EKO Ranger VI J54

Hi,
I bought an Eko Ranger J54 way back in 1964/65. It sort of propped me up in numerous bars, great guitar for the old singalong, and many other styles of playing. About 8 years later I purchased the 12 string version, I still have both..plus a few more instruments of course. My styles vary according to mood but the old Eko I find can produce most acoustic sounds, blues, lighter jazzy stuff, country...whatever, what a versatile companion even if a bit on the heavy side...generally use medium guage strings, light produce a great tone but lack the power.

Harry

Depends upon strings and playing but very versatile

Nice chunky neck, not so slim your hand wraps completely around as with so many modern instruments. Heavy guitar but lovely to play.

This is a rock of an instrument, mine is over 40 years old and played nearly every day...speaks for itself.

This guitar is an Italian Modelo J54; 1960's built Eko Ranger 6 string acoustic with a Jumbo body and striking block inlay mother of pearl fret board. The top is a lacquered orange wood finish with stunning mahogany back and sides that give a quilted appearance. It has a deluxe faded ivory/bone white binding on both the top and bottom which is very striking as it has aged and become a dull buttery yellow. The sound hole has a black diamond patterned circular design and the scratch plate is the distinctive Batwing type. This is a very beautiful guitar and an extremely heavy guitar for it type.

The Ranger has 21 frets with a zero fret and nut behind it. Neck is bolt on and the tuners are the open type found often on classical guitars. The head stock is labeled EKO in a white cursive lettering and on the back is made in Italy on a white scroll. The neck has a truss rod, bridge is an adjustable aluminium type with string hole studs behind it and strap buttons are solid steel. The neck of this guitar feels quite fat and with the jumbo styled frets you want to get the action adjusted as low as possible. The back of the neck bolt on plate is stainless steel where the serial number is stamped - mine is 6 digit.

I have the original case that came with it which is a yellow hardened cardboard type material with some kind of leather binding -

The story of this guitar is that it came from my fathers band in the 1960's Sounds Incorporated who were the Beatles support on all their world tours. The guitar was given to my Godfather as a gift from the band in the late 60's and when he died the guitar passed back to me. I have had it since the late 1980's.

It's an acoustic guitar so it has the features it should have, no more and no less - a 10 therefore.

The sounds of this guitar is very unique - better than many acoustics I have played at 10 times the price. The tone is generally quite bright and bell like accentuating the upper mids - think chiming - but the bass strings also produce a lovely mellow boom so the overall impression is a blend of strong bass tones mixed with chiming upper mids. Your mileage may vary depending on the strings you choose to go with - I am using typical bronze/phos. I love the sound of this guitar!

One of the sweetest things about this guitar is it actually seems to carry the tone of the era it was built in ... in the same way that you identify flat wound strings with the bass sound of the 60's and early 70's I would have to say that the character if this guitar tonally is definitively 60's - Vick Flick would be apt here.

One thing that is neither a plus or a minus ... this guitar is a fair chunk of meat and you may find you have to wrestle or fight with it a bit if you are playing beyond open chords - personally I like that and I play barre chords and lead parts and just about everything I play on an electric but it requires a bit more muscular technique from the player.

A total gem!

The guitar is beautifully finished in my opinion ... I have worked with wood quite a bit and I think it's a gorgeous instrument. For a near 40 year old guitar it has been kept in fine condition and will continue to be in my care ... some 17 years now on my part.

This really is a brick and very, very solid ... I would gig it no problems.

Nothing much to add here ... that hasn't already been said.

This ones for the family heirloom.