Product: EKO 995 violin bass
Price Paid: Euros 300 USED
Submitted
02/17/2008
at
04:10pm
by
harvey
Features
:
9
This bass was manufactured in Italy in the year 1967. It's a violin (viola actually) shaped hollow body short scale bass guitar, like other brands like H??fner started to build in those days. The instrument is made of solid spruce (like a violin) and maple sides. The neck is maple too, I believe. It had two single coil pick-ups, a selector switch, and volume and tone controls. The instrument is coloured blonde (so natural colour of the spruce) with transparant lacquer. It has two f-holes, and mine had no pickguard. It apparently got lost in the last 40 years...
I believe it looks fantastic, it is a well built musical instrument, not just a piece of wood with strings.
Sound
:
9
The instruments sounds nice without amplification, though it's not loud enough for real use that way. Amplified it sounds exactly like you'd expect: dry and poppy. Not much sustain, but a deep, dry sound. Like a bass horn, actually, if the comparison isn't too creative ;-)
It's OK to use it on stage, but it needs good amplification. I played it directly on a PA and I didn't like that. At home I play it on a very small Fender guitar amp, and that sounds just right.
An advantage you don't hear much: short scale basses are very, very fast, and this one adds a very nice neck to that. Very good for playing melodic bass.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
No Opinion
This bass stands in a corner of my room (because it's an absolute beauty) and keeps asking: play me, just for a while. I never had that with a bass guitar before!
Everything on it is like it should be.
Reliability/Durability
:
10
This bass survived 40 years of playing, and though it doesn't look like it had been played roughly on a daily base, it will survive me. A very well built bass indeed.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
I don't have any idea. Unfortunately, the old Eko doesn't exist anymore. There's a new firm with that name, though, but they have nothing to do with my bass...
Overall Rating
:
9
I have been playing for about thirty years. I have a Fender Prec and Musicmaster (which I like as well) and a Framus Star Bass. Don't mention the possibility of this bass getting stolen! But I could buy another one, they are more affordable than they deserve ;-)
I think it can be compared with the Höfner violin (Beatles-) bass, but my Eko is much more of a musical instrument. The building quality is much better, it sounds better, it's faster, and it's far, far more beautiful, at least that's what I think. Check it out on fetishguitars!
