Official Voyage-Air Guitar Blog

Voyage-Air in Ethiopia

2011-03-10T17:51:00.001-08:00

Where do folks take their Voyage-Air guitar? We just received this from Jonathan Bell:

"Last week, I played my VAD-04 at Wenshi Crater Lake at the edge of civilization in central Ethiopia. I don't think the village children had ever seen a guitar before, much less a guitar that folds!

"Wenshi Crater Lake is located at about 10,000 feet above sea level. The crater lip is approximately 11,400 feet. You can drive to the top of the rim along a 45 km dirt road that climbs up the outside of the crater. Then you have to hike down to the lake.

"I started playing along the lakefront, where there is an ancient village and a group of children very politely gathered to listen. I then went over to them, and started playing Wagonwheel by Old Crow Medicine Show. The children got so into the music that, well, I taught them the song. My daughter's cell-phone battery died before the song was over, but we got most of it on video."

Here's the video:

Nashville Hootenanny: Voyage-Air featured in a free Internet show!

2011-02-18T14:36:00.000-08:00

This just in from Voyage-Air Guitar Artist Relations Director, Virginia Cannon:

“Hey! Everyone’s invited to tune in to the Nashville Hootenanny this Saturday night, February 19th. It streams live over the Internet, at the link below beginning at 5pm Pacific time, 6pm Mountain, 7pm Central, and 8pm Eastern time. No cable or dish TV required!

This Nashville Hootenanny is now seen in 72 countries and was watched by over 50,000 viewers last month. This show’s a hit, and the numbers continue to grow!

Click here to see the lineup for the show:

http://nashvillehootenanny.com/teenhoot/

The Nashville Hootenanny had this to say about James Hunter, who will play his Voyage-Air Guitar on the show:

“16 year old James Michael Hunter began playing the guitar when he was 5 years old, and he’s been singing and writing music ever since. When he was 9 years old he started a band called One Eyed Rhyno. James and his band have been playing original songs and covers of classic rock and blues for 7 years all over California.

"James and his band recorded his song ‘THE BIRD’ in 2010 and put in on itunes. One Eyed Rhyno is donating their proceeds from itune sales to the Student Conservation Association to help fund the gulf clean up.

"James is making his third trip to Nashville from Sacramento, California to write songs and play his third Hootenanny in February. He was asked to play at the 2010 NAMM convention in L.A. for Voyage Air Guitars and was interviewed for HUB World television as well. He’s inspired by all the great blues musicians especially Johnny Guitar Watson, John Lee Hooker and Jimmy Page.”

This is a great chance to see the Voyage-Air Guitar played by an up and coming artist – and for free!

Also note that Steve Winwood’s daughter, Lilly will also be performing. This Nashville Hootenanny will be hosted by Youtube sensation Cjaye Lerose.

Here’s the link to watch the show on Saturday:

http://nashvillehootenanny.com/

Seriously: click the link to see the show… you won’t be disappointed. Talent like James Hunter is rare and unique. Voyage-Air Guitar is proud to help him along the way.

Sincerely,

Virginia Cannon.

The WRECKING CREW: Special Screening at NAMM

2011-01-05T11:46:00.000-08:00

The award-winning documentary film “The Wrecking Crew” will be shown in a special one-time screening at the upcoming Winter NAMM Show, at 10am, January 16, 2011.

Director/Writer Denny Tedesco's (Son of Guitarist, Tommy Tedesco) chronicle of pop music's Heyday delves back to the late 50s, the 60s and the 70s, an era of all night recording sessions in cramped, smoke-filled rooms: when real musicianship was not only appreciated, it was demanded.

Stocked with rare, historical footage and interviews with the group’s members along with testimonials from music giants Dick Clark, Herb Alpert, Glen Campbell, Cher, Brian Wilson, Jimmy Webb, Don Randi, Gary Lewis among many, THE WRECKING CREW is an essential document of contemporary pop history and a must-see for anyone who's ever picked up an instrument, lived-off pop radio and collected music.

“Voyage-Air guitars appeal to session players in particular,” said Mr. Michael Ferrucci, VP of Sales and Marketing for Voyage-Air Guitar, Inc. “With Voyage-Air instruments, a session player can carry along an OM, a Dreadnought and a full-size electric guitar… in about the same space as a single old-fashioned guitar. This conveniently gives them a wide range of sounds and tone for a studio session – all with professional-grade, studio-ready instruments.”

The Wrecking Crew will screen at 10am, Sunday, January 16 in room 204C at the NAMM Show. There will be door prizes, and info about how to arrange private screenings at music stores and other music events.

For more information contact Denny@wreckingcrewfilm.com

Website: http://www.wreckingcrewfilm.com

Voyage-Air: New Distributor in Japan

2011-01-03T17:49:00.000-08:00

Voyage-Air Guitar, Inc., has named 3G International Co., Ltd (Tokyo, Japan) as their Exclusive Distributor for Voyage-Air’s full range of revolutionary folding travel guitars in Japan.

3G International began selling the Voyage-Air acoustic guitar series in Japan during the fourth quarter of 2010.

Mr. Masaaki Shimasue, President of 3G International said: "We are very excited and proud to introduce this innovative guitar in the Japanese market. We strongly believe that Voyage-Air guitars will be a big sensation in Japan, and we are already having great response from the market. We will be introducing the new Voyage-Air TransAxe™ Series of folding electric guitars this coming Spring, 2011."

“The compact size of all Voyage-Air guitars makes them a natural for musicians in Japan,” said Michael Ferrucci, VP of Sales and Marketing for Voyage-Air Guitar. “Mr. Shimasue has an extensive knowledge of vintage and custom-luthier guitars. His marketing and distribution demonstrates the strength and durability of the unique and patented Voyage-Air folding hinge, as well as the high-quality of our affordable travel guitars.”

Voyage-Air goes to War

2010-12-30T17:16:00.001-08:00

United States soldier, Charles Nordby, is proudly serving our country in Afghanistan. Before Charlie left for war, his fiancé Ashley and some friends organized a “fund raiser” – they all chipped in to send him off with a Voyage- Air Guitar.

His instrument of choice? The Voyage-Air VAOM-02, thanks to its rugged, compact shape and great tone. He was truly touched and moved by the gift. He called the guitar “the best gift I’ve ever received, other than my fiancé Ashley.”

Charlie is an amazing musician: gifted with a great singing voice, as well as great guitar chops. He reports that he hasn’t had a day off in four months, has had to endure below-zero weather, in addition to the stress of having to be on constant alert. And in these extreme conditions, the Voyage-Air guitar is by his side, and is holding up great!

Every day, Charlie looks to his Voyage-Air Guitar to allow him a few minutes of musical pleasure… and the feeling of being “normal.” In addition to informal performances in off moments, Charlie is also giving guitar lessons to fellow soldiers. Charlie’s really special: using his Voyage-Air guitar to spread the gift of music under wartime conditions. We thank Charlie. You should too.

Voyage-Air on Charlie Crowe TV

2010-12-21T13:17:00.000-08:00

A winner in the Guitar Player Live guitar competition this year, Charlie Crowe became intrigued with the Voyage-Air Guitar. He asked if he could feature it on one of the episodes in his popular Nashville-based TV show. You can see the episode below.

For 12 years, Charlie toured the nation as a guitar player for the country-rock super duo Brooks & Dunn. He has appeared on awards shows, music videos, Letterman, Leno, the Olympics and two presidential inaugurations. All of this may explain why Charlie’s so comfortable in front of the camera.

In addition to being a hit songwriter, Charlie is also the newest blogger for Guitar Player Magazine: he’ll talk about everything from guitars to gear of all kinds. Keep an eye out for him in the magazine and on-line… you never know what he’ll talk about next!

Click here to read his blog about participating in the Guitar Player Live Guitar Competition.

Don Jones: The Voyage-Air Blues

2010-12-13T14:40:00.000-08:00

You never know what kind of connections you can make with a Voyage-Air guitar. Recently, we were on a camping trip in the Crestline, CA area, and met a group of locals who were throwing a big Camping Party. Among them was Don Jones, who plays with the band Radiator BBQ.

Having played guitar all his life, Don was blown away by the Voyage-Air folding guitar. "There's no way THIS can work," and Don continued: "But it DOES work, and this is what I've always been after, wow... it's full-size and will fit in the trunk of my car, with all my other stuff!"

Don was so inspired that he made up "The Voyage-Air Blues" that's in the video below. You can also see the Voyage-Air Mascot wannabe: 'Roscoe' in the background, perking his ears as he digs the tunes.

Thanks Don. The proof is in the guitar: one strum on a Voyage-Air guitar, and Don 'got it.' One strum, and you will too!

Ravi, the Raviator: San Diego and India!

2010-12-09T15:49:00.000-08:00

One of our most active and enthusiastic endorsers, Ravi shows off his Voyage-Air Guitar at Airport Fest in Long Beach, CA after his performance. Click to check out this video!

Also included in this video is Ravi’s demonstration at the Indian Music Conference in Goa, India, where he gave a presentation on Entrepreneurship for Artists. While in India he took his Voyage-Air Guitar to a dinner meeting with the largest instrument distributor in India. They’re interested in bringing the Voyage-Air Guitars to India! Hey, thanks Ravi!

While in India, Ravi participated with a charitable organization called Passions Unite, which benefits underprivileged children. Check out the link below to read more about this incredible artist, and to see Ravi performing for the children at Shanti Bhavan: a school for the poor. Scroll to the bottom of the front page to see his performance. www.passionsunite.org

Voyage-Air Guitar is proud to be associated with a musician that cares so deeply for others and his guitar!

2010-11-24T18:18:00.000-08:00

Voyage-Air Guitar Artist Relations Director, Virginia Cannon reports from the road:

Wednesday, November 24, 2010 - "Another busy day meeting with Voyage-Air artists, and I finally checked in at the Oakland, CA, airport. While I was in line, a family in front of me spotted the Voyage-Air guitar over my shoulder, and wanted to know all about it. Mara, Eric and the rest couldn't believe it was a full-size guitar in such a small and easy to carry case.

"A few minutes later we were all boarding the plane and finding our seats - Eric rushed to help. As usual, my Voyage-Air guitar easily fit in the overhead bin.

"Is this news? Not really, but just an example of how folks are finding out about Voyage-Air guitars, and how easy it is to travel with them as a carry-on item. I take my Voyage-Air guitar with me everywhere. Once you play one, you will too!"

Newest Voyage-Air Endorser KEVIN WELCH Songwriting Workshops

2010-11-19T09:56:00.000-08:00

Kevin Welch and Ray Wylie Hubbard are co-hosting 3 songwriting workshops at a lovely site nestled in the Texas Hill Country, February 24-26, March 24-26, and April 21-23.

These are focused workshops with small groups; each workshop is limited to only 6 participants. You'll arrive on Thursday evening and have a meet and greet and dinner followed by a Welch/Hubbard song swap.

Friday and Saturday is devoted to vital lyric devices, melody, delivery, lyric structure and rhythm - both in small group discussions, and in one-on-one time with both Kevin and Ray. Sunday you'll depart by noon.

Breakfast, dinner and lodging is included. Friday and Saturday have a 90-minute lunch break, so you can enjoy one of the Texas Hill Country's local restaurants.

The November and January workshops are sold out so you’ll want to reserve your spot now for upcoming slots. The price for these focused, small-group workshops is $2000 per person. For more info on these joint workshops or to book your spot, see www.kevinwelch.com.

As our newest endorser, Kevin Welch plays only the Voyage-Air Guitar. He’s put his old fashioned guitars out to pasture!

Voyage-Air Guitarists - Big Winners at the CMA Awards

2010-11-12T09:55:00.000-08:00

Brad Paisley is an endorser and a big fan of Voyage-Air guitars. This year, he not only hosted this year’s Country Music Awards (CMA), he ended up taking “Entertainer of the Year.” Whoa!

The Zac Brown Band was nominated for two awards, and Zac was nominated in the songwriting category. Zac’s another smash-hit pro that takes his Voyage-Air guitar everywhere. Although it seems that they’ve been on the music scene forever, the Zac Brown Band took the award as “Best New Artist.”

Another Voyage-Air Guitar player, Alan Jackson, was nominated for “Musical Event of the Year.”

Although not YET a Voyage-Air Player, Mac McAnally took “Musician of the Year.” He plays often with Jimmy Buffet. Jimmy Buffet’s ‘Coral Reefer Band’ – well, two guitar players in the band carry a Voyage-Air. Guess we’ll be heading to another Buffet concert soon!

The CMA Watching Party, hosted by Ole’ was held in downtown Nashville on 2^nd Avenue. Voyage-Air Guitar endorser Chris Wallin and his wife were there to enjoy the festivities. Other celebrities wandered in and out, like Editor in Chief of Nashville Lifestyles Magazine, Stacy Standifer. Big fans of Voyage-Air Guitar, Ole’s top executives, Gilles Goddard and Michael McCarty, talked it up to many of the guests.

Mulch Brothers: "Everybody Loves Summertime" Contest Winner

2010-11-05T12:47:00.000-07:00

Labor Day may mark the unofficial end of Summer for most of us, but Michael Booth of Pensacola, Florida has plenty of reason to keep celebrating: he just won the national contest with an original music video for the Mulch Brothers popular tune "Everybody Loves Summertime."

"What struck me about Booth's entry was that he so captured the spirit of "Everybody Loves Summertime," said Mark Mulch.

"Everything about this video was just plain fun," adds Nick Mulch. "He really got the message of the song... good times with friends and family... all summer long."

Placing second in the contest was Andres Izturriaga of Franklin, Tenn. and third was Theresa Musser of Nashville.

Officials at the Mulch Brother's label, Savannah Records, and its publishing company, Savannah Music Group, were pleased with the turnout. The song was downloaded from as far away as Australia and Great Britain. In the United States, entries came from 33 states, from Maryland to California, Michigan to Texas.

"We are happy that the Mulch Brothers have such a loyal fan base," says Laurie Spoon, vice president and general manager of Savannah Records. "Their tour, Everybody Loves Summertime Tour 2010, was highly successful, and radio stations asking them back to participate in station events, yet another indication that they are growing their fan base each day."

Click here for more about the Mulch Brothers, official endorsers of Voyage-Air Guitar.

Click below to see the WINNING VIDEO:

Voyage-Air Artists at the Top Songwriter Seminar of 2010

2010-10-28T15:48:00.000-07:00

Savannah Records’ Dave Gibson and Daisy Dern are teaming up to produce Smokin Hit Songwriters - a special two-day seminar geared to aspiring songwriters. Dave Gibson should know his craft: with six number one hits under his belt, and songs recorded by country music greats such as Alabama, Confederate Railroad and Tanya Tucker.

Former Mercury recording artist, and songstress, Daisy Dern will be among the Voyage-Air Guitar players teaching songwriting tips and sharing stories, insights, wisdom, experiences and practical advice about songwriting. In addition, hit songwriter (and an early Voyage-Air endorser) Chris Wallin will be on hand to share his view about how to make a song a hit. With a catalogue of hundreds of chart topping hits, he’ll tell how it feels to write a song like “Don’t Blink” recorded by Kenny Chesney.

A panel will judge a special open mic night session for the first 30 participants to sign up for the seminar, and the winner will receive a one hour writing session with Dave.

Sign up soon: this songwriting retreat will be held November 5-7 in the beautiful mountains of Tennessee in Monteagle. It’s sure to be a Voyage-Air Guitar weekend, as well as a great excuse to take your guitar to the mountains!

Click here for more information.

Jimmy Buffet and the Coral Reefer Band go Voyage-Air!

2010-10-21T17:25:00.000-07:00

Voyage-Air Guitar created quite a stir at a recent Jimmy Buffet show at Shoreline Amphitheater near San Francisco. Already a well traveled Voyage-Air Guitar player, Jim Mayer (the Buffet bassist), turned his band-mates on to a demonstration of the new TelAir electric guitar.

Jim Mayer’s brother, Peter, (lead guitar player for the Coral Reefer band) has now been added to our roster of endorsers. The legendary Sonny Landreth was even impressed with the Voyage-Air, sticking around to test it out and take pictures with Voyage-Air V.P. Michael Ferrucci and Artist Relations Director, Virginia Cannon.

Since Sonny Landreth has played with guitar icons like Eric Clapton, Mark Knofpler and Eric Johnson, a guitar has to be exceptional to catch his attention... and the Voyage-Air guitar did just that!

Jim Mayer took his Voyage-Air Guitar on a recent trip to Paris with Jimmy Buffet and the Coral Reefer Band, which sparked the interest of the entire band. The result? Jimmy Buffet is now a proud owner of a Voyage-Air Guitar!

Ravi takes to the Air, and to the Classroom with Voyage-Air

2010-10-15T09:55:00.000-07:00

Ravi gained worldwide fame as the guitarist for the '90's band Hanson. Hanson's triple Grammy nominated chart-topping song "MmmBop" catapulted the band into the music stratosphere, taking Ravi to stages at the White House, Jay Leno, David Letterman, Saturday Night Live, Rosie O'Donnell, and Madison Square Garden.

Now an accomplished solo artist, Ravi has played to a packed house at venues such as the Louisiana Superdome. Also an enthusiastic private pilot, Ravi's music has become a fixture at the Oshkosh Air Show and aviation events all around the country.

The Voyage-Air guitar has been a breakthrough for Ravi and his music - space is tight in his plane, and he can finally take a full-size acoustic VAOM-2C guitar with him wherever he flies.

In the video clip below, Ravi makes a presentation at the Berklee College of Music, and talks about how the Voyage-Air guitar has changed the way he makes music when traveling:

Brian Ray Album Release Party: Voyage-Air Guitar Winner!

2010-10-12T09:25:00.000-07:00

Brian Ray’s party at the Roxy in Hollywood was undoubtedly one of the most energized shows we've seen. The house was packed to the gills, and Brian played songs from his newly released cd “This Way Up.” He was supported in the audience by his fellow Paul McCartney band mate, Rusty Anderson. Many other superstars filled the audience to see what Brian’s been doing in his time off the road from the McCartney tour.

In keeping with Brian’s charitable nature, he raffled off a number of musical instruments and equipment for the MusiCares charity, including the Voyage-Air Guitar. First up on stage, Voyage-Air CEO Jeff Cohen demonstrated the instrument while Brian pulled the winning name from the hat.

The lucky winner was Gerald Greene, who plays the drums, he sings, plays trombone, harmonica and now the Voyage-Air Guitar! He traveled extensively with his brother, Dennis Greene, a founding member of the group “Sha Na Na”. Gerald released his first solo cd in 1998 entitled “Yesterday Love” and is presently working on a new project called “It’s Time!” In addition to performing, Gerald also writes songs and has had success in acting, with parts in “Law & Order” and “Sex and the City.” He has also worked in the theater in a piece entitled “The Forgotten” written by his brother, Dennis.

It seems that there is no stopping this multi-talented man, there’s no telling where he might show up next with the Voyage-Air Guitar!

See the clip below that revealed his shining moment at Brian Ray’s Album Release Party:

Brian Ray and Voyage-Air Partner to Benefit MusiCares

2010-10-06T11:05:00.000-07:00

Brian Ray’s Album Release Party will be held this Friday, October 8th in West Hollywood at The Roxy. After his performance to promote his new record “This Way Up”, Brian and Voyage-Air Guitar CEO Jeff Cohen will present a Voyage-Air Guitar that will be raffled off to a lucky audience member. All proceeds will benefit MusiCares.

MusiCares provides a 'safety net' of critical assistance for music people in times of need. MusiCares’ services and resources cover a wide range of financial, medical and personal emergencies. Affiliated with the GRAMMY Awards, Barbra Streisand was named 2011 MusiCares Person of the Year.

Click here for more information about Brian’s prestigious career.

Click here for tickets and more information about Brian Ray’s Album Release Party.

Tickets are $12 each (Deal!), and are available at Ticketmaster or the Roxy Box office: (310) 278-9457

MATISYAHU and VOYAGE-AIR GUITAR, together in concert!

2010-10-01T08:52:00.000-07:00

Internationally acclaimed Chassidic Reggae sensation Matisyahu, delivered a 90 minute performance that included a question and answer session. Josh Cohen opened the show, playing his Voyage-Air acoustic guitar. This was a rare appearance for Matisyahu at the Bankhead Theatre in Livermore, California, and he was gentle and thoughtful in his delivery. His songs were executed with precision timing, backed with only the Voyage-Air Guitar and a microphone. Matisyahu’s guitar player, D.P. Holmes (Dub Trio) used the guitar exclusively throughout the entire show.

The Q & A session was amazing with bursts of laughter at his playful banter. To ask a question, Matisyahu demanded that the questioner first tell their name, age and what type of animal they are most like. This created a very light hearted atmosphere in light of the serious questions being asked regarding his background, Jewish faith and musical influences.

At the end, he graciously signed a Voyage-Air Guitar that was raffled off for charity to benefit the Chabad of the Tri Valley. 13 year old Ben Frieman of Danville, California was the happy winner. Since he learned to play on his Dad’s guitar, this Voyage-Air is the first guitar that Ben has owned.

GUITAR PLAYER LIVE! Final Competition Chooses Acoustic-Guitar Maestro.

2010-09-23T12:13:00.000-07:00

Don Alder is the 2010 winner of the competition, beating out nine other guitar finalists. Selected from thousands of entries, Don was the only contestant to play an acoustic guitar in the finals, and also the only contestant to receive a standing ovation.

Don's style of guitar playing ("percussive acoustic") made him an unusual entry in this otherwise electric, solo-noodle-driven contest. His unique style incorporates fingerpicking with simultaneous percussion on the soundboard to create a wall of sound. In the recent past, Don was the winner of the 2007 International Fingerstyle Champion competition in Winfield, Kansas. Don also has a long list of other awards under his belt. Here's his website: www.donalder.com

After the competition, Don met with us to check out the Voyage-Air Guitar, and he was clearly impressed with the guitar’s playability and tone. It's a short clip, but you can see his playing style and hear some brief comments in this video:

Mike Bub: Guitar Winner at Americana

2010-09-20T15:21:00.000-07:00

It took pure talent to land Mike Bub where he is today: bass player for the last 13 years with Del McCroury, and now part of the super group 18 South. Several Grammy awards, Bass Player of the Year 5 times over, 9 Entertainer of the Year awards, and countless other awards couldn’t have prepared him for the surprise win of a Voyage-Air Guitar!

As his name was announced at the Cannery Ballroom, he was shocked when his friends said, "They are calling your name, Mike!" He didn’t even hear it... and certainly wasn’t expecting to win out of the countless entries to chose from. Coming up on stage to accept his win, Mike unfolded the guitar, gave it a few strums and announced to the cheering crowd “it’s even in tune!”

Click this link to check out Mike in action from Merle Fest, performing with the legendary Peter Rowan.

Guitar Player LIVE! this weekend in Livermore, CA

2010-09-15T15:28:00.000-07:00

Guitar Player LIVE! is rolling into downtown Livermore this Friday night, September 17th with legendary guitarists Ronnie Montrose & Gary Hoey at the Bankhead Theater.

Opening the show is Steve Senes, who won "Player of the Year" award for 2009, and is a big enthusiast of Voyage-Air Guitar. And there's an after-party at the Sapphire Lounge. Or stay up late, and catch the crazy rockumentary "This is Spinal Tap," screening at the Vine Cinema.

Saturday will be filled with virtuoso guitarists on multiple stages. Blacksmith Square hosts James Nash from the Waybacks, Katy & Dell with acoustic from Bach to Rock, James Robinson with a mix of Latin/Funk/Middle Eastern/Jazz, where you can relax at the acoustic stage and enjoy a glass of local wine from Ocassio Winery, John Christopher Cellars or Thomas Coyne Winery. Rockin' the outdoor stage at the Bankhead are Doug Johns - super funky bass player, Danny Jones and Eric Barnett - past Guitar Superstar finalists, Steve Senes - 2009 Guitar Superstar Winner, Luvplanet and more.

This will be a super-fun, all music music music weekend in Livermore. Kick off your shoes, and kick back at the outdoor amphitheater. All the music at the outdoor stages are free FREE.

Click here for more info.

AMERICANA - Wrap Up!

2010-09-12T21:03:00.000-07:00

More reporting from Voyage-Air Guitar Artist Relations Director, Virginia Cannon:

Saturday, September 11, 2010 - "Another busy day at the Americana Music Conference yesterday, among the talented artists visiting our booth were Dave Gibson, John Oates, Jim Lauderdale, Mark Dreyer, Tori Sparks, John Brannen and Webb Wilder. Here's a pic of Dave Gibson and John Oates at the Voyage-Air booth. Yeah!

"Wrapping things up, we tore down the booth and went to grab a quick bite to eat before heading down to The Cannery for another night of music.

"The secret surprise guest was Nashville megastar, Dierks Bentley. Sharing the stage with Jon Randall and Sam Bush amongst others, we watched from side stage. In a chance meeting, I got to tell Robert Plant how much I’d enjoyed his show the night before. He was gracious but seemed weary of hearing that, as I’m sure he had the whole night.

"The night concluded during a chat with Mike Ferris, who happily agreed to call the winner of our guitar raffle tonight after his performance at The Cannery. Tune in soon for news about the winner!"

AMERICANA - Day 2!

2010-09-10T11:18:00.000-07:00

Continuing the report from the Americana Music Festival is Voyage-Air Guitar Artist Relations Director, Virginia Cannon:

"Friday, September 10, 2010 - Working in the Artist Relations position definitely has its ups and downs but yesterday was most certainly an UP! In our booth at the Americana Music Festival were The Mulch Brothers, playing guitar, meeting and greeting the registrants from the AMA. Think about infusing charisma to an otherwise mundane setting of working the booth... these guys created an air of stardom! They were engaging and kind to everyone who came to the booth. The true sign of gracious entertainers.

"I went from there to the world famous Ryman Auditorium for the Americana Music Awards where we sat in the 8th row on the floor to witness amazing talent like Roseanne Cash, Wanda Jackson, Sam Bush, Avett Brothers, Carolina Chocolate Drops and Emmylou Harris. Presenters included Jack White, John Oates and Robert Plant.

"We went from there to the Station Inn, to see John Oates perform. I thought that I liked John before, but now I am completely head over heels. John is an amazing musician and vocalist. He commanded the stage in a way that was both demanding and kind to his fellow musicians. He was surrounded by the best of the best, Jon Randall, Guthrie Trapp, Sam Bush and singing background by his side was the amazing Jessi Alexander. The vibe was nothing I ever expected, and completely sealed my faith in his ability to carry on well after Hall & Oates. His vocals were clear and strong and his sense of himself, the other musicians and the way he carried it off, speaks to his true talen. He pleased the crowd with a few Hall & Oates tunes such as “You Make My Dreams Come True” and “She’s Gone.”

"Today will be another big day at the AMA Conference, with John Oates doing a "Meet and Greet" in the Voyage-Air Guitar Booth at 2pm. His appearance will certainly be a highlight of the conference. He’ll be signing autographs and posing for pictures, as is typical of this humble superstar.

"Listen to what John has to say about Voyage-Air Guitar in the video link below:

Click here for the video interview with John Oates.

"Appearing at 3pm today is the unstoppable Dave Gibson. Best known for his days with the Gibson/Miller Band, Dave has penned hits for Steve Wariner, Joe Diffie, Confederate Railroad, Tanya Tucker, Alabama, Pam Tillis, and Montgomery Gentry. Dave Gibson earned six number ones, and Alabama's "Juke Box in My Mind" stayed at number one for an impressive four weeks. An Academy of Country Music award winner, Dave is sure to draw a crowd. Hear Dave Gibson’s new single recently released as a music video.

Click here for the Dave Gibson video: "King Me."

"Well, that's it for now, I'm off to the AMA Conference! Check back in tomorrow for all the latest developments!"

Voyage-Air goes Americana!

2010-09-09T08:07:00.000-07:00

This just in from Voyage-Air Guitar Artist Relations Director, Virginia Cannon:

"Thursday, September 9, 2010 – What an amazing week! Yesterday started early and with a bang! I picked up the legendary John Oates, of Hall and Oates at his hotel to take him to be interviewed for a program called Music Business Radio (MBR), at WRLT, Lightning 100, in Nashville. WRLT is one the oldest independently owned stations in the country. With its inception in 2005, MBR has hosted notable music industry giants such as Kris Kristofferson, Alanis Morrisette, Rodney Crowell, Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters) Brent Mayer (Elvis Presley's producer), and most recently Rusty Anderson, who also plays a Voyage-Air Guitar on stage with Paul McCartney. Check out Music Business Radio at www.musicbusinessradio.com and also on youtube.

"John Oates will be performing in Nashville tonight as part of the Americana Music Festival, at The Station Inn. The show is at midnight, a coveted spot in the AMA line up, and he will be hosting an all star cast of AAA players including Jon Randall, Guthrie Trapp and Jessi Alexander; certainly a show not to be missed but sadly only for AMA registrants, and not open to the public.

"I ended up my day with Jim Mayer, the bass player for Jimmy Buffett’s Coral Reefer Band, who also has a side project of writing, singing and producing cd’s for kids. Check out: www.unclejimrocks.com. He is our most recent Voyage-Air Guitar endorser, and he LOVES our guitar. Stay tuned for more information on Jim, coming up.

"Looking forward to a busy day at the Americana Music Conference where The Mulch Brothers will make a special appearance in our booth today to meet and greet the fans and sign some cds. www.mulchbrothers.com

"Check back in tomorrow for the latest news from the Americana Music Festival. See ya then!"

John Oates, Dave Gibson, Mulch Bros IN PERSON Sept 9-10

2010-09-08T08:51:00.000-07:00

Whoa! Quick: mark you calender if you're near Nashville! The 11th Annual Americana Music Festival is coming to town: a four-day event with music music and more music featuring some of the brightest stars in the biz.

Making special appearances at the Voyage-Air booth will be The Mulch Brothers on Thursday, Sept 9, from 3-4pm. Meet these guys in person, and get a taste of their new style of music.

John Oates, of Hall & Oates, appears at the Voyage-Air booth on Friday, Sept 10, from 2-3pm.

And finally Dave Gibson (who has a new hit: "King Me") will be at the booth on Friday, Sept 10 from 3-4pm.

If you're in Nashville and you love music, this is a must-attend event. See you there!

Like Father, Like Son: Greg Kihn / Ry Kihn

2010-09-03T12:30:00.000-07:00

Veteran Rocker Greg Kihn recently passed along this note: "My son Ry grew up listening to the Greg Kihn Band and when he stepped into the lead guitarist role it was no sweat. He had some pretty big shoes to fill (Joe Satriani, Jimmy Lyon, Gregg Douglass, Dave Carpenter) but he never blinked. The boy can flat out play! I can't tell you how proud I was of him out there, on stage at the recent Kihncert."

The second generation of Kihns are making their mark in the Bay Area music scene. Ry Kihn, whose father is Greg Kihn of the Greg Kihn Band, is an accomplished professional guitar player. Playing guitar since he was 12 years old, he's now lead guitar for the Greg Kihn Band, and also the front man for Big Fun USA, a local San Francisco Bay area band.

A classically-trained Jazz guitarist, Ry has over 20 years of performing and teaching experience on the guitar. While still in high school, Ry studied privately with Joe Satriani, and went on to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston, eventually graduating from California Institute of the Arts with a BFA in Jazz Guitar Studies. He has grown to adopt a wide range of styles including rock, blues, jazz, classical, country, and metal.

Ry has performed with major artists including Eddie Money, Joe Satriani, Billy Idol, Greg Kihn, Mike Reno, Jimi Jameson, and Bobby Kimball. He is also a regular guest on his dad’s KFOX morning radio show, where he often jams with other musical guests.

When not playing and touring, Ry is a staff guitar instructor at Showcase Music Institute in San Jose, CA. Click to check out the photos on Facebook of Ry and Greg Kihn playing together with the Greg Kihn Band at the 2010 Kihncert at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, CA.

Kihncert 2010 - Voyage-Air TelAir ON STAGE

2010-08-30T14:42:00.000-07:00

The Greg Kihn Band rocked out last night at the Kihncert 2010, held at the Shoreline Amphiteater in Mountain View, CA.

Voyage-Air staff was there. Why? Greg Kihn played the new Voyage-Air TelAir folding electric guitar ON STAGE for the concert.

The band kicked off their set with their cover of the Dave Clark 5's "Glad All Over" - and man, this set the tone for the evening. The Voyage-Air TelAir Guitar was front and center as Greg put it through its paces... for almost every single song! Greg and his band powered through their most famous hits like Jeopardy and The Break-Up Song: "They don't write em like that anymore." The crowd went crazy as the hits kept coming. The Greg Kihn Band kicked off a star-studded rock-and-roll evening that included Blue Oyster Cult and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

After the show, we asked Greg about the playability and the great sound and tone produced by the Voyage-Air TelAir folding electric guitar, and he said: "This is truly a great electric guitar. You would never think that something that sounds so great could fold-in-half, much like the Voyage-Air acoustic guitars. I was able to crank up the volume and get the sound I was looking for! This is one cool sweet sounding electric guitar!"

Note: The Voyage-Air TelAir and Belair electric guitars are not yet shipping to dealers... yeah, Greg Kihn has connections. If you have pre-ordered a Belair, keep in touch with your dealer: they'll probably be available in a month or so.

Voyage-Air, Motorcycling to the Beach

2010-08-24T08:23:00.000-07:00

"I teach evening guitar classes at the Solano Community College, in California...both at the Fairfield and Vallejo campuses (yes, after my day job). I always bring my Voyage-Air guitar. I love to ask the question of how "this" guitar fits in "this" backpack. In other words, Voyage Air gets a lot of exposure. I have around 20-25 students each semester. This guitar gets a lot of attention everywhere I bring it!

"I also bring it with me when I ride on the back
of my husband's motorcycle. Now we don't need to choose between the bike and the guitar. We both get the best of both our worlds. And last summer we took my parents to Carmel for the weekend. We told them part of the deal was hanging out on the beach with some good food, wine, and guitar. They loved it (ok...so my dad is my biggest fan). We had a great time. As a matter of fact, tomorrow we're going to the Napa Valley with some friends and they said to bring a guitar...guess which one I'll bring....

"You are selling a great product. If you ever need a spokesperson you know how to get in touch with me....!"

Thanks again and take care,
Cheryl Warren

Ruth and Voyage-Air Conquer Belgium and France

2010-08-18T11:56:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we get letters from customers that... well, really deliver the Voyage-Air message. This is one of them:

"My name is Ruth Bloomquist. In April I bought a Voyage-Air Songwriter VAOM-06. I had been playing dreadnought size guitars, I have a Martin D-35 and a Guild D-25, for many years. I recently decided that I wanted something smaller. Plus we were going to Europe to play music and I wanted something easier to travel with this time. Though I never had any trouble from the airlines when traveling with my D-35. The idea to look into Voyage-Air was planted when I saw Deb Cowan perform with hers last October.

"In May my band, The Ruth & Max Bloomquist Band set off for gigs in Belgium and France. The VAOM-06 fit in overheads like a dream. On one plane where my partner John was asked to side check his guitar, mine fit under the seat. It was easy to carry on and off trains as well.

"However, the sound is what really knocks me out. Most of out gigs were sans P.A. but that didn't seem to be a problem with my Voyage Air! I really love this guitar.

"...Anybody want to buy a nice 1979 Martin D-35?"

Many Thanks,
Ruth Bloomquist
www.ruthbloomquist.com

Sarah Lenore at the Listening Room

2010-08-16T15:00:00.000-07:00

Sarah Lenore (America’s Got Talent) will be showcasing her new songs and her Voyage-Air Guitar this Wednesday night, August 18th at the Listening Room in Nashville. 7pm Sharp! 30 minute set.

THE LISTENING ROOM
209 10th Avenue South
Suite 200
Nashville, TN 37203
(615) 259-3600

Don’t miss it... and Don’t be late!

Voyage-Air Supports Military Families

2010-08-10T17:38:00.000-07:00

Don't miss: August 14th, 2010, LIVE ON THE LAWN 2010, a summer concert to benefit The Special Operations Warrior Foundation. The concert will be held at Beachaven Vineyard in Clarksville, TN, and will feature live music, food, wine, vendors and raffles. Admission is FREE!

And... Voyage-Air Guitar is donating a VAD-06 Songwriter guitar for a "Silent Auction" - with the proceeds going to the Special Operations Warrior Foundation. Recording artists James Corbin and Forced Entry will be performing at the event!

Joshua Romaker founded Champion Records, which sponsors the event. Joshua has a heart for music and a head for business. His soul is with the military, so he is combining all of his passions into a live concert benefit with proceeds going toward a group that helps families of soldiers killed in service.

Romaker started Champion Records as a way to showcase military recordings to the rest of the world. "With deployments, I kind of found that a lot of guys take the guitars out to relieve them of stress. There's some really, really talented musicians."

But, he said, the mainstream record labels "won't touch them," many times because of contractual obligations with military. "I kind of took the bull by the horns, got back home and started one up." Soldiers and citizens can go to the Champion Records Web site and upload music or download their own.

"It just kind of snowballed from there. I want to get the word out about the military musicians and how talented they are."

To donate to the Warrior Foundation, visit the championrecords.com website and click on the PayPal icon. This website also has more information about the performers for the LIVE ON THE LAWN concert.

Voyage-Air goes to France

2010-08-04T11:16:00.000-07:00

This just in from Dan Gribbin, a new Voyage-Air fan who recently took his guitar to France:

"I am happy to inform you that I just posted on my website a photo of my Voyage-Air guitar in the Place des Vosges in Paris.

"Our friends in France loved the fact that we were able to share our music with them, and the case for the guitar not only protected my iPad nicely but really came into its own in being able to be split in two by unzipping. That allowed for stowage in even the stingiest of overhead baggage areas.

"Thanks so much for making it possible for me to take my guitar to France. Dan Gribbin, on behalf of my wife, keyboardist and photographer, Martha Brandt."

Brian Ray, Guitarist for Paul McCartney: The Cream Interview

2010-07-29T17:52:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, the Nashville Cream did an interview with Brian Ray, who is currently on tour with The Paul McCartney Band. Great interview and comments from Brian... and we've included just the introduction here:

"With Paul McCartney rocking the Bridgestone tonight, Nashville Cream managed to wrangle a last-minute interview this morning with Brian Ray, who's been playing guitar with Macca for about eight years now. As die-hard fans and autograph hounds lined Sixth Avenue North outside The Hermitage Hotel hoping to catch a glimpse of the Beatle in question, Ray sat down with the Cream in the luxurious confines of the Oak Bar for a little tête-à-tête, during which he discussed his solo project, how he landed the McCartney gig and what it's like to tour with the greatest living pop legend.

"Special thanks to Virginia Cannon, who handles artist relations for Voyage-Air Guitar, and who helped facilitate this interview. Voyage-Air makes guitars with folding necks for ease of travel, and (Brian) Ray is an endorser. (Scene managing editor and resident six-string hack Jack Silverman took one of their acoustic models for a quick test-run and gave it a hearty thumbs up.)"

Click here for the complete interview with Brian Ray.

Ravi at the Osh Kosh Air Show!

2010-07-26T10:08:00.000-07:00

Going on now, the Osh Kosh Airventure is regarded as the world's greatest air show, drawing pilots and plane enthusiasts from around the world.

This year, Ravi, accomplished singer/songwriter who shot to worldwide fame as the guitarist for the '90's band Hanson, will be performing at Airventure as a part of the Flying Musician's Association - yep: Ravi is also an avid pilot.

Ravi has played on stages at the White House, Jay Leno, David Letterman, Saturday Night Live, Rosie O'Donnell, and Madison Square Garden, as well as the Louisiana Superdome as a solo artist.

For Ravi, the Voyage-Air guitar is a natural: a full-size, no compromise acoustic guitar that he can carry with him on any plane.

Ravi will be performing Thursday, July 29, and Friday July 30 , 12-noon at the Sennheiser tent at the Airventure show. Click here for more info. You can also click here for Ravi's website.

Imelda May, Does She Play? Voyage-Air? She did This Day!

2010-07-21T12:18:00.000-07:00

Stopping by the Artist Catering Tent at Bonnaroo this year, Imeda May was immediately drawn to the Voyage-Air Guitar sitting in the corner. Her fascination with it had her holding it, playing it, folding it. She just couldn’t put it down. Click the link for the video below to see her playing the guitar, and what she had to say.

Born in Dublin, she is already a superstar with her debut album”Love Tatto” , which has gone Triple Platinum. She has shared a stage with U2, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Van Morrison, Lionel Richie and most recently, the first lade of rockabilly, Wanda Jackson. In 2009, Imelda knocked Bruce Springsteen off No. 1 to become the first female Irish artist to top the Irish album charts since Mary Black nealy 20 years ago. She then went on to win Female Artist of the Year at the Irish Meteor Awards.

Despite album success, Imelda continued to tour, playing to over 400 000 people in 8 countries across Europe and the US – including, most recently a US tour with Jamie Cullum.

Imelda has not only caught people’s attention musically, her striking style and unmistakable cool but quirky 50s look has led her to grace the front cover of the Irish Sunday Times Style, Roberto Cavalli flew her out to perform at his private party during the Milan Fashion Week.

2010 got off to an auspicious start when Imelda accepted an offer from Jeff Beck to perform with him at the Grammys. This was followed in April by a two night support slot in London with one of her idols, Wanda Jackson.

Her new album ‘Mayhem’ sees Imelda continue to develop her uniquely modern fusion of classic musical genres. The record not only showcases her exceptional songwriting ability, but also displays some more disparate influences, with first single Psycho seeing Imelda channel the spirit of early PJ Harvey, whilst the heartbreakingly poignant “Kentish Town Waltz” conjures an image of Chrissie Hynde at her most reflective.

Recently bestowed with the title of Ambassador for the Irish Make a Wish Foundation, Imelda shows her compassion and energy for helping others. She has invited Voyage-Air Guitar to join her in this new venture. Check back for more info!

Click here to see the vid of Imelda taking the Voyage-Air guitar for a spin!

Academy of Country Music winner Dave Gibson does it again with his new hit single, “King Me.”

2010-07-14T12:04:00.000-07:00

"King Me" is classic country song that portrays family ties and issues of young adulthood. The recently released single received critical acclaim in the Music City. Critic Robert K. Oermann of Music Row describes the narrative as "sung with heart, produced with taste and written with class."

A master storyteller, Dave Gibson (formerly of the Gibson/Miller Band) expertly draws upon his own relationships with the family members who helped raise him in a single-parent household in west Texas.

The video was filmed in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, at a ramshackle former country store owned by a man who ironically reminded Gibson of his own grandfather. Eerily, the former general store had a story of its own: in 1934 it was the site of a grizzly murder after an angry customer slaughtered the store owner with an ax.

This is one of several collaborations between Gibson and one of his writing partners, Craig Monday. "I can't think of when I've enjoyed an experience more," says Gibson, summing up both the collaboration and the filming. Monday, as well as Gibson's wife, songstress Daisy Dern, and their daughter, Savannah, all appear in the video.

"King Me" is done in the manner that Gibson likes most: a narrative piece with a surprise ending, delivered with his trademark sense of irony.

"Dave Gibson's consummate storytelling abilities are clearly underscored in the music video "King Me," says Jeff Cohen, the Chief Executive Officer of Savannah Music Group. The video was produced by Laurie Spoon and directed and videographed by Mark Dreyer.

Does a Voyage-Air acoustic guitar appear in the music video? Of course!

Click here to see the music video "King Me."

Sarah Lenore plays "I Don't Know Why"

2010-07-06T13:18:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, and only sometimes... all the elements of a music video come together to make a hit. YES - Sarah Lenore is an Artist/Endorser for Voyage-Air Guitars.

And YES, she's put together a new music video for her latest song "I Don't Know Why."

Hit material? Scroll down and check for yourself!
Sarah Lenore's style is bringing a new sound to music, with a refreshing mix of pop and country. Serious: as refreshing as an iced lemonaide on the back porch on a hot summer day.

Today, she is finishing her new album with some of Nashville's best hit songwriters. Sarah is showing all of her talents on her upcoming record - not only with her unique and powerful voice, but also co-writing all of the songs.

Currently working with Grammy-nominated songwriter/producer Jose Luis Pagan, Jose has not only topped the Billboard charts, but has written and produced hits for Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, Thalia, and many other successful artists around the world.

Sarah has been working hard on her latest record in Nashville, Los Angeles, and Miami, and she cannot wait to share this music with the world. Select industry people who got a 'sneak peek' of the record thought it was something totally powerful and fresh for the country market and for all music lovers to hear.

Sarah has released one song off the new record, entitled "Unfair." It is available on iTunes. Also, she has a BRAND NEW video and song up on youtube titled, "Don't Know Why" featuring her Voyage-Air Guitar.

Click here for the video.

For more information about Sarah Lenore, check her website:
www.sarahlenoremusic.com

Tim Brookes: in Egypt with Voyage-Air

2010-06-30T20:43:00.000-07:00

Tim Brookes, world-known blogger and world-traveler, recently wrote a conclusion to his travels in Egypt. While blogging and documenting his travels in Cairo, he proudly uses his Voyage-Air guitar as an entre to meet new friends and fellow musicians:

"...Sensing an opportunity, I said what I’ve taken to saying under these circumstances: stay here and I’ll be back to show you something you’ve never seen before. I ran off to my room and came back with my social passe-partout, my Voyage-Air folding guitar."

Tim notes a wide-range of world adventures on his blog, and his Voyage-Air guitar has always proven a worthy traveling companion.

Click here for his latest update from Egypt.

Jody Maphis goes Voyage-Air

2010-06-28T17:21:00.000-07:00

Jody Maphis started playing guitar at the age of six under the watchful eye of his father,country great Joe Maphis. While growing up in California, Jody's musical influences ranged from the "Bakersfield Sounds" of Buck Owens and Merle Haggard, to the LA based country-rock styles of The Byrds,The Flying Burrito Brothers and Poco.

After moving to Nashville, Jody's musical background and ability to play guitar (as well as several other instruments) landed him road work and session dates with such acts as Barbara Mandrell, The Earl Scruggs Revue, Michael Martin Murhphey, Johnny Rodriguez, Johnny Cash, Lynn Anderson, Matraca Berg, Marty Stuart and Gary Allan.

After a spin on the new Voyage-Air electric guitars, Jody was sold, and only too happy to say he's going to be playing a Voyage-Air guitar. Check the video!

Jody is currently working on a studio project of songs written and recorded by his parents Joe and Rose Lee Maphis. If you are in Nashville you can find Jody at the Fiddle and Steel Guitar Bar in Printers Alley, mixing sound... and playing his guitar.

Click here to see the video!

2010-06-25T14:15:00.000-07:00

At Bonnaroo Music Festival, Michael Franti had the opportunity to check out the Voyage-Air Guitar. He was doing an interview and live performance in the hay wrapped trailer you see behind him, the home away from home of Sean O’Connell’s Music Allies.

As he stepped out he was greeted by Rev. Dr. Keith Coes, Musical Director for WRLT Lighting 100, who is a huge fan of the Voyage-Air Guitar. Michael Franti and Spearhead are now also fans of the Voyage-Air Guitar! Be sure to check out their new record, slated to drop in August entitled The Sound of Sunshine.

You can chat live with Michael, Tuesday, June 29th and ask him about the Voyage-Air Guitar! Check his website for details. www.michaelfranti.com For live interviews from Bonnaroo, check out www.lightning100.com.

Click here to see the video!

Premier Guitar Magazine: The New TelAir is an Editor's Pick at Summer NAMM

2010-06-20T18:03:00.000-07:00

Well, the NAMM show is over in Nashville, but the buzz is still all over the streets: the new Voyage-Air TelAir electric guitar is a hit! With its unique portable design as well as easy playability and incredible sound, the new TelAir guitar was played by hundreds of guitar-slingers: amateurs to pros. At the show, the TelAir got prompts for both its resonance, as well as the great tone from the custom Tonerider single-coil Alnico V pickups placed in the standard 'Tele Guitar' configuration.

So no surprise that Joe Coffey, Editorial Director of Premier Guitar magazine, chose the Voyage-Air TelAir guitar as among the few Editor Picks products that his magazine highlighted from the entire show.

Realize: the NAMM show is a big deal, with thousands of new products promoted and displayed. To be selected with an Editors Pick award from Premier Guitar magazine is ... well, HUGE. Whoa! Thank you, Premiere Guitar!

Click here for the full story and more photos from Premier Guitar online.

Ronnie Montrose jams with Greg Kihn, LIVE on air at 98.5 KFOX Radio

2010-06-19T12:53:00.000-07:00

Ronnie Montrose is a living guitar legend.

Montrose has worked with a variety of musicians over the years, including Herbie Hancock, Van Morrison, The Beau Brummels, Boz Scaggs, Beaver & Krause, Gary Wright, Tony Williams, The Neville Brothers, and Dan Hartman. He was in the Edgar Winter Group before forming his own band, Montrose in 1973, featuring Sammy Hagar on vocals.

The list of hit tunes that Ronnie has been involved with rolls on like a 'who's who' of everything you want to hear on Classic Rock radio.

Recently, Ronnie Montrose stopped by Radio Station 98.5 KFOX in San Jose, CA for an interview, and when it came time for Ronnie to pick up a guitar? A Voyage-Air OM-style guitar!

Featured on the Greg Kihn Morning Show, we got a video of Greg and Ronnie jamming a tune that was blown out live on the air. This is one of those rare occasions when two established rockers just picked up guitars to do a song, live, on the air.

Big thanks to Greg Kihn, and likewise for Ronnie Montrose for his respect of the Voyage-Air guitar, and how great it made him sound GREAT during this radio broadcast.

Click here for the link to the video of this on-air performance at radio station 98.5 KFOX.

Dave Gibson scores a 9.6 with his new Song - "King Me"

2010-06-17T11:41:00.000-07:00

Dave Gibson endorses Voyage-Air guitars, and he's a well-known singer and songwriter on the Nashville circuit.

Dave Gibson, the lead singer from the Gibson Miller Band, rose to the top of the charts with "Texas Tattoo", "Big Heart", "Red White and Blue Collar" and "Mama Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys." Not only that, the songs he wrote for other artists did as well. Billboard #1 songs like "Queen Of Memphis" & "Daddy Never was the Cadillac Kind" (Confederate Railroad), Joe Diffie's "Ships That Don't Come In" and Alabama's "Jukebox In My Mind" and the #2 song by Montgomery Gentry "Lonely & Gone" ... these are just a few of the hit songs written by Dave.

So Get This: today, the top Nashville radio station WSIX played his new song: "King Me" - where on that track, Dave played, sang and performed this song. Listeners were invited to call-in and vote for how they liked the song. The result? Callers/Listeners ranked this new song a 9.6 on a scale of 10. Whoa!

Dave Gibson depends on his Voyage-Air guitar to pull the ultimate tone and harmonics when he plays a tune, and he used this same Voyage-Air guitar for this recording.

Click here for a sound file of Dave Gibson playing this morning at WSIX radio, Nashville.

CMA Music Festival - Nashville, June 10-13

2010-06-08T08:38:00.000-07:00

Whoa! Big doings in Nashville this weekend, as the CMA Music Festival comes to Nashville! Formerly known as Fan Fair, this event is all about the music! Scattered throughout various downtown venues, the CMA Music Festival has sites at LP Field, Riverfront Park, Nashville Convention Center, Bridgestone Arena and more!

Microsoft is introducing a new web-browsing technology called Slices, and will have a huge booth hosting top-line musicians to showcase this new system that works with Internet Explorer.

The hit team "The Mulch Brothers" will be at the Microsoft booth to help kick off Slices. Known as an up and coming duo to watch, The Mulch Brother exclusively play Voyage-Air guitars. Check the schedule for exact dates and times.

MGMT - Offstage with Voyage-Air

2010-05-20T08:36:00.000-07:00

The grassroots buzz has become a storm for the band MGMT, with recent appearances on the Live on Letterman Show, concerts at Radio City Music Hall, and sellouts for their current tour in California. Some of their YouTube videos have over 3-million views. Whoa!

We just found this cool video clip of Andrew Vanwyngarden and MGMT playing a Voyage-Air Songwriter guitar offstage at last year's Bonnaroo Music Festival.

Check out their YouTube channel here:
MGMT on YouTube

And their website here.

STOLEN GUITARS!

2010-05-18T16:59:00.000-07:00

Well, it's been 3 weeks, and it doesn't look like these guitars are coming back. So we turn to YOU, our Voyage-Air community to help us. Fact is, we had 4 guitars stolen during the ASCAP Expo in Hollywood, CA.

Top of the list is the Voyage-Air Belair prototype, in it case. There were also three other Voyage-Air Acoustic guitars stolen at the same time.

A reward is offered of course. Please call 800-371-6478 with any information! Send any anonymous info to info@voyageairguitar.com

Thanks!

Greg Kihn - Special Radio Promo

2010-05-13T12:25:00.000-07:00

Greg Kihn, is a TOP local San Francisco Bay area radio personality, DJ, and so much more. Everyone in the SF area knows Greg's familiar voice, and respects his knowledge of Rock Music. Oh yes: he also hosts the Greg Kihn Show.

Greg is also the 80’s Pop recording artist (Breakup Song/Jeopardy), and now he has teamed up with Voyage-Air Guitar for an exciting new contest and promotion.

Here's the Deal:
The Greg Kihn Show and Voyage-Air Guitar will be giving away two Voyage-Air VAD-06 guitars during the Month of May-June 2010. Greg Kihn will be announcing the program during the week of May 10th, and two lucky listeners will win the revolutionary Voyage-Air Dreadnought Songwriter Series Guitar with the custom backpack style case. Callers will be asked to submit the “best reason” for them to win . They’ll also share with Greg the most exotic place they would travel to, and play their new Voyage-Air guitar.

Winners will be announced on the air on the Greg Kihn Show on May 25th and on June 4. In support of the Free Guitar giveaway, Voyage-Air Guitar is also promoting a special Online Coupon worth $25.00 towards and Voyage-Air Songwritier Series VAD-06 or VAOM-06 guitar. The coupon is good at any Voyage-Air Dealer, worldwide! Act soon: this coupon expires June 4, 2010.

Click here to get the special $25 discount coupon.

Click here for our Authorized Dealer List, to find a Voyage-Air Guitar Dealer near YOU!

Voyage-Air vs. Hurricane

2010-05-10T07:20:00.000-07:00

Well, the motorcycle kind of Hurricane: a Honda Hurricane. Turns out that one of our dealers, 'Take Your Guitar' in Chico, CA... well the owner is a certified Motorcycle Nut.

And a guitar player. And... we'll just copy you on an email that he recently sent to us:

"My wife was off to a college class, and our other car was in the shop, so that meant I had only my trusty Honda Hurricane motorcycle for transportation. This was last Thursday night, and I had 'band practice' where I play guitar for my church.

"So I used the backpack straps on the case of my Voyage-Air Premiere VAD-02 Dreadnought, and put the guitar on my back. Cinched down my helmet, and took off down the freeway.

"Tell you what - that Backpack case is stable at speed. Serious. There was no pull, tug, wobble or anything up to xxx MPH! [ed note: exact number deleted to protect this guy's driver's license].

"You would never even know it's there when you're riding at speed. Chalk up another feature for Voyage-Air Guitar, and their amazing backpack case!"
-Jim, at TakeYourGuitar.com, Chico, CA

Edward McShane goes Voyage-Air

2010-05-07T09:47:00.000-07:00

Edward... who?

Okay, turns out that Edward McShane is a guitar aficionado : a guitar nut that really appreciates the finest qualities, and the most subtle details of an acoustic guitar. Now, he's a big fan of Voyage-Air guitars.

He recently sent us this note:

"Dear Voyage-Air:

"I can't recall ever writing a company praising their product – even the great ones – but the Voyage-Air guitar is a special case for me. I think any guitar-loving addict like me would feel the same way.

"It is all about being able to take a great sounding guitar with you in the overhead storage rather than having it languish with the luggage and in the baggage bowels of airports.

"I interviewed all the "travel" guitars that were in stock at the San Francisco Guitar Center. They were all wanting of a decent guitar sound. Then, the salesman told me that they recently had a full sized folding neck guitar that really did sound great and that really could be easily folded and put back into play again (with a little tuning.) He said Guitar Center had the guitars on order but I didn't want to wait so I took a chance and ordered the Voyage-Air VAD-2 dreadnaught model online: sight unseen and unheard!

"I figured I would return the guitar if it didn't meet my quality standards.

"I should state here that I have a forty year old Martin D-35 and a Taylor 12 string. I may not have "golden-ears" but I do know what a quality guitar sounds like.

"My new Voyage-Air passed the audition with flying colors. The sound is very good and will only get better with age. The construction and materials are quality, and I can take it anywhere.

"My excitement over this guitar reminds me of when I purchased the first generation iPod: finally I was able to conveniently take my music with me – just like I can now take my guitar with me.

"For a lover of music and guitar playing, who could ask for anything more?

"Now I'm thinking about that electric Voyage-Air.

Cheers,
Edward McShane

Uncle Bunkle goes Voyage-Air

2010-04-26T12:04:00.000-07:00

Known throughout the Pacific Northwest as 'Uncle Bunkle,' Todd Schneider is a school safety expert, consultant, and, well, YES - he knows a lot about how to bring peace, and a good learning environment to classrooms almost anywhere.

Todd is also an avid story teller and guitar player. He brings those talents to classrooms throughout his region, calling himself "Uncle Bunkle." Generations of children in the area can remember that special day when 'Uncle Bunkle' dropped by their school to play a special song, or tell a special story.

Well now, Uncle Bunkle has a Voyage-Air acoustic guitar... and he always takes it with him to visits at elementary schools. Here's a pic from a few days ago, where he plays his new VAOM-06 Songwriter at the Deer Creek Elementary School.

Click here for more about Uncle Bunkle, his stories and his music.

2010-04-16T14:19:00.000-07:00

VOYAGE-AIR GUITAR PROUDLY SPONSORS THE ASCAP “I CREATE MUSIC” EXPO 2010 - April 22-24, 2010, Los Angeles, CA

If you're a songwriter, you probably already know about ASCAP: the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. This year, Voyage-Air Guitar is a proud sponsor of the ASCAP EXPO 2010.

This expo is where it all comes together for aspiring, as well as professional songwriters: two days of conferences, seminars and targeted information for creating chart-topping tunes. How to make a home studio, the latest digital tools, copyright and distribution information, and much more - it will be there at the ASCAP EXPO 2010. This years key note speakers include Quincy Jones, John Mayer and Justin Timberlake!

AND - if you attend the ASCAP EXPO 2010, you can buy a Songwriter Series guitar at a special one-time-only discount price. When you register at the event, you get a special information packet: check inside for the special Voyage-Air card that directs you to an ASCAP-only website. And YES: we support songwriters! This price is much lower than anything you can find elsewhere!

There's still time to register for this info-packed event! Details? Check out www.ascap.com/expo

Noonan in Europe

2010-04-13T12:19:00.000-07:00

Steve Noonan is a big fan of the Voyage-Air guitar, and is taking his guitar on tour in Europe. (And tell you what... Steve is an amazing musician. If you haven't had a chance to hear him play, make it a point to do so.)

So... want to see and hear a Voyage-Air in the hands of a master, up close and personal? This is your chance!

April 16 - Radio interviews in Dokkum & Veendam Netherlands
April 17 - Grande Café – DE Oude Remise – Nieuweschans - Netherlands
April 18 - Cafe Demuzikant - Neerkant Netherlands
April 19 - Crossroads Radio LIVE Concert RECORDING - Bergen op Zoom Netherlands
April 22 - Q-Bus – Leiden (pending) Netherlands
April 26 - Crossroads Cafe – Antwerp Belgium

You can click here to check out Steve Noonan's website.

Guitar Party in Los Angeles!

2010-04-06T09:02:00.000-07:00

Put together Voyage-Air guitars, Mermaid Manor, and some very notable figures in the music industry and what do you get? A Voyage-Air guitar party in Los Angeles!

Pictured here is Brian Ray (right), posing with Jeff Cohen of Voyage-Air Guitar. Brian plays on stage with the Paul McCartney band, and made a startling announcement at the party that night. Click here for the details!

Senes Speaks

2010-03-29T06:43:00.000-07:00

Last September, Guitar Player Magazine held their annual competition for "Guitar Superstar of the Year." Ten finalists put it all on the line, at a special winner-take-all competition on a Saturday night during the Guitar Player Live! event.

From the hundreds who competed for the title, only one emerged as the winner: Steve Senes, of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Steve's mastery of the guitar is something you have to hear to believe. As part of his prize package, Steve was awarded a Voyage-Air Songwriter guitar, signed by all the entrants and judges at the contest.

Though known for his electric-guitar chops, Steve has become a big fan of the Voyage-Air acoustic guitars, and took a few minutes recently to tell us about it in a phone interview. Click to hear what Steve has to say about his Voyage-Air guitar!

Tribute to Jimi

2010-03-20T14:49:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week, Voyage-Air Guitar staffer Barney Leeson took a trip up to Washington State, for family, friends and business (busy guy, that Barney!).

Barney took time off to see the grave site of the legendary Jimi Hendrix, drop off some flowers...

...and wondered, via this photo, what it would be like if Jimi Hendrix had a Voyage-Air guitar to play today. What kind of sounds could he create with our guitars?

For some, life is too short, over too soon. Peace to you, Jimi Hendrix.

Voyage-Air at the Cayman Islands

2010-03-16T06:52:00.000-07:00

Recent Voyage-Air convert Eric Berg sent us this note about his adventures with his new Voyage-Air guitar at the Cayman Islands:

"The picture was taken at Sandy Cay on Grand Cayman a few weeks ago. I was part of a crew that was sailing a 37' Island Packet from Key Largo to the Panama Canal.

"I am very much enjoying my Voyage-Air. I purchased it last December, with this trip as well as future travels in mind.

"Needless to say, the environment aboard a sailboat isn't ideal for a guitar. It's wet and salty, high humidity, bumpy, and cramped for space.

"I am fortunate in that I own a number of nice acoustic guitars ( Martin OM-42, a 000-18GE, a D-35, and a Custom Shop 000-28, a Santa Cruz 00-28, and several vintage Yamaha FGs). I even bought a Calton case for traveling, but it's so heavy it was a pain to lug around. More to the point, I wasn't keen on subjecting any of my $2000+ guitars to the harsh marine environment.

"The entry-level VAOM-06 seemed to be just the ticket. The backpack case was the deal clincher.

"I had read about Voyage-Air guitars on the Usenet newsgroup , and knew that many of the forum participants reviewed them favorably. As there are no dealers in my area, I purchased mine on faith and word of mouth.

"I have not been disappointed. In fact, quite the opposite. While I wanted the portability and ease of conveyance in a travel guitar, I didn't want to sacrifice tone and playability.

"I am happy to report that my VAOM-06 has exceeded my expectations on all counts.

"In fact, I've taken the guitar to a number of jam sessions and received numerous compliments on its sound. When I fold it up at the end of a session, the look on people's faces is priceless.

"Just this past weekend, someone remarked that I've been bringing my Voyage-Air to jams more frequently than I have my other Martin guitars. Hmmm.....

"So, in a nutshell, that's my story. Congratulations to all of you on a wonderful, innovative product. I wish Voyage-Air continued success, and I will be certain to continue to be a "good will ambassador."

Regards,
Eric Berg

300Guitars.com Revisit

2010-03-08T10:48:00.000-08:00

Last December, the guitar-nut website 300Guitars.com did a review of the amazing Voyage-Air VAD-06 Songwriter Dreadnought. You can click here to read the review. At the time, we mentioned that review here on this blog, and passed along our kudos and thanks.

Not surprising to us... is that Billy Penn (who runs the shop at 300Guitars.com) really likes the Voyage-Air Songwriter Dreadnought... so he's been following the news about Rusty Anderson playing a Voyage-Air on stage with the Paul McCartney band.

Billy Penn recently posted an update about the VAD-06 on his 300Guitars.com website, and here's a part of it:

"They (Voyage-Air) are great guitars never mind the fact that they fold up (literally) for travel. The quality is excellent, sound superb, play like buttah and oh did I mention that they fold in half for travel…..? This is one of the products that comes along every once in a while and blows you away!

Thanks Billy. Click here to see the article on the 300Guitars.com website, where Billy's posted an extended video of the Voyage-Air guitar on stage with the Paul McCartney band.

Warren Haynes goes Voyage-Air

2010-03-04T17:45:00.000-08:00

Warren Haynes is one of the hardest-working musicians in the biz. He's on the road all the time, playing everywhere with a variety of bands, and overall his music is just plain GREAT.

Numerous bands have claimed Warren - past and present. He's played with bands like: Government Mule, Allman Brothers, The Dead, and Greatful Dead’s bass-meister: Phil Lesh.

Notorious for sharing the stage with other musicians, Haynes has played with Dave Matthews, Kid Rock, Jimmy Herring, Jackie Greene, metal icon Jason Newsted and South African Vocalist Vusi Mahlasella. Whoa!

Still never heard of him? Warren Haynes has been named the 23rd greatest guitarist of all time (out of the top 100) by Rolling Stone magazine, and YES - that's a frackin-hard 'Top 100' list to break into!

In addition to performing, Haynes composes hit songs. Garth Brooks teamed up with Haynes to co-write a number-one hit that stayed on the charts for twenty weeks.

His Voyage-Air guitar? It's a VAOM-1C (OM-style, Premiere Series) and he keeps it on his tour bus. It's packed and ready to go wherever he does.

Cool guy. Great music. Voyage-Air? YES. Click here for Warren's website.

Voyage-Air on Facebook

2010-03-01T14:50:00.000-08:00

By request, we've expanded our web presence to include an all-new Facebook page. On this new page you can find detailed pictures of our various guitars, as well as specifications and other information.

We'll also be posting picture albums from the various events attended by the Voyage-Air team, as well as short videos. Sign up as a Fan, and you'll see all the latest news and postings related to Voyage-Air - it's free!

There's also a discussion forum getting started on this Facebook page, and there will be some neat news and tips there for sure.

Click here to check it out!

Voyage-Air 'Wows' Reviewers at Guitar Player Magazine

2010-02-24T15:03:00.000-08:00

Guitar Player Magazine - the most widely circulated guitar magazine in the United States - just now printed a full review of the revolutionary Voyage-Air VAOM-2C guitar in the monthly Gear Bench Test section of the magazine.

Dave Hunter was in charge of the review, and had this to say: "I'm a cynic by nature...so I was prepared to rip the VAOM-2C all up and down the shop. But you know, the major or immediate flaws just weren't there. In short, right from the start, the neck folded into place, locked, and voila, I had a full-sized guitar in my hands." Other comments from his review:

"It (the guitar) yields a rich, balanced voice when attacked with a flatpick for either rhythm or lead work, with a firm, solid bass, sweet highs, and plenty of volume."
"Played fingerstyle, it's still lively enough to pop out the notes, and it projects well even when you're not laying into it."
"All in all, though, the VAOM-2C is extremely well rendered, both as a travel instrument and a guitar in general."

Whoa! You know what? Dave Hunter, and Guitar Player magazine confirmed what dozens of professional musicians around the world already know: the Voyage-Air Premiere Series guitars are stage-ready, recording-grade, 100% professional instruments that are easy to pack when you're on the road.

Ask Rusty Anderson, who played the same VAOM-2C guitar on stage with the Paul McCartney band on their European tour last December. Ask any of the Voyage-Air Artists / Endorsers: John Oates (of Hall and Oates), Zac Brown, Brad Paisley, Steve Miller and more.

Click here to see the entire Guitar Player Magazine article.

Echoes from the Shark Tank

2010-02-18T13:05:00.001-08:00

It was last summer that Voyage-Air guitar was featured on the hit ABC-TV show Shark Tank, where Jeff Cohen, co-founder of Voyage-Air, was given a chance to raise investment capital to grow the company. That show helped put the new folding guitar before the public nationwide.

However, many were surprised that Cohen turned down the offer and walked from the Sharks. Recently, America's Best magazine, devoted to small business and entrepreneurs, did a story on the Shark Tank experience, fishing for comments from Cohen in particular.

"There’s something powerful about saying no. I actually did want to do a deal with them if they would have made me a reasonable offer than it would have been great. The deal was just so bad..." said Cohen.

Click here to read the whole story.

Delbert McClinton Goes Voyage-Air

2010-02-11T09:25:00.000-08:00

Triple-Grammy® Award winning artist Delbert McClinton chalked up the 2006 Grammy for "Best Contemporary Blues Album", and has been recording and on the music scene since the 60's. He's penned such hits as "Two More Bottles of Wine" for Emmylou Harris, and "B Movie Boxcar Blues" used on the Blues Brothers' Briefcase Full of Blues album. Last August, he released his latest album Acquired Taste to rave reviews.

In recent years, Delbert has been organizing and hosting a series of 'Blues Cruises' - a week at sea on a luxury liner with a huge roster of Blues notables.

Owning and driving a Smart car, Delbert appreciates things that fit into small spaces - especially the full-size Voyage-Air dreadnought guitar!

"The fact that you can tuck it away is a pretty big deal" said Delbert of his new Voyage-Air dread. "It's also a big deal to unlock it and have it play so well. This Voyage-Air Dreadnought, this is a really warm guitar. It's got songs in it... I can feel it. My son (Clay) latched onto this guitar right away, and on the cruise, took it back to his cabin and started writing songs on it. He really liked that you could carry it around and it plays so good!"

For more about Delbert McClinton and the upcoming Blues Cruise in January, 2011, check his website at www.delbert.com

New Belair Limited Edition at the NAMM Show

2010-01-29T11:54:00.000-08:00

Mark Dreyer of the Savannah Music Group recently performed at the NAMM Show in Anaheim, CA. Known as the premiere trade show for musical instrument dealers world-wide, this year’s NAMM Show had over 85,000 in attendance. At the conclusion of the event, Mark Dreyer had nothing but praise for the new Voyage-Air ‘Belair’ model electric guitar.

“Man, this guitar is seriously good, and it has a deep retro-vibe,” said Dreyer. “It’s probably something about the combination of the P90 pickups and the woods: solid Alder for the body, and Canadian Maple for the neck. I was amazed at both the sustain and the harmonics on this guitar. I played it with a Boomerang loop pedal that I’d programmed with some drum loops, and this made for an easy one-man demo at the NAMM show. What surprised me was the range of sounds that I could get with the new Belair guitar, and how easy it was to play. PLUS it folds in half for travel… heck, I’d play this guitar on stage even if it didn’t fold. It’s that good!”

Mark Dreyer was joined by other pro-musicians at the NAMM Show, with performances by Thom Bresh, Steve Noonan, Shawn Mayer, and more – all playing Voyage-Air guitars.

The fact that these stage and recording musicians have adopted the Voyage-Air for their daily work is telling: these are not puny-little ‘travel guitars’ – noway. These are full-size, full-scale professional instruments that are ready for the studio or the stage.

NAMM Report: 8 new Voyage-Air Guitars!

2010-01-22T15:51:00.000-08:00

If you weren't at the NAMM Show in Anaheim this last week... you missed a lot of news from Voyage-Air Guitar! Whoa!

Here's a quick recap:

Voyage-Air expanded the top-selling Songwriter Series of guitars, with the retro-cool, and retro-affordable Songwriter-04 models. Available as a full-size OM-style or a super-comfortable Mini-Dread, these guitars feature solid Spruce tops finished in a super Jet-Black gloss finish.
Oh yeah: click here for the details.

Voyage-Air Guitar debuted the breakthrough TransAxe Series of electric folding travel guitars. At the NAMM Show, there were 4 fully-functional prototypes of the solid TransAxe design. One of those four is headed for production as a special Limited Edition.
Click HERE for the details about the new electric folding travel guitars!

Voyage-Air re-defined affordable travel guitars with the all new Transit Series guitars. Full-size OM-style or Mini-Dread, these guitars have a gloss finish over select tonewoods. They look great, play great, and have an MSRP of $399. That is NOT a typo: $399!
Click here for more about the new Voyage-Air Tranist Series guitars.

New Songwriter-04 Series from Voyage-Air

2010-01-16T23:46:00.000-08:00

New: look. New: vintage vibe, with a gloss Jet-Black top. New: best-ever value for a Solid Spruce-top folding travel guitar!

Capping the news from the 2010 NAMM Show, Voyage-Air Guitar announces two Songwriter-04 instruments to expand their range of top-rated folding travel guitars.

A solid Spruce top is finished with a high-gloss Jet-Black finish. High-gloss Mahogany is used for the back and sides, and a contrasting single-ply white top and back binding adds a smash of contrast to the overall look of this guitar. Serious: pictures don't do justice. You have to see this guitar to believe it!

Don't pass these guitars off just as great looking guitars: good as they look, they sound even better.

Priced at just $599 suggested retail, these Jet-Black guitars are a smokin' deal.

Click here for the Official Press Release.

More info about the individual guitars appears in the Products section here at the Voyage-Air website.

Transit Series - Breakthrough Price on Folding Travel Guitars

2010-01-16T11:55:00.000-08:00

Voyage-Air continues to rock the NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants) show with the announcement of two all-new acoustic guitars. Called the "Transit Series" guitars, these quality acoustic instruments feature the same hinge as used on all other Voyage-Air guitars - including the top of the line VAOM-2C, as used on stage by Rusty Anderson of the Paul McCartney Band!

Available in two models: the VAOM-02 'OM-style' and the VAMD-02 95% 'Mini-Dread style', these guitars are available with a slimmer, lighter backpack case that makes them the easiest-traveling full-size acoustic guitars on the market!

Oh yes... the price: $399, plus case (nominal price to be determined). Whoa! Now almost anyone can afford to take along a great sounding, easy playing guitar... wherever they go!

Click here for the Official Press Release.

More info about the individual guitars appears in the Products section here at the Voyage-Air website.

TransAxe - The Electric Dream comes TRUE

2010-01-15T08:49:00.000-08:00

After more than a year of development and testing, Voyage-Air introduces not one, but four electric folding travel guitars. The new TransAxe series from Voyage-Air Guitar will change the way musicians travel, perform and use electric guitars. Know what? These guitars play as good as they look, and they sound even better!

These four guitars are supplied with a new specially-designed DuraTrans case. Just slightly larger than a laptop computer case, this case has pockets for storage and its own backpack straps.

Click here for the press release.

More info about the individual guitars appears in the Products section here at the Voyage-Air website.

Rusty Anderson in OUR BOOTH at NAMM - Friday!

2010-01-13T18:05:00.000-08:00

This just in: Rusty Anderson - lead guitar for the Paul McCartney band will be at the Voyage-Air booth this Friday, January 15.

Rusty Anderson just completed the Good Evening Europe tour with the Paul McCartney band. During that tour, Rusty played his trusty Voyage-Air guitar onstage during every single performance of the tour.

Every. Single. Performance.

Meet Rusty and hear what he has to say about our guitars!
Voyage-Air Guitar: Hall E, Booth 1525. Time to be announced.

WOW - Delta and Continental pay you $70 to Travel with Voyage-Air

2010-01-12T20:05:00.000-08:00

Last year, we wrote a blog about the money you can save by carrying-on a Voyage-Air guitar. Things have changed: now you can save even more!

Today, Delta Airlines announced that your first checked bag will cost you an extra $25 (each way). Whoa! And that's only your first bag - like a suitcase!

Get this: your second checked bag will cost you an extra $35 each way. For most of us, that second bag would be an old-style acoustic guitar. So there you are: $70 round trip saved by carrying-on a Voyage-Air guitar the next time you fly.

Following the Delta Airlines announcement, Continental Airlines announced they were adopting the same pricing guidelines as Delta for additional checked baggage. Look for pricing like this to become more widespread throughout the airline biz. Wow. At these baggage prices, it only takes a few flights to pay for a Voyage-Air guitar.

Bob Kilpatrick - On Stage with Voyage-Air

2010-01-07T12:06:00.000-08:00

To those familiar with contemporary Christian music, Bob Kilpatrick needs no introduction. As a radio host at K-LOVE, his 3x-a-day show has nearly 4-million listeners! As a musician, his concerts have drawn over 100,000. Bob's music and message truly reach a world-wide audience.

Last summer Bob had a chance to play a Voyage-Air dreadnought, and was impressed enough that he asked to take one to use at an upcoming concert tour to Naples, Italy. No sooner said than done: Bob took off for Europe with a VAOM-06 equipped with a Baggs I-Beam pickup. And we just got some video from the concert, and comments from Bob about using the guitar on stage.

In Bob's words: "When I first opened and strummed this guitar, both my wife and I could NOT believe how good it sounded. The more I played it, the more I was impressed. And for me, the combination with the LR Baggs pickup just... well, it just worked."

And once he got to Italy? "I played this guitar everywhere. It was so easy to carry. Cars and everything are smaller in Europe. I showed around a lot backstage. Let me just say there are a LOT of ministers who are placing orders for a Voyage-Air guitar."

But what about the concert? "This concert was arranged with the Mayor of Naples, and we had a crowd of 100,000+. It was amazing, and the Voyage-Air worked perfectly. This is a great guitar. Brandon Bee (another composer/musician) is going to be using this guitar next. Everybody wants to play the Voyage-Air!" Click here to see a video clip from the concert!

John Oates goes Voyage-Air

2009-12-29T14:56:00.000-08:00

Remember the music of Hall and Oates from the 70's-80's? They made chart-topping hits like "Rich Girl" and "Sara Smile", and went on to make 10 number-one albums and sell over 80 million records as the most successful musical duo in rock history. Whoa!

Recently, John Oates became interested in the Voyage-Air guitar: "When I first looked at it," said John, "...my first impression was wow, anything that comes apart like that... But the mechanism on the guitar is really interesting and well-engineered. The first time I unsnapped it and then snapped it back together I thought 'this thing is going to be all loose', but it's great! It's really tight and it plays well. It's a great guitar and a cool concept."

John Oates also put some light on what it's like to go on tour as a rock star: "I really never take a guitar when I travel. Fact is, the guitars are locked up and I never really see them unless I'm playing them on stage! My guitars at home in Colorado pretty much stay in Colorado. But having a Voyage-Air has made me rethink taking a guitar along."

His plans for the Voyage-Air? "I've already been telling people about it. In fact, I'll be taking it on tour. I've got a gig with Darryl at a music festival in Jamaica. I'm definitely taking it along."

Yeah! Check back for updates as John Oates hits the road with his Voyage-Air guitar!

It Passed the Audition:Voyage-Air ONSTAGE with Sir Paul McCartney

2009-12-08T14:31:00.000-08:00

Okay, straight up front: we knew that Rusty Anderson really liked his new Voyage-Air guitar. Yep, we knew that. He told us so.

Then we found out that Rusty was playing his Voyage-Air guitar at rehearsal with the Paul McCartney band, just before their tour kick-off concert in Hamburg, Germany. And yes - we've got a link where you can see a quick video of that: click here.

And NOW we find out that Rusty Anderson is playing that same guitar ONSTAGE for the current Paul McCartney 'Good Evening Europe' tour. Serious. Rusty Anderson is playing the Voyage-Air VAOM-1C guitar ONSTAGE - right now, on this Paul McCartney tour.

We didn't know. Rusty didn't tell us, and for sure, this was his own guitar of choice to use ONSTAGE. No contracts, no payoff, no BS. This is his choice - and he picks Voyage-Air.

Here's a medley from that concert: "A Day in the Life, and Give Peace a Chance," and yep: that's Rusty playing his Voyage-Air guitar.
CLICK HERE.

The Paul McCartney 'Good Evening Europe' tour runs December 2 - December 22, 2009. For more information, check www.paulmccartney.com

Voyage-Air goes On Tour with Paul McCartney

2009-12-07T13:27:00.000-08:00

A few weeks ago, Rusty Anderson got his first Voyage-Air guitar. Rusty ... who? Okay: Rusty Anderson has supplied soaring guitar work for the likes of Elton John, Willie Nelson and Gwen Stefani. Most notably, he has been Paul McCartney’s right-hand man for the last nine years - both in the studio and on a number of record-breaking world tours.

So get this: Right now, Rusty is on tour with the Paul McCartney band, and on December 2nd, they kicked off their Good Evening Europe tour - their first live concerts in Europe in over five years.

Last week, they posted a quick video of the band doing final rehearsals for opening night in Hamburg, Germany. And here's Rusty in the video, playing his guitar of choice: the Voyage-Air! Click here for the Paul McCartney.com website and the page that shows the video.

Or, click here for a copy of that video hosted on our own site.

Know that Rusty Anderson has dozens of stage guitars to choose from. He chose to use the Voyage-Air for this video because it's convenient, easy to play and sounds great... just like he told us when he first got the guitar. Get your hands on a Voyage-Air guitar and see, hear and play for yourself... what Rusty and dozens of other top musicians are finding out now.

UPDATE: Yep. Rusty played that same Voyage-Air guitar ONSTAGE on the opening night of the Paul McCartney tour in Hamburg. Whoa!

Voyage-Air Gets 4-Star Rating from Guitarist Magazine

2009-12-04T09:05:00.000-08:00

Just out in the December/January issue of Guitarist Magazine (Australia), is a full review of the Voyage-Air VAD-2 Dreadnought guitar. Noted for brutal honesty in gear reviews, Guitarist was skeptical that the VAD-2 could hold its own against traditional guitars.

Yet here's what they had to say: "We were extremely surprised on the first strum of this instrument. Our preconceptions about how it might sound were not only challenged but completely destroyed. This guitar sounds great! There is a noticeable clarity in the bottom end that you would expect to find in the highest of quality acoustic instruments. Every note and chord is fat but also clear."

And in summary: "As far as acoustic guitars go, the Voyage Air is a great instrument. It has everything you would expect of a guitar in its price range and more. While the folding down of the guitar would appear to be a gimmick, the quality of the tones created and the craftsmanship gives it a clear advantage over other acoustics in its class."

Click on the picture to read the full review. And thank you, Guitarist Magazine. Now: get your own Voyage-Air guitar and be as surprised as they were!

Bridgette Tatum & Lorna Flowers & a Tale of 2 Voyage-Air Guitars

2009-12-01T11:11:00.000-08:00

Overheard at a recent performance with Lorna Flowers and Bridgette Tatum:

Lorna says: "So I’m at a club one night and I look over and see this one (pointing at Bridgette) taking my guitar out of the case, my Martin aluminum body guitar, and I think to myself: (what a) Cheeky Woman helping herself to my guitar AND she’s made it left handed!

"I then realized that we (had been) playing identical Martin guitars. So we met and vowed to write a song on these guitars. Now here we are (onstage) years later, and we are playing the same guitar Again!

"These are both Voyage-Air Guitars, the amazing thing about them is that they bend in the middle. We both play these (Voyage-Air Guitars) and they sound amazing and we take them with us everywhere. The first time I ever played this guitar out, my friend said, 'Don’t ever play another guitar ... that (Voyage-Air) one sounds great."

Whoa! These are seriously talented and famous lady guitarists. Their careers and music have both evolved, but they both came to the same place when it was time to choose a top-quality guitar to take on the road, and play on the stage: Voyage-Air.

Here's the video:

Ice-Cream Man Autographed Guitar

2009-11-25T09:07:00.000-08:00

Remember our story about the super-famous autographed Voyage-Air guitar... featured on videos and played at festivals all over the country? It's now up for auction on eBay.

Proceeds go to charity,and the auction ends the evening of December 4: Click HERE.

More info also at the Ice-Cream Man site, click HERE.

Voyage-Air Guitar SweepsCountry Music Awards - 2009

2009-11-23T09:14:00.000-08:00

Well, the official Country Music Awards wrapped up last November 11th, and I tell you what: that was among the best ever CMA award shows. Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood did a bang-up job as MC's ... but the music! For me, it was when the Zac Brown Band took to stage. Man! They burned the house down with their rendition of "Devil went down to Georgia." I hope you were watching for that, or can find it somewhere as a re-run. It was absolute, 100% standing-ovation material.

But the news! Get this: There were 12 major categories of awards this year. Voyage-Air Endorsers, Artists, Owners and Players were nominated in nine of those 12 categories. Nine out of 12.

Think about that for a minute. Voyage-Air guitars have been available on the market for... not quite a year. And here we are with the CMA Awards - among the biggest of all music awards period, and Voyage-Air players/users/artists/endorsers represent over 75% of all the nominees for all the categories? Whoa! That's HUGE!

Here's the message: these are not trendy, cute little folding guitars that you can take with you when you travel. These are stage-quality, performance-grade, 100% broadcast-quality musical instruments
that the #1 chart-topping, world-famous musicians use everyday.

Oh and consider this: for the Song of the Year award: there were five nominees for the award. Three out of those five proudly endorse Voyage-Air Guitar!

Voyage-Air and the Ice Cream Man

2009-11-16T10:19:00.000-08:00

June of every year marks the Bonnaroo Music Festival, which is a Big Darn Deal in Tennessee. With over 90,000 in attendance, this year's event had headliners like Bruce Springsteen, Phish, Beastie Boys, Nine Inch Nails, Elvis Costello... you get the drift. WOW - what a weekend!

And every year there's Matt Allen - best known as the Ice Cream Man.

The Ice Cream Man is a staple on the Festival Circuit, and Matt lives out of his ice cream truck, traveling from festival to festival, making friends, and sharing his music as well as his ice cream! Seriously: Matt is one of a kind. You have to meet him to understand.

This year, we fixed up The Ice Cream Man with a Voyage-Air Songwriter guitar, so he could take it around the country and capture videos of ... well, people playing the instrument.

You know what? He did exactly that, and captured some incredible footage of artists like Brett Dennen, Avett Brothers, Bobby Bare, Jr., Band of Horses, and Daniel Johnston all playing the same guitar. And of course, had them all autograph that guitar.

Check the videos that The Ice Cream Man captured here. And soon, that incredibly autographed Voyage-Air guitar is going to be auctioned off on e-Bay, with the proceeds going to charity.

Jeff Black - Part 2

2009-11-09T11:14:00.000-08:00

Okay, so we had a chat with Jeff Black at the end of last week. And he was thrilled with the Voyage-Air guitar he was goofing around with in his studio, and we did a BLOG post (that you can see right here by scrolling up or down... yes?)

Today, Jeff Black sent us this in an e-mail message:

"I recently made a new friend. A new traveling companion. Full of good tone and grace. YES: It's a guitar, and it's a Voyage-Air. Any person or thing that introduces themselves to the world as a traveler has a lot to prove. This Voyage-Air guitar came through my door, and I tell you what: it is authentic. The real deal. This is a guitar that I'm going to use when I'm on the road. I can't imagine logging the miles without it now."

-Jeff Black on The Voyage Air Guitar

Whoa... I would call that a sincere follow-up to our BLOG post. Yep. Yes. Yes, I would.
Thanks Jeff!

Jeff Black goes Voyage-Air

2009-11-06T09:32:00.000-08:00

Jeff Black's first album: Birmingham Road has been described as "fine portraits of American life without the sappiness or self-consciousness often attributed to the singer/songwriter genre." He's gone on to write songs that have been covered by Waylon Jennings, Sam Bush, and Blackhawk. Jeff has been a Nashville institution since he moved there in the early 90s. Click here to see Jeff's website.

Recently Jeff was at a special 25th anniversary party thrown for Sam Bush... and there he met Jeff Cohen of Voyage-Air Guitar.

"Now I want you to say this, because it's just the way it happened," said Black. "I started talking to that guy Cohen because I like to meet people, and found him very nice, and very modest. When he told me about his folding travel guitar, I told him 'heck, bring it on up here! This room is full of guitar players that need to see that!"

So he did. And that guitar made the rounds of some very distinguished musicians and songwriters during the next few hours. A few days later, Jeff Black has a Voyage-Air OM-style Songwriter guitar in hand, in his studio, and he's telling us about it on the phone:

"Any guitar you pick up to play, you have to tweek the tuners a little bit to get it ready, always. The Voyage-Air is no exception: you open it up, and just a twist or two zeros in the tuning, you know? And the sound, and the way it plays! That's what did it for me. This guitar just... well it just works. This guitar is not a compromise, like all the other 'travel guitars' I've played."

Because Jeff Black was working with the entry-level Voyage-Air Songwriter, we asked about the sound of the select, precision-laminate Mahogany used for the back and sides. "Somebody asks me about woods on guitars," Jeff answered... "I tell 'em I don't know and really don't care. I have a Gibson J-200 and a bunch of other guitars, and I know they all have differing sounds. I don't know what the woods are. But I tell you what: this Voyage-Air just works. It's the way the guitar feels against your body, and the way the sound projects. That's it for me. This one works!"

Jeff's enthusiasm was easy to hear - even on a cross-country phone call. "You know, I travel a lot. I'm just an old troubadour. And this Voyage-Air guitar was made to travel. It's a natural fit. It and me got along right off."

Voyage-Air sponsors the Nashville Music Business Directory

2009-10-26T13:16:00.000-07:00

Shoring up its support for musicians in general and Nashville musicians in particular, Voyage-Air Guitar is a proud sponsor of the N M B D 2009-2010 edition. If you're a singer, songwriter, or musician that's interested in the Nashville music scene, you need this book!

The NMBD is a convenient-sized, 136 page guide that is packed with music information, color pictures of Nashville and priceless career advice from stars like Taylor Swift, Trisha Yearwood, Charlie Daniels, Craig Morgan, Aaron Tippen and more. Celebrating its 26th year of publication, the NMBD has become the top directory for the Nashville music and entertainment industry.

In fact, the NMBD has established itself as the main referral source for the Nashville Chamber of Commerce, directory assistance, musicians union, BMI, ASCAP, record labels and publishing companies. Why? It contains many listings not available in the Nashville Phone book!

Your local Voyage-Air Guitar dealer has (or can order) this book for you. Or you can order direct from the publisher at: www.NashvilleConnection.com.

Where Music Meets Art Hotel Indigo Nashville West End

2009-10-19T09:52:00.000-07:00

And it's FREE! One night only, a host of Nashville's power songwriting talent gets together for a demonstration and tribute to Voyage-Air Guitars.

Drop by the Lounge at the Hotel Indigo West End on October 20, 7-10pm, and hear up-close and personal performances from some of the top songwriters in Nashville - all performing on their favorite Voyage-Air guitars!

Here's the lineup: Sarah Lenore, Lisa Carver, Lorna Flowers, Josh Dunne, Chris Wallin, Shawn Mayer, Dave Gibson, Mark Dreyer, Matt Kennon, Hollie Jett, Damien Horne, Pino Squillace and Dakota Grove (featuring Daisy Dern, Camille Wallin and Scott Sanford). If you don't recognize some of these names, you will remember them all by the end of this evening - guaranteed!

This will be an awesome evening of live music - all by musicians who are into the Voyage-Air guitar. If you're in Nashville, BE THERE!

Elliot Easton goes Voyage-Air

2009-10-14T12:32:00.000-07:00

The Cars - smash-hit rockers from the 80s... Yeah! And Elliot Easton was lead guitar for their chart-topping tunes.

Recently, Elliot was a judge on the panel for the Guitar Player Live 2009 festival held in Livermore, CA. Elliot helped judge and pick the winner for Guitar Player Magazine's Guitar Player of the Year award. Competition was intense, and the evening brought some amazing talent to stage before a host of hyper-critical judges. Having a SuperStar rock-veteran like Elliot Easton onboard for the judging was a must for competition at this level.

But you know what? Because the event was sponsored by Voyage-Air Guitar, Elliot had more than a bit of exposure to the breakthrough folding travel guitars. And by the end of the event, Elliot had to have one: he was on the phone to Michael Ferrucci, VP of Sales and Marketing at Voyage-Air. The problem? Elliot plays left-handed!

"Left-handed instruments are in the future for sure," said Ferrucci. "We want all guitar players to have a Voyage-Air guitar that's exactly right for their needs. In this case, we happened to have an experimental, early-production model that was professionally converted to a left-hand guitar. And YES - we're shipping that guitar to Elliot ASAP."

Cool! Stay tuned for pics and comments from Elliot and his new guitar!

Voyage-Air Makes the Cover:Guitar Player Annual Holiday Edition Ultimate Gear Guide

2009-10-13T14:05:00.000-07:00

Well, maybe not a big thing. Wait, YES it is a big thing! A breakthrough guitar from a small company in California... a product that's been available for less than a year... made the cover of Guitar Player's Annual Holiday Edition "Ultimate Gear Guide."

And note: it's the only acoustic guitar on the cover of the magazine. This, against really special new guitars from the big big manufacturers. Heck yeah!

Fact is: the Voyage-Air guitar can transform the way you think about your music. It becomes natural to spend free minutes composing, practicing, jamming, or just playing when you always have your guitar with you. A breakthrough guitar? Worthy of a spot on the cover? Something really special that you need to check out? Yes, Yes, and YES.

Look for this 2009 Edition of Guitar Player's Annual Ultimate Gear Guide... oh, about the first week of November at newsstands everywhere.

Ronnie Montrose - Hands-on with Voyage-Air

2009-10-09T09:17:00.000-07:00

Rock legend Ronnie Montrose took a break backstage at a recent gig, and had a chance to try a Voyage-Air Songwriter OM guitar. Veteran of the Edgar Winter group as well as his own band Montrose, Ronnie has worked with Herbie Hancock, Boz Scaggs, The Neville Brothers, Van Morrison and dozens of others.

Ronnie knows his way around a guitar. Period.

His comment? "Hey ... this is great! And it fits in that case and stays in tune? Noway. Why didn't they do this a long time ago?"

Indeed. And this was just a Songwriter.

We can't wait for his reaction to the upcoming Electric Voyage-Air!

Have an iPhone? You need this...

2009-09-22T02:51:00.000-07:00

It's called Guitar Toolkit, and it's an application you can install on an iPhone (or a second-generation iPod Touch). Fact is, I always have my iPhone with me, and this application takes the place of a bunch of other stuff that I used to have to pack around.

What is Guitar Toolkit? Well... put it on your iPhone and you have: a tuner (for standard and dozens of altered tunings), a notated fretboard (showing notes and note positions for all tunings), a metronome, a chord finder, and ... all of this for a 6-string, 12-string, and bass guitar.

This is a seriously cool application, and will change the way you think about your guitar. I mean it. Suddenly: it's easy to find a chord, a variation of a chord, tune your guitar, practice difficult runs with a metronome... and all of this: with the iPhone that's already in my pocket.

Ever spend a relaxed afternoon, learning new music with keyboard (or other) players, when they call you out and say "wait, stop... that should be a C#M7sus!" Which is... what? Like I had memorized those finger positions for a chord I've never heard or played? Yep: Guitar Toolkit will show you that goofy chord with the flick of a finger.

I used to have a 'Favorite Tuner' and chord charts and etc that I would move among the cases for my guitars. Which meant I would sometimes get somewhere, missing the tuner that was packed with another guitar. This Guitar Toolkit solves all of that and so much more, and YES you need one.

Go to the App Store and search on Guitar Toolkit, from Agile Partners. Or check their website at: http://www.agilepartners.com/apps/guitartoolkit/

Roger Kardinal at Guitar Player LIVE 2009

2009-09-18T10:35:00.000-07:00

Roger Kardinal is a familiar face to fans of the acoustic guitar in California's Bay Area and Central Valley. Roger is another convert to the Voyage-Air guitar, and carries one with him wherever he performs.

Here, he opens and gets started with a Voyage-Air at his performance for the Guitar Player LIVE 2009 festival in Livermore, CA.

It's amazing. Those professional musicians who love the convenience of a folding travel guitar are also amazed by how good it sounds, and how easy it plays. Roger is no exception, and loves to brag about the Voyage-Air before each performance.

Pete Huttlinger - WOW - gets his hands on a Voyage-Air Guitar!

2009-09-12T15:24:00.000-07:00

Pete Huttlinger... who? He's a National Fingerstyle Guitar Champion, and also a veteran of solo Carnegie Hall performances. He's on the short list of legendary guitar players who were invited to BOTH of Eric Clapton's 'Crossroads' concerts (2004, 2007) ...

Simply stated: Pete Huttlinger is Seriously Awesome on the guitar, okay? Okay.

Recently, Pete performed at the Guitar Player Live! 2009 event in Livermore, CA. New to the concept of a folding guitar that could actually sound GOOD... he was cornered by Wesley Lem of the Voyage-Air staff. Okay, Wes basically stuffed a guitar in his hands, but the following video shows the result:

Check out Pete Huttlinger's website at: www.petehuttlinger.com, or click here for his MySpace page (that has lots of his music and stuff).

Another Voyage-Air Traveler

2009-09-11T09:22:00.000-07:00

One of the early adopters of the Voyage-Air guitar was Wes Lem, who recently had first-hand experience of traveling from San Jose to New York with his guitar. Wes took the time to write about it in his blog, and has allowed us to post excerpts of it here:

"I just got back from an extended trip to New York City which happened to be the first air travel trip I took with the Voyage-Air Guitar. I have to admit I was a little nervous as I waited to have my Voyage-Air VAOM-06 Songwriter to pass through the San Francisco airport X-RAY machines. Sure enough it passed through with no delays and it was onward to the departure gate.

"Once we got on board the plane I was able to find on overhead compartment just above my assigned seat in coach and carefully placed the VA Guitar Case horizontally in the overhead compartment. The Overhead Compartment door closed with plenty of room to spare and my anxiety went away as the plane taxied down the runway. I had heard that passengers have paid another seat fare just to get their stringed instrument stowed on board the plane and that checking the instrument in the cargo hold is on sure-fire way to commit instrument suicide and the baggage handlers will almost surely destroy any stringed instrument no matter how tough the carrying case is designed.

"After we landed in New York's JFK airport I retrieved the Voyage-Air Guitar from the overhead compartment and de-planed as easily as I boarded the aircraft. WOW! How easy was that? No extra baggage charges. Piece of mind knowing that the guitar is safely stowed in a protective case in the overhead storage compartment. No unwieldy heavy case to carry or handle while getting on or off the plane. This was a piece of cake. As easy as bringing a laptop computer on-board a plane...

"I un-folded the guitar as soon as I checked into the hotel and only the B string needed a minor tuning adjustment. I reassembled the guitar and was in tune in about a minute's time. Simply AMAZING... There you have it. A personal testimonial for the Voyage-Air guitar's AIR TRAVEL WORTHINESS."

You can find Wes' online blog at http://wlbloguno.blogspot.com/, where he talks about other interesting stuff.

Hey Wes: Thanks!

Bob K is Ready for Naples, Italy

2009-09-08T04:39:00.000-07:00

Noted Christian composer, musician and minister Bob Kilpatrick has become a full-on Voyage-Air enthusiast over the past months. Why? Simple: there is no other guitar that plays great, sounds great, is a professional-quality instrument AND folds in half for travel! Click to watch this quick video:

Fitted with an LR Baggs pickup, the guitar you see in this video is the exact same one that Bob will be playing before a crowd of 100,000 in Naples, Italy later this month.

With his 3-times-per-day radio show on the K-LOVE radio network, Bob and his music reaches more than four-million listeners each and every day.

Check back for pictures, videos and more once we get those pics and videos of Bob in Italy!

Voyage-Air Drops Into the Shark Tank!

2009-08-24T10:25:00.000-07:00

ABC-TV's newest 'reality show' named Shark Tank featured Voyage-Air President Jeff Cohen and his son Josh, during Episode #3 on August 23, 2009. Culled from thousands of applicants, the Shark Tank show chose Voyage-Air as a promising new product, and worthy of investor attention before a national TV audience.

How did it turn out? You can watch the complete episode here on your computer.

Amazed at the technology, and the fact that folded guitars stayed in tune when opened, the previously skeptical investors started a barrage of low-ball offers, bidding for a majority stake to control the company. Unfazed, seasoned entrepreneur Jeff Cohen took control and countered, with a limited license to use the Voyage-Air patent technology. No deal.

In summary, the Sharks weren't prepared to make a realistic offer for a product that is so well developed, so well established, and with a national dealer network in place. And yes, the show hinted at new products and technologies that will prove to be very very interesting. We'll report here ASAP!

Nettie Tackles Brazil with a Voyage-Air

2009-08-11T23:17:00.000-07:00

We recently fixed up Rev. Nettie Spiwack with a Voyage-Air Songwriter, and she sent us this letter after a trip to the center of Brazil:

"As an interfaith minister, musical devotion leader and founding member of Soulfyre Musical Ministries, I've been faced with the challenge of transporting my guitar to places far and wide. Ever in search of a way to avoid the panicky moment boarding the plane: "Will there be room in the closet? In the overhead? If not will I have to >gasp< let them put it in luggage?" I have also been dealing with the uncomfortable fact that as the years have gone on, my guitar cases got heavier and heavier, with no roadie in sight!

"Due to its smaller size, I was about to buy a Baby Taylor when I found the TakeYourGuitar.com website. The Voyage-Air was the answer to my prayers! On my recent trip to Brazil, this folding guitar flew in the domestic and international overhead compartments, no problem!

"It did evoke curiousity at one security check-in. The guitar did everything promised...held its tuning, produced wonderful sound, and, critical for me, was light enough for this 50+ traveler's shoulders. All in all, it transformed my experience of bringing the music with me. Everyone who sees it folding into its case is fascinated, especially musicians.

"This is an invention too long in coming! My friend wants to know when they'll do it for 5-string banjos. Now, if only they'll add on-board electronics..."

Oh wow, and thanks Nettie! About those electronics... no pun intended, but stay tuned!

Bob Kilpatrick - Christian Radio Host, Composer, Musician

2009-07-22T14:04:00.000-07:00

To those familiar with contemporary Christian music, Bob Kilpatrick needs no introduction. As a radio host at K-LOVE, his 3x-a-day show has over 3-million listeners. As a musician, his concerts draw 100,000+. Bob's music and message truly reaches a world-wide audience.

Last Sunday, Bob had a chance to play a Voyage-Air guitar, and passed along the following comments:

“I have played guitar all my life, and have toured the world for thirty plus years performing worship music. Some of my songs are considered "classics" in Contemporary Christian music. In fact, I’m a columnist for Christian Musician Magazine, which recently had a review about the Voyage-Air folding travel guitars.

“You know what? I read that review, in the same magazine I write for, and I didn’t believe it. How could a guitar fold in half for travel, fit in the overhead bin of an airliner, and still play and sound like a great acoustic guitar? I own high-end guitars. I know what a good one sounds like.

“Very recently, I played at a church and met Jim Wolcott of TakeYourGuitar.com. Knowing that I was skeptical, Jim raced back to his shop and brought back a Voyage-Air Dreadnought for me to try. This was an all-solid Premiere Series guitar, with solid Rosewood back and sides, and solid Sitka Spruce top.

“I was very impressed! I never imagined that a folding guitar could sound this good. I talked to Jim, and he explained the features and construction. It still doesn't make sense to me. But it doesn't have to. I know from playing it that it sounds great!

“By the end of the evening, I asked Jim if I could take one of these Voyage-Air guitars on my upcoming tour to Italy, and I was SERIOUS. The Voyage-Air Dreadnought is a simply amazing guitar, and I would be proud to take it on the road. A full-size Dreadnought guitar that takes only half the space would be very handy for me and all the other guitarists who are climbing on airplanes week after week. In a month, I’ll be playing in front of a festival audience of over 100,000. I would be thrilled to use a Voyage-Air guitar for that performance.”

Sincerely,

Bob Kilpatrick

Bob Kilpatrick Ministries

Dave Carroll: United Breaks Guitars!

2009-07-08T14:42:00.000-07:00

Songwriter/Musician Dave Carroll put pen to music paper based on his experience flying to a gig on United Airlines. After watching the ground crew heaving his bass player's instrument, moments after destroying his prized Taylor 710, Carroll tried to file a damage claim with the airline.

No deal. After long and futile efforts in dealing with the airline, the official position was "you signed a damage waiver when you checked your bag. Damage is not our responsibility." You can read the whole story here.

So Carroll has created a music video of the experience, and posted it on YouTube, and you can view it here. Good stuff Dave.

Um.. Dave? have you heard about Voyage-Air Guitars?

Ray Eckhardt - SOLD on Voyage-Air

2009-06-20T07:58:00.000-07:00

Imagine MY surprise when I recently returned a phone call from one of my customers:

"Jim, I wasn't sure you got my e-Mail, but I want to help get the word out about these Voyage-Air guitars. I bought this as a travel guitar, but I have to tell you... I have two nice Martin guitars, and two other really nice Taylor guitars... but now, this Voyage-Air is the only guitar I play."

I went back and found Ray's e-mail to me, and I'll just copy and paste it here:

"I would like to thank Jim Wolcott for a chance to own such an exquisite instrument. Jim has been quick to respond, very helpful and you won’t find a friendlier guy to deal with. This voyage-air guitar is second to none. I have owned at least one of every major brand guitar available.

"The tonal quality of the VAOM-2 is the most impressive that I have ever heard. After playing the guitar, the main reason that I bought it is actually just an added bonus. The harmonics ring out like no other guitar I have played. Fretting action is, without a doubt, equal to the best. I spent nearly a decade traveling coast to coast with rock icon Dick Clark. I was lead guitarist in a group that opened shows, lead guitarist and band director for single acts, occasional road manager of special events and tour promotion assistant in Dick Clark’s Cincinnati, OH office. Whether we were traveling by plane, bus or car I always had a guitar with me. With all of the personal items we had to pack for traveling months at a time, it would have been great to have Voyage-air guitars taking up half the space.

"If you like a full, rich acoustic sound you should consider the Voyage-air guitar. It’s not just a travel guitar; it’s a quality instrument you will be proud to own."
Ray Eckhardt
Franklin, OH

United Airlines Pays You $30 to Travel with a Voyage-Air Guitar

2009-05-22T12:35:00.000-07:00

JUST GOT BACK from our Honeymoon trip (say 'hi' to Catherine - the new Mrs. Wolcott, next time you see her). We flew on United Airlines and traveled light - just one checked bag. And of course, we carried-on our favorite Voyage-Air rosewood Dreadnought guitar.

Imagine MY surprise when the single bag that we checked-in cost an extra $15 each way for our trip! We had already bought our tickets online, and this was completely unexpected. WOW. Like nowadays, you're expected to travel without checking any luggage? I guess so!

But had that been a regular guitar that's $15 each way - $30 - that we didn't have to spend on our trip because we carried a Voyage-Air!

With our discounted prices here at Take Your Guitar, simple math tells me that ... about 24 trips on United Airlines gets you a FREE Voyage-Air Songwriter Guitar. This, based on the savings from not having to check your full-size acoustic guitar as baggage. I have friends in the Silicon Valley that rack up this kind of travel in less than a year. True story.

Voyage-Air on Harmony-Central

2009-05-10T00:42:00.000-07:00

Harmony-Central.com has long been the Internet resource for independent musician's reviews of guitars and other instruments. Recently, three reviews of Voyage-air guitars have appeared.

Oh yeah: all three are from TakeYourGuitar.com customers.

Click here for the reviews!

Stan Hirsch: Live in Mexico with Voyage-Air

2009-04-26T00:18:00.000-07:00

Stan Hirsch is one of our longtime loyal customers. He's also a local legend in the Albuquerque, NM area, setting the bar for acoustic blues guitar. That's not bragging. That's just the way it is in the Land of Enchantment.

Stan's adopted his Voyage-air VAOM-06 guitar as his main stage guitar. Equipped with a K&K pickup, Stan played the Voyage-air guitar recently at the The Zihuatanejo International Guitar Festival, on the coast of Mexico.

For someone of Stan's stature and experience, we're thrilled that he's discovered Voyage-air guitars, and that he continues to refer business to us here at Take Your Guitar in Chico, CA.

Thank YOU, Stan Hirsch. Thanks to you and others... word is really getting around about these amazing guitars!

Tosh in NY Reviews the VAOM-06 for Amazon.com

2009-04-20T23:51:00.000-07:00

Tosh called us right away at Take Your Guitar when he found out about the Voyage-air travel guitar. And we're here to say: Tosh spent a lot of time on the phone, asking about every little detail of the Voyage-air instruments.

Finally, Tosh settled on the popular VAOM-06, crafted from solid Spruce top and select Mahogany for the back and sides. He bought the guitar from our shop: Take Your Guitar, of Chico, CA.

As of late, Tosh has played this guitar extensively, and traveled to Europe, where he performed with it. His final comments are posted below:

"I recently bought it [the Voyage-air VAOM-06] and have been playing for about two weeks. It has settled down nicely and started to respond very well to my playing. Although this is the lowest end of their line-ups, it has very nice mahogany sound and intonation/tuning is very stable especially when capo is used (better than my Martin). I own two high-end guitars (Martin and Collings) both of which are rosewood-based and this nicely complements my collection without spending a fortune. I also researched heavily before I purchased it and have no regrets. I highly recommend it to everyone whether you have travel needs or not. If you have any issues or questions, customer service at Voyage-air will gladly help you... they were very helpful throughout the process."

What can we say other than: 'Thanks Tosh!' We're always pleasantly surprised when loyal customers are so impressed that they... post product reviews on any website they can find - even those like Amazon.com that sell Voyage-air guitars at a higher price! Very cool.

Thanks again, Tosh!

Voyage-air Hits the (Rail)Road !

2009-03-31T02:47:00.000-07:00

We just got this report from David Strong, who purchased one of our Voyage-air VAOM-2C guitars:

"I've been playing my new OM-2C for a while now and I absolutely love it! I was very impressed with the workmanship and quality of the woods and the tone is really amazing.

I work for a major railway and travel all the time. Now I can bring a full size acoustic to play in my spare time. This guitar has changed the way I play and practice! No more lugging around a travel guitar that doesn't feel like my regular guitar and isn't comfortable. I have always found something lacking in every other travel guitar I tried. They are always a compromise in some area.

The Voyage-Air is a no-nonsense, professional sounding instrument. It is now my main workhorse guitar AND my travel guitar. Everyone that has seen it and played it can't believe their eyes and ears!

Thanks again for the great customer service and working so hard to find me the perfect guitar."

David Strong

Oh yeah: the guitar that David sold to get the Voyage-air? A 2006 Martin OMC-28E, that retails for about $4,000. He ranks the Voyage-air as at least equal to that fine instrument.