Washburn RO10 Rover Guitar: The Backpacker Guitar

Not many people know this, but Gearwire's Patrick Ogle is a hearty survivor who's ingenuity in the wilderness aided him in killing three bears and an alligator with his bare hands or a Bowie knife out of self defense. On every one of these excursions in the wild, Patrick brings a Washburn RO10 Rover guitar.
Check out Pat's thoughts on this steel stringer made for easy use when portability is what matters. You can't much defend yourself from bears while toting around a jumbo unless you're Jeff Jarrett.

[@steve0sheetz]

if you wanna take a guitar backpacking - this is the one! it sounds great, especially with silk/steel strings. I made a waterproof case out of a gore-tex fishing wader-leg. and if the tone gets messed up somehow by high altitudes, you can fix that with the truss rod, which the Martin backpacker doesnt have!

[@billder999]

Hi Stephen... reading thru the comments, you sound like the only person that has actually backpacked with a guitar. I'd be very interested to see how you manage the bulkiness, how you tie on, what type pack you use. Can you PM me to send short video or photos?

[@steve0sheetz]

billder999​ hey man! This Washburn rover is sooooo sick. It's super light and very thin profiled, fits right onto the side of your pack. If its strapped on, I carry it wrapped in a towel in a gore tex cover that I made from a fishing wader. Super durable and won't break on you

[@steve0sheetz]

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[@billder999]

5am and we are both online... definitely not out in the wild ; ) I have been looking at CF guitars because of climatic stability, Blackbird Rover, high quality intonation and tone, but the price is OUCH... Rover is inexpensive... I guess I just need to get one and give it a go. Hah.. If I don't like it I can baton it into kindling and feed the fire, strings should make nice snare wire.

[@steve0sheetz]

I think it sounds better with old strings

[@derikx8321]

Thanks for the review, very good work.

[@PelorianPages]

I love this guitar, but you need a strap to play it! This guy is less than helpful for a lot of reasons, but having someone talk about it who knows what to do with it, including playing something on it that showcases the potential of it's sound would be a good idea. It is not a loud guitar, but the tone is actually really nice, especially when you are not just strumming a few dumb chords. Tuning the guitar would be nice as well. As for the guitar, the construction is shockingly good, as good as you would find on a much more expensive full sized guitar. What I most love about this guitar is the neck. It's a full sized neck and well crafted. It comes with high action just to pull a bit more sound out of it, but I lowered the action, and the neck plays incredibly smooth. I still have one of the first early 90's Martin Backpacker guitars, and I've played a new one. The Washburn is lightyears ahead in both design and sound.

[@vanessac9382]

you dont even play it? how are we supposed to know what it sounds like....

[@thrashingmetal]

does blue really attract bear?

[@Richard6767]

wow, inspector Clombo ;)

[@magicshoemonkey]

Quite helpful, actually. Very practical, which is really what matters overall for this guitar, but a bit more playing (and more intricate playing, maybe) would be helpful. Of course, there are a number of other videos for that.

[@themightychabunga2441]

A couple of design changes could have made it sound at least a little better.
1? Move the sound hole back a bit or make it more oblong/tear drop shaped.2? Don't make the bridge piece have those little backward flanges.
I think it would make it sound at least a little more like a guitar. Or it would blow up when played. Who can say,lol.

[@wildoscar416]

someone get this guy a blue one !

[@MitchRossMusician]

I love mine for travelling. I did a review on my channel as well. Not expecting it to play and sound like my Jumbo, but it does have an interesting sound. Especially in open G.
Use a mandolin strap and it'll sit nice.

[@TheSwatmachine]

Gearwire must find their reviewers in the basements of homeless shelters!

[@Jikkozilla]

and he start playing @4:23 ffs !!

[@TheComposer1979]

man u should play more thi sis the ust important all people see that its small et not heavy the must important is the sound

[@IanBennett4]

*smooshy* hahaha

[@TheAlsala]

sounds more like a mandolin

[@coolcabincrew]

4:24

[@theflameout]

skipped all the video in search of some playing...

[@ioodyssey3740]

No

[@BossaNovia]

Shut up and play it !!!!

[@daverobinson22]

Bored shitless

[@wildoscar416]

is this a comedy feed ?