Martin Backpacker

Gandalph

It's that time of year when I start thinking about getting something to take away on holiday. Last few years I've bought a cheap used Jim Dandy and sold it after the holiday. 

I'd like to buy something that I don't want to sell straight away but keep for weekends away, etc.

Been looking at the Furch Little Jane, looks great, good reviews but not sure if I want to spend that much on a travel guitar. Which brings me to the Martin backpacker, pretty cheap and plentiful used, about as compact as it gets, but is it actually any good?

Does anyone have any first hand experience?
I know at that size sound isn't going to be amazing but I'm not too bothered about that. 

Just wanting something that I can use while away to keep my hand in, with decent playability. 

Thanks

Winny_Pooh

It's an unusual and interesting sound, a bit banjo like. Cool for licks and some accompaniment, not so much for strumming. 

It's really a might love/might hate. You need to try one.

drofluf

Winny_Pooh said:

It's an unusual and interesting sound, a bit banjo like. Cool for licks and some accompaniment, not so much for strumming. 

It's really a might love/might hate. You need to try one.

That was my perception of the Martin, but I haven’t played one. 

However I see the Little Jane as a guitar that “folds” for travel rather than a travel guitar. In full disclosure I do own one but it lives on my rack with the others and I’ll often pick it up ahead of one of the others. 

ICBM

I had a Backpacker years ago - I found it almost impossible to hold comfortably, even on a strap. The sound was just about usable.

Astronaut Pierre Thuot took one on a Space Shuttle mission - it would have probably been easier to play in weightlessness, and of course in space no-one can hear you strum, so it might not have been that bad .

Woodandwires

I had one years ago, please save your money, you’ll thank me later. Absolute rubbish sounding.

Gandalph

Winny_Pooh said:

It's an unusual and interesting sound, a bit banjo like. Cool for licks and some accompaniment, not so much for strumming. 

It's really a might love/might hate. You need to try one.

Thank you, sounds intriguing ,it would be used mostly for finger picking. I'll try and hunt one down locally to try out.

Gandalph

drofluf said:

Winny_Pooh said:

It's an unusual and interesting sound, a bit banjo like. Cool for licks and some accompaniment, not so much for strumming. 

It's really a might love/might hate. You need to try one.

That was my perception of the Martin, but I haven’t played one. 

However I see the Little Jane as a guitar that “folds” for travel rather than a travel guitar. In full disclosure I do own one but it lives on my rack with the others and I’ll often pick it up ahead of one of the others. 

Yes I think I remember you getting the Little Jane. They do seem to get really good reviews. Food for thought! 

Gandalph

Thanks for the comments so far, much appreciated

JRgtar

I’ve got one and posted a review here: https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/230741/martin-backpacker#latest

Still use and enjoy it for what I bought it for. It’s size is the biggest plus, but tone is distinct.

Gandalph

JRgtar said:

I’ve got one and posted a review here: https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/230741/martin-backpacker#latest

Still use and enjoy it for what I bought it for. It’s size is the biggest plus, but tone is distinct.

That is really helpful, thank you. 

Chris.B

ICBM said:

and of course in space no-one can hear you strum.

@ICBM ;Brilliant - That's the best bit of wordplay I've seen for a long time. 

guitarjack66

drofluf said:

Winny_Pooh said:

It's an unusual and interesting sound, a bit banjo like. Cool for licks and some accompaniment, not so much for strumming. 

It's really a might love/might hate. You need to try one.

That was my perception of the Martin, but I haven’t played one. 

However I see the Little Jane as a guitar that “folds” for travel rather than a travel guitar. In full disclosure I do own one but it lives on my rack with the others and I’ll often pick it up ahead of one of the others. 

So,not Goodbye T' Jane then?

Kurtis

Never heard of him. 

drofluf

guitarjack66 said:

drofluf said:

Winny_Pooh said:

It's an unusual and interesting sound, a bit banjo like. Cool for licks and some accompaniment, not so much for strumming. 

It's really a might love/might hate. You need to try one.

That was my perception of the Martin, but I haven’t played one. 

However I see the Little Jane as a guitar that “folds” for travel rather than a travel guitar. In full disclosure I do own one but it lives on my rack with the others and I’ll often pick it up ahead of one of the others. 

So,not Goodbye T' Jane then?

No that one’s a keeper 

BillDL

If you enjoy playing nylon stringed guitars perhaps a Guitelele / Guilele might suit your needs.  Yamaha make the GL1 that's pretty good quality, but it's still more or less a cross between a normal classical and a ukulele and is tuned up to A, so all your open chords sound like you're playing at the 5th fret and you need to buy Guitelele / Guilele strings to get the best from them.  A better option MIGHT be one of the Cordoba Mini II range.  These are mini guitars that have fairly standard width fretboards on shorter scales and much smaller bodies:

https://cordobaguitars.com/guitars/?mz_fc=11

I have one of the older non-cutaway non-electric Mini ones in Rosewood and Spruce that used bridge pins and ball-end strings (or just knotted ends) and tuned up to A.  It can really be thought of as a "1/4 sized" guitar.  These seem to be discontinued and have been replaced by the Mini II range that is larger (more like "1/2 sized), but still small-bodied and short scale, uses classical tie-off bridges instead of pins, and tunes to standard E so you can use normal nylon strings.  The original Mini had a 510mm (20 1/8")  scale whereas the Mini II has a 580mm (22 7/8") scale, and the total length and width of the old ones was 775mm x 195mm compared with 873mm (34 3/8") x 286mm (11 1/4") on the Mini II.  The tops and sides of the original mini were thinner than on a full sized guitar, so you get much more resonance and projection and less boxiness than you might expect of such small bodies.  I am not sure if this will still be the same for the larger Mini II.

HERE is a video demonstrating the Cordoba Mini II mahogany version, and another one HERE..

If you see one of the original Mini models it would be worth considering for it's great portability in its neat little gig bag, but I would suggest that you try it because the necks are quite shallow in profile.  HERE is a video that compares the old Cordoba Mini against a Cordoba Guilele and the comparative dimensions against a full sized classical in the initial photo.

Cordoba do a "1/4 size" nylon string that's similar in dimensions to the Mini II but I sense that it may not be of the same quality and is aimed mostly at very young students:

https://cordobaguitars.com/product/c1m-14/

As far as steel stringed small(er) bodied guitars I really like my Cort Gold Mini F.  It's not nearly as portable as proper "travel guitars" as it is really a 3/4 sized Dreadnought with a 579mm (22.8") Scale and a 43mm nut.  I use the hardfoam case to cart it around, so it's a bit smaller than a full sized Dreadnought case, but not something you could consider hand luggage by any means.

Gandalph

BillDL said:

If you enjoy playing nylon stringed guitars perhaps a Guitelele / Guilele might suit your needs.  Yamaha make the GL1 that's pretty good quality, but it's still more or less a cross between a normal classical and a ukulele and is tuned up to A, so all your open chords sound like you're playing at the 5th fret and you need to buy Guitelele / Guilele strings to get the best from them.  A better option MIGHT be one of the Cordoba Mini II range.  These are mini guitars that have fairly standard width fretboards on shorter scales and much smaller bodies:

https://cordobaguitars.com/guitars/?mz_fc=11

I have one of the older non-cutaway non-electric Mini ones in Rosewood and Spruce that used bridge pins and ball-end strings (or just knotted ends) and tuned up to A.  It can really be thought of as a "1/4 sized" guitar.  These seem to be discontinued and have been replaced by the Mini II range that is larger (more like "1/2 sized), but still small-bodied and short scale, uses classical tie-off bridges instead of pins, and tunes to standard E so you can use normal nylon strings.  The original Mini had a 510mm (20 1/8")  scale whereas the Mini II has a 580mm (22 7/8") scale, and the total length and width of the old ones was 775mm x 195mm compared with 873mm (34 3/8") x 286mm (11 1/4") on the Mini II.  The tops and sides of the original mini were thinner than on a full sized guitar, so you get much more resonance and projection and less boxiness than you might expect of such small bodies.  I am not sure if this will still be the same for the larger Mini II.

HERE is a video demonstrating the Cordoba Mini II mahogany version, and another one HERE..

If you see one of the original Mini models it would be worth considering for it's great portability in its neat little gig bag, but I would suggest that you try it because the necks are quite shallow in profile.  HERE is a video that compares the old Cordoba Mini against a Cordoba Guilele and the comparative dimensions against a full sized classical in the initial photo.

Cordoba do a "1/4 size" nylon string that's similar in dimensions to the Mini II but I sense that it may not be of the same quality and is aimed mostly at very young students:

https://cordobaguitars.com/product/c1m-14/

As far as steel stringed small(er) bodied guitars I really like my Cort Gold Mini F.  It's not nearly as portable as proper "travel guitars" as it is really a 3/4 sized Dreadnought with a 579mm (22.8") Scale and a 43mm nut.  I use the hardfoam case to cart it around, so it's a bit smaller than a full sized Dreadnought case, but not something you could consider hand luggage by any means.

Thanks for that. I like that they have 48mm nut but less excited that it's nylon strings. 

Like the look of the Cort Gold mini F but yes a little big for a travel guitar in this case. 

p90fool

I bought one of these when they were a fair bit cheaper and absolutely love it, I play it way more than any other acoustic I've owned.
The tuners are a bit crap but it's rock solid to play. 

https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Hartwood-Villanelle-Parlour-Electro-Acoustic-Guitar-Vintage-Sunburst/2G39

Gandalph

p90fool said:

I bought one of these when they were a fair bit cheaper and absolutely love it, I play it way more than any other acoustic I've owned.
The tuners are a bit crap but it's rock solid to play. 

https://www.gear4music.com/Guitar-and-Bass/Hartwood-Villanelle-Parlour-Electro-Acoustic-Guitar-Vintage-Sunburst/2G39

That's a good shout, I remember your NGD on it. This just reminded me. There's a used one for only £80 obo on ebay.

drofluf

Also one in the UK Acoustic Guitar Trader Group on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/806958016006064