Martin Backpacker Steel String

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Yes the steel string sound is a little thin and does lack bass response but I was looking for the classical model but were out of them at the San Fran. Guitar Center location so I bought the steel string model and thought I was buying classical strings but ended up with "Earnie Ball Classic Strings" whitch have nylon treble strings and bronze colored bass strings and much to my liking there was the missing bass and the treble strings sang like a real guitar so there you have it. Maybe its better to have a nylon travel guitar that sounds real instead of a steel string that does not.

For $200 bucks it is very well made and is all solid wood with no finish at all. I wonder what tounge oil would do?

Features are about what you would expect. 15 frets, you can reach them all. It's a solid thing, and it must be real wood because nothing smells like wood except wood. Tuners seem acceptable. The back of the neck is round, unfinished wood which feels like a baseball bat. Comes with a strap, which helps your ability to play it because it is unbalanced, and a gig bag.

Sounds horrible. It sounds worse than I expected, and I didn't expect it to sound anything like a full-size guitar. The question you need to ask yourself is whether you can tolerate bad sound in a travel guitar. I guess you could ask yourself whether something like the Washburn Rover sounds better, or whether you can travel with a 3/4 size guitar like the LXM or Baby Taylor.

You could probably achieve some sound effects with it, as some other reviewer has written. I tried to play some Stones songs in open G on it, didn't sound too good. I played some Neil Young songs on it, and that sounded about as good as anything, with me singing along as shrill as I could. It is thin sounding, no matter how you slice it.

It is a Martin, it looks like it is well-made. The set up out of the box is a little high, but you can tolerate it with the extra light strings. I could still play up the neck with no trouble despite the high action. I took the saddle out and looked at it and I believe you could lower it yourself without much trouble if you wanted.

The unfinished wood gives it a nice feel.

I think it is indestructible.

Don't know how long the warranty is, you won't need it anyway.

I have been playing off and on (mostly off) for about 30 years. This is my third guitar since I started playing again about 9 months ago. I have a nice sounding but beat up Ibanez acoustic that I bought in a pawn shop, and a beatiful sunburst warm-sounding Washburn D-10Q.

I bought this for travel, for which it will be adequate. I put it in my office and will play it when I get restless. For these purposes it is adequate.

Before I bought it I wish I tried out the Washburn Rover to see if it sounds better. I bought this sight unseen with modest expectations, because it is a Martin, and my avid-guitarist brother swears by his Martins. He has the LXM and decent 6-string and 12-string Martins, and I knew I wasn't buying anything even in the class of the LXM. For a Martin though, I expected it to be better than this. This sounds like a toy guitar. I can make use of it, but it didn't even meet my modest expectations.

I have a 2004 backpacker (I think that is the year). At some point recently they changed the design and I have the new design. I think it is a handsome little guitar. The satin finish looks good and the thing is solidly built. The tuners work very well and it holds its tune for quite a while, even after several times in and out of its slightly too small case.

The sound is just fine for what it is. Obviously, it is not a full size guitar and it simply does not sound like one. I played the older design and that one sounded very much like a cheap banjo. The new design sounds much better and much more like a guitar. Sometimes, I think I can hear it straining to sound like a grown up guitar.

As others have stated it is hard to play though as it wont stay flat. It wants to twist around and I have given up trying to play it without the strap. The strap seems to stabilize it somewhat.

The finish is quite nice. Satin and smooth. The action is ridiculously high and I took it to a luthier to have it lowered and it plays just fine as well.

It is a very solid guitar. It feels like it is made out of two chunks of wood hollowed out and welded together.

No problem so far. I did email Martin with a question about thier dreadnaught guitars and received a very prompt reply.

I like this little thing very much. My kids think it is really cool and like to monkey with it. I have a Takamine AN10 (the cedar one) and a Yamaha 12 string so far...

I bought this to travel with and for the price I really do not have to worry about it. For those with more keen ears and larger wallets and baby Martin or Taylor would probably sound better but those are less of a value and more fragile and would cause more worry. This guitar can be taken to the beach without any real worry so what is not to like?

Recently purchased 2003. Bought for portability and to play in apt. late at night, camping, etc. I own a Japanese 4wd regular cab pick-up so I was looking for something small to fit behind the seat. This fits the bill perfectly.
17 Frets slightly smaller than full-size but not that noticable.
solid wood contruction.
Martin brand tuners(well made, hold tuning, tight)
Finish is light with an untreated (not oiled, ala natural) look and feel
Nice bag extra strap, gig bag strap(kinda looks like a gun case) did I mention the thing fits behind the seat of a Nissan truck

It's not a full size Dread so why would you expect it to sound as rich? the sound hole is about 3 inches in diameter.
Like all have said the sound is a bit thin(not much bass) but it's a very unique sound and grows on you . Like other mentioned kinda like a cross of a banjo, madolin, ukelele with a bit o guitar.

Craftmanship is top notch, looks very durable, made in Mexico(but supposedly inspected at Martin)
The fit--- USE the strap otherwise it slides all over the place(but you can place it but up against your knee without a strap. Playit like un upright bass(only if you lose your strap) You could also play it on your lap(like Ben harper)
Kneck is fatter than normal and seems more narrow. A capo will work but you really gotta stretch it out.
Great for fingerpickin'
I mainly play fingerstyle and the sound is somewhat thin and low. I tried a pick and wow! the sound is quite different surprisngly loud and almost a Fullsize Dreadnought sound.

On a final not the Strap. It comes with a place on the body to mount your strap but also comes with a"shoestring ) to attach at nut. This seems to be the best balancing spot. Also if the body slides around too much try wrapping the strap arond (soit lays flat on the front of body, pulling it inwards toward your body)

Haven't owned long enough

I own another mid level Martin and customer support is top notch.

I own a couple electrics and a bass, also a Martin D-1.
If this were lost or stolen I'd buy another

All the technical info is adequately provided by other reviewers. The neck is thicker than a standard dreadnought, but still easily playable. The tuning keys are solid, keeping the guitar in tune after weeks of use, non-use and/or abuse by my 2 year-old son.

The strap, included, makes playing much easier. The gig bag was not included in the price, but the guitar was priced $20 cheaper than anywhere else, with the bag costing an "extra" $20. According to Martin customer service (same day email response), this is acceptable practice.

For everyone griping that it doesn't sound like a dreadnought, surprise, it ain't a dreadnought--the same way your radio alarm doesn't sound like your home stereo. But just as some bedside radios sound better than others, the backpacker sounds much better than the Taylor. Being a Californian, I wanted to support a California business, but the Taylor sounds too thin. The Backpacker has a rich, albeit funky sound. More trebly than bass, it has elements of mandolins, banjos, and balalaikas in it.

I use it at home and on the beach so far. It isn't loud, so I'm strumming harder when I'm competing with the surf. That said, an acoustic stringed instrument with such a small body should not sound this good, but it does. I happened to see this instrument being used in a small folk setting, and it definitely added some quirky flavor to the ensemble's sound. Bottom line: play it before you buy it; don't buy it online w/o playing it.

Sound: Martin says to use light-gauged strings, yet they strung it with medium gauge. These strings really make the Backpacker sound mote like a banjo. Once I restrung it with Martin Silk and Steel strings, they really softened the twanginess. This simple restringing had a major positive influence on sound quality. I suggest everyone do this ASAP.

The action was a bit high, so I took it to a luthier at Folk Music in Claremont, CA, and he adjusted it for $40--well worth it.

Note: the luthier absolutely LOVED the sound. He sells, plays, and works on all kinds of stringed instruments from around the world, and was very impressed with the amount of sound this little package produced.

The fit and finish were top-notch. It's great to see Martin treats all their products the same. The luthier agreed that this is a very well put together instrument.

I would love to use this some day on stage, when my playing ability allows me. This guiter seems nearly indestructible. My two year-old seems keenly fascinated with whichever guitar I play (this, or my Takamine G 330S), and beelines it toward me and starts thwapping on the strings. When not in use, I stow it away, but he still finds ways to get to it, and he rough houses with it, but has made no dents on it. This is a solid piece of work.

I plan to take it with me to Taiwan next summer, and will be doing some travelling into the rural, mountainous areas, knowing the guitar will withstand the bumps and knocks.

I contacted Martin customer service via email, and they responded the same day with a polite and thorough response to my question.

Playing for two years now. My other guitar is the aforementioned Takamine acoustic G-330S.

I would replace it in a heartbeat if my backpacker were lost or stolen.

It really looks like apiece of art, like some kind of stringed instrument from days gone by or some travelling gypsy troupe. This is why I often hang it up in my living room--it's really a quaint, charming instrument, which can add a special something to a small folk or bluegrass ensemble, both visually and sound-wise.

Another advantage of playing this, in my humble opinion, is, being a scaled down guitar, the fret spacing is smaller--narrower, making me to become more disciplined in my fingering. I'm forced to be more precise, which has improved my playing on my standard sized Takamine.

In the end, it's a nice guitar-type instrument that will always have a place in my home.

Solid top, steel string travel acoustic guitar that comes with strap and gig-bag. Bare wood finish, chrome machine heads, mahogany back and sides, 24" scale length, 15 frets.

I was fairly surprised at the sound of this guitar, mainly because I'd read all of the reviews here at HC, and really expected it to sound a lot thinner than it did. I played it in the music shop and though this actually sounds pretty good. Okay so it's light on base - that's to be expected due to the size of the body, but there is still a quality and uniqueness to the sound that I really like. The guitar really suits finger picking but is an okay strummer too, perfect for night around the camp-fire in those hard to reach places!

The guitar is really beautifully constructed and finished considering the price. It's neat and tidy - no rough edges, with perfectly finished frets. The action is a little high but I presume Martin ship them like this so the players can change it themselves - an easy job even for a novice guitar player. Even so, most music shops could do this for you if required.

I've only just bought this guitar so this is hard to rate. It looks solid enough and reading the other reviews, some people claim to have put them through pretty bad conditions to no adverse effects. The guitar is really light though so I'm yet to be convinced, strenght often comes from weight. Saying that, it is a travel guitar so I'm glad it is not heavy - It will be going to the Andes after all!

No dealings with Martin.

I've been playing about ten years, playing gigs, recording, jamming with friends etc. I play mainly a USA strat, Gordon Smith and S & P Pro Mahogany acoustic. The Martin is a good edition to my collection.
I'll soon be travelling the world for a year and the though of having no guitar, or carrying a full size acoustic up the Inca Trail was worrying me a little. I tried some of the 'baby' guitars but they were mainly heavier, bigger and more expensive. Great for certain applications and they usually have a bigger sound, but they can't out backpack the Backpacker!

Made in Mexico. Medium-Fat neck, feels comfortable.
Gig bag is handy, I sometimes stuff a few books and even a pair of shoes in it.

Given the extremely small size, it produces good volume, even when fingerpicked. The tone is not bad, especially as it ages. Doesn't sound like a guitar, but that's what makes it interesting to me. I would describe its sound like a cross between a mandolin, a balalaika, a banjo and - yes - a guitar. If I were to pick just one adjective to describe its tonal qualities, I would say "woody".

The original set-up was a little high. I had the saddle lowered, and now it plays effortlessly.
Quality is good: I especially like the "continuous" mahogany of the neck that goes on to form the body.

Playing fingerstyle, I found the backpacker sturdy enough. I've owned it for a few years now, taking it to some very extreme wather conditions, from Brasil to the Greek islands, and I never had any problems with it.
The finish is very light, but I like it that way. A heavier coating would be too much for such a tiny instrument.
It's dependable, I'm planning to use it on a gig, without backup.

Never dealt with the company.

I've been playing for 30 years. I own a Bourgeois Martins Simpson, an Italian made jumbo, a Gibson Les Paul.
If my backpacker got stolen, I would probably buy a new one. I didn't compare it to other travel guitars, because when I bought it there weren't any alternatives.

I bought this second hand at Andy's in Denmark street London in late '99, I've no idea how old it is. It's the old style model with the Martin logo on the body and the small headstock. Mine has the built in pickup.

I can't really add anything to the other opinions here regarding its acoustic sound, just bear in mind it IS a travel guitar.
Here's where it gets weird, I use mine plugged in and live (!!!!) it has been gigged more often than any other instrument I own. It NEEDS to be radically EQ'ed (I use a 7 band Ariston EQ pedal) and it lends itself really well to effects. In conjuction with the EQ pedal and a ZOOM 505 mk 2 the bacpacker can be made sound like pretty much anything (including a convincing bass when used with an octaver). I will confess that I was prompted to get the backpacker after seeing and hearing John Jennings use one in concert with Mary Chapin Carpenter (check out the 'Live At Wolf Trap' video).
As a working musician playing cover versions of many styles of music I need to have a range of sounds, starting from a good authentic acoustic sound (a lot of stuff I do is request based so I can't rely on backing tracks or other musicians to fill out the sound, solo guitar and voice work always sounds better with an acoustic).

Action and intonation on mine were both great, maybe it had been set up by it's previous owner.

Oooohh it stands up to live playing alright! mine gets played for average 2-3 hours at least twice a week in a bar/restaurant type setting,hasn't let me down yet.
It has toured Europe in planes trains and buses, and holds its tuning well.
My only slight beef is that the finish wears easily, I've put a 'pickguard'(a strip of gaffa tape) on the lower edge as it was starting to get chewed up.
The strap button around the jack socket tends to unscrew itself, not a big problem really.
The pick up is excellent and extremely versatile. I have no qualms about using it without a backup instrument.

N/A

Ive been playing guitars for nearly 25 years. I own way too many instruments, love Danelectros.
I've got this insured at new cost price 'cos I'd be lost without it, would buy another immediately.
I love the look and feel of the instrument, it's supremely easy to use (hell, you can even cycle to gigs with it!). My favourite feature has got to be the lack of weight.
I never got the chance to compare it to other travel guitars as at the time I bought it there were no other travel guitars easily available in the UK.
I'd like one with a telecaster style pickup added to it and a much tougher laquered finish, perhaps some body binding (that'd look well Bo Diddley!)
Check out my website (complete with pictures of my backpacker)at http://hometown.aol.co.uk/gusglen1306/GusGlen.html

2002 Model Steelstring Backpacker - solid mahogany neck, back, and sides, braced tonewood top. Satin finish and crome enclosed tuners. Came with Martin strap and gigbag.

I was surprised out how loud this little guitar is. Bright clear sound, bass sounds aren't too bad either. Has a "mountain music" kind of sound to it.

When I first played the guitar, I knew right away it needed some adjustments with the action. The action was very high, and since the backpacker is one solid piece with no neck ajustments, I had to have the saddle cut down to the maximum. (The backpacker comes with the recommended adjustment measurements.) Even after this the action was still too high. I bought a set of Martin Silk and Steel strings, extra light weight (recommened by Martin) and with this combination the action feels fine.
The tuners are very nice. Doesn't loose tune easily. The wood is beautiful on this little thing. Doesn't smell like glue, smells like wood. Frets are smooth, no rough edges.

Seems to be very rugid. It's called the backpacker for a reason! Very solid little guitar. I seems like it would hold it's own on stage. I would want a backup on stage with it though.

1 year warranty. Not had to deal with the company though.

Been playing guitar for 2 years. Made a nice "buddy" to my Taylor Big Baby. I have 2 other low quality acoustics and a Cort electric. If it were lost or stolen, I've not decided if I would pay to replace it (it was a gift). I love this guitar, but because of the odd shape and high action (before the adjustments), I couldn't find a comfortable way to hold it. I definately can't play it without a strap because it won't exactly set on your leg. Even with a strap, it tends to "roll" because the body is so small. It's easier to play now. Kind of a love/hate relationship at first.

My wife bought this for me as a birthday present, maybe three years ago--an "older style" Backpacker. Some may consider the neck a little thick. For me, this does not detract. It's comfortable. Martin includes a roomy gig bag and a strap, a complete starter package for a beginning guitarist.

Let's face it. The sound is poor. But what can you expect from a guitar of this size? Considering this insurmountable strike against the design the sound is pretty good. However, if you are buying this instrument for the sound you're buying it for the wrong reason. I suspect that many complaints about the admittedly tinny sound have to do with the unorthodox appearance of the instrument. It's psychological. An instrument that LOOKS like a guitar, but sounds exactly like a Backpacker, wouldn't draw nearly as much criticism. I think the sound is the Backpacker's weak spot.

The workmanship was fine. Strangely, this guitar looks at once well-made and frail. It probably wouldn't survive getting sat on. Come to think of it, sitting on ANY guitar is inadvisable. I find this instrument more comfortable to play without a strap. That's one of the great things about it. I don't think there's any other guitar a person's more liable to play spontaneously than this one, just another aspect that makes a Backpacker an ideal beginner's instrument.

Nobody in their right mind would want to use a Backpacker for live performance. They'd get laughed off the stage. Martin should have put a tougher surface on this guitar. I usually play fingernails only because a pick would shred the top right away. As it is, I have to be content that I'm only slowing down the shredding process. Pick guard(s) would have to protect the body at both the light and heavy gauge string areas. Is there enough surface area for a pick guard? Maybe Martin shouldn't have used wood at all, at least not for the body.

No experience.

Been playing on and off for 30 years. Would I replace it? I don't know. I don't find the newer style Backpackers as aesthetically pleasing as the old. The added bulk is certainly meant to address the sound problem. (I haven't played one of these so I can't say if the redesign works.) I have another travel guitar (the now discontinued Applause Voyager). I like it better in many ways, but it doesn't have that "pick up and go" quality of the Martin. Anyone who buys a Backpacker will have to put up with lots of ribbing about its appearance. The uninformed will swear it's not a guitar. Expect questions about what made you pick up the balalaika, etc.