I LOVE my backpacker. My 'propped up in bed kickin back, exploring ideas' guitar. Also, love the sound. Almost like a dulcimer or lap steel, plenty of verb. If you're thinking about gettin one, do. Edit: The only downside is it cannot be played comfortably without the strap. Other than that, FUN. SO MUCH FUN TO PLAY.
For that immediate inspiration, when writing a song, This could be a great little guitar (especially for learning lead) and my only complaint is it's Neck Heavy and not weighted properly! I just bought one at a music store already set up and ready to go. At first, I didn't like it and Now I walk around the house with it! When I Let it go and it's hanging down my back like a "Bow and Arrow" set
When he did the be good to each other, cheers folks and faded out before he took the call I kinda got sad. Never leave us Dave!! I've been watching for over 5 years. It's my morning coffee. #CheersBud
Thanks for yet another fine video! (The Martin Backpacker is famous for being the first guitar played in outer space. Maybe that would be the right situation. )
The banter was hilarious because when some of my regulars hit me with the "I'll pay ya when I get home" I use the same "It's cool, I know where you live" line.
When I picked up the Martin Backpacker I didn’t like the shape or the sound. Maybe with a strap. But the sound is so tinny. I eventually got a Taylor Baby. Much more conventional in shape and the sound is okay. It is smaller than a full sized guitar but not that much smaller. My “traveling guitar” is an old Applause with a soft case with straps like a backpack.
Hey Dave, I hope you are doing well. I got one of those. That model you got there is the 2nd version, where the body of it is a bit wider (like an inch or so) by the bottom of where fretboard is, the first version does not have that, it looks tapered in that area. I use mine for layering on top of other acoustic guitar parts in the commercially licensed music I write and record, as that backpacker guitar is all "high end" sound wise. I've seen some guys use those nylon strings with the ball-ends, and string them up as classical guitars... but there also a classical guitar version that was originally made by Martin as well many years back when these came out. Have a great upcoming weekend.
Dave. Buddy. Tedium is why we love your mooooviez so much! Keep on doing your thing bud, the tedium of lockdown needs as much of your s#it as you can spare.
I’ve owned two...with many years in between. I always thought it would be great to take camping, you know, around the old campfire. The novelty wore off quick as they really don’t sound good and are awkward to play even with the supplied strap it comes with. I did exactly what you did to the second one I owned and while it drastically improved playability. Still, I couldn’t bond with it . I think a better option is a used baby Taylor as it actually sounds like a guitar. That’s just me though....we’re all different 😎
sounds like one of those guitars you get at the toy store for your grand kids ...but the video tag and commentary were worth the stop ... thanks for sharing Dave
Interesting little guitar. Great for something super portable and minimalistic. However, freaks me out a bit that there's no truss rod. Wonder how it would turn out in the long run.
I need one of these. I'm a songwriter. I need a guitar on me 24/7... like in my car when I go to get groceries or traveling to see family or on the road to gigs riding in the passenger seat of my little toyota. I just can't do this with my vintage jumbo gibsons. WHen I'm writing that next hit country song for some current "artist", I'm not really concerned with the guitar's tone. I'm not making critical recordings in my car writing songs... I'm writing songs...and creating compositions that require an instrument in my hand more for reference than anything else. Travel conditions and seasonal temps/humidity can ruin a $20K guitar faster than anything on this planet. so DO you have to fight to keep these things in tune?
Agreed. I have no beer at home right now, so have one for me. Those guitars are fracking junk. I mean...no truss rod? Wtf? It's really expensive firewood.
Quick question, i restrung my guitar but i have a problem the guitar string is not as tight as the other strings and when i try to tune it, it becomes even looser i dont think there is a problem with the tuner. So i dont know what to do
I had one of those. Shame they market it like a small guitar that sounds like a mutant uke. Actually, I did sort of like it. It made an interesting sound kinda and good for practicing... in a way. I named mine "the neck".
Hey Dave, another great vid! When you're setting up instruments with adjustable intonation, does it matter whether or not the instrument is in playing position? I've heard people saying that you should adjust your intonation while you're in playing position, because gravity has an effect on the strings? Just wanted to hear your view on this. Take it easy, thanks.
Don't get him started! (The reality is that once a human touches it to start playing it, it's moot and therefore doesn't matter. But if you want to get all technical, have at it.)
Yes. The way i setup my guitars is with the action and intonation while the guitar is in playing position and especially on a floating bridge, you shouldnt do it while the guitar is laying down. To me what Dave is doing is wrong and i dont like doing it because i do notice a difference.
He’s talked about it in previous videos but sadly I don’t remember which ones. It’s a preference and he prefers doing it with the guitar on the bench. But as he says “there are no rules; only guidelines”.
OK, I’ve been meaning to ask this for awhile, and I apologize if you’ve answered this before... If you need to lower the string action by 4/64”, why do you always double that amount when you’re calculating how much to remove off the bottom of the bridge saddle? I’ve tried to deduce out why, but can’t logically think of why that might be. Thanks Dave, always love watching your vids. They’ve given me the courage to attempt truss rod adjustments myself!
The distance from the nut to the saddle (scale length) is twice the distance from the nut to 12th fret. Therefore, your measurement at the saddle is twice the measurement at the 12th fret. As Dave said, it's a right triangle. Hope that helps you. Thanks for all you show and do, Dave.
Actually, I just about broke even. I'm a lefty, so it was impossible to try one out at the guitar shop before getting ripped off. It was truly awful sounding. Sold it online. I'm gonna make one of those "Cigar Box" guitars, they sound better. Maybe a guy like John 5 could get something good out of the Backpacker. Regards. 😂
Damn, Dave, I’ve caught it. I’ve contracted the dreaded Dave’soviros. I now actually keep checking for any of your new videos. Aaaarrrgghhhhh, help me. 😕
A friend has one of those, and I tried playing it. Absolutely the worst guitar I've ever played in my life. Everything felt wrong about it. Plus, it sounded like ass.
The original thousand or so made in the U.S. apparently were much more passable. strumstick.com/pages/about-us The guy who designed them is still making travel "guitars" - though definitely not your normal configuration.
Kinda pricey for an oar, isn't it? 😂. Mexican craftsmanship with a "made in America" sticker. This will cause a stir at the next ukulele group meeting...
Every time I have picked one of these up, I think, "maybe the last one didn't pass QC or something...". NOPE. Each one sounds like a banjo that fell off a short bus.
Why?,just,....why?....These things are not even any use as a weapon, and certainly not as a musical instrument. Garden ornament maybe?....Possibly birdbox....
Just the first time I’ve ever seen a video with 0 views. You guys are the childish ones. Why would a simple post cause such a response. Get a life. Oh wait. You obviously don’t have one to cut into someone like that. Sorry your lives have no meaning and no joy.
@@qinghai1 You know, that is what others reply to this. "This is my first time being first." Doesn't matter. It's childish. It's immature. You are the one who needs to get a life. If being first excites you that much, there is something wrong with your pathetic life.
The Penny Black CD is excellent. Every fan of Dave should have one.
I LOVE my backpacker. My 'propped up in bed kickin back, exploring ideas' guitar. Also, love the sound. Almost like a dulcimer or lap steel, plenty of verb. If you're thinking about gettin one, do.
Edit: The only downside is it cannot be played comfortably without the strap. Other than that, FUN. SO MUCH FUN TO PLAY.
How is it playing in bed? I'm more interested in a small guitar for bed playing and this looks very good for that, what's your opinion?
@@emilnilsson4320he JUST said it was good for it. Do you not read? Want him to type it AGAIN for you?
For that immediate inspiration, when writing a song, This could be a great little guitar (especially for learning lead) and my only complaint is it's Neck Heavy and not weighted properly! I just bought one at a music store already set up and ready to go. At first, I didn't like it and Now I walk around the house with it! When I Let it go and it's hanging down my back like a "Bow and Arrow" set
I’ve got one of these, I set it up Nashville style. Smaller strings of the 12 string set. Sounded a little better.
When he did the be good to each other, cheers folks and faded out before he took the call I kinda got sad. Never leave us Dave!! I've been watching for over 5 years. It's my morning coffee. #CheersBud
I got the same problem with my backpacker. I’m glad that I looked it up. Gonna repair it before it’s too late.
Thanks for yet another fine video! (The Martin Backpacker is famous for being the first guitar played in outer space. Maybe that would be the right situation. )
Go Dave go.
The banter was hilarious because when some of my regulars hit me with the "I'll pay ya when I get home" I use the same "It's cool, I know where you live" line.
Awesome Video! Thank you for uploading. Can't wait to see more 👍
Beautiful low end...
When I picked up the Martin Backpacker I didn’t like the shape or the sound. Maybe with a strap. But the sound is so tinny. I eventually got a Taylor Baby. Much more conventional in shape and the sound is okay. It is smaller than a full sized guitar but not that much smaller. My “traveling guitar” is an old Applause with a soft case with straps like a backpack.
Hey Dave, I hope you are doing well. I got one of those. That model you got there is the 2nd version, where the body of it is a bit wider (like an inch or so) by the bottom of where fretboard is, the first version does not have that, it looks tapered in that area. I use mine for layering on top of other acoustic guitar parts in the commercially licensed music I write and record, as that backpacker guitar is all "high end" sound wise. I've seen some guys use those nylon strings with the ball-ends, and string them up as classical guitars... but there also a classical guitar version that was originally made by Martin as well many years back when these came out. Have a great upcoming weekend.
Those things always intrigued me. Thanks for retuning , it was making my left eye twitch!
PEACE from Southwest Michigan
🐉💀👽🎸🎶🎵😁👍
You didn't spell "detuning" correctly. This guy is so painful to watch, that's exactly why I do.
Dave. Buddy. Tedium is why we love your mooooviez so much! Keep on doing your thing bud, the tedium of lockdown needs as much of your s#it as you can spare.
The saddle has been shaved...... I um.... I’m outta here before I get in trouble. Nice work Dave!
I’ve owned two...with many years in between. I always thought it would be great to take camping, you know, around the old campfire. The novelty wore off quick as they really don’t sound good and are awkward to play even with the supplied strap it comes with. I did exactly what you did to the second one I owned and while it drastically improved playability. Still, I couldn’t bond with it . I think a better option is a used baby Taylor as it actually sounds like a guitar. That’s just me though....we’re all different 😎
I own one as well, and you are right - I have never figured out a comfortable position to play this thing.
sounds like one of those guitars you get at the toy store for your grand kids ...but the video tag and commentary were worth the stop ... thanks for sharing Dave
Interesting little guitar. Great for something super portable and minimalistic. However, freaks me out a bit that there's no truss rod. Wonder how it would turn out in the long run.
That's one major reason why it says to use extra light strings only
Missya' Bud, lookin' forward to a play date some time soon!!! Great video... backpack thingy sounds like a banjo to my tone deaf ears!!
When was that one made? My label doesn't read lite strings only and the owners manual explains which strings can be used
I think the newer ones have a truss rod. Need to check mine
I need one of these. I'm a songwriter. I need a guitar on me 24/7... like in my car when I go to get groceries or traveling to see family or on the road to gigs riding in the passenger seat of my little toyota. I just can't do this with my vintage jumbo gibsons. WHen I'm writing that next hit country song for some current "artist", I'm not really concerned with the guitar's tone. I'm not making critical recordings in my car writing songs... I'm writing songs...and creating compositions that require an instrument in my hand more for reference than anything else. Travel conditions and seasonal temps/humidity can ruin a $20K guitar faster than anything on this planet. so DO you have to fight to keep these things in tune?
you better get double sandwich and beer after this
Agreed. I have no beer at home right now, so have one for me.
Those guitars are fracking junk.
I mean...no truss rod? Wtf?
It's really expensive firewood.
Quick question, i restrung my guitar but i have a problem the guitar string is not as tight as the other strings and when i try to tune it, it becomes even looser i dont think there is a problem with the tuner. So i dont know what to do
20 minutes from Eqlinton and the DVP? Sounds about right, on a good day. :)
I love my backpacker. How do you shave the bridge saddle down? I'm having the same issues with high string action.
The strings that came with mine were like bass strings
Saved by the bell
If a guitar and a ukulele had a baby...
Love this......just wondering where my first love Jill is now....it didn't work out, gotta get over it...
I see firewood,and splinters.😱
A little whacks on the pin of the backpacker?
Shirley, you jest!
funny, everyone on here is too badass to just play and have fun. maybe too much time straining in the studio? relax.
I didn't know that Martin made canoe paddles.
I had one of those. Shame they market it like a small guitar that sounds like a mutant uke. Actually, I did sort of like it. It made an interesting sound kinda and good for practicing... in a way. I named mine "the neck".
Felt like the last minute was us seeing behind the curtain.
Use Martin Silk & Steel strings on it and it will sound much better.
Packin'.
That guitar would look great being used by a 1960's rock band playing on American Bandstand.
That Dog Barks Very LOUD! Bird House or Firewood?
Perfect guitar if you get lost in the woods and have to camp overnight. Just need matches and you're all set.
Hey Dave, another great vid! When you're setting up instruments with adjustable intonation, does it matter whether or not the instrument is in playing position? I've heard people saying that you should adjust your intonation while you're in playing position, because gravity has an effect on the strings? Just wanted to hear your view on this. Take it easy, thanks.
Don't get him started! (The reality is that once a human touches it to start playing it, it's moot and therefore doesn't matter. But if you want to get all technical, have at it.)
Yes. The way i setup my guitars is with the action and intonation while the guitar is in playing position and especially on a floating bridge, you shouldnt do it while the guitar is laying down. To me what Dave is doing is wrong and i dont like doing it because i do notice a difference.
He’s talked about it in previous videos but sadly I don’t remember which ones. It’s a preference and he prefers doing it with the guitar on the bench. But as he says “there are no rules; only guidelines”.
If Dave had one of those, he'd rather use it as a birdhouse.
Could of saved some money by stretching some rubber bands across the opening of an empty Kleenex box, probably sound better too.
Could "of". But they "ofn't".
Yup "it could be fun in the right situation" and that would be atop a blazing fire whilst you're doing it on the hearth rug.
@HppyHppyJyJy It's merely an attempt at humour, yes. Are you sore because you own a Backpacker? I'm doubly sorry.
decent musicians play it fine, it sounds fine. It's for BACKPACKING not concerts. have fun. lighten up.
@@jackolbean4765 I don't like back-packing either. Do you think it would burn for as long as a banjo, or would I have to chuck a mandolin on as well?
I'm no expert. I'm certainly no musician. Let Pete Townsend have that for about 5 minutes.
That thing sounds worse than the 100s of cigar box guitars I used to build, and I still never knew what I was doing after a few hundred of them. ;-p
I wanna hear that joke
... buttpacker...
OK, I’ve been meaning to ask this for awhile, and I apologize if you’ve answered this before...
If you need to lower the string action by 4/64”, why do you always double that amount when you’re calculating how much to remove off the bottom of the bridge saddle? I’ve tried to deduce out why, but can’t logically think of why that might be.
Thanks Dave, always love watching your vids. They’ve given me the courage to attempt truss rod adjustments myself!
The distance from the nut to the saddle (scale length) is twice the distance from the nut to 12th fret. Therefore, your measurement at the saddle is twice the measurement at the 12th fret. As Dave said, it's a right triangle. Hope that helps you. Thanks for all you show and do, Dave.
How can I send you my guitar?
send him an email first
Why not a Plek Service? 🖤❤️
It’s a camping guitar, small so you can pack it around.
Not Martins finest moment in my opinion. I totally get the joke.
It's a French cricket bat.
🤣
No truss rod cover removal?
No adjustable bridge intonation saddles?
Yikes!....Martin is trying to put us out of business. :-)
Did that joke contain the phrase Martin Fudgepacker?
Dave broke me up,he left out the best bit.The power tool..............................!
I had one. Hated it. Sold it.
Actually, I just about broke even. I'm a lefty, so it was impossible to try one out at the guitar shop before getting ripped off. It was truly awful sounding. Sold it online. I'm gonna make one of those "Cigar Box" guitars, they sound better. Maybe a guy like John 5 could get something good out of the Backpacker. Regards. 😂
I shaved my saddle myself it was scary
Fun to watch, but those Backpackers really suck! Just get yourself a Taylor Baby, or a mini Yamaha, etc.
What's the excuse with plenty of guitars coming from the factories set up like slideguitars?
What’s the point of a luthier video that jump-cuts to skip the work?
I'd sure hate to see Dave use his wire cutters to extract bridge pins on a good guitar. Maybe it's time to pop for a $3. pin puller.
I use my plastic string winder which has a little cutout that fits the pins.
Toe nail clipper.
....at a glance i thought the strings said "authentic".....
I checked one of those out. I figured the builder hated guitars so he made that. No balance and I I did not care for the sounds. Buy a ukulele.
you're canadian, right? why not use metric system?
First time I cringed watching fun stuff .
Side nip cutters to remove the pins😳
All prices CA dollars, or just a sandwich 🥪
I don't understand the shape...
I had one. Hard to hold and neck heavy. Strap was mandatory. Lol. Gave it to my nephew after awhile. Played ok though
What every woman has said to Jeffrey Epstein.
i think your show is getting the best of you...ego not good
Sounds like a ukulele...
Damn, Dave, I’ve caught it. I’ve contracted the dreaded Dave’soviros. I now actually keep checking for any of your new videos. Aaaarrrgghhhhh, help me. 😕
A friend has one of those, and I tried playing it. Absolutely the worst guitar I've ever played in my life. Everything felt wrong about it. Plus, it sounded like ass.
The original thousand or so made in the U.S. apparently were much more passable.
strumstick.com/pages/about-us
The guy who designed them is still making travel "guitars" - though definitely not your normal configuration.
I’m a D’addario guy but for acoustics nothing beats Martin strings. But it’s an ugly guitar.
What are you doing Dave....
Fixing yet another pile of crap guitar. As he’s said “we’re the custodians of crap”.
Kinda pricey for an oar, isn't it? 😂. Mexican craftsmanship with a "made in America" sticker.
This will cause a stir at the next ukulele group meeting...
Every time I have picked one of these up, I think, "maybe the last one didn't pass QC or something...".
NOPE.
Each one sounds like a banjo that fell off a short bus.
Why?,just,....why?....These things are not even any use as a weapon, and certainly not as a musical instrument. Garden ornament maybe?....Possibly birdbox....
0 views? Guess I’m the first viewer. 👍 🤣
You're the first asshole, yo mean. Stop with this first crap. It is childish.
@@paulfrombrooklyn5409 Yup!
M T, Maybe mommy will heat up her little internet hero a Hotpocket... Ugh.
Just the first time I’ve ever seen a video with 0 views. You guys are the childish ones. Why would a simple post cause such a response. Get a life. Oh wait. You obviously don’t have one to cut into someone like that. Sorry your lives have no meaning and no joy.
@@qinghai1 You know, that is what others reply to this. "This is my first time being first." Doesn't matter. It's childish. It's immature. You are the one who needs to get a life. If being first excites you that much, there is something wrong with your pathetic life.
I bought one New. Sounds like shit. Kinda shocked how shitty it sounds. I shoulda just bought s good old used acoustic off craigslist or something
Stupid people are the best... classical strings aren't bad on them. Also intervals are chords.
Sounz like crapp
I wasted two hundred dollars on this piece of garbage.
that thing looks bad an sounds badder ! worser! shit! crappy! put 6 strings on an ironing board same thing .
These "guitar things" are garbage. Martin should be ashamed that they still make these.
Had one of the nylon Back Packers... Absolutely the worst guitar ever made! Shame on Martin for even putting their name on it !
first...
Nobody cares. You are childish, self-centered Clown!!!! Grow Up.
You guys are mean. It’s really not that bad a guitar for what it is, other than the lack of truss rod.
Truth Filter For You Tube You that hard up for a thumbs up Gomer? Genius...