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Martin Steel-String Backpacker Acoustic Guitar  

SKU 
#512392000000000
  • MSRP:
    $309.00
  • Your Savings:
    - $109.01
  • Free Shipping on Orders over $49
  • Your Price:
    $19999

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Martin

Built for portable durability . . . and great sound.

Don't let the diminutive size of the Martin Backpacker Acoustic Guitar fool you. A braced, solid tonewood top with a solid mahogany neck, back, and sides gives this cool little guitar a surprisingly big projection. Built to withstand the rigors of camping, hiking, and off-road traveling. Includes high-quality chrome-enclosed tuners. Weighs less than 2-1/2 lb.

Features

  • Solid top
  • Mahogany neck, back, and sides
  • Enclosed chrome tuners
  • Lightweight, small size

Who says you can't take it with you? Put it in the cart.

Write a Review Overall Rating Customer Reviews 56 See all 56 customer reviews...

A Gypsies Must

| Review By: Gooch mang | 8 months, 2 weeks ago

10 people out of 10 found this review helpful

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Buy a bone nut, and use your head. This little guy is a talk box. It can and will teach you more comfortable ways to play and find your voice in guitar. The stock specs are a quirky at best but this is an impressively durable and affordable 6 string. The gig bag is a joke but it's rarely necessary. I play with a 3 peice in the the rockies and with a golden gate thumbpick there's not stopping the cigar box sound. Not only has it lasted the odd weather changes out here, but with thick bronze strings it sounds great. It's stayed true to intonation, even after 2 years now of Django thumping and Grisman grinding. I love it. Best guitar that ever happened to me..

Do you own the product?:
Yes
Have you used the product?:
Yes
Musical Experience:
Shakedown Street
Style of music you play:
fingerstyle
Where you live:
manitou springs

Did you find this review helpful? yes no1095141

...give it a chance...

| Review By: Craig Rebo | 1 year, 2 weeks ago

8 people out of 11 found this review helpful

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I like the full fat neck and I think it sounds interesting.      It's different.      I dont care for the high action and it is a little too top heavy, but that's what the strap is for I guess.

This thing is funny," I read the 50/50 reviews and decided to give it a try.      Took it out of the box and I was like ""What?!?""      But I decided to give it a chance.      Grab a cold beer from the fridge", take your backpacker and go outside on the back porch.      Yeah, it's top heavy.      Yeah, you've got to use the strap.      Yeah, the action is a little high.      No, it doesn't sound like a full sized guitar,      but for some reason I love it.      It was easy to get used to.      You rest your arm on the back to balance it out.      It's actually quite comfortable to play once you get used to it.      I've got to say, it's been a blast so far.      I find myself plucking on it all day.      Took it work for lunch time shows.

Do you own the product?:
Yes
Have you used the product?:
No
Musical Experience:
25 years
Style of music you play:
rock,classical
Where you live:
texas

Did you find this review helpful? yes no873614

Great Success!

| Review By: Theroast | 1 year, 5 months ago

3 people out of 3 found this review helpful

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I ordered this and like some other reviewers I started to doubt it before it arrived due to the general 50/50 reviews out there. When it arrived I was VERY pleasantly surprised! Too many people are looking for a full-size sound and don't understand what the Backpacker is made for. The build quality is great and the set-up was perfect as well. It does have good projection and you can get some bottom end out of it as well depending on your pick attack. To be positive I went to a local GC and tested out 5 other travel guitars from the Martin LXM, Yamaha, to Baby Taylors. They all seemed to have a muddy tone about them with the exception of one Taylor at $500. Where  the backpacker may seem a little thin at first, it certainly is a bright sounding tone that let me know I made the right choice, and not having the 3/4 size frets was a bonus for me. I wanted something I can take on canoe-camping trips and over-seas trips and the backpacker definitely fits the bill. Just don't expect full-jumbo style tone, love it for what it is and that's all I can say. Simply a nice little knock-around guitar you can get used to and never want to put down.
Do you own the product?:
Yes
Have you used the product?:
No
Musical Experience:
Active Musician
Style of music you play:
Rock-Country-Soul Goodness
Where you live:
Chicagoland

Did you find this review helpful? yes no995249

GET IT!

| Review By: Anonymous User | 1 year, 6 months ago

5 people out of 5 found this review helpful

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Quality:
Value:
Overall:
I read all of the reviews AS mine was being shipped, and I was nervous about some of the bad reviews I read. People stated that it was awkward to hold/play, didn't sound right, and/or it isn't loud enough. Once I got it,I knew I made an awesome purchase. With the strap on, it isn't awkward, it sounds wonderful, and it is perfectly loud enough. The low E string is loud enough too. I am very happy with my purchase! I haven't taken it on my trip through Germany yet, hopefully it will continue to impress me overseas!
Do you own the product?:
Yes
Have you used the product?:
No
Musical Experience:
I dabble
Style of music you play:
Folk...anything really
Where you live:
Upper Peninsula, Michigan

Did you find this review helpful? yes no808621

It is what it is.

| Review By: Lightslide | 1 year, 6 months ago

2 people out of 6 found this review helpful

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I have owned this guitar for 7 years.  I rarely play it because although it has a full size fretboard, (the reason I bought it in the first place) the small body causes a balance issue.  The sound is OK, but it does not project.  I gave it to my son and he doesn't play it either because of the above. If you are looking for a travel guitar to puck in the car, or the hotel room this is for you.  If you want to play and have others hear, I would not buy this guitar.
Do you own the product?:
Yes
Have you used the product?:
No
Musical Experience:
Musician
Style of music you play:
all
Where you live:
West Coast

Did you find this review helpful? yes no854316

See all 56 customer reviews...
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