Traveler Guitar TR Vaibrant 88 DLX B

Traveler Guitar TR Vaibrant 88 DLX B review

The TR Vaibrant 88 DLX B takes a familiar high-performance electric guitar formula and places it in a much shorter body. It measures 845 mm overall, yet retains a 648 mm scale length, the same scale found on many full-size guitars. That distinction matters: the instrument is reduced in overall length, but the fretting distance is not. For players who want a more compact guitar without moving to a short-scale neck, the design has a practical point beyond its distinctive appearance.

At 2.55 kg, it is light enough to make the travel brief credible. The body and top are alder, paired with a maple neck and ebony fingerboard. The black, high-gloss finish is described as Cosmic Black, with slime-green fingerboard inlays and green pickup details adding a sharp contrast. A two-ply black-and-white pickguard completes the look. The shape leaves a substantial portion of a conventional guitar body absent, so the playing experience and balance will feel unusual at first. The supplied field report notes that acclimating to that missing body takes some adjustment, but describes the guitar as a serious instrument rather than a novelty.

Neck, hardware, and setup

The maple neck is bolt-on and carries 24 jumbo nickel-silver frets. Its 43 mm nut width and 432 mm fingerboard radius provide useful reference points for players comparing neck dimensions with a familiar instrument. The listed fretboard scale is 648 mm. Enclosed tuning machines use a 14:1 gear ratio, while the Floyd Rose 1000 FRT tremolo and locking nut are intended to keep the strings secure during more assertive pitch changes.

In the available owner feedback, the tremolo arrived close to a preferred setup and performed reliably. The player reported a decent upward pull without problems, though did not measure its full range. That is encouraging firsthand feedback, not a guarantee that every example will arrive identically adjusted. A floating locking tremolo also brings the usual setup considerations: changing string gauges or tuning can take more work than it would on a fixed bridge, and adjustments are less immediate once the nut is locked.

Pickup layout and controls

The pickup specification lists two Traveler V88D humbuckers in the neck and bridge positions, with a V88D single-coil pickup in the middle. Together, the three pickups form an HSH layout. Electronics are passive, with volume and tone controls, a five-way selector, and a separate coil-split switch. This provides more tonal options than the aggressive styling alone might suggest.

The field impressions describe the humbuckers as high-output pickups that retain clarity with heavy distortion and overdrive. The middle single coil was especially useful for clean sounds with modulation, and the fourth selector position also earned a positive mention. Those observations suggest a guitar suited to driven rock tones as well as cleaner, more textured parts. The coil-split selector adds another way to vary the humbucker sound, although the supplied information does not specify exactly which pickup combinations are available in each switch position.

A standard 6.3 mm output jack connects the guitar to an amplifier or other compatible equipment. The factory strings are D'Addario EXL120,.009 to.042. Black nickel hardware keeps the visual details consistent with the dark finish. The product data gives both HHS and HSH as pickup-system descriptions, but the detailed pickup list clearly places humbuckers at the neck and bridge with a single coil in the middle, so HSH is the more informative layout description.

Travel use and value

The package includes a deluxe gig bag, not a hard case. That suits a compact instrument intended to be easier to carry, though buyers who need rigid protection should account for the lack of an included case. The listed price is 545, and the model has been available since October 2019. Its 845 mm total length is the clearest travel advantage in the specifications; the full-scale neck preserves familiar spacing while the shortened body reduces the instrument's overall footprint.

The tradeoff is ergonomic familiarity. Players who anchor their picking arm or rest the guitar against their body in a particular way may need time to adapt. The field report is positive after that adjustment, but the compact outline will not suit every playing posture. Trying the guitar while seated and standing is sensible, especially for anyone considering it as a primary instrument rather than a travel backup.

Verdict

The TR Vaibrant 88 DLX B combines a full-scale neck, a locking Floyd Rose tremolo, and a flexible three-pickup arrangement in a notably compact electric guitar. Its reported setup and pickup performance are promising, while its unusual body shape is the main question for prospective buyers. For players who need easier transport but want familiar scale length and high-gain capability, the design offers a practical alternative to a conventional full-size guitar. The included gig bag supports that purpose, and the instrument's specifications give it a broader role than occasional travel use alone.