Martin 11GBPCL Acoustic Guitar: Full Review

The Martin Backpacker Travel Guitar is a unique portable acoustic guitar designed by C.F. Martin & Co. Specifically made for traveling musicians, this lightweight guitar folds in half for easy transport in its included padded gig bag backpack.

Weighing only 3 pounds, the Martin Backpacker has a solid spruce top with mahogany Pattern HPL (high pressure laminate) back and sides. The guitar features a 24.9" scale length and 15 frets clear of the body. It has a Stratabond modified low oval neck with a solid Micarta fretboard and 20 nickel frets.

Overall, the Martin Backpacker Travel Guitar delivers impressive volume, resonance and tone for its small size. The innovative foldable design makes this an excellent choice for guitarists who want to easily take their instrument anywhere. This review will examine the key features, sound quality, playability, hardware, electronics, and value of this unique travel acoustic.

Construction

The Martin Backpacker Travel Acoustic-Electric Guitar is designed with portability and durability in mind. The compact guitar has a diminutive body made of solid spruce wood laminated to hardwood - which makes it lightweight yet sturdy.

At 25.3 x 16.4 x 4.3 inches and only 1.58 pounds, the Backpacker is significantly smaller than a standard acoustic guitar. It can easily fit into the included padded gig bag or transported in the integrated handle cutout on the side. The shortened 24.9" scale length and narrow 1 11/16" nut width allow for a portable form while still being comfortable to play.

Despite its transportable size, the Backpacker does not compromise on tone or volume. The modified 0-14 fret 24.9” scale fused to a full 25.4” scale allows it to produce rich low end and bright treble tones. Overall the compact construction makes the Backpacker ideal for traveling and small spaces, without sacrificing the signature Martin sound.

The Martin Backpacker is an excellent choice for musicians looking for a portable acoustic guitar option. While more diminutive than a full size dreadnought, it retains impressive tone and volume through clever construction optimizations. The solid spruce top and proprietary bracing help project sound in a loud and balanced manner. While the Backpacker excels as a travel guitar, it can also be a great option for everyday playing and practice. Its compact body size makes it an accessible instrument for younger players and those with smaller frames. The addition of on-board electronics even allows the Backpacker to be plugged into an amplifier or PA system. This expands its versatility for stage use or recording applications. When portability and Martin's signature sound are key, the Backpacker warrants strong consideration. Those seeking a premium full size acoustic may prefer the benchmark Martin D-18.

Sound Quality

The Martin Backpacker has excellent tone and volume for a small travel guitar. The solid spruce top produces a bright, crisp sound with good projection. Though the mahogany pattern HPL (high pressure laminate) back and sides don't resonate as deeply as solid wood, they still provide decent warmth and bass response.

The guitar's small body size reduces sustain compared to a full-size dreadnought, but notes still ring out cleanly. Single notes and chords have enough lively resonance to sound full and avoid sounding thin or deadened. While not as booming or rich as a larger guitar, the Backpacker has impressive tonal balance given its ultra-portable form factor.

The guitar plays loud enough for casual playing or practicing thanks to the solid spruce top. Volume is surprisingly good for both strumming and fingerpicking styles. While it won't keep up with a band, it has more than enough acoustic power for solo jam sessions. Overall the Backpacker delivers excellent sound quality for a compact travel acoustic.

When looking for a quality acoustic guitar with excellent sound, the Taylor FA02032017005111000 is a fantastic option to consider. This model from Taylor's 200 Series features a solid Sitka spruce top and layered rosewood back and sides for exquisite tone. The combination of woods produces a balanced, articulate sound with crisp highs, warm lows, and rich overtones. The Grand Auditorium body shape further enhances the guitar's impressive dynamics and projection.

In addition to its excellent materials, the Taylor FA02032017005111000 incorporates Taylor's signature C-Class bracing pattern, which improves resonance and sustain. The neck has a smooth satin finish for fast playability, and the slim nut width makes chord changes easy. The guitar's intonation stays true up and down the neck thanks to Taylor's Precision Frets. Overall, the Taylor FA02032017005111000 delivers pro-level sound and playability at an accessible price point.

Reviewers consistently praise the Taylor FA02032017005111000 for its full, balanced tone that belies its modest price tag. It handles both fingerpicking and strumming with ease, and singers love its rich, supportive voice. If you're looking for an inspiring instrument to develop your playing, the Taylor FA02032017005111000 is an outstanding choice. From the workmanship to the tonewoods, this guitar delivers impressive sound and playability. Check out the Taylor FA02032017005111000 for a quality acoustic with excellent sound and value.

Playability

The playability of the Martin Backpacker acoustic guitar is excellent for a travel size instrument. The shorter 24.9" scale mahogany neck has a comfortable and smooth satin finish that allows fast playing up and down the fretboard. The neck width at the nut is 1 11/16", slightly narrower than a full size dreadnought, which enhances playability for guitarists with smaller hands.

The Backpacker has a modified 15.2" radius rosewood fingerboard with 20 frets. The frets are medium jumbo size for great intonation and sustain. The action on the Backpacker is set quite low from the factory, which promotes fast playing and makes it easy to press down the strings without excessive finger pressure. However, the action is adjustable at the bridge if a higher action is preferred.

Overall, the short scale neck, narrow nut width, low action and smooth finish give the Backpacker a very playable feel that belies its small size. The Backpacker's excellent playability makes it a great choice as a travel guitar or for smaller guitarists looking for comfort and high performance.

Hardware

The Martin 11GBPCL uses chrome open gear tuning keys which are standard for guitars in this price range. The keys are smooth and accurate for tuning stability. The guitar has a rosewood bridge which helps transfer string vibrations efficiently into the body for better resonance and sustain. The bridge has a compensated saddle which helps improve the guitar's intonation when playing up the neck. Overall the hardware components are decent quality and perform well for the guitar's intended use as a portable travel instrument. The simplicity of the hardware also helps minimize weight and keeps costs down. While the hardware is not as robust or high-end as a premium guitar, it is reliable and gets the job done on this model.

Electronics

The Martin Backpacker features a Fishman Sonitone pickup and preamp system, which helps project the guitar's sound for live playing or recording situations.

The undersaddle pickup uses a piezo transducer to capture the guitar's natural acoustic tone. Piezo pickups are known for providing a balanced, clear sound across the frequency spectrum. They excel at reproducing the crisp highs and tight lows of an acoustic guitar.

The preamp has a simple volume control and tone shaping circuit. It allows you to boost the guitar's output to match other instruments. The tone control lets you dial in more bass or treble as needed. While basic, the preamp gives you enough tonal flexibility for most scenarios.

The Fishman preamp is powered by a 9V battery. A battery compartment is discreetly mounted inside the guitar body. This allows you to easily change the battery as needed. The preamp automatically shuts off when not in use to preserve battery life.

Overall, the electronics give the Backpacker stage-ready amplified tones in a compact package. The pickup accurately captures the guitar's acoustic voice. And the preamp provides essential controls for balancing volume and tone.

Comfort

The Martin Backpacker is designed to be a portable and comfortable acoustic guitar for traveling and outdoor use. Despite its small size, it has excellent balance and feels natural to hold.

Weighing only 2.9 pounds, the Backpacker is one of the lightest full-scale guitars available. Its compact body size and tapered waist make it easy to handle. The guitar's light weight reduces fatigue during longer playing sessions.

The neck has a smooth satin finish that allows for comfortable movement up and down the fingerboard. The shorter 24.9" scale length reduces the stretch for smaller hands.

The Backpacker comes with a padded gig bag that has backpack straps, making it easy to carry the guitar on your back while hiking or traveling. The wide neoprene shoulder straps evenly distribute the weight and minimize discomfort.

Overall, Martin designed this guitar for maximum portability and comfort. Between its light weight, compact shape, and included gig bag, the Backpacker excels as a take-anywhere acoustic.

Versatility

The Martin Backpacker acoustic-electric guitar offers excellent versatility for various musical scenarios. Its compact size makes it highly portable, allowing you to easily take it anywhere without hassle.

For live performances, the Backpacker works very well as a travel guitar. Its small body produces great volume and projection thanks to the mahogany top. The guitar is loud enough to be heard clearly during gigs, open mics, busking, and other live playing situations.

In the studio, the Backpacker records nicely as both an acoustic and electric guitar. It captures crisp acoustic tones when miked, with the solid mahogany top providing good resonance. Plugged directly into an audio interface or amp, the undersaddle piezo pickup produces balanced electric tones suitable for recording.

For songwriting and practice, the Backpacker is an ideal choice. Its comfortable neck and playability allow you to play for extended periods. And the compact body shape makes the Backpacker easy to handle in tight quarters, on a plane or bus, or anywhere else you want to write songs or practice.

With its versatile design, the Backpacker works well for many musical applications from live performing to studio recording to traveling and practice. Its portable body size paired with quality acoustic and electric tones make it a highly versatile guitar.

Price and Value for Money

The Martin Backpacker acoustic guitar delivers an incredible amount of value considering its compact size and portable design. At around $200, it's very affordable for a legitimate Martin guitar. While it may seem expensive compared to some basic beginner acoustic guitars, the Backpacker punches far above its weight class in terms of its tonewoods, craftsmanship, and ability to produce Martin-quality sound.

For guitarists needing a convenient travel guitar that still sounds great, the Backpacker is difficult to beat. The mahogany pattern HPL top and mahogany laminate back and sides provide a rich, resonant sound that belies the instrument's diminutive proportions. When factoring in Martin's expert attention to detail and reputation for building guitars that last, the Backpacker represents a smart long-term investment for guitarists of all levels.

While $200 is not an insignificant amount of money, the Backpacker delivers a premium musical experience akin to Martin's more expensive models. For guitarists who appreciate fine craftsmanship and seek an authentic Martin acoustic for travel or practice, the Backpacker offers tremendous value and will provide years of musical enjoyment.

Summary

The Martin Backpacker Travel Guitar is an interesting and unique acoustic guitar option for travelers and campers who want a compact, portable instrument.

Some of the key pros of this guitar are its light weight at just over 2 pounds, slim backpacker-style shape that's easy to transport, durable construction to withstand travel conditions, and full 25.4" scale length for better intonation. The guitar sounds decent unplugged despite its smaller size, produces ample volume when plugged in, and the neck is comfortable and easy to play.

Potential downsides are the non-cutaway body shape limits upper fret access, lack of a truss rod limits adjustability, and electronics are basic. It may not match the tone of a full-size acoustic guitar.

Overall, the Backpacker is a great option for guitarists prioritizing portability and travel-friendly size over maximum acoustic sound quality and projection. The unique shape packs down well, and clever design choices like the bolt-on neck allow dismantling the guitar completely. For backpackers, hikers, or frequent fliers needing a portable campfire jamming companion, the Martin Backpacker is an excellent choice. Those wanting the fullest acoustic tone may prefer a concert-size or dreadnought guitar.