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heads on fire « Plays well, but not ergonomic. »
Published on 11/27/11 at 09:42Made in Mexico
Braced, solid tonewood top
Solid mahogany neck, back, and sides
Nice chrome-enclosed tuners
Weighs less than 2-1/2 lbs.
Great for traveling or camping!
UTILIZATION
This guitar is easy enough to play. The neck and the string tension feel like other high-end Martin guitars. The Backpacker is very easy to take traveling, camping, or on other activities due to its small size. However, that small size is a bit awkward to hold, as it doesn't rest on the leg very well. The side that would rest on your lap is a smooth edge with no contours, so it wants to slide right off. It would benefit well from a design similar to the Steinberger leg rest.
Also, the top strap button is in an awkward location, so when holding the guitar with a strap attached, the Backpacker tilts forward slightly, and the neck will dive due to the high-quality tuning machines being a bit heavier. Ergonomics are not this guitar's strong suit, but it plays well enough to bring the rating in this category overall to a 7.
SOUNDS
The Backpacker sounds like a guitar. A very small, bright guitar, with not a lot of volume, but it sounds like a guitar, and not a toy or a ukulele, like some other small travel-sized guitars. It is certainly not lacking in note definition, but it doesn't project well, and the sustain is hampered by the small size and odd shape.
OVERALL OPINION
This is a good guitar for campers and travelers. And, as odd as this is to admit in a guitar review, the Backpacker smells wonderful! However, I feel like the Baby Taylor guitar is a better choice overall, as its shape gives it more projection, higher quality tone, and much better ergonomics. For the traveling guitarist on a budget, the Backpacker is the right move, but if I had more cash, I'd go with the Baby Taylor. The Backpacker's shape is unique and instantly identifiable, but it may be the downfall of this guitar due to practicality reasons!
Braced, solid tonewood top
Solid mahogany neck, back, and sides
Nice chrome-enclosed tuners
Weighs less than 2-1/2 lbs.
Great for traveling or camping!
UTILIZATION
This guitar is easy enough to play. The neck and the string tension feel like other high-end Martin guitars. The Backpacker is very easy to take traveling, camping, or on other activities due to its small size. However, that small size is a bit awkward to hold, as it doesn't rest on the leg very well. The side that would rest on your lap is a smooth edge with no contours, so it wants to slide right off. It would benefit well from a design similar to the Steinberger leg rest.
Also, the top strap button is in an awkward location, so when holding the guitar with a strap attached, the Backpacker tilts forward slightly, and the neck will dive due to the high-quality tuning machines being a bit heavier. Ergonomics are not this guitar's strong suit, but it plays well enough to bring the rating in this category overall to a 7.
SOUNDS
The Backpacker sounds like a guitar. A very small, bright guitar, with not a lot of volume, but it sounds like a guitar, and not a toy or a ukulele, like some other small travel-sized guitars. It is certainly not lacking in note definition, but it doesn't project well, and the sustain is hampered by the small size and odd shape.
OVERALL OPINION
This is a good guitar for campers and travelers. And, as odd as this is to admit in a guitar review, the Backpacker smells wonderful! However, I feel like the Baby Taylor guitar is a better choice overall, as its shape gives it more projection, higher quality tone, and much better ergonomics. For the traveling guitarist on a budget, the Backpacker is the right move, but if I had more cash, I'd go with the Baby Taylor. The Backpacker's shape is unique and instantly identifiable, but it may be the downfall of this guitar due to practicality reasons!