Are you an avid hiker or camper that likes to bring along a guitar? Taking that big acoustic might be inconvenient but these lightweight backpacking guitars are excellent alternatives.
Quick Links To Our Lightweight Backpacking Guitar Recommendations
- Martin Steel String Backpacker
- Washburn Rover 6 String Acoustic Guitar
- Cross Guitar 1.0: Folding/Foldable
- Ibanez EWP14OPN
- Cordoba Mini II EB-CE
Contents
Our Lightweight Backpacking Guitar Reviews
Martin Steel String Backpacker
The Martin Steel String Backpacker guitar is one of the best lightweight backpacking guitars on the market. With such a low price for a Martin it can be hard to believe great things about this instrument, but it is a surprisingly decent guitar.
For such a cheap guitar we were not expecting much from the intonation and tuning but these aspects were both almost perfect out of the box, no tweaking needed. The tuning also stayed in tune for long periods of time which was surprising for a cheaply made guitar like this.
The pickup on the Martin Steel String Backpacker guitar is decent. It works fine for its size and price but should not be expecting much in terms of sound quality.
The build quality is surprising good on this guitar considering it’s size and price. The guitar has a natural wood finish which really gives it an appealing look that makes it feel like a much more expensive instrument than it really is.
It is an almost perfect option to bring along with you on a camping or hiking trip.
Washburn Rover 6 String Acoustic Guitar
The Washburn Rover 6 String Acoustic Guitar is one of the most lightweight and compact guitars on the market. Playing this guitar will feel like you are playing a normal sized six string guitar.
The Rover’s body is made out of select spruce wood with a mahogany back and sides, which is known to produce a full-bodied tone.
This guitar is all about style and performance, but also serves as a great travel or hiking companion as it weighs just 4 pounds.
The Rover 6 has a mahogany neck and rosetek fingerboard, and is strung with nickel wound steel strings. The Rover also comes with a gig bag, which is large enough to hold the guitar, case, and all accessories.
Because of its weight and compact design, I could imagine this lightweight guitar being an excellent companion for any outdoor adventure or field trip for high school students.
Cross Guitar 1.0: Folding/Foldable
The Cross Guitar 1.0 is another winner of our lightweight category. The frame of the guitar is aluminum, so it is durable and strong. The guitar itself is mostly made of maple. The fingerboard and bridge are made out of acacia. This means this guitar will last a while without needing an upgrade as far as materials are concerned.
The foldable design is outstanding. I have never seen anything that is so easy to fold up and carry around with you without having to get it out of a bag.
The version that comes with nylon strings weighs just under six pounds. It is safe to assume that it won’t be too difficult to add on an electric kit later, or that you can get this instrument with steel strings. The nylon strings will add a little bit of extra weight to the guitar, but not much.
The nylon strings are durable and strong, so the guitar itself will last a while even under adverse conditions.
Ibanez EWP14OPN
The Ibanez EWP14OPN is a lightweight, portable, acoustic guitar. The Ibanez EWP14OPN has an exotic wood body with rosewood top and solid ovangkol back. It is a cutaway dreadnought with an asymmetrical shape for easy playing and produces a warm and clear tone that is ideal for acoustics and blues.
Ibanez is committed to producing guitars that follow the finest traditions of Japanese instrument making technology.
This piccolo acoustic guitar is compact, lightweight and has a very fast neck. The Ibanez EWP14OPN is equipped with a solid soundboard, chambered Ovangkol back and bridge plate.
The rosewood top and ovangkol back provide for excellent sustain and resonance when the strings are plucked. The ovangkol body provides great rigidity in all positions to ensure sustain of the guitar no matter how its played.
Cordoba Mini II EB-CE
The Cordoba Mini II EB-CE is the best lightweight guitar for anyone who needs a quality, but extremely affordable guitar. The Mini II is an acoustic-electric model that fits in a backpack and is super comfortable to play for long periods of time.
The 1/2 size body is cool to pick up and play, although some people complain of the neck being small for their hands. The guitar body is made of striped ebony and is available in high-gloss natural wood as well as various colors. This guitar also features a morado fretboard with 19 frets.
It has a built-in pickup that can be used to amplify your guitar right into a PA system or amplifier, which is ideal for live gigs in addition to camping concerts or playing around the campfire at night.
Conclusion
Check out these lightweight electric guitars too!
By now you should have an idea of what the best lightweight backpacking guitars are.
These instruments are ideal for outdoor travel as they are durable and easy to transport. To make sure you get the right instrument for your needs, I recommend reading on to find out more about various guitars and their specs.