Martin Backpacker Steel String

Hey, the main feature is portability. And portable it is too.

has a bag - big plus - but then for a guitar like this the only alternative is a shotgun bag.

Small, thin in the bass, but great for fireside stuff, and doesn't annoy people in the next tent.

Just had to tune it.

Action is a bit high but with the light strings you don't need to lower it much

Dependable yes

Durable - no use as a paddle, or as a bat - but - don't sit on it - it looks fragile.

No worries yet

Amateur player - nuff said

CORRECTION TO THE REVIEW OF AUGUST 19, 2002, OF THE NEW DESIGN BACKPACKER:

The lower bout of the new design is 5/8 inch wider.

Took my weeks old old-design B'packer back to GC and compared with a new design model.

In addition to the "shoulders" on the upper bout, the new design seems slightly wider in the lower bout - about 1/8 inch. Also, some may wonder if it is still a continuous peice of mahogony from the neck and down the sides. It is. The spruce tops on both are equally bearclawed (whoop-de-doo. I remember when nobody used wood that looked like that, or they painted it. Now we're supposed to believe that the magic bear swipes the wood and makes it sound wonderful.)
Whatever "select hardwood" was used on the fingerboard of the new one, it is very tight-grained and rather colorful. I like it. As advertised, the sound hole is bigger.

Old design smells like glue - new design smells like wood.

Much nicer headstock on the new design - flares out like a normal headstock, not crowded.

They moved the CFMartin decal from the soundboard to the headstock.

The new design seems a little heavier, more stable.

The new design neck seems to become broader as it approaches the body - good for neck stability.

BIG differences in playability and sound. The new one is MUCH more comfortable to hold, and can be held on the knee. The old one was about impossible to use that way. Strapped on, the new one is more stable, doesn't seem to want to roll like the old one. The sound is fuller, bassier, louder - sounds more like a guitar.

Looks better than old design. Finish and fit are excellent, seems like it will withstand camping, etc. Action is fine.

Old one seemed fragile, new one seems durable - I guess just the dimensions do that. You could take this on a trail and bat away small rodents.

They are friendly and informative via e-mail. No other contact.

A really big difference, though somewhat intangible, is that the new one is much more inviting. I felt I could play it longer and more comfortably, instead of, "OK, I'm done". Instead of being packed away for next time, this new one is likely to be left out within reach to be picked up and played more often.
Old one seemed fragile, new one seems durable - I guess just the dimensions do that.

All told, small improvements made a giant difference - mind you, I liked the old design well enough, but the result of the new design seems like the thing evolved to what it should be. I'll give Martin and their amigo's south of the border an "A" for most improved.

By the way, since the old one was under 30 days from purchase, GC let me swap them and take home the new design one. I'm a much happier "camper".

This little jewel was made in Mexico. I bought it for camping. Solid spruce top, mahogany sides and back. Typical asoustic style bridge. Martin sealed tuners. The first and sixth strings are angled sharp coming off the top nut, this has to cause some tension. When I change strings I believe I'll expeiment reversing the rotation to eas the stress up a bit, get the two strings to come off the bridge starighter.

This guitar sucks when played as a conventional guitar but I play blues slide in open G and for that it passes the test. It is also soft in sound, not loud. I worried about taking my resonator to camp grounds because it is loud which may bother other campers and I also feared condensation would rust up the metal parts. This Backpaker is perfect for camping applications. There is little bass to it but the treble and highs ring out and that is where I get my swampy blues sound from. Mind you that I am rating the sound based on the blues I slide.

The action is high which is perfect for slide guitar. To hold down chords with this guitar would be difficult, the action would have to be lowered to do that. The head stock is the same width as the neck which alows me to slide down to A with out a capo, I like that. It has to be played with a strap and the body does try to twist up. I rest my wrist on the bridge with a pick between my thumb and index finger, I also pluck the 1st and 2nd strings using my middle and ring finger (I play my reso this way, too) so I hold the body against me. I find it easy to play this way. The finish is nice but I had to take some steel wool to the neck. My hand would drag and catch on two spots, high on the neck and low on the neck. The steel wool smoothed it out and now I slide with ease. The fret boad is pretty flat, little curve to it. For my style this is fine but it is almost to flat for bar chords.

They advertise it for ruggedness but they recommend using extra light strings. The body is very light and I don't think it would take many drops. It feels fragile. Because the mountains I will be in are very high and the day to night temperature changes can be as much as 40 to 50 degrees, I'm hoping it won't warp. The neck is thick, that I'm not to worried about but the solid top feels thin. I'm counting on Martins reputations for fine instruments

I bought it from my local favorite store. Been with these guys for 25 years. I could of payed $30.00 less from Musicians Friend or even gone over to Guitar Center but I have no problem supporting the little guy. These cats have backed up everything I have bought from them regardless what I paid for it. They are stand up dudes and I know they'll back up this guitar also.

I bought this guitar for blues slide while camping. I have played it some and for my application it passes. I have been playing music on one instrument or another for 32 years. I have owned alot of guitars and for what this will used for I am confident it will do the job.

The first thing that meets the eye on this guitar is, of course, its unique body style. I've heard it compared to a lute, a mandolin, and a balalaika, but it doesn't really fit any of those descriptions. The sealed tuners are a great feature and do their job admirably. the guitar comes with a woven strap and a very nice little gig bag. Other than that, though, this really is a no-frills guitar.

I've heard some complaints about the sound, most notably its poor performance on basses. However, this guitar performs amazingly well for its tiny size. With nothing more than a heavy pick, my backpacker has produced a bright, well-balanced sound that can be heard, unamplified, from the back of a large auditorium.

The action . . . well, the action is just incredible. It compares favorably to some of the best electrics I've played. The rubbed finish is ideal for someone who wants a good-looking instrument but doesn't have the time to polish it. As befits a Martin instrument, I couldn't find a single blemish or imperfection on this guitar. (I see others have had trouble playing this guitar without a strap - I actually prefer it that way. Just tuck the butt end into your armpit and you're ready to go.)

This thing is solid. SOLID. My Backpacker has been through hell and high water and come back asking for more. It's been tossed by porters, dropped, and had heavy baggage piled on it and not even been dented.

It's a Martin, and Martin had one of the industry's best reputations for customer service. These people take pride in their products, and I have no doubt they would be eager to help if I were to have any trouble with this guitar - not that I can see that happening.

Since buying this guitar, I have not had a single problem with it. It's been to both coasts and appeared in three plays and still sounds like the day I got it. I recommend this to anyone who wants a great travel guitar.

Pretty much bare bones....solid spruce top, solid mahongany back/sides and neck....the fretboard...hm...looks like a mahoganyish rosewood? Maybe some local mexican wood. Not sure what the hang it is. Strap and gig comes with it. OH, it's SMALL.

You want honesty? The sound absolutely SUCKS. It sounds like a tinny mandolin...sort of (I dont want to insult mandolins), with no bass to speak of. One the strings get worn, you can barely hear the E and A strings. Sounds like I'm playing just the bottom 4 strings. It is IMPOSSIBLE to play this guitar without a strap on it. Even then, it twists and turns in your hands...you need to brace the body with your arm...and support the neck with your hand because its very headstock heavy. Really uncomfortable, and I spend more time trying to balance it than actually playing it.

Action is too high for such a tiny guitar with Xtra lite strings...the only way to adjust it is to buy a new saddle. No truss rod, therefore you'd stuck with the action you get. As for quality of workmanship, well, its made in MEXICO....'nuff said.

U can use this live if you play to an audience of one in a broom closet, tha's about it. Its solid looking, because its so narrow with a tiny sound chamber. Not giggable.

Never dealth with Martin'ers.

Been playing for 6 years, I own a few Larrivee's, a Godin and a Tele electrics. I wish I had tried before I bought...the perils of buying online....I use it only for travel/practice. I really hate it, but it's better than having no guitar at all I guess. If you really must have an axe on the road and have limited space, consider it. If not, do NOT buy this "guitar".

The guitar I am writing a review about is a Martin Backpacker Steel String Guitar that was manufactured in Mexico in 1996 and purchased new that year for just under $200. This instrument is completely made of wood. It features a solid spruce top with special backpacker bracing, solid mahogany sides, and a one-piece solid mahogany back. The bridge and fretboard are made from "select hardwoods". This guitar has no bindings, inlays, pickguard, or rosette at all. Chrome enclosed tuners do the job well and stay in tune. The hand rubbed urethane finish looks good over the backpacker travel guitar's body style by emphasizing the quality of woods used as well as the craftsmanship used in assembling them. This guitar has a scale length of 24" and a nut width of 1 11/16". With fifteen frets and all of them in the clear this instrument has a very playable neck. Included with the Martin Backpacker were a woven strap and a gig bag. Overall this six string has only the very basic features necessary to be called a guitar. Mobility being it's biggest asset this Martin more than makes up for its less than full sound by allowing anyone playing one to create sounds. Whatever sounds are created surely beat going over a riff in your head until you can get to a guitar. You never know when inspiration will strike.

The sounds created by The Backpacker are interesting to say the least. This instrument basically looks like a small canoe paddle and as such really has a very tiny sound chamber. On the high end the notes are clear and ring well while allowing each note to be heard. The low end is a different being altogether. Try as you might you just can't get a deep bass sound. Strummed chords can be muddy with little balance but individual notes sound very good. The Taylor Baby sounds and looks much better than the Backpacker but is nowhere close with respect to offering the same mobility or survivability.

The action on the Backpacker was impressive from the factory. Top quality woods and the highest quality Martin craftsmanship bring together a truly unique and highly practical musical instrument. The neck and fretwork are outstanding! The hand rubbed urethane finish does the job in protecting the wood and will eventually grow on you. The beauty is in the woods and the construction. I have not notice a single flaw in the time I have owned this guitar.

The Backpacker was built to get from point A to making music at point B while getting kicked around and played the whole way there. This guitar not only does that it will make it back as well. This instrument was made to play live and in the worst of playing conditions. Everything from the construction to the hardware is very solid and designed to last. I've dropped mine many times without any damage at all. This thing is a little wooden tank and will last much longer than a Taylor Baby under identical, less than ideal conditions. It doesn?t sound half as good but is a much better ?travel guitar?.

I have never dealt with Martin for customer support but from everything I have seen or heard they are proud of what they do and stand behind their products. This Martin was the first of four other Martins that followed. That should tell you a thing or two about my belief in the C.F. Martin & Co., the benchmark for acoustic guitars makers.

Overall this is an outstanding guitar value that does exactly what it was intended to do. It will provide the ability to create music in situations other guitars can't. Who cares what it sounds like? The sounds beat silence any day. I would highly recommend The Backpacker to anyone who has played for a while and wants a mobile guitar to add to his or her collection.

Purchased in 1999, made in Mexico with 15 frets. One piece Mahogany body and neck with solid Spruce top. It has a very interesting body style and I had heard that Martin started making the guitar because they had a vast supply of quality wood that was too small for a full sized model. The Rosewood neck has a flat surface and requires the use of Ultra Light Strings only. Comes with a nice padded gig bag.

I use the guitar only for practice when I'm traveling. I fly for a profession and I wanted something small I could take with me that had a full sized neck. I think it sounds like a mandolin. It produces a good high end sound but suffers on the low end. I do seem to have trouble keeping it in tune. I believe the tune is affected by humidity more than what you would expect.

Mine had great action from the factory, I have not had to adjust anything. The finish is a Satin all natural look. There were no flaws that I could find. You must wear a strap at all times to play due to the unique shape. I wish the body was bigger and allowed a better pinky post.

Great for practice and around the camp fire. Should last for many years if taken care of. You might need to refinish after several years if used a lot. I have no intention of gigging with this guitar.

I've never had to deal with them. Ltd. Life Warr.

Works great for an easy-tote practice guitar. You can get tired of the shallow sound after a while. I probably would look around for a larger bodied traveler if something happened to it.

Made in Mexico in 2000, the Martin Backpacker travel guitar is a good instrument for those on the go or those who don't want to take the risk of traveling with a more personally valued guitar. It has a solid spruce top with a unique one pice design for the mahogany body. An optional pickup can be installed but honestly this seems a little pointless. The pickup does work well and allows one to deepen the tones through equalization. Martin does not provide information on whether they manufacture the internal pickup or if they purchase them for installation. The top and body have a hand applied urethane finish which leaves a rough atural look that some may and some not fond appealing. The guitar measures just 24'' in length, has 15 frets (all of which are clear) and a scaled down headstock which just has enough room for the tuning keys. The price does include padded gig bag.

Musical style is fairly incosequential with mArtn's Backpacker for it is simply a means of practicing while you are away from your normal guitar(s). It does have the optional pickup, although I can barely understand why someone would need it or play out with it for that matter. It's not noisy but has a higher pitch than a normal sized guitar. At first one might feel that they have to crank on the strings to get a deep tone, but that deep tone will never emerge. Clean playing is the only true way to derive the Backpacker's optimal sound which, when considering the size and the body style is quite good as are most Martin Brand instruments. The tones can be quite bright, as a matter of fact, but often the lower tones are muted against the high er ones, the only true sound drawback of the instrument.

The finger board of the Backpacker provides good action and the frets are installed nicely. As with all MArtin Guiars, the backpacker is constructed with excellence. No esthetic flaws exist on the one I own and all it's parts (bridge, pegs, saddle and nut are installed well. It's small size and thin design do make it more fragile than I would like.

The guitar would survive live playing but why would you use a travel model to play live if not for sheer novelty. The guitar, ith proper care should last a lifetime, but the thin hand applied finish will most likely deteriorate over time with normal amounts of playing. The one main drawback is that due to the unique shape the musician must play with a strap at all time, even while sitting down. Failure to remebe to get astrap wil find the buyer in a difficult situation when trying to play. the strap buttons are well installed and should not be a problem.

I really do find this huitar to be ablesing when I travel. I can leave the bigger boys at home and still have a quality ghuitar with to practice and write somgs while I am on vacation or away on business. I did not at first like the fact that i had to constantly be strapped in, but that passed once I heard the true sounds the guitar could provide. I did get a mode that had a pickup, and through the proper amp, like my fender blues junior hich I use with my Telecaster, it can fun to play with sounding like an highpithced machine with eerie tones, but I would never play a gig with one. It is a good guitar that seves it's original purposes: easy to tote and alows practice anywhere. As Frank Loyd Wrught put it: Form follows function and MArtin has a reasonably good travel guitar for those who can't give it up even if for a day.