Now let's take a look at travel guitars. These
are a unique style of guitar designed to be small and compact, not necessarily an acoustic
masterpiece. This particular instrument by a major manufacturer is made out of solid
wood on the top, and the sides are generally solids or laminates. The instrument, as you
can see, is quite narrow. It's affectionately known as a "Canoe Oar" because of the shape.
However, the idea for this is mainly portability and a reasonable size. The neck is traditional
s
ized. However, the scale is a little shorter so it's all compact. This also has very good
quality die-casting closed tuning machines, as opposed to some of the less expensive instruments
that feature the open frame machines that were explained earlier. This particular guitar
is a travel guitar designed for portability.
Comments
I've had a Martin Backpacker since 1998 and I love it. This is the first time I have ever heard it referred to either as a Canoe "Oar" or Canoe Paddle. The sound can be a bit tinny and I play mine with Dunlop .015 steel fingerpicks and a plastic thumb pick and occasionally a .80mm flat pick for strumming. I used the Backpacker as my sole guitar for two years the first time I lived in China and carried it everywhere. This time, I have a full-sized Martin and the Backpacker.
Yep, you're right about the Rover's sound. I bought one from my local dealer, and it lacks that full sound of any regular acoustic. But, it does have a standard neck. Comfortable to play, and I like it's portability. Someday some techno genius will invent something portable, with a full sound, and able to be packed within a small carry case.
Thanks for your input, Jack. I just need something to practice with while on vacation, etc. Portability is my main concern. I wouldn't want anything too loud so as not to offend others in adjacent areas, too. Thanks again.
I bought a Martin steel backpacker and used it all over the UK, Holland, a summer of teaching canoeing in the Ontario Provincial parks and on a trip out to the Canadian Rockies. It served me well, but now, I travel with my Art & Lutherie Ami steel. However, I am now, looking at a Carbon Composite travel guitar and can't make my mind up from Rainsong, CA and Blackbird....Emerald?
It's not known as a canoe oar, it's known as a Martin Backpacker. And it doesn't have laminate sides - the back, sides, and neck are a single piece of wood.
@kingleon1616 what make and model?
Which manufacturer of travel guitars is best, Jack? Do they have reinforced truss rod necks? I'd like to buy one, but don't know that much about this particular style. What would you suggest? Thanks...
I did a lot of research at one point several years ago and ended up getting myself a Go Guitar. Whatever you do, don't get one - they're both expensive and sound terrible. If you are really sure you cannot carry around a full-sized guitar, I would suggest getting a baby taylor. It's not the smallest travel guitar by any means but in my opinion sounds better than anything else I have heard. Good luck.
@moonturkey Will a backpacking guitar fit in a cheeseburger locker?
*shrug* i've heard many people refer to the backpacker as a canoe oar....kind of like how people refer to the harley hardtail as a "spine tickler" i don't know about the lam sides, though. i defer to you on that one.
i watched all the way thru and i didnt get to hear what it sounds like? O_O
As someone in the market for a travel guitar I found this somewhat lacking, based on the title.
wow for the first 5 seconds i thought it was microsoft sam talking
washburn rover? pretty neat little thing, but it's not an acoustic guitar....it's a travel guitar. you won't even get the tone of a full-sized 100-dollar chinese acoustic out of any of them...it's jsut a guitar to take out and fool around with. that said, i'd go with the rover....i like the baby-sized taylor, but it's more like a "little guitar," rather than a travel guitar. (it DOES sound better, though...but not by much)
look at his arms :D
I want him to say "propane" so bad!
@SkunkCommand OMG u r right!! O.o scary
@drewtoli both
Yeah, and it sounds absolutely terrible. I know you have to sacrifice quality and volume when you buy a travel guitar but this instrument sounds like cheesewire stretched over an old cookie tin played down a badly tuned radio.
ridiculous, wtf.