This guitar is not a toy.I played the guitar for some thirty years. Most of that time was spent playing on my Guild F-50. Seven years ago, I got married. One year after that, I put the guitar down, and I haven't touched it since. I recently came to the conclusion that I am somewhat a fraction of the man I was when I made music. I decided to bring music back to the front burner. I work in the aviation industry and fly all over Europe - all the time. Carrying luggage is a drag, and there are restrictions regarding size and number. This Martin Backpacker is absolutely the best option available - short of hiring a master luthier to build for me a quality instrument in miniature.After six years away from playing the guitar, skill, theory and creativity have eroded to a level which can only be described as sad.... Now, I've had this Martin Backpacker for just short of one month. It has already been to London, Oslo (twice), Tel Aviv and Dublin. I have no difficulty with carrying and safe stowing. Incidentally, the guitar is quite tough. I joke about it by calling it my "club." I would not want to be hit with it; I can assure you, and here is the relative comment: This guitar sounds pretty damned good - period. Don't expect the sound of an SJ-200 or something. It does serve the ear though - enough to get the job done while forced to be away from your first instrument...whatever that may be. The "job" to which I have just now referred is the task of practicing scales, learning and reawakening lost theory (see Desi Serna), playing (and singing to) a few old songs et cetera. Intonation is exact. It stays in tune. The action is just a bit high above the tenth fret, but this is not really a problem considering the overall benefit the Backpacker delivers. Martin does offer replacement saddle blanks at 1/16th inch increments that can be secured by calling their customer service number found on the documentation included in the guitar shipment. It's funny to hold at first, but you'll figure it out and make it work. Desire and necessity will conquer if you're serious about improving your guitar knowledge (or just plan having fun playing what you have mastered) while you're in places where your big "Super Jumbo" or J-45 shouldn't go.The guitar is not manufactured in Pennsylvania. It is manufactured in Mexico - NOT China...may the saints be praised! The quality is refreshingly very good...I was quite impressed. The instrument comes with an equally impressive, padded, bag-style case that has a shoulder strap and attached pouch about 12x6x2 inches. If "Made in America" is important to you, don't let the Mexico thing turn you away. Hey, that's the "global" thing...I don't much like it, but that's where humanity is headed. At least it's not made in China..., if it were, I would not have made the purchase.Pricing on this is ridiculous. Most places on the web price it at 299 USD. Stay clear of that ridiculousness. Now, I'm not some big fan of Amazon. Sometimes Amazon serves my interest; often it does not. However, I bought my Martin Backpacker from Amazon, and it arrived five days later -- shipping and tax free. I paid 167 USD flat. I've been nothing short of completely satisfied, and the price, in my view, was beyond fair. Like I said..., ridiculous.The documentation supplied indicates that the instrument may be waxed using a paste-style wax. I plan to do the waxing when I finish this month's work schedule and return home. When I am contemplating how the wax might affect the instrument, I get this impression that it could then be submerged in water, removed, shaken and meticulously wiped down..., and it would suffer no appreciable damage. It's a pretty nice little tool - this Martin.On a final note regarding this evaluation: Using only this little Martin, during those periods when not directly engaged in developing my fretboard theory, I have been working on my mastery of one very important instrumental piece which is close to my heart. Nearly one month of playing only the little Martin, the subject of this evaluation, I am quite close to mastery of "Embryonic Journey." It is a track on the old LP "Surrealistic Pillow." Now...how well do you think this guitar serves? [Update: Call me "Jorma Kaukonen"...it's been awhile since I wrote this review, but since I was writing another on a different product, I thought it would be fun to add, here, that I have mastery of "Embryonic Journey." I don't owe this to the Backpacker Guitar...I owe it to hard work, but this little guitar made it possible. Good stuff.]Buy the guitar for yourself.