Martin Classical Backpacker

The Backpackers are satin finished. The top is spruce and the neck and body are mahogany. The fingerboard is rosewood. Body size is similar to a dulcimer. The tuners are chrome Schaller style (enclosed). This is a short scale guitar, and the original neck shape is very stout, much thicker than it needs to be. The case is a nicely fitted, durable gig bag with a large zippered pouch. I have had mine since 2002. It is very well made and has held up to a lot of travel and less than gentle handling.

This is really a hard category to rate. The guitar is designed for portability and it is understood that there would be a compromise to the sound. Having said that, the nylon string version still has a pleasant sound. I hated the steel string version. I play smooth jazz and instrumental pop, and I use this guitar for practicing and arranging new material. I have been able to really increase my practice time by taking the Backpacker with me anywhere that I go and taking advantage of "downtime." At first I was a little self conscious about hauling it out in public and playing, but now I don't think about it. I always get questions from curious on-lookers. I have found that I am able to practice more effectively with this guitar because I am concentrating on the musical ideas and not on the sound of the instrument. If an idea works on the Backpacker, I know that it will sound great on my main stage guitar. I am rating this category on the fact that the Backpacker fulfills its function, rather than tonal bliss.

The guitar is well intonated and the action was good right out of the box. Overall, the build quality was very good. I wasn't crazy about the thick neck, so I took it to a luthier who matched the neck profile of my favorite classical. It was an easy and inexpensive job since the finish is oil. It totally changed and improved the playability of the guitar. It also created an actual neck heel that allowed better placement of the strap button.

The whole point of the Backpacker series is to be able to take them everywhere that you go. I have flown many times with it and I have taken it from one end of the country to the other. I have it outside a lot of the time. I have never had any problems with it. Very strong and stable.

Changing the neck profile probably voided the warranty, but I have never had any issues.

I've been playing more years than I care to remember. I have been playing professionally for 25 years. I have had tons of equipment over the years. My main stage classical is a modified Yairi CY127CE. The original electronics have been replaced with an LR Baggs pickup and preamp. Killer live guitar. As mentioned earlier, the Backpacker has been modified to feel more like the Yairi. I would definitely get another one if lost or stolen. I actually spend more time playing the Backpacker than my other instruments. I use D'Addario Lightly Polished Composite strings, which warm up the sound and are incredibly durable and stable. (A definite plus for a guitar that gets hauled around as much as this.) One other tip: Wind the strings around the 1st and 6th tuners in the opposite directions (flamenco style) which gives a straight string pull over the nut and eliminates tuning problems.

body style works well with strap

sounds great for being so small....i can feel the bass in my chest when i play. i had to write a review, as lots of folks have ripped on this guitar, and don't get what they are talking about. for it's size, the sound is great....not much in the higher range, but a well balanced sound.

superb...plays as well, if not better than my la patrie etude. you can also play cleanly all the way up to the 15th fret without contorting your hand. well crafted. even smells good! don't you just love that new guitar smell? action and intonation are great, i don't think i will touch it....remember folks, no truss rod, but on a classical i don't expect to worry about that for a long time.

clean joints...very solid construction. the case isn't bomb proof, so i wouldn't toss it around too much. but this thing is light as a feather.

1 year warranty for non-pete townsend influenced defects. i've always heard good things about martin.

been playing for 16 years and i always wanted a guitar to travel with. i did a lot of research to find the right one....i would stay away from the steel string backpacker, poor action and even worse sound. traveler also makes some nice guitars, but they are a little heavier and pricier. the lowest price i found online was 180 at sameday music, and my local dealer matched that. don't pay more than 180! you could probably get one for 169 if you get free ground shipping in the lower 48. if you are a classical player who travels a lot, camps, or just wants to practice more, this is the guitar for you. i play a ton more since i bought one, and it's not too lound to play in bed when my wife is snoozing...she loves it! i don't get what other reviewers were talking about when they said it was awkward to play...with a strap, my arm balances perfectly on the body, and hand position with a thumbpick is perfection. definitely need the strap. this guitar makes you want to bring it everywhere with you, and you will get better. great price for what you get!

Finish: Hand-rubbed oil. I also applied fretboard oil to the whole body the day I bought it (used).
Body style: Triangle on a stick.
Fretboard: Paduak with silver-colored frets.
Accessories: Soft case and strap included.
Frets: 14.
Made in: Mexico.
Top: Solid cedar.
Body and neck woods: Mahogany.

The volume is low and the basses do not resonate well. It sounds a bit like a banjo, and would obviously be not substitute for a full-bodied classical. None of this should surprise anyone; the small body of this guitar could not be expected to have booming basses or a very rich sound. It is actually quite loud for its size. I enjoy the sound a lot for what it is, and it seems especially appropriate to Renaissance pieces.

As far as I can tell, the previous owner did not have the set-up modified, and I find it perfect. Two of the tuning pegs had rust on them, and while I was able to polish it off, I could not restore the shine.

The finish is just oil, which doesn't reduce the guitar's volume the way something more substantial would. It's not very protective, but it's easy to restore.

The nut was cracked, and a small piece fell off while I was cleaning the fretboard the day I bought it.

In terms of the orignial manufacturing, Everything seems to have been very nicely done.

Like most other Backpacker owners, I do get frustrated with the narrow body, which is too light for the neck and too small to comfortably rest my arm on while playing. The instrument is much less stable while playing than a full-bodied guitar, and this can be frustrating when the music has many position changes.

It's extremely durable. I accidently hit it against my desk the other day, and my poor desk received quite a dent. It would certainly withstand live playing, and I would not feel a need for backup if I were to use it in a gig, but it's hard to imagine playing a whole gig on a Backpacker!

I bought this one used, well after the warranty had expired. I also have a steel-string version that was given to me new, but I never needed to use the warranty or have it repaired.

I've been playing guitar for 16 years, off and on. I also have an old Hondo classical guitar and (until I sell it) a steel-string Backpacker.

I wish I'd asked if the owner would take less money for it, as it was not in perfect condition.

If it were lost or stolen, I would replace it for sure. I can conveniently take it with me while traveling, and it stows even in luggage bins that are "full" for any other purpose.

I suddenly found my self in San Fransisco (Santa Rosa),(I'm from New Orleans)due to my daughter being in the hospital in I.C.U. and she was knocked out for 8 hours at a time so after about 48 hours I was dying to play my guitar instead of looking at the floor, so I got weak and drove to Guitar Center in San Fran. and picked up a backpacker for $200 all total including nylon strings and a classical book to learn new songs...they were out of the classical model so I converted mine. It is all mahogany body and spruce top and light as a feather with a square gig bag, a plus because you can carry it ANYWHERE without the old "hey everybody I'm carring a guitar! will you notice me" thing. I think it's less likly to get stolen if its not in a guitar "shaped" gig bag ot a molded case Like the Baby Taylor.

With the Nylon strings it sounds gteat! keeping in mind that you can have good tone without tons of VOLUME and It's A TRAVEL guitar NOT a Martin D-35 which I own one.

THe strings were set up just fine

Time will tell

They are the best in helping you

Here is the reason I wrote the post....If you have the nylon string you probably play classical music and we all know how much practice is involved in learning just one piece...I bring it everywhere now! My practice time is up 200% and my repertoire is going thru the roof! I can play it and not be in everyone's face so to speak..I would buy another one!

Case: The soft case is inadequate, so on a recent trip I wrapped the guitar in bubble wrap, inside its soft case. This protects against someone pushing hard luggage into it in the overhead compartment (where, incidentally, it fits very well; on a small plane they tried to make me check it as a bag and I convinced them otherwise--sure enough, it fit perfectly in the narrow overheads). Nevertheless, when I dropped it while carrying, all the force was concentrated on the point of contact and smushed the corner. (Also, there is no padding along the edges of the case.) Due to solid construction there is only minor cosmetic damage, but next time I will put a thin piece of styrofoam on each corner, where bubble wrap is inadequate.
Tuning: The tuning mechanism seems sturdy and I've had no problem with going out of tune.
Neck: I am annoyed by a design flaw that nobody else has mentioned. The neck extends less than 1/8 inch to either side of the strings. So it is very easy for the top and bottom strings to slip off the edge of the neck while playing. They should have kept the full width of the neck because it would add only a few ounces at most. I guess the silver lining is it trains you to use better technique.
Scale: I actually find it easier to play than my regular classical guitar because of the slightly shorter scale length and also the resulting lower tension (despite the "high tension" strings).
Strings: This guitar comes with rare strings: Darco D-30HB high-tension, ball-end, silverwound, clear nylon. Music dealers will look puzzled when you ask for these strings. Eventually I stumbled on Martin M160 high-tension, ball-end, silverplated, clear nylon strings which may be more widely available. (Note: the guitar's sticker says "Classic Backpacker...Use extra light strings only", which appears to be a mistake because I am told there are no such strings for classical guitars.)
Body: Players struggle with how to play this guitar. I find the strap inadequate to hold the guitar steady while playing classical style. I stumbled on a solution at a sporting goods store: "Deluxe 7 inch canoe blocks", which are tough, flexible gray foam blocks, 6-3/4" x 3-3/4" x 3", which have a 1-1/2" deep channel, cut into one face, that has a flat 1-5/8" bottom and sides that curve together so there is only a narrow slot at the surface. These blocks grip the 2" thick guitar body perfectly, without any indication of harm or significant muting. With one block over each of the guitar's lower corners, you have somewhere to rest your right arm, the guitar is higher on your lap, and the blocks provide enough friction to hold the guitar steady using pressure with your right arm. Currently I also place a third block on my raised left leg to help support the neck; the shallowness of the guitar means the neck is too close to my chest for left-hand technique, and the third block helps with that. Luckily the case is larger than it needs to be, so there is room for 2-3 foam blocks!

For a travel guitar, the sound is great. The upper strings sound like a normal guitar to me. As you go down to the lowest strings the sound is increasingly muted.

This guitar is beautifully crafted and seems very well made. With the quality of the wood, and the consistency of action and pitch up and down the fretboard, I would have expected this guitar to sell for $300 at least.

I've had this guitar only 6 weeks, but it seems remarkably solid for its size/weight.

Martin's customer support answered my questions about replacement strings within a few days.

I love this guitar. For a classical player, it's the only affordable travel guitar, and it's delightful to play once you solve the positioning problems. I look forward to bringing it along on future travels and hikes.

Martin Backpacker, nylon strings. New. Made in Mexico. Includes Martin travel bag. Well constructed solid wood.

Sound is very good for it's size. I also have a steel string Martin Backpacker and this one has a much more mellow tone. The sound is not deep and rich, but that was not expected due to its size. It is louder than expected.

Great action out of the box. Nice fit and finish. It has a satin finish which will improve with age in my opinion. The quality of wood seems to be very good. It has chrome Martin mini tuners and a rosewood fretboard. The fit and finish are excellent.

This guitar should hold up well. It is a bulletproof design and construction. It should perform very well for what it was designed for. It lives up to Martin's reputation of quality instruments.

Not used.

I've been playing for over 40 years. I whish this guitar had been available years ago. I will take my Backpacker with me on all my business travels.

I got my Backpacker about 6 months ago and am quite pleased with it. I was drawn to it because it had features that I wanted that I couldn't find in any other travel guitar. For example: It is made out of solid wood. No vaneered plywood. The top is spruce and the back, sides, & neck(which are all one peice) is mahogany. Probably the biggest factor that drove me to get this guitar was that it is a classical guitar. The only travel guitar that I have seen that has nylon strings, a classical bridge, and a wide neck(it doesn't have classical tuners though). Mine does not have the optional electronics... but wish that it did. It has 15 frets which are all accessable due to the guitar's unusual shape(which I happen to like the look of). I hear people complain about the shape. They say that it is very akward to hold and you have to use the strap while playing it because it won't rest on your leg. This does not bother me. It comes with a nice brown strap and a gigbag. I do not like the gigbag very much. First of all, it is rectangular... the guitar is triangular. Therefore, the case is about twice as big as it needs to be. Second of all, It provides very little(no?) padding around the edges. I can't count the number of times that I have set it down or droped it or banged it and heard the guitar being hurt(not a pleasent sound). The third thing that I don't like about this bag is that the strap clips make a very anoying squeeking noise when I walk with it. I have been looking for a gigbag for this guitar that would eliminate all these things, but no luck yet.

It suits my musical style quite well... In fact, it was because of this guitar that I decided to play classical guitar. It is obviously not a very loud guitar, but I think thats a good thing when it comes to travel guitars. I want to keep to myself while traveling. I don;t want it to make alot of noise whilst I'm out in the woods. And its perfect for practicing. It has a good sound as far as travel guitars go. I believe that I heard someone refere to it as sounding like a wet shoebox or 6 rubberbands nailed to a two by four... They are pretty much right... but what do you expect?

Not much to say here... I got the guitar used, so I have no idea how it was from the factory. Everything seems to be in order. The action was fine. It has a very light finish.

This guitar will withstand just about anything. It is probably the most solid guitar that I have ever seen. I have traveled all over with this thing. I hitchhiked to mexico and hiked in the copper canyons with it. I plan to do alot more.

It is getting quite banged up(it was already pretty banged up when I got it). Lots of dents, the back is actually starting to crack. But its all good... It still works.

I've never had to deal with C.F. Martin, but I have heard good things. I might try to get this guitar repaired in the future... but probably not, considering that I payed next to nothing for it. I don;t think that its under any warranty anyway.

I've only been playing for a couple of years, so take everything that I say with a grain of salt. I own two other guitars: A Baby Taylor and an Alvarez-Yairi CY127CE.

I wish that it would get stolen or lost: that would give me an excuse to get a brand new one with electronics. I wish that this guitar came with a better gigbag.

These are the 3 factors that made me choose this guitar:
*Classical Model
*15 acessable frets
*Solid wood
*very durable
*very compact
*very solid

I highly recommend this for anyone who wants to travel with a guitar. It is the best one that I have seen.

The instrument lives up to its promise, and keeps on delivering. The compact body, full-sized neck and string spacing, and portability make this a bargain at any price. The neck and body are one piece of fairly high-grade mahogany and the top is very clean spruce. The 24" scale lenght is close enough to Gibson, Fender, and Martin scales that a difference is scarcely noticed. The countour of the neck gets noticably thicker towards the 8th fret due to the fact that the neck is not reinforced, and must rely on heft to stabilze the instrument. Non-classical tuners work very well with nylon strings.

Considering the size of the instrument, the sound is more guitar-like than you would expect. The nylon-string model has a decidedly musical quality that most toy-sized instruments lack. The passive pickup does not sound very good whithout a preamp, but once the low impedance unit has it's output sufficiently boosted, the sound is very similar to that of a full-sized classical. No matter what gear the sound is processed through, it has a unique voice, which I consider a definate plus.

The factory set-up was acceptable for the first few weeks of play. The action was on the high side, even for a classical, so sanding down the removable bridge by about 2mm really helped a lot. If you decide to leave the bridge out altogether, the sound has a sitar-like quality on the wound strings. The fretwork, fit, and finish are absolutely unbeatable for an instrument in this price range.

The instrument is built-to-last. The lack of a hard finish, lacquer, polyeurethane, varnish seems like a disadvantage, but the surfaces of the instrument do not mar easily. The lack of a thick finish is responsible for the surprisingly sweet tone that the small body is able to produce. The instrument is probably best suited to very small venues with very low amplification.

No direct dealings with the manufacturer.

As an experienced player of 15 years, I find that the unique look, feel, and sound of this instrument, along with its portability compell me to bring it everywhere and play it whenever the chance arises. A model with a built in preamp would be a great addition to the line-up. A "professional" model would be a welcome sight too. If only the frets went all-the-way to the soundhole... maybe some binding on the neck... a carbon-fiber truss rod... I'd pay $800 for a Backpacker with these features.

The Martin Classical Backpacker is an A-shaped travel guitar made in Mexico (probably not Parracho, either). Solid spruce top; body wood, neck wood and fingerboard of unknown origin. Standard 650 mm scale; 1 15/16" at the nut; 15 frets. Tiny headstock with enclosed chrome tuners. No finish. Accessories: woven strap, rectangular gig bag.

Given its size and construction, it would be unfair to compare this to a full-sized classical. (If I were making such a comparison, a 7 would be generous.) Suffice it to say that it creates a fair approximation of a classical guitar, albeit with a banjo-like attack and limited sustain and overtones.
Due to adequate soundboard surface area around and behind the bridge, it puts out sufficient volume for hotel-room practice or a small audience ie. 5-10 people. As befits the thin body, the bass strings are on the quiet side.

Lots of pluses and minuses here.
Plus: full 650 mm scale and standard neck dimensions require no changes in orthodox left-hand technique. Minus: missing upper bout on the body significantly compromises classical right hand technique (If you rest your right hand on the bridge, you'll fare better). The absence of the lower bout also makes use of the strap a necessity.
Plus: extremely light weight body. Minus: neck diving.
Plus: extremely compact headstock. Minus: due to cramped tuner placement, strings must be angled through the nut, and retuning is frequently required. (To minimize the extreme break angles, I've since strung some of the tuners clockwise and some counterclockwise.)
Plus: easy access to upper frets due to A-shaped body. Minus: only 15 frets!
Plus: action is comparable to a standard classical and there are no fret buzzes. Minus: because much of the soundboard alongside the strings is missing, the action *feels* much higher than it actually is.
Plus: decent acoustic volume. Minus: in order to achieve that volume, a protective finish was left off.

Live playing, and thus stage wear, isn't really a concern for this type of guitar. Because of the solid top and nonexistent finish, the instrument may suffer in campground settings or extreme temperatures(Furniture wax can be applied for protection and waterproofing). However, I'd have no qualms about bringing it on planes; that is the primary reason why I bought it.

Haven't dealt with Martin at all. Comes with a 1 year limited warranty.

I've played classical guitar for about 14 years, and I've played the same classical guitar for those 14 years (a Yamaha CG110--don't laugh, its tone has improved with age). The increasing frequency of trips necessitated the purchase of a small, no-hassle travel instrument, and the options for the classical player are very limited. The only similarly-sized instrument, the Soloette, relies on electronic amplification and costs >$300; solidbody classicals like the Godin Multitac or Gibson Chet Atkins are both bulky and expensive. Thus, despite the previously stated qualms about the Backpacker's tone and playability, one can't realistically expect a better instrument in this category and at this price. Kudos to Martin for bringing out a Backpacker for classical players.