EKO Ranger 12

I bought this guitar 25 years ago from a shop in Windsor. It is, as they all were, Italian. 21 frets, laminated glowing orange top with a wood pattern that makes you want to polish it and wonder, Nature at its best.The wood used is not known but it feels like a substantial piece of rainforest. My EKO has a 'fuller figure' just like Italian ladies of a 'certain age. Comfortable to hold and play. Nice thin rounded neck that allows for easy playing. Hard leatherette case to keep her, (cos this guitar is all woman) warm and safe. Easy to tune by use of Nickel plated wings. Aluminium adujustable bridge with a tailpiece that takes substantial pegs.

I play folk and my EKO is perfect for this. No rattles, buzzing or unwanted noises just pure clear sound, rich or bright or rich and bright, this guitar lets the player choose. Loud or soft are options and not decided for you. It holds tuning well. I love it.

The guitar is still set up as I bought it, no problems with action fit or finish. It has needed no repairs and all is still working, and looking, as the day I bought it.

This guitar has withstood use, abuse, gigs, lifts, stairs, fields, drunken sessions and others playing it. It is a tank amongst guitars.

No need for repairs or contact with the company. It came with a one year warranty.

I love this guitar because it feels so right. It works and does all I ask of it. I have been playing for over 25 years and I never tire of hearing the sounds it can make. If it was lost or stolen I would buy another but I have a gut feeling that a replacement would not feel or be the same. She is the only one I have.

I picked this matching set up in '79. I just liked the look of them. They were solid & sounded great. Fret config and material already covered previously.

Graet range . Takes some hammering ....really a buskers guitar. I've has these for 15 years and apart from trings I have had no probs at all.
Like:- volume tone
dislike:- heavy on the barre , high action

Action is high
I learned on it so its hard to rate but I now have an Ovation and there's hardly a difference.

v. durable. A great axe to carry around . Heavy and reliable

None.


I have searched web a few times. I even asked a vintage guitar shoppe. about value & he said it was valuless..what bollocks. This is a gret investment....get one if you can

Not really anything else to add

This guitar was manufactured in 1972, according to the stamped on date in red, on the label viewable through the soundhole.

It is a 14 playable fret dreadnought size body 12 string, that still has limited "acoustic sound."

I had an old Rowe d"Armand 5 magnet acoustic pickup, permanently installed in 1998. I use a Crate GX-30M amplifier with reverb and chorus. When plugged in, the old pick-up seems to draw good sound, and with either reverb, chorus, or both, you can get some nice sounds
of this 12 string, amplified.

The bridge is adjustable, and I have never had to adjust it since I bought the guitar new, from Steve's Music Store, brand new, in AUgust 1972. (I had worked all summer to save up the $160.00 Canadian I needed to buy it new.)

The neck is easy to work on. The frets are of standar size, with a steel head nut, instead of the usual plastic you'd find on a guitar of this calibre.

The body is braced very "hard" in that it has been bolted to the neck.
This guitar is made of the heaviest woods, and is now 28 years old, but still plays as if the wood was still "wet & new."

The end pin jack, fits flush to the body.

As above, I use a Crate GX-30M with reverb and chorus, or natural.

It is a decent sound amplified

Very low fret action-easy to play.

Adjustable bridge as indicated above, and also a steel head nut.

The pick-up is an old Rowe d'Armand, with volume control only.

It has lasted this long, 28 years. A nuclear explosion might take it out.

Never needed anything

I have been playing for 36 years.
I also own an Ovation 1974 Balladere.

If it were stolen I'd probably replace it with an equivalent Norman Guitar made in Quebec.