Buy Voyage-Air Songwriter Series VAOM-04 Folding Orchestra Model Acoustic GuitarVoyage-Air Songwriter Series VAOM-04 Folding Orchestra Model Acoustic Guitar Product Description:
- OM Body Shape Select Solid Spruce Top w/ X-brace Super High-Gloss top finishInlaid Soundhole Rosette
- Single-Ply top and back binding Mahogany High-Gloss Back and Sides Mahogany Neck w/ Rosewood Heel Cap
- Rosewood Fingerboard and Bridge Traditional Dot Inlay in Prewar-style staggered sizes Compensated Saddle
- Distinctive Voyage-Air pickguard in blackProprietary Voyage-Air Captured Nut Patented Voyage-Air Folding
- Neck-Hinge System Chrome Plated Die-Cast Schaller-Style tuners w/ metal buttons. High-G
Product Description
VAOM-04 Folding Orchestra Model Acoustic Guitar with Solid Spruce top, custom backpack style carrying case included
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful.
By JMAC
I first encountered Voyage-Air guitars at the Kerrville Folk Festival in 2010. A stranger I jammed with had one of the dreadnought versions and it sounded as good as any full-size dreadnought. (It doesn't sound as sweet as a well played and cared for pre-war Martin but few new guitars do.) Seeing it folded and stashed into a backpack intrigued me. I am primarily a finger-style player and a few weeks ago when I saw that Voyage-Air had an OM model I sprung for the VAOM-04. I've been using it for a few weeks now and am quite impressed.I've tried other travel guitars but found they are either nearly as large as a full-size guitar (e.g., Baby Taylor) or so small they don't sound much like a full-size guitar (e.g., Martin Backpacker). The size not only makes a difference in the sound, they don't feel like a regular guitar. The Voyage-Air has a full-size body with a full-size neck with normal string spacing. It sounds, plays, and feels just like a full-size guitar but the folding neck makes it much easier to transport.The hinge in the neck is ingenious and, once you've done it a time or two, opening and closing the guitar is quick and easy. (Check out the video at VoyageAirGuitar.com.) The most remarkable thing is how well the guitar stays in tune. I would have thought that releasing all tension on the strings would have thrown it out but if the strings are installed properly the tuning is pretty close when you lock down the neck. Tweaks are necessary but it is routinely within a few cents. To my ear the VAOM-04 sounds best with light (.012 - .053) strings. Note carefully how the original strings are installed and stick to two wraps around the post. Folding & unfolding is easier that way. Voyage-Air suggests replacing the stock tuners with Schaller locking tuners. That might be good if you open & close the guitar frequently but I haven't found it necessary.Voyage-Air has models ranging from budget to professional. The main difference is the woods used, internal construction, and ornamentation. I've had a chance to compare a Transit Series VAOM-02 with a select Spruce (plywood) top to my Songwriter Series VAOM-04 with a solid Spruce top. The guitars are visually similar. Both have Mahogany back & sides and an unfinished neck. The solid Spruce top on the VAOM-04 sounds a little better side-by-side versus the VAOM-02 but I'm not sure I could tell them apart blindfolded. I'm hoping I run across a retailer that carries the Professional Series so I can compare them to the others.Fit and finish of the VAOM-04 is better than I expect on a guitar in this price range. (They are built in China.) The neck hinge works flawlessly, I see no tool marks or excess glue, and the frets are level and comfortably dressed. The action was good out of the box and will be easy to take down a little if needed. The guitar uses a zero fret and the Voyage-Air nut has holes rather than slots which helps hold the strings in place when you fold the neck. The included case is a well-padded backpack with a separate pocket large enough to hold a laptop computer. More than enough space for picks, strings, tuner, capo, strap, and all the typical guitar case knick knacks.I have traveled by air since buying the VAOM-04 and the backpack fits in the overhead bins of most commercial airlines. It is smaller than many of the roller bags people use today and I had no trouble carrying it on. I can't speak for budget airlines that nickle and dime you to death but no airline I've used since getting the VAOM-04 had any objection. On one aircraft the fit in the overhead bin was tight but it worked and there was no damage to the guitar.I don't know if it is practical but if someone at Voyage-Air can figure out how to put a folding neck on a single-cone resonator guitar I would be in heaven!
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful.
By moogle_kupo
First impressions when I opened this up were, "meh.. its kinda plane lookin." I figured that this was going to be a risky purchase and was fully expecting to return it because surely it couldn't live up to my expectations of sound, intonation, playability and feel. When I first set the neck and tuned it, I was sure that the fret edges would be sharp or that I would feel the crack where the neck goes together. WRONG and WRONG! The fret work is professionally done and I tried for the life of me to feel the seam where the two meet up, but to my amazement I felt nothing. Well that all went better than expected but surely it wont have good intonation up the fretboard, I mean this is meant as a traveling instrument and not a professional guitar and sacrifices had to be made right?... WRONG AGAIN!I soon realized that my skepticism was all misplaced. As I stopped critiquing and actually started playing it.. holy cow. This thing resonates and responds better than a Martin OM-42 that I paid over 4 grand for! I am simply stunned that a guitar I bought so I could have a practice tool on vacations would turn out to be one of, if not the best playing instrument I have. I'd say that this guitar is the real deal but that would be a major understatement. For the price this guitar is listed at (four hundred ninety nine dollars) I am blown away. This guitar plays better than anything in its price range. The only reason I even contemplated sending it back was to buy the more expensive models. If this thing plays like a two thousand dollar guitar... I can't imagine what the others sound like.If you're considering this guitar but have reservations, then buy it now because this thing will impress you!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful.
By guitarplayer747
This is my 14th guitar (many brands) but first Voyage-air folding guitar. I have never written a review about any product before but had to say that the quality, playability, and sound of this guitar is well worth the price. Played a Voyage-air VAOM-04 that one of my friends had purchased and had to have one. Was looking for a travel guitar with a full scale neck (fret board spacing) and am very satisfied with everything about this guitar. It feels great and projects like crazy (much louder than I expected). Would recommend this guitar to anyone that wants a good quality instrument, that is easy to take on the road, with a great sound, for a very reasonable price. Just as a side note, it was delivered sooner than expected. If you buy this guitar you will have a blast playing it!
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