Travel guitars

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Tom

Administrator
Joined
Jan 13, 2005
Posts
51,803
Anyone own &/or played either the Martin Backpacker or Washburn RO10 Rover travel guitars? I've read the reviews on amazon, and see a mix of results, including from folks who own both.

I'd like to play and compare, but our nearest Guitar Center only has one of them in stock.

The compact size of both instruments would allow me to take a guitar along in the coach, in addition to the ukuleles.
 
I played a Martin one fine day on the rim of the Grand Canyon but it wasn't a backpacker. But in my humble you can't go wrong with a Martin.
 
These travel guitars lack bass, but some reviews suggest that Martin might have the edge on being sonorous.
 
A bass uke or bass anything that's not sonorous would be an oxymoron  ;D
 
I broke my own rule and ordered the Martin without playing either one. It's already shipped and will arrive tomorrow. One of the negatives in reviews was the action on the Backpacker is too high and can't be lowered, apparently because it doesn't have a truss rod.
 
You don't need a truss rod to lower the action. Take it to a luthier and tell him to lower the action and it will cost you about $25. Should take him about 15 minutes. It is just a matter of filing down the nut a tiny bit. The truss rod is only there to compensate for a warped neck.
 
I thought about taking it to a luthier I've used a number of times for various instruments. But I'll wait and see how it feels/plays.
 
Coincidentally, a band member sent me this photo of the luthier working on my banjo uke in a corner of his shop. He's worked on a few other instruments of mine, including my (full size) plectrum banjo. The rest of his shop (a 2-car garage) is filled with instruments in various states of repair/building, wood, parts, and power tools.

The metal plate on the wall to the right of the bench-top light is his only tuner (a single tone); He strikes it once, and everything else is done by ear.
 

Attachments

  • John_Jordan_sm.jpg
    John_Jordan_sm.jpg
    81.9 KB · Views: 23
I hope you're right, although several reviews said the action was too high and couldn't be adjusted without causing other issues (buzzing).
 
Tom said:
I hope you're right, although several reviews said the action was too high and couldn't be adjusted without causing other issues (buzzing).
That is why you need a decent luthier to do the job. It is pretty easy to do but I don't recommend it as a DIY project because it is too easy to go too far and end up with buzzes. A decent luthier will not end up with buzzes and if he does he knows how to fix that. I stopped worrying about the action many years ago. I can play it no matter how high or how low the action is. The action only really matters if you plan on shredding at the speed of light.
 
I went to Amazon and read all the one and two star reviews for the Martin Backpacker. What a bunch of losers. The main complaint was that they did not like the thin tone. Well duh.... what did they expect from a guitar such a small soundbox? Many of the complaints were about how difficult it was to play sitting down. A uke player won't have that problem but how could they buy it and possibly think it would be easy to hold sitting down? It is not built for sound quality, that is not possible with a small form factor and it was not built for comfort when playing. It was built to be very small so you can practice playing in remote locations. Only one person complained about the action so I really doubt you will dislike the action. Martins always play like smooth butter.
 
I didn't read, or at least didn't pay attention to, any of the 1- or 2-star reviews.

A decent luthier will not end up with buzzes and if he does he knows how to fix that.

I know, and the guy I use showed me how it can happen. This guy has been doing this stuff for years, and knows what he's doing. I've referred numerous folks to him, and everyone has come away very happy with his work and his prices.
 
When I am shopping for anything I read the one and two star reviews first. They are the most important to me. If there is a significant problem with something it will usually show up there.
 
... I read the one and two star reviews first. They are the most important to me.

You just called them a bunch of losers  ???

I'll keep shopping my own way  ;)
 
The Martin Backpacker turned up a short while ago. About all I've done is unpack it, tune it, and play some chords/progressions. Too early to really pass judgement, but first impressions (in no specific order):
  • Came complete with strap.
  • Very compact, and so will travel well in the coach, a car, or on an airplane.
  • Shorter neck, 15 frets.
  • 'Regular' width neck; Not sure why I was expecting something narrower  ??? 
  • The action is noticeably 'high', but doesn't seem to affect playing.
  • Very noticeably less sonorous and quieter than my 'full size' Yamaha, but to be expected with the small sound box.
  • The small body/sound box makes it really easy to handle sitting down or standing up.
  • A decent padded bag (the Washburn RO10 Rover comes with a hard case).
 
You lucky guy. I broke down this afternoon and ordered the bass. It is all I have been thinking about since Saturday. I swear ukuleles are the crack cocaine of the musical instrument world. Just gotta keep buying them. I may need a larger motorhome. :eek:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QFV1RGE/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
 
Congrats on the bass uke.

Just gotta keep buying them.

That's a standing joke in our band. Occasionally our fearless leader will ask for a show of hands: "who has x ukes?", "who has y ukes?", "who has z ukes?", etc. I think I have 9 between our CA and OH homes.
 

Latest posts

Members online

Forum statistics

Threads
131,670
Posts
1,382,734
Members
137,455
Latest member
MtnRV
Back
Top Bottom