Then in April, when a friend suggested we go on a weekender in his Ford Escort, there really wasn’t room for my big guitar, so on a whim, I threw in the Montana Backpacker. When we finally settled into the campsite, I pulled it out as a joke. As I began to play, I was pretty surprised. The neck was kind of heavy so it kept wanting to hang down, but the sound was really pretty good. It had a nearly full-size fret board which was really nice. I didn’t really care for the cheap strings or the toy like plastic tuning knobs but when I got home, I decided the portability and convenience of its smaller size made it worth the upgrade to some high quality strings and metal tuners. What a difference that made!

The wood Montana used is acceptable. Nothing very high quality but adequate. It’s a relatively cheap guitar, not as expensive as the Washburn or the Martin Backpacker (another funny-looking shape) but probably not as good, either. It weighs a bit more, around 4 pounds, but that is much lighter than my Yamaha. It came with a carrying case that was adequate, but could have had a few more features. I like to have a pocket for picks and extra strings, but this one didn’t have that. Not a big deal though.

This odd-shaped travel guitar has been to several mountains, a Bahamas cruise, and a family reunion. Everywhere I go, people comment on how cute it is (remember I was the first to call it cute!), then they mention how good it sounds. I even made up a song for my Mom on it.

Montana Backpacker Travel Guitar Features:

Another really nice thing about the guitar is the fact that the frets are a bit smaller. If you have trouble playing a full size guitar at all; then this guitar is going to be a pleasure to play. The Amigo AMT-10 backpacker travel guitar also has a durable Rosewood bridge. The top of the instrument is made of Spruce wood. The result is very nice. The size of the guitar is 36 inches; and it has a 24 inch scale body in length. It weighs less than 2-1/2 lb. in size. That’s just about right for hiking or backpacking across the country, with your music in tow. The light weight is just what you need for music on the road. Most of these guitars come with a gig bag as well. The cost is reasonable at most places. This is a low-end backpacking guitar. There are better backpacking guitars; but for the price, and sound quality, it is a good buy for any music on the road. The Amigo AMT-10 Backpacker Travel Guitar is a good buy for the money; and it sounds decent as well.

Amigo AMT-10 Backpacker Features:

In a package measuring just under a yard and weighing less than 2 1/2 pounds, the nylon-string Backpacker manages to deliver a full 24-inch scale and 15 frets, for almost all the playability of a standard acoustic guitar. The guitar features a braced, solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides. The neck, too, is a dense piece of solid mahogany, sure to take a beating. It has the traditional wide fingerboard and open peg head you’d expect in a classical guitar. It comes with a strap and a durable carrying bag.

For such small instrument, the Martin Backpacker Nylon String Travel Guitar has a surprisingly warm, sweet, lute-like tone. Any fears that this undersized, nylon-stringed guitar is going to sound like a ukulele quickly disappear at the first strum. While certainly not a concert instrument, the nylon-stringed Backpacker has a clarity and richness that will provide years of delightful practice time, whether in hotel room or campground.

Despite these benefits, there are those who complain that the Martin Backpacker Nylon String Travel Guitar is too unwieldy and too quiet. It is certainly true that the guitar’s balance, with its weighty, rock-solid neck and its undersized body, feels nothing like a traditional classical guitar, and definitely takes some getting used to. And the broad fingerboard will put off many steel-string players who may try out the nylon-string Backpacker as a warmer, richer alternative to the tinny-sounding steel-string Backpacker.

And yes, the instrument is quiet – quieter than a classical guitar, and much quieter than a steel-string acoustic. Players who look at the Backpacker as a way of getting a “real Martin” on the cheap are going to be disappointed with the sound. But sound and balance compromises are unavoidable when you’re designing an instrument that can be slung into an overhead bin. For those classical guitar players who want Martin quality that will stand up to the rigors of travel, the Martin Backpacker Nylon String Travel Guitar undeniably fills the bill.

Martin Nylon String Backpacker Acoustic Guitar Features:

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

If you are a musician who enjoys such trips as camping or backpacking and traveling in general, you know how hard it can be to keep your fingers in practice with an instrument like a guitar. Only a few people I’ve ever known have been crazy enough to take their full size guitar with them on a prolonged trip. Not only is it terribly heavy and difficult to board or carry, but the ever-changing humidity and temperatures can reek havoc on a nice instrument. And if you are thinking about boarding your expensive guitar on a plane, think again. There are way too many people that have horror stories about guitars being broken or badly damaged en route.

There is a better way to travel and stay in practice at the same time. With the Martin Backpacker Steel String Travel Guitar you can keep your fingers in practice and your full size guitar safe for your trip. However if you’ve never tried one of these travel guitars, you might be thinking that their sound quality or action is poor. I can assure you that the sound quality of the Martin Backpacker Steel String Travel Guitar is amazing and the action almost identical to that of a full size guitar. Plus these travel guitars are sturdy but beautiful, containing the traditional Martin workmanship that one has come to expect from the Martin brand.

These compact guitars have become one of my favorite parts about sitting around a campfire in the summer. It has truly become a wonderful companion to the many trips I take, both backpacking and camping. I would strongly recommend this Martin Backpacker Steel String Travel Guitar to anyone who is a serious musician. I would also recommend it to anyone who enjoys playing music on camping trips or when traveling. Whether or not you are a serious musician, you can have some serious fun with this compact, durable Martin guitar.

Don’t take a chance by bringing your full size guitar with you on a trip. There’s just too much that can possibly go wrong. Instead invest in one of Martin’s backpacker guitars to take with you instead. You will love the size and weight of this wonderful traveling guitar. Plus you will keep you fingers limber so you won’t miss a note when your vacation ends! Browse the wide selection of Martin Backpacker Steel String Guitars before your next big trip.

Martin Steel String Backpacker Acoustic Guitar Features:

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