Martin GCBC Backpacker Nylon-String Travel Acoustic Guitar

No longer available at zZounds
Keep this travel-size Martin guitar on hand at all times. It's light, compact, and made of solid wood for a sound bigger than its body would have you guess.

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, 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 carry a 1-year limited warranty to the original owner

- 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: none
- Neck Material: Solid Hardwood
- Neck Shape: Unique Contour
- Nut Material: Corian
- Headstock: Solid
- Headplate: none
- Heelcap: none
- Fingerboard Material: Richlite
- Scale Length: 24"
- Number Of Frets Clear: 15
- Number Of Frets Total: 15
- Fingerboard Width At Nut: 1-15/16"
- Fingerboard Width At 12th Fret: 2-3/8"
- Fingerboard Position Inlays: none
- Fingerboard Binding: none
- Finish Back & Sides: Hand Rubbed Finish
- Finish Top: Hand Rubbed Finish
- Finish Neck: Hand Rubbed Finish
- Bridge Material: Richlite
- Bridge Style: Unique To Classic Backpacker
- Bridge String Spacing: 2.415"
- Saddle: Micarta
- Tuning Machines: Chrome w/ Small Buttons
- Recommended Strings: Darco D-30 HB Ballend Classical
- Bridge & End Pins: none/chrome strap button
- Pickguard: none
- Case: Padded Combo Bag
- Interior Label: Paper Label
- Electronics: Not available as an option

For support or warranty questions, please contact the manufacturer:
Phone: 610-759-2837

Reviewers gave this product an overall rating of 4 out of 5 stars. (51 ratings)
Submitted February 11, 2009 by a customer from cox.net

Martin GCBC Backpacker Customer Review

Overall: 4 out of 5 stars
(see rating details)
Verified Customer zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
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.

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.

Features
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 read more 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.

Musical Background:
Nearly 40 years of guitar

Musical Style:
Primarily classical, some folk & rock
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No longer available at zZounds

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