Author Topic: Travel guitars (Read 6823 times)

Tom · « **on:** October 15, 2016, 06:17:18 PM »

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.

SeilerBird · « **Reply #1 on:** October 15, 2016, 06:27:25 PM »

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.

Tom · « **Reply #2 on:** October 15, 2016, 06:41:36 PM »

These travel guitars lack bass, but some reviews suggest that Martin might have the edge on being sonorous.

SeilerBird · « **Reply #3 on:** October 15, 2016, 06:44:26 PM »

I was shocked at how sonorous the bass uke was.

Tom · « **Reply #4 on:** October 15, 2016, 06:45:51 PM »

A bass uke or bass anything that's not sonorous would be an oxymoron

Tom · « **Reply #5 on:** October 16, 2016, 12:31:13 PM »

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.

SeilerBird · « **Reply #6 on:** October 16, 2016, 12:35:57 PM »

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.

Tom · « **Reply #7 on:** October 16, 2016, 12:44:45 PM »

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.

Tom · « **Reply #8 on:** October 16, 2016, 12:54:52 PM »

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.

SeilerBird · « **Reply #9 on:** October 16, 2016, 01:03:47 PM »

Quote from: Tom on October 16, 2016, 12:44:45 PM

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.

Being as it is a Martin my bet is that the action is perfect.

Tom · « **Reply #10 on:** October 16, 2016, 01:08:47 PM »

I hope you're right, although several reviews said the action was too high and couldn't be adjusted without causing other issues (buzzing).

SeilerBird · « **Reply #11 on:** October 16, 2016, 01:12:32 PM »

Quote from: Tom on October 16, 2016, 01:08:47 PM

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.

SeilerBird · « **Reply #12 on:** October 16, 2016, 01:57:55 PM »

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.

Tom · « **Reply #13 on:** October 16, 2016, 02:20:36 PM »

I didn't read, or at least didn't pay attention to, any of the 1- or 2-star reviews.

Quote

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.

SeilerBird · « **Reply #14 on:** October 16, 2016, 02:51:02 PM »

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.

Tom · « **Reply #15 on:** October 16, 2016, 03:04:04 PM »

Quote

... 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

SeilerBird · « **Reply #16 on:** October 16, 2016, 03:09:29 PM »

Yes I called them losers because of what they said.

Tom · « **Reply #17 on:** October 17, 2016, 06:50:23 PM »

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).

SeilerBird · « **Reply #18 on:** October 17, 2016, 06:53:35 PM »

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.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QFV1RGE/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Tom · « **Reply #19 on:** October 17, 2016, 07:01:15 PM »

Congrats on the bass uke.

Quote

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.

SeilerBird · « **Reply #20 on:** October 17, 2016, 07:06:10 PM »

I bought a book called Getting Plucky with the Ukulele. It has a photo showing all the different size ukes right next to each other for comparison. I goes from the bass to the microlele which he says is the size of a refrigerator magnet.

Tom · « **Reply #21 on:** October 17, 2016, 07:16:02 PM »

You're right, it's an addiction. I have 2 sopranos (for grandkids), 2 concerts, 1 tenor, 2 baritones, 1 banjouke. There's another one somewhere ...

Depending on your experience with the bass, and my experience playing one at the Kala factory demo room, I might get one.

Can't see me buying a micro, but the luthier has one hanging in his shop.

SeilerBird · « **Reply #22 on:** October 17, 2016, 07:20:56 PM »

I would like to buy a micro but it would be basically a wall hanger since it would be unplayable. I currently have one soprano, one concert and one tenor. I have no desire to get a baritone since I have such a great guitar already. But who knows how I will feel after I go a few weeks without buying one.

Tom · « **Reply #23 on:** October 17, 2016, 07:38:00 PM »

Quote

I have no desire to get a baritone since I have such a great guitar already.

No reason for you to buy a baritone. I came the other direction - bought a baritone because I liked the sound, and playing it convinced me to buy my first guitar.

SeilerBird · « **Reply #24 on:** October 17, 2016, 08:02:09 PM »

That's what I was thinking. A guitar has to sound much better than a baritone so I doubt I would play it very much.

Tom · « **Reply #25 on:** October 17, 2016, 08:03:27 PM »

As a guitar player, you'd be disappointed with a baritone uke.

WildPlum · « **Reply #26 on:** October 20, 2016, 11:47:46 AM »

I have a Martin LXM in a gig bag as a travel guitar - it's smaller (smaller than a parlor), made of laminate but still sounds pretty good. It can take fairly serious changes in temp and humidity and doesn't seem to care. To be honest, I'd just as soon it DIDN'T say "Martin" on the headstock or the bag (I actually used fabric paint to paint over the gold Martin logo on the gigbag), because people immediately assume it is an expensive guitar.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/LXM

My main mandolin stays at home and I travel with an Eastman 604 in a humidified hard case. The Eastman, although factory made in China, has a nice tone to it. In the mandolin world it is considered a cheap mandolin, although it'd set me back about a grand to replace it. The $50-$100 mandolins you see in stores are just about unplayable and don't sound very good out of the box - once you've spent several hundred dollars setting the thing up, you might just as well have bought a better mandolin.

Tom · « **Reply #27 on:** October 20, 2016, 12:56:06 PM »

For some reason, amazon shows all versions of the Little Martin as "unavailable", but it's "in stock" at the Sweetwater link you provided.

SeilerBird · « **Reply #28 on:** October 20, 2016, 01:18:45 PM »

I ran into a guy playing one on the rim of the Grand Canyon and he let me play it. Very nice guitar, as all Martins are.

Tom · « **Reply #29 on:** October 20, 2016, 05:01:31 PM »

Enjoyed watching the Martin playability video linked on Sweetwater's web site.

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Author Topic: Travel guitars (Read 6823 times)