scott album if i can find it too, thanks Ikuru. I like jazz, but mostly Biréli Lagréne and that sort of style. (You should check that out if you have never heard of him. Quite unbelieveable in places! His fingers move faster than Hendrix's! )

A flute and harmonica will be a better option and I may look at purchasing a guitar at the flea market if i find i can't live without it!

I am much happier than I was this morning now, so thanks very much guys you have been incredibly helpful!

Ikuru

Hey Great! Im happy for you! Have a great time in India then and Enjoy your Flute mate! I will check out that Biréli dude and if you wanne check out the cd im on about you can hear a sneak of it on this link RIGht HERE . Its pretty slow and meditative, I ran in to it by accident years and years ago and to this verry day it doesnt get booring or anything, there are layers and layers of things happening there.

machadinha

Come to think of it I don't know what they're called but those Indian accordeon-like contraptions are great and you might just find them portable... Ah look it's simply a harmonium and not of Indian origin at all it seems. I'm sure you could impress some girls (and guys for that matter) if you learned to play it India's travelling minstrels would probably have a whole array of easy-to-carry instruments. How's about the sarangi, "famously difficult to play."

Ikuru

Do you have to pump air in to the Harmonium or how does it work?

kaushiks

You have to use one hand to pump air and play with the other. The instrument sounds absolutely horrible. I had one at my house and I hated it. Thankfully my cousin fell over it broke it into two. You certainly can't use a harmonium to impress girls. It is usually used by beggars on the road these days.

Ikuru

LoL! Good thing your cousin fell!