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Bricey
03-19-2008, 19:04
I'm curious of what backpacker guitars people have used, how they've held up, how they played. Thanks. -brice

1azarus
03-19-2008, 19:45
try a fluke. www.fleamarketmusic.com. they might even modify the neck to make it lighter for you. sweet little instrument.

i'll be walking through harpers ferry next week on a section hike...

fiddlehead
03-19-2008, 21:53
I like the Martin Backpacker. It is not loud but you don't need to be loud in the woods. IT also takes some time to get used to it as it has virtually no body.

I have thru-hiked the AT with it (held up ok) Then it broke on me in some desert hiking i did (Martin says not to take it into the desert) THey gave me a new one which i used to hike the PCT. It held up fine on that one too.
Then it broke on me in Nepal.
Martin gave me another one which lasted a CDT hike plus the Pyrenees. I still have that one and have hiked a lot more with it including more desert hiking.
I've seen Baby Taylors out there but they are pretty expensive and a thru-hike can be hard on a guitar.
I carried mine in the case it came in. Bent the top over and tied it that way and then had a specially made pack cover to fit over where it stuck up on my Go-Lite Breeze pack. Weight: 2 lbs for the guitar, almost another 2 lbs for the case, extra strings, capo and some words.

Have fun

Bob S
03-19-2008, 22:17
A guitar is a man-powered boom-box; make sure you don’t boom others with it. What may be harmony to you may very easily be considered noise to others that are out to enjoy the peace & quite of the outdoors.

Peaks
03-20-2008, 08:44
One of my favorite memories of the trail is Takoma Ted playing his Martin guitar as evening fell at shelters.

Flush2wice
03-20-2008, 08:49
Do they have bagpipes for back packers? It would be fun to teach yourself how to play bagpipes while hiking the trail.

jhick
03-20-2008, 08:51
now there's a way to make friends ! ;)

BenBNC
03-20-2008, 09:49
I like the Martin Backpacker. It is not loud but you don't need to be loud in the woods. IT also takes some time to get used to it as it has virtually no body.

I have thru-hiked the AT with it (held up ok) Then it broke on me in some desert hiking i did (Martin says not to take it into the desert) THey gave me a new one which i used to hike the PCT. It held up fine on that one too.
Then it broke on me in Nepal.
Martin gave me another one which lasted a CDT hike plus the Pyrenees. I still have that one and have hiked a lot more with it including more desert hiking.
I've seen Baby Taylors out there but they are pretty expensive and a thru-hike can be hard on a guitar.
I carried mine in the case it came in. Bent the top over and tied it that way and then had a specially made pack cover to fit over where it stuck up on my Go-Lite Breeze pack. Weight: 2 lbs for the guitar, almost another 2 lbs for the case, extra strings, capo and some words.

Have fun

Yeah, the backpacker is a great traveler's guitar. It packs light, and it sounds beautiful... Even though I don't own one, I can say that I really enjoy the instrument. It runs for about $160, so its cheap and you definitely get your moneys worth.

jhick
03-20-2008, 09:58
We got on this subject yesterday, Hobojoe says these sounds great!

http://www.go-guitars.com/

sherrill
03-20-2008, 10:12
Do they have bagpipes for back packers? It would be fun to teach yourself how to play bagpipes while hiking the trail.

Please, please tell me that was in jest. :eek:

GGS2
03-20-2008, 10:57
Do they have bagpipes for back packers? It would be fun to teach yourself how to play bagpipes while hiking the trail.

Take a chanter without the bag and drones.

But there are lots of different styles of bagpipes. Most are instruments that shepherds and other outdoors people took with them wherever they went. Doesn't mean modern instruments are made to take it, though. Good luck finding a small one.

hobojoe
03-20-2008, 11:37
The go guitars are perfect backpackers, I didn't realy like the martin when I played it. The go's are very sturdy and have an amazing sound, mine has only done about 300 miles with me but I am taking it on my thruhike this year. I also carried an ovation applause which sounded awesome, it was on loan so I had to return it after 500 miles.

jhick
03-20-2008, 12:16
I own an Ovation. Not the best sounding acoustics out there, but man they can take a beating. I'll have to try the backpacker one. The synthetic backing would be good with scratches and moisture.

Did it take you long to get used to the tiny body...

hobojoe
03-20-2008, 12:57
The ovation was pretty comfy to play at camp or witha strap. The go guitar's wierd shape actually lends itself well to being a lap guitar.

Tinker
03-20-2008, 22:12
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1253563662059664855oPfgzx

Here's mine. Nice sound, so-so neck. No truss rod. Has held up for 2 years with extra-light gauge strings. I've only had it on the trail for a weekend and several car camping excursions. I get bored with the playability aspect, but the neck is infinitely slimmer than the Martin Backpacker's fretted log.

johnnyblisters
03-21-2008, 21:21
Tinker, is that the Montana guitar? How much does it weigh? I've been considering picking one up but I want some opinions first.

quasarr
03-21-2008, 23:24
it was stevenleelazarus who recommended a ukulele to me as a good backpacking instrument

I bought a used Flea uke and I've been very happy with it! I never played a stringed instrument before and the uke is very easy to learn (only 4 strings to keep track of yay!) It is tuned like a guitar capoed at the 5th fret, so you can play the same songs as a guitar. No transposing or anything if you're just playing chords.

To me there's no contest between a uke and a Martin backpackers guitar. My uke weighs 14 oz, the Martin weighs 2.5 pounds :eek: The uke sounds good because it's supposed to be small, the Martin in my opinion sounds weak. I haven't heard the Go guitars though.

fiddlehead
03-23-2008, 22:21
Check this out: http://www.modernguitars.com/archives/003082.html

I wonder if he could make an acoustic version?

Tinker
03-23-2008, 23:13
Johnnyblisters: It sure looks like the Montana guitar. It's probably the guitar CALLED the Montana guitar. A lot of the mass-produced items around the world bear various "brand name" labels. I got mine from a friend through a catalog. He's a guitar teacher.

geetarman
04-10-2008, 22:45
I almost got one of these in Bloomington. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0009Q4DLW?smid=A28RZEVTQ2NMS9&tag=dealtime-mi-20&linkCode=asn

uwharriebackpacker
04-11-2008, 15:11
haha, well...i think its a pretty awesome suggestion for anyone interested. a friend of mine makes and sells cigar box guitars. they sound awesome, i just had him make me one about 2 months ago. he can make whatever you want hime to. mine only has 3 strings and is tuned kinda like a mountain dulcimer. go to his site and check out his you tube vids.http://youtube.com/user/tinyguitars

Bare Bear
04-11-2008, 16:17
Shufflefoot always carries his harmonica..........carries it right next to the waffle iron and the blow dryer.