EKO '66 12 string Electric Guitar

Chris Templeton · Post by **Chris Templeton** » 1 May 2022 12:05 pm

My neighbor gave me this '66 Italian Eko 12 string electric guitar. It's their version of a Sears/Silvertone, capitalizing on the McCartney bass look.
Everything works and the pots aren't scratchy.
There is no lever with the tremolo, but I was told not to use it because of tuning issues.
Anybody had/have one of these?

Jim Fogle · Post by **Jim Fogle** » 4 May 2022 7:48 am

No, I've never seen or heard of this instrument; but what a neat looking instrument it is. How does it sound unplugged? Are the high octave strings above (like Rickenbacker) or below the bass string?

Chris Templeton · Post by **Chris Templeton** » 4 May 2022 10:38 am

Jim- The higher strings were above. I was cautious putting 12 strings on such an old guitar and I stripped it down and turning it into an 8 string lap steel. No guitar action/setup required.
The guitar price guide puts those @ $600 and as a rule, I don't modify vintage instruments, but this looks like a prime candidate for an 8 string steel, since it has 12 tuners and everything works.

Karl Paulsen · Post by **Karl Paulsen** » 4 May 2022 11:51 am

Pretty cool. The flattened scroll is such a cool distinctive EKO feature.
I had a Crown Professional (name means nothing) Viola Bass that was a Japanese copy of EKO with a full scroll. Same body shape and pickup/control arrangement as your EKO. Never could get along with the string spacing and like an EKO, the head stock would dive like a herd of lemmings.

Still, it had the best Hofner tone from a non-Hofner instrument I've ever played and a pretty convincing upright tone too. The full follow body was so acoustic and resonant that you could comfortably practice amp less.

I'm sort of sad to see it not living on as a 12er, but if it's anything like mine, you'll end up with a great guitar for practicing without amp, possible even an acoustic tone worthy of micing...

Karl Paulsen · Post by **Karl Paulsen** » 4 May 2022 11:51 am

Pretty cool. The flattened scroll is such a cool distinctive EKO feature.
I had a Crown Professional (name means nothing) Viola Bass that was a Japanese copy of EKO with a full scroll. Same body shape and pickup/control arrangement as your EKO. Never could get along with the string spacing and like an EKO, the head stock would dive like a herd of lemmings.

Still, it had the best Hofner tone from a non-Hofner instrument I've ever played and a pretty convincing upright tone too. The full follow body was so acoustic and resonant that you could comfortably practice amp less.

I'm sort of sad to see it not living on as a 12er, but if it's anything like mine, you'll end up with a great guitar for practicing without amp, possible even an acoustic tone worthy of micing...

Chris Brooks · Post by **Chris Brooks** » 4 May 2022 4:11 pm

Pretty cool looking, Chris.

Will Houston · Post by **Will Houston** » 4 May 2022 6:56 pm

Yes,pretty cool. How do pups sound?

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 5 May 2022 3:18 am

Their twelfe-strings acoustics had necks of laminitad wood. I don't if they even had a truss rod installed. Good looking guitar!

Jim Fogle · Post by **Jim Fogle** » 5 May 2022 10:34 am

I hope the conversion goes well. I'm sorry to discover it won't stay a 12 string. How are you going to handle string spacing, new nut and bridge?