Vintage Viator

Travel-sized acoustic added to the Paul Brett signature series

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Following the success of his six- and 12-string models, British guitarist Paul Brett has a new baby to add to his growing guitar family. Brett began collaborating with the Vintage brand a year or three back, inspired by smaller-body, 12-fret instruments.

This new model continues that theme, but shrinks it to travel-guitar dimensions. The timing is good, not least because travel guitars have gained serious credibility of late: ask Ed Sheeran, with his pint-sized Martin. How small is it? Well, stood next to a standard dreadnought, the tip of the peghead just about reaches the dread’s first fret.

It’s definitely no toy, though. The tinted solid Sitka spruce top is properly X-braced, the main struts carefully shaped away so the top isn’t left too stiff given its small size. Laminated sapele back and sides are joined with proper kerfed lining, and while it’s not the most fastidiously tidy internal job, let’s just remember this is a £229 travel guitar.

Back on the outside, you get niceties such as maple binding around the top and back, and also the decorative ‘rope’ or ‘half herringbone’ border and marquetry that give this guitar some character. The darkstained nato neck will divide opinion, with its pronounced V profile. On the upside, it gives girth to what might otherwise have ended up as a broom handle, but if you like modernfeeling, rounded C profiles, this will take some getting used to.

String spacing at the nut (36.1mm) and bridge (54.5mm) are both a tiny smidge wider than a Guild D-55 dread’ we have to hand for comparison, which comes as a surprise when

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you measure it because the short scale and small body make everything feel compacted.

The saddle edge is sharp under your picking hand – sorted in five minutes with some wet and dry paper – but much better is a factory-fitted second strap button in the ‘correct’ position in the heel.

Sounds

Straight out of the box – absolutely bang in tune – our Viator was tuned G to G, like a ‘normal’ acoustic capo’d at the third fret. You’re drawn instantly to picking open chords and notes within them; Crowded House, the Eagles, all kinds of country, and the countless other artists whose sound involves a capo’d or high-strung guitar.

There’s no deep, resonating bass, while trebles are soft; this guitar was never going to boom or sparkle like a long-scale instrument. It’s defined by its prominent midrange that projects well, and provides good accompaniment for other guitars and strings because it sits in its own place. It has a soupçon of Django/Hot Club jazz, too, when you go at it with a plectrum.

Down at standard E to E tuning, there’s a little too much of the elastic-band in the tone for our tastes, though the bottom end does open out more. We like it best tuned to F#, with standard intervals.

Verdict

There are plenty of ‘travel’ guitars out there, but the Viator is a unique take on the genre, adding old-world charm and aesthetic to what might otherwise just be downsizing for the sake of it. Paul Brett and Vintage have their priorities right; fun is the main word, but if you’re of a certain situation and need a few more reasons, how about: “I’m buying it for the kids to learn on”? Got to be worth a shot, surely? [MT]

Guitarist rating:

Guitarist says: Anendearing travelguitarofferingacompletely differentvibefromthebig American-nameoptions