Like the 500/1, it was a short-scale, two-pickup instrument. The 995 was just different enough from the Höfner 500/1 “Beatle bass” to conjure its own mystique. There was even an early solidbody violin-shaped bass. One of its accordion clients was the Lo Duca Brothers Musical Instruments company, of Milwaukee, which joined forces with the Italian manufacturer as the exclusive distributor of Eko guitars in the U.S.Įko guitars and basses came in myriad styles and shapes Strat-like instruments, semi-hollow electrics, the rocket-shaped Rokes, and even map-shaped instruments, a la National.
From the outset, the firm concentrated on accordion manufacturing and expanded into guitar production in the early ’60s. But there were cheaper alternatives, like the Eko 995.Įko guitars and basses were crafted by the Oliviero Pigini company of Recanati, Italy, founded in 1959. Many budding bassists aspired to own a violin-shaped instrument like the one Paul McCartney played on the show his was a Höfner, which was out of reach, cost-wise, for most at the time.
The Beatles’ appearance on “The Ed Sullivan Show” in February of 1964 is often referred to as the most important event in the history of rock music, having inspired thousands (millions?) of teenagers to play in a band.
