Journey Instruments OF660 Overhead Carbon Fiber Review

Pricey,but worth it.

Plays great ,once I replaced the bridge that was included. Feels good in your hands ,Sounds better in person, No problem assembling, just push and twist.The locking tuners are a bonus.and are super smooth. BUY IT.

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Very Cool and Useful

This guitar is awesome. I bought it for it's use...to travel. I went to my first meeting out of town with it last weekend and I got to use it for the first time. It is easy in and easy out of the handy travel backpack/case. It snaps and bolts together very easy, and is pretty well in tune w/i around a quarter turn as soon as you snap it together. The tone is great. My opinion...a… read more little better than a little Martin (LXI) and it don't sound quite as good as a Taylor GS Mini. Not bad at all, and it's carbon fiber! Too cool. It very reassuring for me to be able to leave it in a car all day and it don't hurt the guitar...hot or cold. I will say the neck feels great although the finger board you seem to have to press a bit harder fretting strings 1 & 2 but not a big deal. Really a handy guitar and worth the money.

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Excellent

I bought this as a gift. The day I got it I played it for about 3 hours. I was really impressed with the build quality and the sound. It didn't need any set-up and came with two bridges for different string heights to suit your playing style. The finish is beautiful, but as expected it's a fingerprint magnet. The sound is not as big as my dreadnaught, however it still was impressive… read more for the small body size. With the wedge shaped body, it was the most comfortable guitar I've ever played. This guitar really shines when plugged in to an amp. (As, I suppose they all do) There are no electronics, no pre-amp, no tuner, but as expected it sounded like a full size amped acoustic with a very pleasant sound. The case for travel is unbelievably small and reasonably well made and thought out. However, I'm not sure how long it will last when subjected to the rigors of travel. We'll have to wait and see. Overall, I have to give the design team and Journey Instruments a lot of credit for a well thought out guitar with amazing capabilities and it all fits in an airline overhead.

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Great portable guitar, great guitar in general

I am learning to play but travel a fair amount. Had a portable electric but was not happy with it (more of an acoustic fan). I visiting Sweetwater in Fort Wayne so that I could try this out and immediately liked it. I liked it even more when I got home and tried it with a heavy pick. To my ears, it sounds much better with a heavier pick. Made a huge difference for me. It sounds… read more great independent of it"s portability. Not on par with my Martin D18 or Taylor 717e (not nearly as load and not quite as resonant) but surprisingly close. It has it"s own tone that I have come to greatly appreciate. It plays really well and travels like a dream. Just got back from a trip to Bermuda and this thing travels extremely well! Fit in the overhead bins of several different plane configurations. The changes in temperature and humidity seemed to make no difference. I did some minor retuning when we got to Bermuda (mainly due to minor movement of the tuners when packing the guitar in it"s case I think). Once it was retuned, it stayed tuned for the rest of the week. At the end of the trip, I unpacked it at home, did some minor retuning and was up and playing again. Really happy with this guitar. I love all three of my guitars (this one, the Martin and the Taylor). If I had to go down to one guitar (not happening), it would likely be this one given it"s incredibly versatility. The ONLY thing I would like to see different is I would value the option to buy a hard case for it. The case that comes with it is plenty sturdy but I periodically travel on very small planes where everything needs to go underneath the plane. I suspect the guitar in it"s current case would hold up but I would value a hard case option for when that day comes (and would pay extra for it). All in all, an outstanding guitar that plays and travels like a dream. Very happy with this purchase.

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Fiber (Carbon) does a body good

This was an excellent investment; I've had the instrument for nearly a year and have been very satisfied with the playability, the tone, and the stability. I rarely have to tune the guitar unless taking off the neck. Very impressive. I have left the guitar in my car overnight in sub-freezing temperatures, and generally just leave it in the living room propped next to the couch… read more if inspiration strikes. It's nice having peace of mind that this isn't going to get affected in a negative way. The only complaint I have is the pickup; it's very sensitive and hears everything. This is able to be improved with a preamp, but from my perspective, the pickup is just something thrown in. I had to change guitar straps in order to make sure this guitar didn't hear it rubbing on the strap buttons. I contacted Journey and was also disappointed in their lack of customer service. I did receive a reply from the first correspondence but am still waiting (weeks) to hear back from the subsequent questions. Even considering these things, I'm very pleased with the guitar. It's a significant investment; but one I'm happy to have made.

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Ultimate travel guitar

Finally I had the chance to travel with my new Journey OF660. Can't say enough about it: it is sturdy, a snap to assemble and disassemble, wonderful playability, perfect action, very comfortable to hold, very nice tone. It is not very loud (unplugged) but loud enough for my purposes while travelling: playing in my room, in a terrace somewhere, in a beach somewhere. As the days go… read more by I like it more and more.......it is becoming a close friend.I have a few high end guitars - two nice Martins, one McIlroy (wonderful Irish luthier), one Paasonen (Finnish luthier), one Victor Lozano classical. So I know a bit about tone and quality.But hands down this is a pearl for travelling which you can take with you in a backpack.Highly recommended.Finally a good word for Sweetwater as supplier. The best customer service and follow up I have ever seen. Also highly recommended...!!!

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Journey review

I live in northern Wisconsin where the weather changes drastically and quickly, I also travel a great deal. I've owned carbon fiber acoustics in the past, so I'm not uncomfortable with them. This last weekend I tossed the Journey into the back of the box of the pickup, let it bake back there as I drove through some 90 degree heat and a down pour. When I got to my brothers house… read more 4 hours later, I pulled out the guitar and snapped it together and started playing. This thing is amazing! Great tone and nice action. I was very surprised as to how deep the bass sounds without sacrificing the higher tone. An excellent guitar! Don't be afraid to get one.

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Journey OF660

Add me to the blown away category -- what I wanted was a highly portable, weatherproof, and damage-resistant guitar that had decent playability and not terrible sound. What I got was a guitar that sounds really good and is incredibly comfortable and easy to play (I play only fingerstyle). Very balanced from highs to lows and great sustain, and a very pleasing tone. Doesn't have… read more the volume, character or subtlety of my much more expensive wood guitars, but is a pleasure to play in ways that my old carbon travel guitar was not. Replacing the shipped saddle with the shorter one journey provides gave me the action I like. The pickup also works fine. This thing is a bargain at this price IMHO as long as it holds up to travel and the elements.

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Amazing full bodied sound and so easy to travel with

I am absolutely blown away by the full bodied sound, especially the low end from this guitar! The playability is also excellent and because of the carbon fiber aspect, it seems very durable. I have now traveled several times and it gives me complete piece of mind knowing that it will fit right above. A brilliant design great guitar!

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I Love This Thing!

I love this thing! I travel quite a bit, and it's great how this guitar breaks down so well for the overhead bin. As a stand alone acoustic, it has surprisingly well balanced tone, with plenty of output. I'm also impressed with the sound of the passive internal pickups... No battery needed... Nice! Its maiden voyage was a three hour outdoor birthday party gig, complete with… read more a full weather spectrum... Warm late afternoon sunshine, to cool evening marine layer. This guitar stayed in tune all night! Brilliant design and excellent playability. Thankyou Journey instruments... And thankyou Sweetwater! Rick Founds

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