martin guitar travel

• Date: June 28, 2021
• Posted In: Acoustic Guitar

Martin Backpacker Travel Guitar Review (Hands-On & In-Depth)

• By Brian Lamacraft

This Martin Backpacker review takes a look at this fun travel-sized guitar from Martin. This is an amazing guitar that you’ll want to own if you travel a lot or want a small-sized instrument.

Martin has a wide range of acoustic guitars to choose from, and the Backpacker fits a specific role. The guitar offers the player expanded portability because of its small size and nice tone compared to other travel guitars .

Martin Backpacker Travel Guitar

If you like what you see in this Martin Backpacker Travel Guitar review, you can order the Martin Backpacker Travel Guitar on Amazon.

SEE PRICE ON AMAZON

I’ve played many acoustic guitars, but I always come back to Martin because they sound great. The backpacker is no exception, and it has the added bonus of being small, compact, and affordable. Let’s have a look at this amazing guitar.

Acoustic Guitars

Acoustic Guitar Buyer’s Guides

• Best Acoustic Guitars
• Best Acoustic-Electric Guitars
• Best Resonator Guitars
• Best Semi-Acoustic Guitars
• Best Classical Guitars
• Best Travel Guitars
• Best 12-String Acoustic Guitars
• Learn More About Acoustic Guitars

Martin Backpacker Review: About the Martin Backpacker

This Martin Backpacker review is all about this little travel guitar. The Backpacker has an odd shape, but don’t let that fool you. The guitar has a great tone, and it’s easy to take with you wherever you go. Here’s a little more about it.

The body is made from select hardwoods, and the top is made from spruce wood for a great tone and resonance. The body shape reminds you of the guitars from the Renaissance era. The guitar fits comfortably in your lap.

It’s easy to play standing or sitting as there are two strap buttons for your strap, so feel free to play the guitar how you like. It’s got a standard soundhole and bridge with end pins to hold down the strings.

The neck features 15 frets which are smaller than the 21-22 fret standard acoustic, but this is more than enough room to play some great guitar. The neck is made from select hardwoods. The neck has a 24″ scale length.

The headstock is standard with six machine heads, the Martin guitar logo, and fretboard markers at various positions along the neck .

Other Parts

The saddle is made from Corian, and the nut is Micarta. The guitar has standard machine heads to stabilize the tuning. You get two strap buttons to hold your guitar strap.

This guitar ships with a handy gig bag for your Backpacker so you can take it with you wherever you go. The guitar is small enough to fit into cramped spaces.

Acoustic Guitar Accessories

Pros & Cons

Martin backpacker review: my experience with the martin backpacker.

When I was younger, I worked in a music shop where I checked all of the guitars. I had to play them all and give them a stamp before they were sold. Martin was one of our top brands, and I played quite a few Backpacker guitars.

I thought the Martin Backpacker looked odd, and I was curious about it. When I played this guitar, I was quite impressed with the guitar’s overall tone and feel. It plays like a regular acoustic, yet it’s portable.

Order the Martin Backpacker Travel Guitar

This is the ideal guitar for camping or those trips where you don’t have the room to lug around a full-sized guitar. It projects a good sound, and it stays in tune well without having to be fiddled with.

Martin Backpacker Review: The Sound

This is a basic guitar, yet it has a decent tone. It’s fine for playing chords and strumming campfire tunes . The guitar has a solid spruce top, which improves the tone of this small travel guitar.

Chords in the open position sound nice and full. It plays pretty well, considering its small size. You’re not going to record with it, but it will get the job done when you want to strum some chords or play simple melodies.

This guitar is capable of fingerstyle as well. The instrument is lightweight and small, so it may be easier for some to fingerpick with it when compared to larger-sized guitars.

While this guitar sounds great, the action is a bit high, so make sure you lower it. Take the guitar to a guitar shop and have them work on the guitar until the action is how you like it. The guitar plays nicely with a setup.

The neck is quite thick, and there’s no truss rod. It’s thick to ensure neck stability and to keep it straight. Only the action on the guitar can be adjusted.

Use a lighter gauge of string for this guitar. It’s not recommended to use medium gauge strings. I find it sounds best with a lighter gauge. You’ll have less tension on the neck with light strings.

See more: Best Acoustic Guitar Strings Buyer’s Guide

Spend some time with the guitar. You may need to adjust your playing a bit as the guitar body is quite small. It may feel a bit odd at first, but you’ll soon get used to it.

Make sure you try different picks and strings to find a setup that you like. It’s fun to experiment with this little guitar as it’s got so much going for it.

Martin Backpacker Warranty

The warranty will depend on where you bought it from. Check with the online store or your local shop about guitar warranties before you order.

Should I Buy a Martin Backpacker?

Whether you decide to buy this guitar is up to you. The best part about it is that it’s portable. It’s easy to take it hiking, camping, to lessons, or on a longer trip. The guitar is lightweight and comes with a carrying case.

The Martin Backpacker has a decent tone for the size. The guitar is well suited for chords, strumming, and simple lead lines. This is not a guitar for acoustic lead guitar, and the neck is too small.

If you need a small guitar for practicing or don’t like playing a full-sized acoustic dreadnought, this little guitar can be ideal. It’s also a good choice if you want to strum some chords from time to time.

The guitar does have a moderate price range, but you’re getting a solid guitar that you can use for many purposes. In my opinion, it’s well worth the price you pay for it.

What Are the Drawbacks to the Martin Backpacker?

In this Martin Backpacker review, it was important to include some of the drawbacks to his guitar, so you know what you’re getting. It should be noted that this is a basic practice or travel guitar .

The Backpacker doesn’t come with a built-in pickup or any electronics. You’ll probably want something else if you want to record with your guitar or play live. This guitar isn’t built for that purpose.

Some people may not like the small size since it takes some getting used to. You’ll need to play the guitar a bit until you’re comfortable with it.

The neck only has 15 frets, so it’s not a guitar built for fast acoustic lead playing. It’s fine for chords, strumming, and some fingerpicking, but it’s not designed for lead guitar playing.

Where to Buy the Martin Backpacker

There are a few places where you can buy a Martin Backpacker. I prefer to shop online because there’s a wide selection of products to choose from, fast shipping, and you don’t have to deal with traffic and other hassles.

Amazon is my first stop for online shopping. They always ship my products fast, and the selection is always good. I’ve been very satisfied with the customer service, and I like reading the product reviews before ordering my music supplies.

Order Online

Sweetwater and Guitarcenter are two other locations where you may want to purchase your Martin Backpacker guitar. They have a great selection, fast shipping, and plenty of products to choose from.

Your Local Store

Your local music store may stock the Martin Backpacker, but not every store will have it in stock. You may have to wait a long time for it to arrive if it’s out of stock or special order it.

Thank you for reading my Martin Backpacker review. This is an excellent guitar from Martin and perfect for beginners, travelers, or those that only want to strum a few chords.

This guitar is portable, so you can take it with you wherever you go, and it ships with a handy gig bag. It’s got a decent tone and is quite easy to play due to its smaller size.

Please like, share, or leave a comment on this article. What do you think about the Martin Backpacker? I think this is a great guitar that serves a specific purpose for today’s guitar player.

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Martin Backpacker Review – Travel Acoustic Guitar

Brand/Model: Martin Steel String Backpacker

Number of Strings: 6

Hand Orientation: Ambidextrous

Body Material: Mahogany/Spruce top

Neck Material: Mahogany

Fretboard Material: Richlite

Price Range: Under $300

Our Rating: 8.4/10

Martin Backpacker Travel Acoustic Guitar Review

We’ve seen some funky travel guitars over time, so we can say that the Martin Backpacker is red carpet-worthy.

Travel guitars typically have a very slim body and small-scale size that’s suitable for being on the road, and we’re glad to see that Martin helps the Backpacker to fit in with the travel guitar field without getting too crazy on the body.  Let’s explore where Martin has done it right!

The obvious benefit is the low price.  Some of the best travel guitars will plunge you into price ranges of $400 and higher.  The other side of this winning coin is that it’s a Martin – you have a brand-name guitar from one of the world’s most highly recognized and respected guitar manufacturers.

The acoustic guitar is solid tonewoods: spruce top, mahogany back, sides, and neck, and it sports a Richlite fingerboard and bridge.  Even with solid wood construction, the entire instrument is lightweight, weighing approximately 2.4 pounds.

The Martin guitar also has the Backpacker neck shape, neck taper, and body size.  It’s a customized travel guitar built for the road and crushing jams on the fly.

The FSC Certified Richlite fingerboard has 15 frets with white plastic dot inlays on the 5th and 12th frets.  Although you have solid construction and tonewoods, the hardware is stock quality.  It has a compensated white Tusq saddle, white plastic bridge pins with plastic black dots, solid headstock, and enclosed chrome gear heads.

 It won’t be as loud or rich as other Martin guitars, but as a guitar to chill in a hotel room or wait for your connecting flight, the Backpacker can deliver the goods.  Thanks to the solid tonewoods, there will be distinct warmth and note definition – the results of a combination of mahogany and spruce!

• Solid tonewoods
• Travel size/compact
• Lightweight
• Martin brand
• Odd shape/balance

Martin Backpacker Reviews

We do admit that some travel guitars are just so quirky in body shape that it may be hard to get used to.  But, unless you’re buying the Martin Backpacker blind, you already have an idea of what you’re getting yourself into.

The guitar itself is going to be top-heavy with the mahogany neck and small-scale body.  You’ll want to use this guitar with a shoulder strap during use, and a wall hanging mount is definitely the way to go.

As already mentioned, the sound isn’t anything to woo a concert crazed audience, but it does its job for recreational use at home, during travel, and while out with friends.  Its size is going to project tone and sound similar to a banjo.

Many buyers happen to like the pop and twang that adds unique character to an already unique guitar!

• Solid Spruce Top
• Solid Tonewood Back and Sides
• Unique Contour Neck Shape

Travel Acoustic Guitar Alternatives to Consider

If you don’t mind the quirkiness of a travel guitar, and in fact, it’s the reason you want to stand out from the strumming crowd, the Traveler Guitar Pro Series will be the appropriate buy.  It’s not a traditional acoustic guitar since you can plug this baby in and expect some serious amplification.

However, if seeing a Martin guitar for such a low price was why you strummed by the Backpacker in the first place, you might want to check out the LX1E Little Martin Travel guitar .  It’s an acoustic electric git with a solid spruce top and Fishman pickups.

But, staying true to the acoustic field and ditching the electronics, the LX1 Little Martin acoustic guitar might fit the bill the best.  It will push you out into the next budget class over, but the sound projection and quality might be worth it to you if you’re into the traditional aesthetics and intonation of a guitar.

Martin Steel String Backpacker Travel Acoustic Guitar FAQ

Does the backpacker travel guitar come with any accessories.

The travel guitar does come with a gig bag case for travel and storage.  However, it seems a shoulder strap may or may not be included depending on the seller you purchase from.

Can a Compact Martin Guitar be taken on an Airplane?

Yes!  The small-scale dimensions of the guitar allow for it to be taken onboard to be stored in an overhead compartment during flight.

What are the Backpacker’s Size Dimensions?

The guitar is approximately 34″ long from headstock to base.  It’s also approximately 8.5″ wide and 2″ thick.

Does Martin’s Backpacker have Low Action?

The guitar should come with low action, however, there is no built-in truss rod for adjustment.  Therefore the neck is relatively thicker for a travel size guitar.

What Strings are on the Martin’s Backpacker Guitar?

The Martin guitar comes pre-strung with Acoustic 80/20 Bronze Extra Light (M170) strings.  It’s not recommended to put medium to heavy gauge strings on the guitar as it may cause strain.

However, if you’re wanting to increase full sound, taking your guitar in for a professional setup to change out some of the strings may be the best option.

Where is the Martin Backpacker Guitar made?

The Backpacker Travel guitar series are manufactured in Mexico.

Hardware/Electronics You’ll Need

Buying a Martin guitar usually means you don’t get anything else in the buy.  This is also true of many other high-end guitars from brand name manufacturers.  But, this travel guitar does come with a gig bag and maybe a shoulder strap in the buy.

To complete your accessories and equipment collection, see our compiled list of guitar essentials in one place.

But, here’s a few suggestions to get you started!

• Extra steel strings
• Quality Guitar Humidifier
• Capo (optional)
• Metronome (optional)
• Stringwinder (optional)

Standout Features of the Martin Travel Acoustic Guitar

• Compact and travel size
• Martin brand under $300

Our Verdict on the Martin Backpacker Guitar

To strum it up, the Martin Steel String Backpacker Travel Guitar is true to its name.  It’s ideal for travel and packing it on the go for any event that demands the presence of your talent.  Plus, it’s a Martin – how do you go wrong with that?  You can’t.  It sounds like a win-win!

Further Reading:

• 6 Best Cheap Acoustic Guitars (That Aren’t Junk)
• 6 Best Acoustic Guitars Under $1500 (Chosen By Musician)
• Laminate VS Solid Wood Acoustic Guitar: Which Will Be The Right Choice For You?
• Best Acoustic Guitar Under $200 – Our 6 Top Guitars in2024
• 6 Best Acoustic Guitars Under $500 In2024

Trent is a music lover, musical instrument player and passionate audio afficionado.

Best Travel Guitars 2024: Top Portable Instruments From Lowden, Furch, Martin and more

From short scale acoustics to carry-on electrics, we look at the best travel guitars available right now

• Best acoustic
• Larger body
• Best foldable
• For small hands
• Best electric
• Best full scale
• Best offset

Buying advice

How we test.

1. Quick list 2. Best acoustic 3. Best with larger body 4. Best foldable 5. Best for small hands 6. Best electric 7. Best full scale 8. Best offset 9. Best Strat 10. Buying advice 11. How we test

If you’re looking for something compact to take out on the road, or maybe even on holiday to keep on top of your practice schedule, then one of the best travel guitars is the way to go.

From smaller bodied acoustics that take up less space in a car or on a train, to super compact electrics designed to be taken on a plane as hand luggage, the best travel guitars mean that you don’t have to stop playing the moment you leave the house. A good travel guitar can even be great to have around the home – something with more compact dimensions can sometimes be really comfortable. 

The best travel guitars come in all shapes and sizes, and are available in both electric and acoustic formats. Here, we’ll look at what’s on offer, and provide our picks for both categories.

Though this might be on the larger side of a travel guitar, it is still more compact than all of Lowden’s other offerings. Simply put, the Wee Lowden is one of the best sounding smaller-bodied acoustic guitars on the market.

Read more below

Not Taylor’s smallest offering, but definitely one of their better sounding compact instruments, the GS Mini has proven to be a hit with all manner of guitarists. You’ll even see pros use them on the biggest stages in the world.

Folding guitars have been done before, but the Furch Little Jane is a folding guitar that actually sounds very, very good. This acoustic travel guitar is made from all solid woods – a solid red cedar top and solid mahogany back and sides, giving it a beautiful, mellow and warm sound. 

Probably one of the most popular compact six-strings ever made, the Martin LX1E has truly earned its place on our list of the best travel guitars. It’s around a 3/4 size, with a 23” scale. 

Blackstar’s Carry On range aims to provide players with quality instruments that are easy to take on planes so that you don’t have to skip your practice sessions when you’re traveling.

A travel guitar doesn’t necessarily always have to be short scale, and this is a case in point. The Ultra-Light Travel Guitar boasts a full 24.75” scale length, but the entire thing measures just 28”. 

A 3/4 size guitar is smaller all over – smaller scale length (22.75” in this case), smaller body, neck, headstock etc. You might have to adjust your playing somewhat to accommodate these shrunken features, but most players can become accustomed to it.

This effectively cuts the body of a Strat down to just its scratchplate, reducing its size dramatically. The 6-in-line is then reduced to 3+3 making a further size reduction. 

Best acoustic traveler

1. Lowden WL-35 Wee Lowden

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

It’s incredibly bold and punchy, with superb note definition and clarity. Its dimensions are smaller than that of a more traditionally sized acoustic guitar, but the projection that it delivers would have you fooled – this guitar is loud when you push it. It also reacts beautifully to playing dynamics, offering all the shades of quiet and loud that you’d want.

Different versions of this guitar are available, but the mahogany back and sides combined with the red cedar top deliver a wonderfully balanced sound. The build quality is absolutely second to none; though of course, at this price point, you’d expect that.

Best with larger body

2. Taylor GS Mini-e Koa Plus

This GS Mini-e Koa Plus sports a solid koa top and laminate koa back and sides which allow notes and chords to ring out with complete clarity and detail. Koa responds really well to your playing – it’s responsive and dynamic so allows you to play with lots of expression. The shaded edge burst finish looks truly incredible and adds a touch of class to the whole thing too. 

This 23.5” scale guitar comes fitted with Taylor’s flagship pickup system as well – the ES-2. This allows you to amplify your guitar through a PA system or amp in a way that’s more dynamic and more natural. It ships with a fantastic Aero Case that offers nearly as much protection as a hard case, but is much lighter.

Best foldable traveler

3. Furch Little Jane

Folding guitars have been done before, but the Furch Little Jane is a folding guitar that actually sounds very, very good. This acoustic travel guitar is made from all solid woods – a solid red cedar top and solid mahogany back and sides, giving it a beautiful, mellow and warm sound. It’s harmonically rich, and has some of that parlor-style punch in the midrange. It’s also extremely dynamic, projecting when you want it to, but responding nicely to softer playing. 

It’s extremely well designed. The body, neck and headstock are all separate when packed down, but it’s very quick to construct when it’s time to play. The clever locking mechanism keeps the neck in place, adding the right tension to the strings, and even retaining tuning somewhat between sessions. The Furch Little Jane even comes with its own padded backpack so you can take it on your travels right away.

Best for small hands

4. Martin LX1E

Probably one of the most popular compact six-strings ever made, the Martin LX1E has truly earned its place on our list of the best travel guitars. It’s around a 3/4 size, with a 23” scale. Players who are already accustomed to a full size guitar might get along with this particularly well as the neck width is about the same, measuring 1 11/16” at the nut.

Solid spruce sits atop a high pressure laminate mahogany back and sides creating a balanced but fairly bright tone. There is a touch of that boxy sort of sound you often get with smaller acoustics (though nowhere near as much as some cheaper models), and there aren’t tons of low end frequencies, but that’s if we’re being picky. Overall, the projection and tone of the LX1E is excellent. 

It is available without (Martin LX1), but this is equipped with a Fishman Sonitone pickup. The controls are easily accessible and it’s very much a case of plug in and play, making it one of the best travel guitars for potentially gigging with. If you’re navigating public transport to get to shows, then this is definitely one to consider. 

Best electric traveler

5. Blackstar Carry On Travel Guitar

Cheaper versions of this are available, but the flagship Carry On model has a number of features that make this one of the best travel guitars on the market. Made in partnership with the master luthiers at Gordon Smith, this compact instrument has a one-piece okoume body, set neck and a coil-splittable humbucker. This gives you a range of amazing tones, as well as bags of sustain. 

It stays in tune well, and the intonation is just right. It’s really compact, but it plays more like a full size guitar, so you don’t lose much of the feel you’d normally get with a bigger instrument. It also comes shipped with a quality gigbag, so you’re ready to hit the road as soon as you get it.

Best with full scale length

6. Traveler Guitar Electric Ultra Light

A travel guitar doesn’t necessarily always have to be short scale, and this is a case in point. The Ultra-Light Travel Guitar boasts a full 24.75” scale length, but the entire thing measures just 28”. They say that it’s actually 28% shorter and 68% lighter than your average electric guitar . The lap rest detaches when not in use too, making it extremely portable. 

It’s fitted with a single dual rail humbucking pickup that delivers punchy but articulate tones. It’s not the most versatile instrument in the world, but that’s not really the aim here. Still, you can probably tackle most styles of music with it. The tuning pegs are also built into the body which obviously gets rid of the necessity for a headstock, and they actually work very well too.

If you’re flying a lot, or maybe space is at a premium in the car and you want to take this and maybe a battery powered amp with you, then this makes for a fantastic travel guitar. 

Best traveling offset

7. Squier Mini Jazzmaster

A 3/4 size guitar is smaller all over – smaller scale length (22.75” in this case), smaller body, neck, headstock etc. You might have to adjust your playing somewhat to accommodate these shrunken features, but most players can become accustomed to it. The short scale also lends the guitar a really nice slinky feel, so you might find yourself playing a little differently to normal, which can spark creativity. 

This fantastic looking offset is fitted with a pair of quite high output, punchy sounding humbuckers. So, if you’re seeking a portable guitar for rocking big riffs and ripping solos, then this is absolutely one to consider. 

It’s also well priced. Maybe you’re just seeking a guitar to take out occasionally, enabling you to leave your main instrument at home. This is of a good enough standard to do the job well, and it means that you’re not having to throw your more expensive guitar in the back of a car or van etc.

Best for Strat fans

8. Traveler Travelcaster Deluxe

This effectively cuts the body of a Strat down to just its scratchplate, reducing its size dramatically. The 6-in-line is then reduced to 3+3 making a further size reduction. All in all, it’s about the size of a regular Strat, minus the headstock, making it altogether a lot more portable. 

You’re not having to sacrifice anything in terms of tone here. The Travelcaster has three single-coil pickups and a five-way selector, giving you all the chimey, glassy tones that you’d expect from this kind of configuration. The tremolo works nicely too – again, something you don’t have to sacrifice. 

What’s particularly great about this model is that it has the full 25.5” Strat scale length meaning that your fretting hand won’t have a clue it’s playing on a travel guitar. Chords, scales and licks will feel as they do on a full size guitar, though you might just have to slightly accommodate for a different neck profile. 

What Do We Mean By Travel Guitar?

You can trust Guitar Player. Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing guitar products so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

When we’re talking about the best travel guitars, we’re looking for instruments that are physically easier to travel with. Size and weight play a huge part, so the above choices will all be smaller than your regular full-size guitar, which in turn, will make them lighter. 

Some might just have slightly reduced dimensions when compared to a full size, making it a little more practical to take out on the go. Others might have completely different designs that render them suitable for taking on planes as hand luggage. How small you want it completely depends on your wants and needs.

Electric Or Acoustic?

Of course, one of the main considerations when shopping for the best travel guitar is whether to go electric or acoustic. Acoustics, by their very nature, tend to be a little bigger with deeper bodies, but you don’t need an amp to get the most out of it. If you’re playing live, then you’ll need some amplification, but for playing on your own or with friends, you’re fine with just the guitar.

An electric travel guitar can be played without an amp, but you’ll get more from it if you plug it into something. There are some great portable amps on offer, but there’s that, plus cables, to then consider. 

On acoustic travel guitars, you’ll find that some of them have a pickup fitted and some of them don’t. If you’re after a compact instrument to travel to and from shows, then having a pickup installed can be really useful. If you’re just after something to take on holiday or camping perhaps, then a pickup isn’t necessary. Buying one without a pickup will probably save you a bit of money too. 

Of course, with an electric, the pickup plays a very important part in shaping your sound. You’ll find the best travel guitars are fitted with various different pickup configurations. If you’ve found a model that you like but it’s got a single coil instead of a humbucker, for example, it’s always worth checking to see if other versions are available. 

Scale Length

It’s likely that a travel guitar will have a shorter scale length. Reducing this can allow the makers to produce a physically smaller guitar. It’s worth considering how that might feel for you to play, though. If you’ve got bigger hands, you might find squeezing your fingers into frets, particularly the ones higher up, more difficult. Look at the scale length, alongside the number of frets – 18 frets spaced over 23” for example, will give your fingers more space than 22 frets over the same scale.

That said, there are travel guitars that have a full length scale. They can reduce the size of the instrument in other ways, so if you know that you’re after a full scale travel guitar, then you don’t have to compromise.

At  Guitar Player , our team of writers aren't just music enthusiasts; we're real-life musicians. Our hands-on experience with travel guitars ensures that our reviews and recommendations are backed by practical knowledge and real-world testing.

When it comes to selecting the best travel guitars, we leave no stone unturned. Meticulously evaluating factors like tonal versatility, sonic character, build quality, and value for money, it's only after rigorous testing in a variety of playing scenarios do we choose products for our guides. We stand by our selections, ensuring that every set of strings we recommend is one we'd use ourselves.

Read more on  how we test gear and service at Guitar Player .

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After spending a decade in music retail, I’m now a freelance writer for Guitar Player, Guitar World, MusicRadar and Reverb, specializing in electric and acoustic guitars bass, and almost anything else you can make a tune with. When my head’s not buried in the best of modern and vintage gear, I run a small company helping musicians with songwriting, production and performance, and I play bass in an alt-rock band.

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Martin LX1E Little Martin review

A three-quarter size acoustic that sounds bigger than most of its competition.

Guitar World Verdict

This is a well made travel-size guitar, with a great pickup system that only suffers a touch acoustically from having a smaller body.

Great sound for the size

Easy and comfortable to play

Great amplified sound

Suffers a little in the low-end

Lacks projection of a full-size acoustic

You can trust Guitar World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing guitar products so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

The Martin LX1E Little Martin has been one of the most popular acoustic guitars of the last 10 years, largely thanks to Ed Sheeran’s prolific use of one early on in his career, before his relationship with Lowden began.

The LX1E is a 3/4 size acoustic electric guitar , boasting a solid sitka spruce top, high pressure laminate back and sides, 23” scale, Richlite fingerboard and a Fishman Sonitone pickup. It’s smaller than a regular acoustic guitar, which makes it ideal for travelling with, or for children (we even rate it as a great acoustic guitar for beginners ). It also comes shipped with a padded gig bag.

The 23” scale does mean that the frets are slightly closer together than they would be on a full-size acoustic, but the nut width is 1 11/16” meaning the string spacing is the same as a full-size. As someone who normally plays a dreadnought, I found the LX1E to be comfortable to play - it starts getting a little cramped around the 12th fret and above, but you’re probably not going to be spending much time around there. Chords and melody lines are just as easy to strum or fingerpick as they would be on any other guitar.

It’s likely that beginners, children or those of smaller stature will find it comfortable, but they aren’t the only intended users. If you’re an experienced player, then the LX1E is a great guitar to take with you on the road, perhaps with work or on tour etc. 

It’s worth noting how well made the guitar feels as well. It’s a high-quality guitar, and it’s likely to last a long time. The tuners hold the tuning well, and the construction all seems well put together.

If you’re an experienced player, then the LX1E is a great guitar to take with you on the road

The sound of the guitar, admittedly, does reflect the size of it to some extent. It doesn’t project as much volume as a full size acoustic, but then again, you wouldn’t expect it to. That said, the Martin LX1E is fairly loud for its size - it’s louder than most other smaller guitars, and it sounds clear and defined. Martin ships it with 13 gauge acoustic guitar strings , which really helps with volume and tone. The solid top also helps it resonate more, plus it’s going to sound better the more you play it, as you break in the top over the years.

Whilst there is a bit of that boxiness commonly associated with smaller-bodied acoustics, it’s got a fairly strong frequency response. It doesn’t throw out lots of low end, but the bass is definitely still there, and the shape of it helps it really cut through in the middle and treble frequencies. It responds well to playing dynamically too, so it’s suitable for a variety of different players, whether you’re playing in a band, or performing as a singer-songwriter.

Plugged in, the Martin LX1E performs just as well as any other guitar with an undersaddle piezo system, which means that it can keep up with much bigger and more expensive guitars utilizing the same pickup. It’s a good sounding pickup, and you’d have to spend a fair bit more to beat it, in our opinion - add some EQ and reverb via an acoustic amp or mixing desk and you’ll have a decent amplified acoustic sound that’s certainly good enough for gigs and open mic nights. 

There’s no preamp system on the top of the guitar like there used to be - instead you’ve got a volume and tone knob discreetly positioned in the soundhole. It’s easy enough to get to them, but it might take some getting used to if you’re adjusting them a lot whilst playing. This also means that the top of the guitar looks cleaner, though the tuner that used to be in the old preamp was pretty handy. 

Martin LX1E Little Martin review: Verdict 

There’s a reason why the Martin LX1E is one of the most popular small-bodied acoustic guitars - it sounds great, particularly plugged in, and it’s really comfortable to play. It doesn’t quite have the projection and low end of a full-sized acoustic, but it’s a superb choice if you’re seeking a quality, compact acoustic for travelling or gigging. 

Martin LX1E Little Martin review: Specifications 

• Price: $499/£499
• Body Shape: Modified O - 14 Fret Body
• Scale Length: 23”
• Top Wood: Solid Spruce
• Body Wood: Mahogany Pattern HPL
• Neck Profile: Modified Low Oval
• Nut Width: 1.69”
• Pickup: Fishman Sonitone 
• Contact: Martin guitars   

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After spending a decade in music retail, I’m now a freelance writer for Guitar World, MusicRadar, Guitar Player and Reverb, specialising in electric and acoustic guitars, bass, and almost anything else you can make a tune with. When my head’s not buried in the best of modern and vintage gear, I run a small company helping musicians with songwriting, production and performance, and I play bass in an alt-rock band.

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Out of the Centre

Savvino-storozhevsky monastery and museum.

Zvenigorod's most famous sight is the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery, which was founded in 1398 by the monk Savva from the Troitse-Sergieva Lavra, at the invitation and with the support of Prince Yury Dmitrievich of Zvenigorod. Savva was later canonised as St Sabbas (Savva) of Storozhev. The monastery late flourished under the reign of Tsar Alexis, who chose the monastery as his family church and often went on pilgrimage there and made lots of donations to it. Most of the monastery’s buildings date from this time. The monastery is heavily fortified with thick walls and six towers, the most impressive of which is the Krasny Tower which also serves as the eastern entrance. The monastery was closed in 1918 and only reopened in 1995. In 1998 Patriarch Alexius II took part in a service to return the relics of St Sabbas to the monastery. Today the monastery has the status of a stauropegic monastery, which is second in status to a lavra. In addition to being a working monastery, it also holds the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum.

Belfry and Neighbouring Churches

Located near the main entrance is the monastery's belfry which is perhaps the calling card of the monastery due to its uniqueness. It was built in the 1650s and the St Sergius of Radonezh’s Church was opened on the middle tier in the mid-17th century, although it was originally dedicated to the Trinity. The belfry's 35-tonne Great Bladgovestny Bell fell in 1941 and was only restored and returned in 2003. Attached to the belfry is a large refectory and the Transfiguration Church, both of which were built on the orders of Tsar Alexis in the 1650s.  

To the left of the belfry is another, smaller, refectory which is attached to the Trinity Gate-Church, which was also constructed in the 1650s on the orders of Tsar Alexis who made it his own family church. The church is elaborately decorated with colourful trims and underneath the archway is a beautiful 19th century fresco.

Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is the oldest building in the monastery and among the oldest buildings in the Moscow Region. It was built between 1404 and 1405 during the lifetime of St Sabbas and using the funds of Prince Yury of Zvenigorod. The white-stone cathedral is a standard four-pillar design with a single golden dome. After the death of St Sabbas he was interred in the cathedral and a new altar dedicated to him was added.

Under the reign of Tsar Alexis the cathedral was decorated with frescoes by Stepan Ryazanets, some of which remain today. Tsar Alexis also presented the cathedral with a five-tier iconostasis, the top row of icons have been preserved.

Tsaritsa's Chambers

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is located between the Tsaritsa's Chambers of the left and the Palace of Tsar Alexis on the right. The Tsaritsa's Chambers were built in the mid-17th century for the wife of Tsar Alexey - Tsaritsa Maria Ilinichna Miloskavskaya. The design of the building is influenced by the ancient Russian architectural style. Is prettier than the Tsar's chambers opposite, being red in colour with elaborately decorated window frames and entrance.

At present the Tsaritsa's Chambers houses the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum. Among its displays is an accurate recreation of the interior of a noble lady's chambers including furniture, decorations and a decorated tiled oven, and an exhibition on the history of Zvenigorod and the monastery.

Palace of Tsar Alexis

The Palace of Tsar Alexis was built in the 1650s and is now one of the best surviving examples of non-religious architecture of that era. It was built especially for Tsar Alexis who often visited the monastery on religious pilgrimages. Its most striking feature is its pretty row of nine chimney spouts which resemble towers.

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Gagarin Cup Preview: Atlant vs. Salavat Yulaev

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Gagarin cup (khl) finals:  atlant moscow oblast vs. salavat yulaev ufa.

Much like the Elitserien Finals, we have a bit of an offense vs. defense match-up in this league Final.  While Ufa let their star top line of Alexander Radulov, Patrick Thoresen and Igor Grigorenko loose on the KHL's Western Conference, Mytischi played a more conservative style, relying on veterans such as former NHLers Jan Bulis, Oleg Petrov, and Jaroslav Obsut.  Just reaching the Finals is a testament to Atlant's disciplined style of play, as they had to knock off much more high profile teams from Yaroslavl and St. Petersburg to do so.  But while they did finish 8th in the league in points, they haven't seen the likes of Ufa, who finished 2nd. 

This series will be a challenge for the underdog, because unlike some of the other KHL teams, Ufa's top players are generally younger and in their prime.  Only Proshkin amongst regular blueliners is over 30, with the work being shared by Kirill Koltsov (28), Andrei Kuteikin (26), Miroslav Blatak (28), Maxim Kondratiev (28) and Dmitri Kalinin (30).  Oleg Tverdovsky hasn't played a lot in the playoffs to date.  Up front, while led by a fairly young top line (24-27), Ufa does have a lot of veterans in support roles:  Vyacheslav Kozlov , Viktor Kozlov , Vladimir Antipov, Sergei Zinovyev and Petr Schastlivy are all over 30.  In fact, the names of all their forwards are familiar to international and NHL fans:  Robert Nilsson , Alexander Svitov, Oleg Saprykin and Jakub Klepis round out the group, all former NHL players.

For Atlant, their veteran roster, with only one of their top six D under the age of 30 (and no top forwards under 30, either), this might be their one shot at a championship.  The team has never won either a Russian Superleague title or the Gagarin Cup, and for players like former NHLer Oleg Petrov, this is probably the last shot at the KHL's top prize.  The team got three extra days rest by winning their Conference Final in six games, and they probably needed to use it.  Atlant does have younger regulars on their roster, but they generally only play a few shifts per game, if that. 

The low event style of game for Atlant probably suits them well, but I don't know how they can manage to keep up against Ufa's speed, skill, and depth.  There is no advantage to be seen in goal, with Erik Ersberg and Konstantin Barulin posting almost identical numbers, and even in terms of recent playoff experience Ufa has them beat.  Luckily for Atlant, Ufa isn't that far away from the Moscow region, so travel shouldn't play a major role. 

I'm predicting that Ufa, winners of the last Superleague title back in 2008, will become the second team to win the Gagarin Cup, and will prevail in five games.  They have a seriously well built team that would honestly compete in the NHL.  They represent the potential of the league, while Atlant represents closer to the reality, as a team full of players who played themselves out of the NHL. 

• Atlant @ Ufa, Friday Apr 8 (3:00 PM CET/10:00 PM EST)
• Atlant @ Ufa, Sunday Apr 10 (1:00 PM CET/8:00 AM EST)
• Ufa @ Atlant, Tuesday Apr 12 (5:30 PM CET/12:30 PM EST)
• Ufa @ Atlant, Thursday Apr 14 (5:30 PM CET/12:30 PM EST)

Games 5-7 are as yet unscheduled, but every second day is the KHL standard, so expect Game 5 to be on Saturday, like an early start. 

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