Over the course of many months, I’ve been writing about the experience of buying, owning and traveling with my Furch Little Jane LJ11-SR travel guitar. I’ve been nothing but happy with the 2k+ I spent on this guitar and a full sized Furch is definitely on my “to buy” list. Since I have so many blog posts and videos, I thought it would be a good idea to compile them all onto one page for you to check out. If you are looking to buy a Furch Little Jane travel guitar and are still wondering if it is a good idea to drop the cash, check the links down below. I guarantee you, after reviewing the information below, you will be sure if a Furch Little Jane is for you.

*Note: I’m not affiliated with Furch in any way. I just really like this guitar.

Guitar Musings Blog Posts

• Furch Little Jane Travel Guitar; Should I buy?
• Furch Little Jane Travel Guitar: Ordered!
• My Little Jane LJ11-SR is Home!!
• Furch Little Jane Guitar Modifications
• Furch Little Jane Goes to Scotland

Demo Videos (shorts)

• Furch Little Jane YouTube demos

The post Furch Little Jane Guitar Review/Demo appeared first on Guitar Musings.

As I wrote in the video description, if I had a dollar for everytime…. HA! But not complaining at all. It was a blast and found memories of my early guitar and musical endeavours.

Question: What GenX classics do you remember that were staples back in the day and what are the “More than Words” songs of today that all guitarists need to know?

The post You know you’re a GenX guitarist when… appeared first on Guitar Musings.

Making the switch

Was thinking about using cradle style capos instead of the Kyser spring loaded ones. I liked the aspect of being able to move my capo above the nut when I’m not using it; easy access and storage. I saw that Billy Strings does the same thing and it made sense. I found out that he uses Elliot Capos and I’m sure they make a fine capo but I’m not going to spend 200+ dollars on one. Settled on the D’Addario cradle capo and so far so good. I noticed that my intonation with this capo is better than with the Kyser.

Ditch the Kyser capo?

I won’t be ditching my Kyser capos. I love them and for the amount of guitars I have, they are more economical than the cradle capos. I will be using the D’Addario for my upcoming shows and the Kyser will be the backup. The biggest lesson is to always have a backup!

Note: I was able to fix my Kyser capo after comparing it with my others.

The post My capo exploded in the middle of a show appeared first on Guitar Musings.

Getting around the airport

You can either use the backpack option or use the handle and carry it like a briefcase. I already had a backpack so I did the briefcase option. There was place where you could put the Little Jane on your baggage handle and roll it around but for my suitcase, it wouldn’t fit. The handle was too wide. This may work better with a carry on suitcase but I didn’t use one for this trip. Something to keep in mind.

Airport Security

I’ve been on total of 6 flights with my Little Jane and it’s only been set to the side for further inspection once and that was on this trip. As soon as the TSA worker saw it, he let me go without any further inspection.

On the airplane

Easy peasy, fits overhead pretty nicely. You could technically put it at your fit in a pinch but I’m 6’5″ and that really isn’t an option for me.

My only issue (and it’s a small one)

When I got my Furch Little Jane, I took advantage of a promotion that got me a nice leather strap. Unfortunately, there really isn’t place to put a strap. Inside, the guitar could fit a nylon or a very thin strap but mine was too bulky and can’t be folded well. The pockets on the outside wouldn’t fit it as well. If you’re OK with a nylon or thing/string type strap, you’ll be fine. I just make sure there is room in my luggage or my backpack. Not the biggest deal but worth noting.

Than you Furch!

Love this guitar, It plays and sounds like a dream and now I can travel with a real guitar and not have to worry about it getting lost or being forced to buy a ticket for it to sit next to me.

The post Furch Little Jane Goes to Scotland appeared first on Guitar Musings.

I’ve resurrected my YouTube channel and started posting videos again. So far so good. I get a decent amount of views and some thumbs up/likes as well. With my last video, I got a couple of dislikes and I gotta say, I’m stoked!! I feel like it’s a right of passage to get a dislike or two. Don’t get me wrong, I still want the majority of the feedback to be good but there’s just something about that dislike. haha!

Reaching a larger audience?

Maybe I’m getting onto more screens and with that, a larger chance that someone won’t like it? Who knows and nobody gets 100% likes on any social media platform. I still have a long way to go to build my channel but I’ll take this little win.

If you would like to extend some support, please subscribe to my YouTube channel. More videos to come and currently working on a solo acoustic album and clips of my new stuff will be featured.

The post I got my first dislike/thumbs down on YouTube appeared first on Guitar Musings.

I love my Larrivee and I love my LR Baggs Stagepro Anthem but I don’t love the wires making so much noise because they won’t stay secured to the guitar. Looking all over the internet, I tried to find the type of clips that came with my Stagepro Anthem but kept getting results for wire management that were bulky and could possibly compromise the wood resonating. I was surprised how Reddit and the Acoustic Guitar Forum did not have an answer for me.

Self-stick Wiring Clips for Acoustic Pickups

Finally came around to the correct search words and found them on StewMac but with shipping they were well over twenty bucks. Luckily Reverb saved the day and was able to find some with only five bucks shipping. The quest is over and hopefully this helps you not having to search for too long.

Link to Reverb Store Below:

https://reverb.com/item/85856713-self-stick-wiring-clips-for-acoustic-pickups-6-pcs-black

The post Securing Pickup Wiring in Acoustic Guitar appeared first on Guitar Musings.

I recently saw an add on Youtube claiming there is a secret guitar scale that no one knows and the pros won’t show you. Of course this add will lead you to their website and for a “small fee” you can get access to the secret and unlock your playing!

Snake Oil Salesman

New methods and contraptions that will get you playing the guitar in 24hrs like the Guitar Buddy. This guitar buddy is device you put on your neck and by the push of the button you’ll be able to play basic chords; I’m assuming most major chords and minor? For $34.95 you get this and for just a bit more, you get a song book.

Hell no!

Is this really playing the guitar?

A gadget like the Guitar Buddy doesn’t make one a guitarist anymore than Guitar Hero does. Truth be told, there isn’t a quick way to learn the guitar. Anyone who bought an Esteban guitar on QVC can attest to that notion.

I’ll have to admit that I’ve tried a few “programs” that I thought would miraculously unlock my talent, like a magical “aha!” moment. Unfortunately, that scenario only exists in the movies and maybe if one is a savant. You can have all the gadgets, programs and subscriptions in the world but they all amount to nothing without one thing….

Practice

It’s that plain and simple, you will need to practice. Playing the guitar is not just an art but also a craft and in order to master a craft, a player needs to put in the hours. The one thing these programs don’t say in the click bait is that you’re going to need to practice everyday. It can be a great blue print or guide to becoming a better player but you’ll need to practice it for hours. It can be hard work and it’s a grind, it’s necessary and worth it. I’ve been playing since I was 10 and I hope that I will continue to get better each day, each week and every year. Guess what I’ll have to do to achieve that goal?

Yup, practice.

The post No Shortcuts to Learning the Guitar appeared first on Guitar Musings.

Starting to get comfortable with Furch Little Jane 11-SR travel guitar. The form factor of the Little is tough for me to adjust to because it is so small compared to my OM. I started using the guitar strap but as said in many posts, I like convenience and getting my guitar strap on was tedious. The leather was stiff, not broken in and very frustrating to get it attached to the strap buttons.

Loving the results

As you can see from the pictures, it was a pretty simple and easy installation. The small body made it hard for me to find a comfortable position to play. This setup now sets me up with a consistent playing position for my guitar. Below are links to the gear I used to for my straplock system and a demonstration or how it looks and sounds.

_{Disclosure: The links below are affiliate links to amazon. I may receive a commission for qualified purchases}

• https://amzn.to/43XSxZP – Schaller 14010401 Security Straplocks. I had to widen the hole on the neck peg to accommodate the larger screw size but other that that, it was a pretty simple setup.
• https://amzn.to/423cYlM – MusicNomad Acousti-Lok Strap Lock Adapter. They have many types but for the Furch Little Jane, you’ll need

The post Furch Little Jane Guitar Modifications appeared first on Guitar Musings.

Humidifying my Little Jane

I live in Colorado and it’s dry here (currently 24 percent in the room where I keep my Little Jane) so keeping the guitar in the case is a must. I’ve found that I need to retune the guitar after a few hours of playing in dry air; unfortunately, leaving it out for extended periods in those conditions isn’t an option. According to Furch customer support, recommended humidity should be between 40 and 60 percent. To achieve this, I use the MusicNomad sound hole humidifier and put in in the case next to the waist of the guitar. So far is doing the trick and I find that I need to refresh the moisture in the sponge about every other day or two.

To monitor the humidity in the case, I put a Govee Bluetooth Hygrometer Thermometer inside. I can monitor through the app or widget on my phone and have alarms set if the humidity gets to high or too low. As you can see by the picture, the humidity is lower than the 40/60 percent. I’m still working on the placement of the hydrometer and the humidifier to maximize effectiveness.

Playing Form:

This guitar is much smaller than my others, and adjusting to the size has been quite a challenge. I’ve noticed that my right arm and hand tend to contort because there isn’t enough body to rest my arm on. If I’m not careful, it can lead to wrist pain — especially important to avoid as a fingerstyle guitarist, where right-hand form matters a lot. Using a pick would probably make this less of an issue, but it’s really not an option for me.

I’ve found that wearing a guitar strap helps keep the guitar at a consistent height, which reduces strain. I’m considering adding strap locks, like I did for my Larrivee, for the convenience of quickly taking the strap on and off.

Action:

The action was a bit high as noted in my last post and I reached out to Furch for guidance. their response was the following:

“Regarding your question about adjusting the action on your Little Jane, the setup works just like on any standard acoustic guitar. You can lower the action by:

• Adjusting the truss rod using an Allen key.
• Sanding down the saddle if truss rod adjustment isn’t enough.”
• The only difference compared to a regular acoustic guitar is the nut—since the strings go through it, the slots cannot be filed down as they can on a traditional nut. Other than that, the adjustment process is the same.”

I have yet to work on the neck and I don’t think it needs it but I did sand down the saddle and that has helped quite a bit. The guitar ships with D’Addario XSAPB1253’s so I’m going to try a lighter gauge which should help (Elixir Nanoweb 10/47). I am concerned that it might impact the tone but we’ll see and I can always go back to 12’s.

So far, I’m loving my Little Jane travel guitar and am really pleased with it after a little over a week. With a few tweaks, modifications, and plenty of playing, I’m confident this guitar will feel like it was made just for me.

The post Furch Little Jane Travel Guitar: Post purchase follow-up appeared first on Guitar Musings.

My brother would tell me stories about his time in a band and how it felt great when the crowd would get up and start dancing. It’s a sign you have won them over and the night is going to go well. My band, “Alias Smith and Jones,” played a gig last night and when some couples started to get up and dance to what we were playing, I felt my brother strongly. So strong, I barely kept it together.

My brother passed away almost two years ago and he was my inspiration for playing the guitar. I remember watching him go to gigs, loading his gear all dressed up (this was the 80’s mindy you. It’s not a coincidence that I wanted to do the same. Took me a little bit longer get on stage but when I did, he was my biggest fan. I would call him after every gig and we would talk about it and dissect it like a professional football player goes over game tape. We now had this in common and it was no longer him telling me stories but us both going back and forth. I relished having those conversations with him.

Those conversations still occur but now it’s a one way deal, but I talk with him everyday. I swear I could feel him last night and for a brief instance we were sharing that moment when the couples were dancing. Like I said, it took everything I had to not break down but once i composed myself, I smiled and relished in the time we had to talk about playing guitar and being in a band.

Love my big brother and I’m grateful he got to see me play and I miss him dearly.

The post Performing and the Love of a Brother appeared first on Guitar Musings.

I’m sure you’re aware that I recently got a new Furch guitar and now it’s time to accessorize!! I like to have a few basic necessities with each of my guitars so I have no excuses when I play/practice. It’s a little something I picked up from a friend of mine.

_{Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links to amazon. I may receive a commission for qualified purchases}

Gotta Stay in Tune!

First thing is first I have to have a tuner and it needs to be handy, like on the guitar itself. I have found that the D’Addario Micro Headstock Tuner is perfect for my needs. No more finding a tuner or finding a tuner app on my phone. I’m all about convenience and I use this device for performances as well. The only drawback I have found is when I’m playing outside, the sun will wash out the display which makes it impossible to see anything on the little screen. I thought about using D’Addario’s sound hole tuner to remedy this issue but how it clips onto the soundhole makes me worried it will scratch up my guitar.

*note make sure you have it set to 440!!!

Need me a Capo

All of the guitars I use have a capo attached to the headstock. Last thing I want to do is hunt one down, like I said, I’m all about the convenience. I’m currently using the Kyser Quick-Change Capo and it has suited me well. The quick change aspect of it is desirable because I do have some songs where I have to apply the capo mid performance. The intonation of the Keyser can be a bit tricky and not sure why. That’s why I’m considering a an old school capo like the Paige 6-String Standard Guitar Capo but not sure. The Paige works great on my mandolin but it definitely isn’t “quick change”.

Guitar Strap

I need all of my guitars to have a strap at the ready and each guitar has its own. With an acoustic guitar, the strap ensures that my ergonomics are consistent and therefor my playing stays consistent. Sitting with the guitar on my lap isn’t the greatest for my playing and my shoulder plus I want to practice how I perform.

I don’t have a “go to” strap for all my guitars, it really depends on the guitar. For example, my Larrivee OM, I decided to purchase a leather “JCL” Artist Series Strap and I love it. For my last tour, I added strap locks to the setup and so glad I did.

Each guitar setup is unique for me but base of my setup will always be a tuner, capo and strap. Do you have any must haves when accessorizing your new guitar?

Update: Needed to add some straplocks to my guitar. Details in this post.

The post Must haves after buying a guitar. Need my accessories! appeared first on Guitar Musings.

My Little Jane 11-SR with the LR-Baggs East-VTC.

Initial Thoughts

• Well that was fast! Seriously, I was expecting it to be at least a ten day wait but ended up being half that.
• Relief: Everything was intact and no visible dings, dents, cracks etc…
• This looks like a solid guitar and I hope that it plays and sounds as good as it looks
• Intuitive, easy to assemble and I did not once worry it was going to break in my hands.

How does the Little Jane Play and Sound?

• Didn’t take too much to tune which was surprising considering it was in the European Union just a couple of days ago.
• Feels good in my hands and is pretty much like playing a parlor guitar. The only difference is that the neck on the Little Jane is a bit heavy but not too bad.
• Nice warm sound and easy to play. Felt like it was meant for me from the get go, *Note: the action is a bit high but not unplayable, just makes it hard for fingerstyle. I emailed support to see if there is a way to lower it but worst case, I can put on a lighter string gauge and all should be good.
• The hole on the upper bout where you put the neck when disassembled is a nice sound port. It works like a stage monitor so I can hear myself better.
• Furch sent a guitar strap with me purchase and I’m glad they did. Definitely need a strap with this small form factor; keeps the guitar in the right position.
• LR-Baggs system sounds great as they always do.

Final Thoughts

• Great customer service: always quick to answer an email and addressing each question thoroughly.
• Quality craftsmanship; a solid guitar that plays and sounds great!
• The Little Jane is nice enough to record and perform with. It’s not just for travel.
• Worth the $$$? Absolutely!!

There you have it! But the proof will be when I take it on my trips. Have a trip to Las Vegas during spring break to watch Dead and Company and the Little Jane will be there. June, we are off to Scotland with the LJ in towe! You will hear back from me with reports on how the trips went! Now time to get some accessories!

Be sure to check out my follow-up post for my Little Jane!

The post My Little Jane LJ11-SR is Home!! appeared first on Guitar Musings.

OK. so we are on our first Alaskan tour and all is going well but the songs that I play Mandolin on just doesn’t seem right. Intonation is off; either me or the guys in my band were off but it was noticeable.

Dave, our bass player and lead singer keeps looking over to me with the look of “are you in the right key”. I stop in the middle of the song and do a quick check and yes, I’m in tune.. Finish the song and I pick up my guitar and all is well, it only seems to be with the mando. I’m actually getting worried that there is something physically wrong with the instrument and it will need to be repaired.

Tensions run high

After a couple of shows, the tensions are running high. I’m getting the looks of frustration and annoyance because of this issue. I literally showed my tuner to the guys and said “look, it’s showing in tune.” Perplexed, we decide it might be the venue we are at; they can definitely distort the sound. The problem is, we are now facing this problem over the course of multiple shows. All The venues can’t be bad right?

We are warming up, getting the sound check taken care of and the intonation issue shows it’s ugly head once again. What the actual?!?!??!? We are checking the mix, all the tunings and we can’t figure it out. I’m ready to scrap the mando songs until this is figured out but we can’t; they are some of our most popular songs so not an option.

“What is you tuner set to?”

That’s what our other guitarist asked me and at first I’m like, huh? What he was wondering was if I had my tuner set to 440. DUH! holy crap, it was set to 441. How about that? I set to 440, retune and the great tuning fiasco was finally resolved. It is crazy how just that one notch up can create such a discord in the music.

Goes to show how important our ears are to a musician and when you know your music in every way, a little change is noticeable. Needless to say, I double and triple check to make sure my tuners are always set to 440.

Lesson learned!

The post Are you in tune? Really? Check again! appeared first on Guitar Musings.

Well, I did it. I’m not the proud owner of the order of a Furch Little Jane 11-SR. I will not say that I am a proud owner of the guitar until it gets to me from the CZECH REPUBLIC fully intact and playable; you never know what international shipping will bring us. I have seen unboxings of Little Janes on Youtube and I’m hopeful and fairly confident that Furch will pack and ship my Little Jane well.

*Note: I should mention that I emailed Furch about 4 or 5 times asking questions about care, setup, humidity, maintenance, etc.. They responded within a day and were very helpful with all my answers. They even set me up with a free leather guitar strap (hundred dollar value). Should be at my door in about a week or so which would be pretty impressive since it’s coming from so far.

More to come…

The post Furch Little Jane Travel Guitar: Ordered! appeared first on Guitar Musings.

I’m going to be doing quite a bit of traveling this summer and I don’t leave without a guitar. For past trips, I have outfitted my Larrivee OM with a Calton case and I’ve never been scared that my guitar would end up in pieces. Been to Alaska for two tours with my band, trips to California a and Oregon. My Calton case was a smart investment but the tradeoff with a sturdy Calton case is the weight and size. It’s quite heavy and tough to lug around the airport and small rental vehicles. My wife and I will be traveling to Scotland this summer and I’m looking to keep it light so no Larrivee but I still need something to play on the trip.

Furch Little Jane Travel Guitar

In my quest for a guitar to take to Scotland, I stumbled upon the Furch “Little Jane” travel guitar and I have to say I’m intrigued. A solid wood acoustic guitar that can be taken apart and put in a backpack that fits in the overhead compartment of an airplane. Yes Please! I’ve checked out youtube videos and been on forums and the overall consensus is that this is a solid guitar that actually sounds pretty good. Due to its size, it would be comparable to a parlor guitar when put together.

Which one Should I Choose?

There are four models in the Little Jane lineup and they are as follows:

• LJ 10 – CM
  • Western Cedar and African Mahogany
• LJ10 – MM
  • African Mahogany and African Mahogany
• LJ10 – SM
  • Sitka Spruce and African Mahogany
• LJ11 – SR
  • Sitka Spruce and Indian Rosewood

Each can be outfitted with LR Baggs EAS-VTC and of course, I’ll want that because I might just want to plug it in for gigs.

So Will I Pull the Trigger?

I was on the fence when I began this post because 2k is a lot of money to spend on a travel guitar. The more I research Furch, the more comfortable I feel about their quality and craftsmanship. I’ve been going back and forth with sales for the past couple of days with questions on the guitar. They have responded quickly and have been extremely helpful. I have a LJ11 in my shopping cart and might just have to “checkout” sometime soon. More to come.

*Update: We are on to the next step!!

The post Furch Little Jane Travel Guitar; Should I buy? appeared first on Guitar Musings.