As April draws to a close and the May bank
holidays are almost in sight, we can be sure of one thing... summer, or least
the British equivalent of it, is right around the corner. This means attempted
barbeques, beer gardens after work and of course, the festival season. The air
is rife with Saturday night Glastonbury rumours and Download is a matter of
weeks away so it's time to start thinking about what you're taking with you;
whether you're going to watch a few bands on a rickety old stage down the road,
or you're braving the mud at Worthy Farm.
Here is a list of things we know will make you and
your mates' summer brighter (metaphorically - we can't guarantee the sun):
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Taylor GS Mini – Small travel-sized guitar, with a solid sitka top (also available with a solid mahogany top). These guitars play and sound amazing; definitely one of, if not the best small guitar. The mini grand symphony can project sound nearly as well as any full sized guitar but is much easier to play in a cramped environment i.e. in a tent or deck chair, plus it comes with a moulded, padded gig bag so it's well protected during the journey. You'll be finding excuses to go traveling just so you can to take this with you. A firm staff favourite, we can't recommend them enough!
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BU4S – Soprano ukulele with mahogany top, back and sides; a decent sounding uke at a decent price. It has good quality machine heads so you won't be slipping out of tune all the time and comes fitted with Aquila strings so it will sound good straight out the box. The small soprano size means it's easy to play anywhere and will even fit in your rucksack.
- Dual stool – It's a stool and a guitar stand, packs down flat; what else needs to be said? Two birds, one stone.
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Valencia CG160 ¾ - ¾ sized nylon strung guitar. The nylon strings are softer on your fingers so it's easier to play in whatever state you might find yourself in. It's a handy size and comes with a gig bag.
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Stagg Blues Harmonica Set – BE THAT GUY. Includes 7 different keys so if you're playing with guitarists you can fit into any jam session. Small enough to stick one or two in your pocket as well because you simply never know when your services will be required.
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Washburn Rover – This is a travel size guitar that boasts a full size scale so guitarists will feel right at home on the fret board. They sound and feel good and, due to the tiny body size, they're so easy to play absolutely anywhere. Also, even with the included hard foam case, they are designed to fit in most airlines' overhead storage compartments
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Martin LX1 - ¾ sized dreadnought acoustic, as used by the likes of Ed Sheeran and many more. They sound great, thanks to the solid sitka top and play comfortably because of the size and quality of build. Even with the included gig bag, they don't take up much space so you won't have to worry about sacrificing precious beer space to take it with you.
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Marshall MS-4 – As used by Jack Black & co in School Of Rock; need we say more? Well, just in case we do, they run on a 9v battery and can clip to your belt or guitar strap for those that want to rock out on the go.
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Vox Mini3 G2 – Small, portable battery-powered Vox amp. Includes 11 different amp settings for a variety of tones from sparkling clean to high gain crunch, as well as a number of different effects. They're small enough to carry around with ease but loud enough to make yourself heard, whether you're busking or just jamming outside
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Alesis Transactive Wireless – An absolute necessity for a BBQ or outdoor gathering. The rechargable battery means you get 50 hours of use without a plug around and you can either stick your iPod/phone etc in the dock, or stream wirelessly via Bluetooth. It's not just a way of listening to music outdoors, you can plug in a microphone, guitar or keyboard in as well so it works as a small portable PA system.
