Eko guitars
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Type | Private |
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Founded | 1959 |
Founder | Oliviero Pigini |
Headquarters | , Italy |
Area served | Worldwide |
Website | www |
Eko is an Italian manufacturer of electric guitars, acoustic guitars and similar instruments, catering to professional level and manufacturing largely for export. It is located in Recanati, Marche.
Products[]
Guitars[]
Their products include classical guitars, 12-string guitars, arch top guitars, electric guitars and acoustic bass guitars.
Eko guitars gained high popularity during the rock'n'roll craze of the 1960s, becoming the largest guitar exporter in Europe. Their electric models were often highly ornamented with pearl, featured 3 or 4 pickups and recognizable "rocker" switches for pickup selection. The acoustic models were popular in country and folk rock bands of the late '60s. The best-known models of the '60s include:
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bd/Eko_400_Ekomaster.png/77px-Eko_400_Ekomaster.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/24/Eko_500-4_%281962-1965%29.png/79px-Eko_500-4_%281962-1965%29.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/65/Estonbass.jpg/79px-Estonbass.jpg)
- (Fender Jaguar shape with flat-top, Hagström-style control panel),
- (Fender Jaguar lookalike),
- (original triple-cutaway design with "hockey stick" head),
- (also known as Eko Barracuda, semi-hollow flat-top electric),
- (rocket-shaped electric, made popular by an Italian pop band of the same name, The Rokes)
- ('67 original double cutaway with characteristic long "horns") and
- (the best-selling Eko product, acoustic in 6 and 12-string version).
- (violin bodied 4 string bass wildly popular in the late 60's)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e5/Vox_%26_Eko%2C_Wunjo_Guitars.png/246px-Vox_%26_Eko%2C_Wunjo_Guitars.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2a/1968_Vox_Ultrasonic_in_Cherry_Red_Finish.jpg/105px-1968_Vox_Ultrasonic_in_Cherry_Red_Finish.jpg)
Eko also produced guitars for Vox in the '60s, in the USA they were distributed through LoDuca brothers of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
In the UK the instruments were imported by .
In Australia their instruments were imported by and often, but not always, branded with their house brand Eston.
Eko guitar has been manufacturing guitars since the early 60s and continue to through present day.
As of 2015, Eko Guitars were imported and distributed in the United States by Kelley Distribution of Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Other musical instruments[]
EKO Tiger combo organ[1]
EKO Micky combo organ[2]
EKO Bass Pedal K1 (1970s)
EKO ComputeRhythm (1972)[3]
EKO Viscount amp head (top)
EKO equalizer 10-band graphic eq.
EKO Strepitoso wah pedal (top)
See also[]
- List of Italian Companies
- Vox (musical equipment)
References[]
- ^ "EKO Tiger/Tigermate". Combo Organ Heaven (combo-organ.com).
- ^ "Orange Organs". Combo Organ Heaven (combo-organ.com).
- ^ "EKO Computerhythm". synthemaster.de.
External links[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Eko. |
- Official sites
- U.S. Eko website
- Eko Music Group (Italy)
- Eko guitars (Italy)
- Musical instrument manufacturing companies of Italy
- Electronics companies of Italy
- Italian brands
- Guitar manufacturing companies
- Electronic organ manufacturing companies
- Companies based in le Marche
- Electronics companies established in 1959
- 1959 establishments in Italy
- Musical instrument company stubs
- Italian company stubs