Best Travel Ukulele?
It’s the one that you feel so inspired to play that you take it with you everywhere!
Now, I’ll jump in here and let you know that there are definitely some “travel ukes” out there that are designed to withstand most anything that you can throw at them: late misty nights by the campfire, getting tossed around in the airline checked-bag compartment, extreme shifts from a cold morning on the seat of your car to a scorching hot afternoon or beginning an adventure at a low elevation only to pop out ready to play in some high-in-the-sky ski chalet.
For some there is indeed a place for such ukes. For example, if you are a Colorado River guide and want to entertain your guests you’ll need a bomb-proof instrument. No getting around that. Perhaps you should explore carbon fiber ukuleles. In contrast, we seriously would not want you taking your Lichty downstream. However, we’d argue that for most travelers a Lichty Ukulele is just perfect.
While Jay rarely takes a guitar traveling given the challenges that come with its size, he never travels without a ukulele in hand. Just imagine how inspired you might be to play beautiful music when exploring a wildly beautiful setting. Jay always does! Over the years he has taken a variety of Lichty Ukes on the road and he has been seriously putting them to the traveling test.
But don’t just take our word for it …
You can also ask our friends Kimo Hussey, Richie Williams and Zanuck Lindsey about their choice for a travel ukulele. Hawaiian ukulele master Kimo Hussey travels the world performing, teaching and sharing his love for ukulele with Lichty Ukuleles in hand. One of the founding members of The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain, Richie Williams, globe-treks with UOGB performing with his custom steel string baritone Lichty ukulele. And frequently crossing timezones and continents with a Lichty Ukulele in hand is the great Zanuck Lindsey. You never know where in the world might you see a Lichty?
What makes a Lichty ukulele the perfect travel companion? Here are a few things to consideration:
- The are small and easy to handle, whether you are talking about a concert uke or a baritone.
- They can go onto the plane with you and they fit neatly in the upper compartment. Tip: We do recommend always trying to be in the first round of boarding for your zone.
- As long as you pay attention to taking care of your uke by avoiding rapid changes in temperatures or extremes it will be just fine. Tip: Jay lets his uke acclimate a bit in the case in a new environment before opening.
- You might need to plan ahead just a bit to avoid your uke getting trapped in a less than ideal conditions, but if you are like Jay you are thinking about your uke all the time anyhow.
- If you will be doing serious touring with your Lichty ukulele Jay will talk with you about heftier case options like the Ameritage.
- It is easy enough to pop a humidifier in the case to handle travel to drier climates.
- Some of Jay’s coolest tunes were cooked up on the road as he was immersed in the sights, sounds and feelings of a new place. If he had left his uke at home those tunes might have vanished in the air. Here are some examples …
Jay Lichty Tunes composed on the road with a “Lichty Travel Ukulele.”