NGD - 60's Eko Barracuda

For guitars of the straight waisted variety (or reverse offset).
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antisymmetric
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Re: NGD - 60's Eko Barracuda

Post by antisymmetric » Mon Jan 22, 2018 12:26 pm

^^ That Hofner is a beautiful thing!
raphaël wrote:
Mon Jan 22, 2018 5:59 am

I definitly should have pulled the trigger way earlier :D :D !!!!
:-* So awesome when you can feel that way about a purchase, I was like that with my SG-2.
Great thread, thanks for sharing. :)
Watching the corners turn corners

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raphaël
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Re: NGD - 60's Eko Barracuda

Post by raphaël » Fri Feb 16, 2018 5:06 am

Late answer, sorry...

I didn't know those Höfners were available in 2 pickups. Still a beauty !!
So, how is the neck on your friend's one Porky :w00t: ?

Also, does anyone know how to date an Eko guitar with precision?
I can't find informations on the Internet...
Thanks !!!

Btw, this Barracuda is so awesome I've played it exclusively for the past 3 weeks, which is an odd (but good) thing to me.

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PorkyPrimeCut
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Re: NGD - 60's Eko Barracuda

Post by PorkyPrimeCut » Fri Feb 16, 2018 6:55 am

raphaël wrote:
Fri Feb 16, 2018 5:06 am
So, how is the neck on your friend's one Porky :w00t: ?
Quality. The whole guitar's arguably better made than the Ultrasonic. The body anyway.
raphaël wrote:
Fri Feb 16, 2018 5:06 am
Also, does anyone know how to date an Eko guitar with precision?
Difficult. Eko have a notoriously bad history for accurately dating guitars.
What's the serial number* on your Barracuda, if you don't mind me asking?



* maybe type it as 12***67 to avoid scammers.
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raphaël
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Re: NGD - 60's Eko Barracuda

Post by raphaël » Fri Feb 16, 2018 8:43 am

Oh I don't mind...
Serial is 310130

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Re: NGD - 60's Eko Barracuda

Post by PorkyPrimeCut » Fri Feb 16, 2018 9:18 am

raphaël wrote:
Fri Feb 16, 2018 8:43 am
Oh I don't mind...
Serial is 310130
So, when Vox guitars were produced in the UK they had 5 digit serial numbers. When they moved to Italy in late '64 that changed to 6 digits (Eko guitars were made in the same factory as Vox).

A guy on another website was enquiring about his Vox Mark VI, serial number 296772. This was the reply he got...


"Yours has six digits, and may I assume it's on the neck plate? Also, I have seen Italian-made Mark VI's with serial numbers very close to that of yours, but quite lower in the production sequence, so it was speculated that the those were made in 1966.....

....I am guessing that yours was produced between late 1967 and 1968, and (of course) in Italy".



If this is to be believed I'd guess yours was a '68 model (300000 being a good approx number for the beginning of 1968).
My Ultrasonic is 356*** and they were supposedly built between '66 and '68, so mine would be late '68ish, I guess.

This is assuming at least 10,000+ guitars were made each year. No idea if that's realistic or not.
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raphaël
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Re: NGD - 60's Eko Barracuda

Post by raphaël » Fri Feb 16, 2018 11:09 am

Thank you for your reply.
I stupidly, due to the serial number, thought the guitar was from 63 or 61... but 68 is fine by me !!!
Thanks for narrowing it down. ;)

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Re: NGD - 60's Eko Barracuda

Post by GAZINGUK » Fri Feb 19, 2021 7:20 pm

raphaël wrote:
Fri Feb 16, 2018 11:09 am
Thank you for your reply.
I stupidly, due to the serial number, thought the guitar was from 63 or 61... but 68 is fine by me !!!
Thanks for narrowing it down. ;)
Did you ever find out if the neck contained brazilian rosewood?

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Re: NGD - 60's Eko Barracuda

Post by sonoflee » Tue Mar 09, 2021 5:37 pm

Beautiful Eko!

I have a pretty similar one I got from a craigslist ad a few years back. Mine is rebranded as a "Modern" but definitely an Eko through and through, not sure of the model though. The guy I bought it from had it hanging on his wall - and there's a nail hole through the back of the guitar as proof - but it plays beautifully and is very well made (the staple pickups are wild). My original tailpiece is broken, so it has a "close enough" one on it.

Image

A couple of years after I bought this, I saw this shortscale bass brother-in-law at a local Music-Go-Round and had to pick it up to make a pair. Perfect condition and it sounds super cool.

Image

If you're interested, check out an album of other shots here.

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Re: NGD - 60's Eko Barracuda

Post by Verythin70 » Sat Aug 13, 2022 3:58 am

Hello
New to this forum and hoping to find some help with a restoration of this 1970 Hofner 4575 VTZ (3 blade type pickups). Horribly brutalized, and finding any photos of the electronics has met with dead ends. With several broken wires I've only able to figure out where 3 of five need to be re-soldered. I also believe a tone cap is dead and in search of a replacement: RMC 22NPO 5% or substitute. Tried to add photos but not working!!

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