Italian guitar makers Eko are particularly well known for their budget priced acoustics — notably the Ranger 12-string which has been on the market for many years now and which still fulfils its original role of providing a very respectable standard of 12 string. They aren't known for either their electric solids or their basses but, almost on the quiet, several models have been introduced in recent years, during which period they have obviously been watching customer reaction — with some impressive results if a recently introduced solid bass we saw is anything to go by.

Along with that bass introduction came two new vaguely Strat-shaped solids called the C01 and C02.

Taken out of the boxes in which they arrived, both Eko guitars inspired mixed feelings. The single pickupped model (the C01) was finished in a dark walnut look on a body which was probably spruce. It isn't so much that this guitar (or its partner for that matter) is unattractive — more that they are both unusually coloured and finished compared with most (Japanese) guitars these days.

Handling the guitars, however, is a distinctly different matter. The backs of both are well contoured and the body weight on the heavy/dense side which certainly implies good sustain and tone.

Curiously, the single pickup model seemed to weigh a bit more than the twin — and as both bodies appear to be identically dimensioned this must cast some doubt on precisely what type of wood they are made from. The finish differed too, the C01 being a darker richer stain, the C02 appearing lighter in shade.

"BOTH EKOS FEATURE VERY NEATLY MADE MAPLE NECKS, FIXED TO THE BODY BY THREE SCREWS..."

Both Ekos feature very neatly made maple necks, fixed to the body by three rather closely placed screws. An initial query might be whether these screws are actually too close together but only time will tell and it would be most unlike Eko to have got that aspect of their instruments wrong. Fingerboards on the guitars are rather similar (from a cursory glance) to rosewood but Adrian Legge (Rose-Morris' guitar expert) tells us that they are almost certainly manufactured of a wood called Wenge which apparently performs very well. We'll have to confess to our ignorance here and admit that we've never previously heard of it — although if Adrian says it's o.k., then that's more than good enough for us!

On the hardware side the Eko's are a distinctly odd pair of beasts. The machines are open types, more like those fitted onto a cheap acoustic than an electric solid in appearance and, frankly, not really of an inspiring appearance — especially when you recall the high standard of machines fitted to similarly priced Japanese instruments. Mind you, we reported this opinion about the machines fitted to the bass to Rose-Morris and they informed Eko who immediately took action. Perhaps they would consider improving those fitted to the guitar models too? It's not that they are really awful — just a little cheap looking and varying in their action. It would be better to fit a more professional type, after all it's those small things which the Japs often score on at everyone else's expense!

"EKO OFFER A BRIDGE WHICH ADJUSTS FOR STRING HEIGHT...."

Down at the other end another odd feature of both models are the bridges. Here Eko have chosen to offer a bridge which adjusts for string height, rather than have individually adjustable saddles. The saddles themselves are large blocks of plastic which ride on the bridge's baseplate and only adjust individually back and forth. This arrangement looks odd but seems to work well enough — might put some players off from a cosmetic viewpoint, though.

The final remaining oddity about the Ekos lies in the fact that they use a zero fret for accuracy of string length. This isn't too common these days (a zero fret is the principle where a guitar maker places a final — or first — fret right by the nut. String length is taken from there). This is actually a very traditional practice and has much to commend it as it takes away from the nut any special needs of accuracy and much of the danger caused by long-term wear. Please don't be put off the idea if you've never encountered it before, it certainly has its place in guitar design.

"...THE EKOS'S NECKS ARE BOTH VERY WELL FINISHED WITH RELATIVEL Y THIN FRETS - RATHER FENDER-LIKE IN THAT RESPECT."

Pickups on both models are, apparently, Eko's own. They're twin coil units, controlled by one volume and one tone — even the twin pickupped model has just a single set of pots plus a selector switch. In use these pots work very well (they're not the 'sudden death' type where everything happens about seven and ten) progressively, with no crackles and no undue fuss whatsoever.

Playing the Ekos' is a bit of a surprise. The necks on both instruments would perhaps best be classed as chunky but they're very well finished and fitted with very accurately set-up light gauge strings which makes them very easy to play. Not every guitarist wants or likes wafer-thin necks, there's a lot to be said for using a thick-ish neck (Paul Kossof was one player who made a real point of looking for guitars like that) in that it gives a skilled player a sense of 'fight' which actually can add expression to string bending and vibrato — make it too easy to do and it can sound too easy to be really soulfully tortured. Furthermore the Ekos' necks are both very well finished with relatively thin frets — rather Fender-like, in that respect.

"...THE TWIN PICKUPPED MODEL HAD THE GREATER VERSATILITY..."

The pickups of both guitars also have prodigious outputs. Compared with many other guitar pickups these really do have a fair amount of the old wellie in them and (for all that that can imply a loss of sensitivity in the tone) they drive an amp's front end good and hard and give a supremely gutsy chord sound which would satisfy any player who likes to overdrive his amp. Taken for their chord sounds, both guitars are really fine-sounding, capable of producing that really fat, heavy sound which is most unexpected from an Italian guitar. Used for solos they also sing and soar like a real prestige design, the single pickupped C01 having just a shade more weight in its tone which, we suspected, may be due at least in part to the heavier wood from which it was made. Obviously the twin pickupped model had the greater versatility but the single model has more than enough justification for its existence and some players might appreciate it for that extra meat in the overdrive sound and the creditable simplicity of operation that having just the one pickup affords. Overall both these Eko guitars are a strange mixture. The machines are really a bit of a legacy from Eko's acoustics (and we hope they'll consider changing them) but, especially assuming that you don't mind fairly chunky neck profiles, they have an excellent sound and are very pleasing guitars to play.

At the current RRP these guitars break the veritable stranglehold of the Koreans and Japanese in the bottom priced guitar market and they both deserve consideration and show that Eko are moving fast towards a point where they can beat the Orientals at their own game. We would recommend any beginner who appreciates the sort of aspects of these guitars which we've tried to convey here checks them out and doesn't let Eko's name as a maker of acoustics only put them off considering what turn out to be distinctly worthy instruments for the beginner.

RRP £99-95 inc. VAT (C01) & £115 inc.VAT (C02)