Martin Guitars Steel String Backpacker Guitar w/ Gig Bag

SKU: # 45088   |   Model: # GBPC   |    Product Reviews5 Reviews  Write a Review

Steel String Backpacker Guitar w/ Gig Bag

Additional Photos:

Steel String Backpacker Guitar w/ Gig Bag
Steel String Backpacker Guitar w/ Gig Bag
Your Price: $449.00 CDN
or from $47 CDN/mo
2 models to choose from:
Notify Me

Buy Online

 Add to Cart

Buy In-Store

The sky's the limit for portability! The steel-string Backpacker travel guitar is lightweight, durable, easy to play (and tune) and is shaped to fit into the smallest places. Constructed of solid tonewoods.

Specifications:
• Top Material: Spruce
• Bracing Pattern: Backpacker
• Brace Shape: Non-Scalloped
• Brace Material: Spruce
• Brace Size: 5/16"
• Back Material: Tonewoods
• Side Material: Tonewoods
• Neck Material: Select Hardwood
• Neck Shape: Backpacker
• Neck Taper: Backpacker Taper
• Plek: No
• Nut Material: White Corian
• Headstock Shape: Solid
• Headplate Logo Style: Script Overlay
• Fingerboard Material: FSC Certified Richlite
• Scale Length: 24"
• Neck Joins Body At: 15th Fret
• Number of Frets Total: 15
• Fingerboard Width at Nut: 1 11/16''
• Fingerboard Width at 12th Fret: 2 1/8''
• Fingerboard Inlay Material: White Plastic
• Fingerboard Inlay Style: 1 at 5th & 2 at 12th
• Side Dots: White
• Back and Side Finish: Hand Rubbed
• Finish Top: Hand Rubbed
• Top Colour: Clear
• Finish Neck: Hand Rubbed
• Bridge Material: FSC Certified Richlite
• Bridge Style: Backpacker Steel String
• Bridge String Spacing: 2.187''
• Saddle: Compensated White Tusq
• Saddle Radius: 16"
• Tuning Machines: Chrome Enclosed Gear
• Recommended Strings: Acoustic 80/20 Bronze Extra Light (M170)
• Knob: Small
• Bridge Pin Material: White Plastic
• Bridge Pin Dots: Black Plastic
• Case: Soft Gig Bag
• Label: Paper Label

Specifications


Acoustic Pickup Type: None
Back & Sides: Sapele
Back/Sides Finish: Urethane Hand-Rubbed
Binding: None
Body Colour: Natural
Body Finish: Urethane Hand-Rubbed Top
Body Shape: Backpacker
Bracing: Backpacker
Bridge Material: FSC Certified Richlite
Bridge Style: Backpacker Steel String
Case/Gigbag: Gigbag Included
Country of Origin: Mexico
Cutaway: No
Fingerboard: FSC Certified Richlite
Fingerboard Inlay: Dots
Fret Profile: Standard Nickel/Silver Medium .080" to .095" W
Fretboard Radius: 16" / 406.4 mm
Instrument Size: Travel
Neck Body Join: Backpacker
Neck Body Join-Fret: 15th Fret
Neck Material: Select Hardwood
Neck Shape: Backpacker
Number of Frets: 15
Number of Strings: 6
Nut Material: White Corian
Nut Width: 1.6875" / 42.86 mm
Orientation: Right
Pickguard: No
Pickup/Preamp: No
Preamp EQ: No
Scale Length: 24" / 610 mm
String Gauge: 10-47 Extra Light
String Type: Steel
Top Material: Spruce
Tuner: No
Tuning Machines: Chrome Enclosed Gear

Q & A


There are currently no questions for this product.

Reviews


3.144.250.72
Mozilla/5.0 AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko; compatible; ClaudeBot/1.0; [email protected])
Great for Bigger Chests 9 of 9 customers found this review helpful
Features  
Quality  
Value  
Overall  
Product Experience   I own it
Closest Store   Calgary Royal Vista, Alberta
I LOVE this little thing. It's quiet but I have a larger chest size (you know, the Girls) and I can actually fit this under in a comfortable against the body position. All other guitar shapes were almost impossible to play comfortably. I'm actually rather terrified they will stop making these... lol. I HATE the bag. It does nothing to protect the instrument. I would spend good money on a sturdier one if they would make one.
Posted by Suzanne on Feb 18, 2022
Was this review helpful? Vote helpful Vote not helpful flag this review
Owned it 6 yrs. now 8 of 8 customers found this review helpful
Features  
Quality  
Value  
Overall  
Product Experience   I own it
Closest Store   Oshawa, Ontario
This guitar has been halfway around the world with me, if you’re buying it for travel, I love it. I don’t leave home without it. Ergonomically it sucks big time, read the other review about that, I have exactly the same problems. Especially the way the neck turns on you... but you get used to it. You can’t play it without the strap, even if you are sitting. Actually in the sitting position is when the neck turns upward the worst.
The quality is great, the neck is exactly as it was new, the tuners are well made. I got this for travelling on planes and trains, so if you are not doing that there are a lot of better options for a ‘campfire’ guitar in this price range. However, I have this great memory of standing on the side of a Mayan pyramid with a dozen other tourists belting out Tragically Hip tunes...PRICELESS! It would not have happened without this little beauty.
Posted by Keith on Feb 2, 2022
Was this review helpful? Vote helpful Vote not helpful flag this review
Fun unique portable 11 of 11 customers found this review helpful
Features  
Quality  
Value  
Overall  
Product Experience   I own it
Closest Store   Pickering (Store), Ontario
Worth it at Store Special price.no truss rod.filed saddle down.final set up is as good as my best Dreadnought . With optimal setup the true sound of instrument is better realized . That being said it is not a full size guitar so don't review as such. plays well open or capo  up to 7th Fret. Wt of neck and lack of traditional body means a strap is a must. I put a piezo pick up in it with end pin jack strap.sounds good.it stays in tune.bag is padded and adequate. Easy to curl up in  a chair to play over larger guitars.
Posted by Jay on May 14, 2019
Was this review helpful? Vote helpful Vote not helpful flag this review
I returned mine after a week 4 of 6 customers found this review helpful
Features  
Quality  
Value  
Overall  
Product Experience   I've tried it
Closest Store   Burlington, Ontario
I bought this with every intent to play on road trips but it just had a dead sound. I can see how some might like it...it just wasn't for me.
Posted by Adam on Feb 8, 2019
Was this review helpful? Vote helpful Vote not helpful flag this review
Cute and well made but unergonomic 26 of 26 customers found this review helpful
Features  
Quality  
Value  
Overall  
Product Experience   I own it
Closest Store   Waterloo, Ontario
I bought my backpacker a few months ago for taking with me on air travel. Its small dimensions make it very portable, and it sounds fully decent for what it is (don't expect boomy bass but that's not what it's meant for). It's well finished, and generally of good quality. The action on upper frets is rather high, and the neck is non-adjustable, but that's just how these are made. However, after having used it for a few months, I've found it rather awkward to play. The sense of awkwardness only increased after using it at home for a while compared to when I first tried it in store. The strap is essentially mandatory, and it's not really playable without the strap, even when sitting down, but that's alright because it comes with a strap. However, there are two bigger ergonomic issues beside the need for a strap. The first issue is that the very neck heavy design means you have to hold the guitar in a rather contorted manner when playing the upper frets to prevent the neck from diving down. The high action on upper frets doesn't help either. The second bigger issue is that the natural resting position for your strumming arm causes the guitar to rotate and have the fretboard face up, which becomes very awkward for your fretting hand unless you apply a reverse torque on the guitar by the neck, or make sure you don't rest your strumming on the guitar body. Altogether, even through I like the compact dimensions, build quality, and sound, the terrible ergonomics of this guitar make me avoid playing it and I'm contemplating selling it.
Posted by Sultan Khan on May 11, 2018
Was this review helpful? Vote helpful Vote not helpful flag this review

Performance Warranty Banner

Protect your investment with the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty

A warranty can be a very important factor when making a buying decision. Because repairs can be very expensive in terms of parts and labour costs, manufacturers usually only provide one year limited warranties that generally only cover items that malfunction due to a manufacturer’s defect. With an important purchase such as a musical
instrument or piece of studio gear, however, many people want to have the peace of mind in knowing that their investment will be protected should the product no longer be performing at 100%.

Because of this, Long & McQuade provides our customers with a FREE one-year Performance Warranty on most of our products. The Long & McQuade Performance Warranty supplements the manufacturer’s warranty to ensure that our customers receive complete “no hassle” warranty coverage within their first year.

How does the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty differ from most manufacturers' warranties?
  • Performance Guarantee: Normal wear and tear is covered, so your product will be performing as well as the day you purchased it for the entire duration of the coverage. Band and Orchestral Performance Warranty does not include replacing pads or cleaning for woodwind instruments, unless deemed necessary by our repair staff. Ultrasonic cleaning for brass instruments will be provided if deemed necessary by our repair staff, but is not routinely offered under the Performance Warranty.
  • Product Replacement: If your product cannot be fixed or costs too much to fix, we will replace it with the equivalent model for no additional charge. If this is not possible, a full refund will be provided.
  • No Lemon Policy: Your product will be replaced should the same problem occur multiple times.
  • Convenient: Easy drop off and pick up of the product at any Long & McQuade location.
  • Guitar Setup: Guitars purchased at Long & McQuade come with 1 free setup, to be redeemed within 1 year for new guitars and 90 days for used guitars.
  • Loaners Available: A loaner product may be given while the product is being repaired.
  • Power Surge Protection: Your product is covered even if damaged from a power surge.
  • Accessory Coverage: Any peripheral devices or accessories that come with your product (i.e. foot pedal, case) are also covered.
  • Commercial Use Coverage: Music and recording professionals who purchase gear for “heavy-use” commercial purposes will still be covered.
 

Long & McQuade reserves the right to restrict the purchase of additional years of Performance Warranty. Used products come with a 3-month Long & McQuade Performance Warranty. Some products (i.e. computers, software, cymbals and other items) are covered only by the manufacturer‘s warranty. Consumables (i.e. strings, reeds, drum sticks, batteries, tubes, cross faders) are excluded as they are designed to be replaced. Cosmetic Damage, Accidental Damage, or problems caused by Humidity or Temperature Issues are not covered. Speakers damaged by overpowering are generally not covered. Our coverage does not provide compensation for loss of use. As of June 2018 the Performance Warranty is no longer transferable. The warranty is only valid in Canada.

Purchasing additional years of coverage

Some manufacturers provide warranties for longer than 1 year; however, these are usually limited warranties that do not provide the same coverage as the Long & McQuade Performance Warranty. Customers interested in more complete and convenient (but not necessarily longer) coverage are still able to purchase additional years of the Performance Warranty.

If you are interested in receiving this coverage for longer than one year, you have the option of purchasing additional years of the Performance Warranty. The pricing is as follows:

  • NEW products: 4% of the current new selling price to double the warranty from 1 year to 2 years. 4% for each additional year.
  • USED products: 4% of the current new selling price to increase the warranty from 3 months to 1 year. 4% for each additional year.
  • GUITARS: 4% of the current new selling price to double the warranty from 1 year to 2 years. 4% for each additional year. $45 maximum. An additional free setup is not included with additional purchased years of Performance Warranty.
  • BAND and ORCHESTRAL instruments: 4% of the current new selling price to double the warranty from 1 year to 2 years. 4% for each additional year.