Eko MD Mandolin (Composite Bowlback) 1970's

From the end of the 1960's, after the disappearance of the founder of the brand, Eko tried to relaunch a new model to continue to include itself in its time as it knew how to do before.

Many models were created in the 1970s, such as this MD mandolin.

Many examples illustrate the constant search of luthiers to obtain new sounds.

We can cite the example of the guitars of the Ovation brand which will be equipped in the same years with a rounded bottom in resin and fiberglass. These guitars will be very popular with musicians and will, among other things, make the brand famous.

Two decades before we also note the trials of Mario Macafferi, having worked in particular at Selmer, who experimented with making gypsy-style guitars, like the one that made him famous and that of guitars from the Selmer brand as well.
He decided to make guitars entirely in composite materials.

We also note that many mandolin manufacturers had already tried their hand at making mandolin bottoms in materials other than wood.
This is the case of Edmund Paulus, in Markneukirchen, where he appeared in his catalog from the 1910s on mandolins with metal bottoms.

Here we have a model from the 1970's from the Eko brand which has a particularity common to the guitars and mandolins mentioned above: the curved back is made of composite, made of resin and fiber, with an imitation rosewood finish.

And it is in this tradition of innovation in its time that this Eko MD mandolin fits.
All the more rare because very few copies were produced.

Technical characteristics :

• Top: Spruce
  
• Back: Resin and Fiber (Imitation Rosewood)
  
• Neck: Mahogany
  
• Fingerboard: Rosewood
  
• Nut Width: 30mm
  
• Radius: Flat
  
• Frets: 18 frets (+ 1 zero fret)
  
• Scale: 330mm
  
• Profile: C
  
• Pickguard: Black (paint) / representation of butterfly in negative
  
• Hardware: Chrome
  
• Country of Manufacture: Italy
  
• Year: 1970's
  
• Finish: Natural
  
• Decorations: Rosette and pickguard painted black
  
• Details: Poc on the table / Traces of use / Slight piece of nut broken on the side of the last E string which does not affect the proper functioning of the nut at all
  

Vintage Italian mandolin ! 

Delivered without case.