Eko ST 401 MN Butterscotch

A Classic Silhouette Reimagined by Eko

With the ST451 HSS, Italian manufacturer Eko takes the familiar lines of an S-style electric guitar and combines them with features designed for comfort and versatility. The double cutaway, three pickups and vibrato preserve the hallmarks of this timeless silhouette. However, the roasted maple neck, locking tuners and coil-splittable humbucker give it a more contemporary personality.

Within Eko's range, this guitar follows an accessible approach without being limited to the needs of the first few months of practice. Its appeal lies in the combination of lightweight construction and electronics capable of covering several musical registers. The Transparent Butterscotch finishing highlights its retro inspiration, while the neck appointments meet today's playing expectations.

For Starting Out, Progressing and Exploring Several Styles

The ST451 is equally suited to the beginner guitarist looking for a versatile first electric guitar and the experienced musician wanting several tonal colors from a single instrument. Its paulownia body, described as very lightweight, is an advantage during extended practice sessions. It makes the guitar easier to handle without imposing the weight sometimes associated with other electric guitars.

The body's double cutaway and the ergonomic body/neck joint make access to the highest frets more comfortable. When working on solos, moving along the neck or playing chords in the upper register, this design helps keep the left hand less obstructed by the heel. The satin feel of the key also contributes to a comfortable playing experience.

In terms of repertoire, the HSS configuration makes it possible to tackle blues, pop, funk and rock without changing guitars. The single-coil pickups are well suited to clean rhythms and nuanced phrasing, while the bridge humbucker provides more body for riffs and overdriven sounds. The split function then lets you return to a lighter texture from the same position.

From Clean Sounds to Overdrive: An Open HSS Electronics Setup

This electric guitar's character is first and foremost based on its two single-coil pickups and bridge humbucker. The single-coils retain the traditional spirit of S-style sounds: clear reproduction suited to detailed chords and precise attacks. The humbucker delivers a rounder, more powerful response, useful for adding density to a rhythm part or presence to a solo.

The 5-way selector lets you move through the different pickup combinations. This tonal palette is complemented by the push/pull control installed on the second tone knob, which splits the humbucker for use as a single-coil pickup. At the bridge, you therefore have a clearer, brighter alternative to the full humbucker sound, with no modification to the instrument.

Here, paulownia primarily contributes its light weight and resonance, while the roasted maple neck and key contribute to a crisp, responsive playing feel. On an electric guitar, the pickups, their settings and the amplification remain decisive factors in the resulting sound. This combination of construction and electronics is therefore intended to provide a balanced response, equally usable with a clean tone, effects or overdrive.

The vibrato-equipped bridge lets you add inflections to chords and sustained notes. The locking tuners make it easier to secure the strings and contribute to tuning stability, although careful installation and setup are still required. The overall design completes a guitar intended to move naturally from accompaniment to melodic parts.

Technical specifications

Body type	Solid	Original Strings	10 - 46
Electronics: microphone configuration	HSS	Scalloped	Double
Neck: finish	Satin Finish	Body	Paulownia
Fretboard: side markers	Yes	Types of frets	Medium Jumbo
Type of tuners	Locking	Pickguard	3-ply tortoise
Category	ST	Vibrato	2 post tremolo
Truss Rod	Double-action	Nbre of pickups	3
Strings	Metal	Neck Pickup	Simple Eko vintage
Nbr of strings	6	Middle pickup	Simple Eko vintage
Neck	Roasted maple	Bridge pickup	Humbucker Eko vintage
Neck format	C low profile	Electronics	Passive
Radius	14 "	Selector	5-position
Nut Width	42 mm	Settings	Push-Pull, 2x tone, 1 Volume
Fingerboard	Roasted maple	Color	Yellow
Marker	Point	Colours	Transparent Butterscotch
Nbrs of frets	22	Finishing	Glossy
Scale (mm)	648 mm	Origin	China
Tuning pegs	Locking Diecast

Format	S type	Tuners	locking
Material	paulownia	Pickup configuration	HSS
Cutaway	double cutaway	Number of pickups	3
Neck material	roasted maple	Tone controls	two knobs, the second equipped with a push/pull
Construction	five-point bolt-on neck	Push/pull function	splits the bridge humbucker into a single-coil
Body/neck joint	ergonomic	Brand	Eko
Key material	roasted maple	Model	ST451 HSS
Key finishing	satin	Instrument type	electric guitar
Bridge	tremolo bridge block