Talk about simplicity!
Martin's "Backpacker"
© Frank Ford, 1999; Photos by FF

I don't know how many pickers actually take one of these backpacking, but I do know that LOTS of them take them on the airlines. You might not think of it as much of a guitar; you might say it's just a traveling fingerboard for practice. Either way you look at it, I think you'll agree that it's quite an innovative design.

They've distilled the guitar down to the smallest number of pieces, taking a two-inch wide piece of mahogany, sawing it part way down the middle, and splaying it out to form the sides of the body. What a cool idea! That way, there's ultimate strength and stability for the neck to body alignment, and simplicity of construction, too. No, the Backpacker doesn't sound like much, but jeez, what do you want in a body that small?

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