Which Eko Tribute guitar to choose according to your playing style?

Every month we unpack beginner guitars, and the Eko Tribute range has something endearing: it doesn’t try to reinvent the electric guitar, it pays tribute to it. Each model reprises a silhouette that has become a standard (type S, type T, single cut, double cut, archtop with f-holes, P and J type basses) and makes it accessible. Eko, an Italian house founded in 1959 in Castelfidardo, has long experience in this exercise.

The question we get asked most often boils down to three words: which one to take? The answer depends less on the budget than on the sound you have in mind. Here are ten models that summarize the range, sorted by family, with what each really brings to the playing.

The Eko Tribute type S: versatility first

Double cutaway, three pickups, vibrato: it’s the most populated family in the range, and the one that covers the most styles. Four models share the field.

The ST 100 3/4 reprises the type S recipe in a reduced format. Its 580 mm scale length is primarily intended for children aged 8 to 12: the frets are closer together, chords form without stretching the hand.

Three single coils, one volume and two tones: enough to approach chords, riffs and first melodies in pop, rock, funk or blues. The vibrato already gives relief to sustained notes. For a teen who has finished growing, the full-size ST 100 keeps the same configuration with a 650 mm scale length.

The ST 300 is the most classic entry point in the range. SSS configuration, 5-position selector, vibrato with independent saddles: everything that made the format’s reputation is here, with a white pickguard with an aged look that embraces the vintage side.

The poplar body gives a rather neutral response, and the intermediate positions 2 and 4 deliver that scooped, almost velvety sound that funk rhythms love. It also handles moderate saturation without losing definition. A good starting point for pop, blues or rock.

The ST350 HSS keeps the body and vibrato of the ST 300 but replaces the bridge pickup with a humbucker. A humbucker combines two coils in opposition: it outputs more level, gains roundness and holds up better under heavy crunch.

The two single coils, at the neck and middle, keep the crystalline grain of the format. One guitar thus goes from clean funk to the distortion of a modern rock riff. It’s the logical choice for someone who listens to both Nile Rodgers and Foo Fighters.

The ST 401 MN changes wood: paulownia body, maple neck and fingerboard. The result is felt at first contact, with a light guitar and a sharp attack where each note stands out clearly in arpeggios.

It also receives a vintage vibrato and vintage tuners, for an even more retro look. Three single coils, 5-position selector, two tones: enough to learn to sculpt your sound in indie, funk or classic rock.

The type T: twang in its purest form

Two single coils, a 3-position selector, one volume and one tone: the TL 300 goes straight to the point. The three-saddle bridge and butterscotch finish directly refer to the single cuts of the 1950s.

The bridge pickup cuts, the neck pickup rounds off, the middle position balances rhythms. It’s the guitar for country, blues and classic rock, the one that forces you to work on nuances with the pick and volume knob. An excellent school for attack.

Single cut and double cut: pushing rock

Change of scale length and character: these three models go to 630 mm, with a Tune-o-matic bridge with stopbar tailpiece and thicker pickups. The natural terrain is blues, rock and hard rock.

The LS 300 takes up the most recognizable single cut shape in rock history, with its white binding and mother-of-pearl block inlays. Two humbuckers, two volumes, two tones: a full and powerful sound, quiet against unwanted noise.

The bridge pickup bites into riffs, the neck pickup sings on solos, the middle position blends the two. The glued maple neck and the Tune-o-matic + stopbar combo support tuning stability and sustain. It handles overdrive and distortion pedals very well.

The LS 400 keeps the LS 300 silhouette but changes the engine: two P-90 pickups, single coils with extra winding for a thick sound rich in mids. An old school tone that shines as soon as you push the amp into crunch.

The paulownia body lightens it, and the Vintage Gold finish marks its retro side. Nervous riffs on the bridge, singing leads on the neck: it targets blues and classic rock, with a real personality.

With its thin double cutaway body, the DV 300 takes the typical SG format. The clear horns give natural access to the highs, and the body is easy to handle, standing or sitting.

Two humbuckers, glued maple neck, Tune-o-matic + stopbar: the recipe pushes well through an amp and keeps background noise in check. Think AC/DC and all the rhythms that need body in overdrive.

The Eko Tribute hollowbody for jazz and blues

The Jazz Hollowbody takes the 175 format of big archtops: hollow body, carved maple top, f-holes and multiple bindings. The paulownia body gives it good acoustic resonance, pleasant even unplugged.

Its two humbuckers deliver a round and powerful tone: smooth on the neck for comping, sharper on the bridge. One volume and one tone per pickup allow fine balance. It targets jazz, blues, soul and rockabilly, and also interests experienced players who want a lightweight hollowbody for the studio.

On the bass side: the JB 401 MN and its cousins

The JB 401 MN takes the design of 1950s jazz basses with a paulownia body and a maple neck with maple fingerboard. Result: a bass with contained weight, clear and defined note by note.

Its two single coil J-style pickups, two volumes and one tone go from round tone (neck pickup, tone closed) to snappy and percussive sound (bridge pickup, tone open). Rock, pop, funk, indie or jazz: it follows the beginner bassist everywhere.

If you want a denser low end to hold the bottom of the mix, the PB 300 relies on a single splitcoil P-style pickup, one volume and one tone. The PJ 300 pairs this P pickup with a J-style bridge pickup: warm lows and definition on the same instrument.

What the Eko Tribute models have in common

From one model to another, the luthiery follows the same logic. The maple neck almost always has a thin C profile (low C), a 42 mm nut width and a 14-inch radius. The radius measures the fingerboard curvature: at 14 inches, it stays fairly flat, which makes barre chords and bends easier.

The electronics are passive across the entire range, the guitar tuners are diecast, except on the ST 401 MN which features a vintage model, and the hardware is chrome. On the wood side, poplar is used for the 100 and 300 series, while paulownia, known for its lightness, outfits the 400 and 401 models. The MN designation indicates a maple fretboard, which is snappier under attack. These references apply to the Tribute range, which only covers part of the Eko electric guitars.

How to choose your Eko Tribute guitar

Start with the pickups, they shape the sound. The single coils on the ST and TL deliver precise and articulated cleans, perfect for pop, funk or country. The humbuckers on the LS 300, DV 300 and hollowbody handle distortion and background noise better. The P-90s on the LS 400 sit between the two, with a thick tone.

Then think about comfort. If you play standing for long periods, the paulownia on the 400 and 401 models eases the shoulder. The scale length also matters: 650 mm for a firm tension, 630 mm for softer bends. Lefties will find the ST 300 LH, which has the right-handed SSS configuration.

There’s also the vibrato. Present on all type S models, it adds expression to chords and sustained notes but requires a bit more care with tuning. The single cut, DV 300 and TL 300 don’t have it, which makes life easier for a beginner changing strings for the first time.

A range to enter the history of the guitar

The Eko Tribute range has a rare merit: it lets you discover the main families of electric guitar before you even know which one speaks to you. Type S for versatility, type T for attack, single cut for rock, hollowbody for jazz, basses for groove. And the day you want a second guitar, you’ll know exactly which family to explore next.