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VOYAGE-AIR FEATURE


 


slacken-off the strings when you fold it and when you put it back, it’s still in tune. “You’ve got three series – the Transit


went to university. Cohen’s background is in the ultra-precise world of medical and surgical engineering and he applied his mind to the problem, brought in the experience and wisdom of noted Californian luthier Harvey Leach and produced a guitar that you can literally fold in half, pack away in a small rucksack, then snap the neck back into position and still have it almost perfectly in tune. Sounds impossible? That’s what everyone says until they try one, Gold insists. Music Force signed the distribution deal


at last year's NAMM show but has had to wait a full year before getting any instruments. The reason was because Cohen took the product on the US equivalent of Dragon’s Den (ABC’s Shark Tank), turned down a $1 million offer and found a queue of wannabe owners forming outside his door the following morning. Among them are a growing number of


stars, apparently including two guitarists with Paul McCartney, who recently stunned the great man’s audience by folding their Voyage-Airs in half during a version of Give Peace a Chance, joining in the clapping, then springing the necks back into place to continue the song. Publicity like this simply cannot be bought and Gold is convinced Voyage-Air is going to be a huge success for both his company and retailers. “I’ve taken the base model Voyage-Air guitars into some of the top retailers in the UK and asked them what they thought they would sell for. People have played them, saying they were really good acoustics and worth – well, more or less exactly the sort of prices they are selling for. And then I’ve watched their jaws drop when I folded the guitar in half and told them not only is it a top class guitar, but it does that as well. What really amazes people is that you don't even need to


mi-pro.co.uk


Series, the Songwriter Series and the Premier Series. They have RRPs from £479.99 right up to the Premier Series, which are £1,379. Even if they didn’t have the folding mechanism and came with this phenomenally well made bag that is designed to slide into standard cabin aircraft overhead storage or slung on your back on a bike, they would be worth what they sell for. They aren’t just folding guitars, they are actually very well made, great playing and great sounding guitars. “With the industry in the state it’s in,


what we need is new ideas, not just the same old things being re-hashed over and over again and this really is something genuinely new. It's ideal for so many people – people going camping, hiking, on





What we need is new ideas, not just the same old things being re-hashed over and over again and this really is something genuinely new. Jon Gold


holiday, travelling round cities on bikes and motorcycles, travelling to songwriting sessions and rehearsals. We see it as a second guitar for people, too – players who already have very high quality guitars, but want something they can travel with as a complement to their existing instruments. That is a very big potential market. “We’re not looking to put it in every


music store, as we see it as a quality product and quite a lot of the bigger stores had already become aware of it from the publicity and have placed orders, but we are, of course, still looking for retailers who think it would work for them. “I passionately believe this is an absolutely unique thing – that is just the sort of instrument that the music making public really needs.” Sceptical? The website videos might just


change your mind... www.voyageairguitar.co.uk


February 2012 27


 


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   


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 


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