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Home>Guitars, Amps, and Effects>Classical Guitars>Small Classical Guitars

Martin GCBC Backpacker Nylon-String Travel Acoustic Guitar

Keep this guitar on hand at all times. It's light, compact, and made of solid wood that delivers a sound bigger than it's body would have you guess. 48 People rated this product: Rate and Review This Product
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Manufacturer's Description for Martin GCBC Backpacker Nylon-String Travel Acoustic Guitar

Martin's Backpacker can accompany you anywhere in the world -- or beyond. One neat little package gives the guitarist portability, playability, intonation, and durability. It's all solid wood, but light. You can stow the Backpacker, in the special gig bag that comes with it, in aircraft overhead bins, and play it in armchairs, cars, parachuting, on mountaintops, in canoes -- anywhere your adventures take you. Choose your Backpacker from a steel 6-string guitar, or this classical nylon version. Standard features for the 'Backpacker Instruments' include solid wood back, sides and neck, a 1-year limited warranty, and padded carrying bag.

Backpackers(R) are fully playable compact travel guitars economically designed to meet the needs of musicians on the run! For their size, both the original steel-string style and this nylon-string classical model have a surprisingly rich and loud tone. Ruggedly built to withstand the rigors of outdoor situations like camping, hiking, and summer music festivals.

Features:
Lightly braced solid tonewood top

Solid Mahogany neck, back and sides

Backpackers(R) carry a 1-year limited warranty to the original owner zZounds is an authorized dealer of Martin products.
Model: Classical Backpacker Guitar

Construction: Unique To Backpacker

Body Size: Unique To Backpacker

Top: Solid Spruce

Rosette: None

Top Bracing Pattern: Unique To Backpacker

Top Braces: Solid Spruce

Back Material: Solid Tonewoods

Back Purfling: None

Side Material: Solid Tonewood

Endpiece: None

Endpiece Inlay: None

Binding: None

Top Inlay Style: None

Side Inlay: None

Back Inlay:

Neck Material: Solid Hardwood

Neck Shape: Unique Contour

Nut Material: Corian(R)

Headstock: Solid/Tapered

Headplate: None

Heelcap: None

Fingerboard Material: Select Hardwood

Scale Length: 24 in.

# of Frets Clear: 15

# of Frets Total: 15

Fingerboard Width at Nut: 1 15/16 in.

Fingerboard Width at 12th Fret: 2 3/8 in.

Fingerboard Position Inlays: None- Double Side Dots (At 3,5,7 & 9 frets)

Fingerboard Binding: None

Finish Back & Sides: Hand Rubbed Urethane

Finish Top: Hand Rubbed Finish

Finish Neck: Hand Rubbed Finish

Bridge Material: Select Hardwood

Bridge Style: Unique To Classic Backpacker

Bridge String Spacing: 2 7/16 in.

Saddle: Micarta(R)

Tuning Machines: Chrome w/Small Knobs

Recommended Strings: Darco D-30 HB Ballend Classical

Bridge & End Pins: None

Pickguard: None

Case: Padded Gig Bag

Interior Label: Small Foil Logo Located Above Soundhole

Other Comments: All specifications are subject to change without notice.
Dimensions and Weight in Packaging
Shipping Weight: 5 lbs
Shipping Dimensions: 37 x 10 x 5 in
Martin Warranty Martin Warranty Martin offers a limited lifetime warranty on all of their guitars (valid only to the original owner.) Backpackers, Little Martins and Ukuleles are warrantied for one year. Strings are not covered under warranty. If you have additional warranty questions, please call the manufacturer at 610-759-2837
Our extended 30-Day 100% Satisfaction Guarantee applies on this product. Buy it, and if it isn't just right for you, return it!
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Customer Reviews
4.5 out of 5 (48 ratings) Rate and Review This Product
zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us. Martin GCBC Backpacker Customer Review
Sound: The classical-style Backpacker doesn't have the rich sound of a quality standard classical instrument. However, it does have a delightful, almost lute-like tone, which was a very pleasant surprise to me since I primarily play Renaissance music. You need good nails to evoke the tone, but it's quite rewarding and noticeable even with a multi-instrument group. Feature: Nicely padded case was included with a handy zipper pocket on the side. The included strap is somewhat uncomfortable (the nylon webbing is a bit rough) but it does the job of supporting the Backpacker properly. Ease of Use: Once the strap was properly adjusted, I found this to be a very comfortable, easy to play instrument. It's most definitely not similar to a normal guitar, but I adjusted quickly. I'm also impressed that additional bridges may be purchased if custom adjustments are desired. Quality: For all its quirkiness, I really like this guitar. However, I do wish the finish was a bit more...generous. It feels just a bit rough, but I'm used to a fully-finished body. The neck is also (relatively) unfinished but is already gaining a patina just from being played. The wood itself is quite nice and the mechanics work well. The tuning stabilized in just a few weeks. Value: It's a Martin! Manufacturer Support: I had an inquiry shortly after my guitar arrived, and contacted Martin directly. I received a useful, informative reply by email the next day. Well done! The Wow Factor: It travels well, which is what it's designed for. I have an excellent, concert-quality guitar but do NOT wish to do casual travel with it. Now I can leave my baby and home, safe and sound. Overall: I think the Backpacker is perfect for its designed purpose. It's fun to play, gets interesting reactions, and has a very pleasing, if unexpected, voice.
Style of Music: Primarily classical, some folk & rock
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"Backpacker Guitar does everything I want it to!!"
Sound: This is a suprisingly large sound for such a compact acoustic instrument. Feature: everything seems to be just what it is supposed to be. In todays world, that is more than I could have asked for. Size, sound, feel and appreance are all great!! Ease of Use: This played great from the begining. I did find that without the strap, just resting the guitar on my knee, this was uncomfortable, but once I was standing and playing it was fine. Time will tell. Quality: Since this is brand new, I cannot tell you how many years it will be last, but if it is anything like my other Martin product, it will be fine forever. Value: Yes. Manufacturer Support: I have not contacted martin since getting this product, but if they are as responsive as their product is made well, I am sure I will do fine. The Wow Factor: I have always wanted one, now I have one. Life is better today than yesterday! Overall: This guitar serves a purpose. If I lost it, I would most likely replace it.
Style of Music: Rock, progressive, blues, country.
1 of 1 people (100%) found this review helpful. Did you?
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No interest. Ever.
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No application to mail or fax, no bills to pay. We automatically charge the payments to your credit card.

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