Anyone use a backpacker guitar?

S

Spic-N-SpaN

Active member
I recently got a summer job with a core drilling company, where I'll work 20 days on and 10 days off flying to and from Nevada. Ive always wanted to learn to play guitar and since in Nevada I probably wont know anyone besides the people I work with, this seems like a smart use of free time. But since I will be flying a lot and wont have a permanent residence I need something small and easy to bring with me. I'd been looking at this one

http://www.amazon.com/Martin-Steel-String-Backpacker-Acoustic-Guitar/dp/B0002IL37Y

but in the comments someone mentioned its a bad idea to learn to play on a back packer.

Any experienced guitar players want to through out there opinions? What would you do in my situation? What are some other options I'd have? Or should I just wait till Im not traveling so much to learn guitar?
 
Don't buya back packer to learn on, actually, just never buy a back packer. What you want is a 3/4 size guitar, it can fit as a carry on. Martin makes a great 3/4 size for about 300, and taylor makes one that I own, that is a bit nicer and more expensive anywhere from 500-750. But I'd say right now on the market, the best looking, sounding, priced, guitar to travel with is the Little Martin. Here is a link.
this is the lxmhttp://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/martin-lxm-little-martin-acoustic-guitar/515880
this is the lx1 which is a tad nicer and worth the extra 20 dollarshttp://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/martin-lx1-little-martin-acoustic-guitar/514512000000000
But in reality you can go out and find a cheap 100 dollar beginner guitar and play that and learn on it. I just prefer to never buy cheap guitars because once you do start getting good you will want a lot more out of your instrument. So you may as well put some extra money down on it and think of it as an investment rather than an instrument. You and this instrument are going to get pretty close to each other. And if you have a bad instrument it's like having a day to day relationship with a kid you don't really like but you suck it up and hang out with him because you have to. So you may as well pay the extra money so it's more like a nice friend you wanna see everyday or better yet a woman who you love dearly.
 
Thanks for all the info, I had been looking at a Martin 3/4 earlier in the year mostly because of the price. Are there down sides to learning on a 3/4 size though? Form any bad habits?
 
No not at all. You'll dig it. But yeah like gato said there are compartments on flights near the cock pit where they can put your fullsize, and honestly a lot of full sized can fit in the cabin. Jumbos can't usually though, but like in all honesty to be able to buy and own a martin is pretty cool no matter what size it is, a300 dollar 3/4 size martin is a lot better of a guitar than a normal sized 300 dollar guitar of a different make.
 
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