Vintage Classical Tenor Guitar - modded for Eddy Davis

Here’s a one of a kind “classical tenor guitar”. It started out life as a Requinto which is sort of like a 1/2 size classical guitar - tuned one forth higher and used in guitar orchestras. Joel Eckhaus of “Earnest Instruments” converted it to a sort of classical tenor guitar by trimming the board and doing a scarf joint to the headstock to shorten it for 4 strings and reshaping and refinishing the neck. He filled the gaps from the previously wider fretboard in the top with ebony. He did a masterful job and it was done for Eddy Davis. Eddy Davis is inlaid into the headstock. Eddy was a phenomenal tenor banjo player (played in Woody Allen’s trad jazz band and with Vince Giordano) and apparently he had a long-standing gig at a Spanish restaurant and had this made for that application. At one time it had a pickup installed but the jack has been removed (near the endpin) and it’s been rather crudely plugged with rosewood. There are repaired (and splined) cracks. It’s light as a feather. But I’ve had it and recorded and played out with it for the past maybe 15 years and it’s been a solid reliable player. Eddy had steel banjo strings on it when I got it. I have nylon and classical guitar strings on it. Think Willie Nelson - totally. It works great for playing lead like Willy. Sadly Eddy passed away early from Covid. I tune it like an octave mandolin.. it has a 21.5” scale length and comes in its original nicer that it sounds cardboard case. 

I'm not a hobbyist-luthier – it's what I do for a living. Every day. I run a very busy violin shop by day and then I do fretted stuff at nights and on weekends for players and collectors. I’ve been doing this for over 30 years too - So when I sell an instrument it's usually one that I've personally sought out and owned for a long time and I'm just making room for new ones or ones that have been recently completed - I try to maintain an equilibrium. If you look me up on Instagram you’ll see a good representation of my work. I’m: @m.Phillips78 

I ONLY ship within the UNITED STATES! It's just too much of a pain and tracking is very sketchy. I've had items disappear and I’m not doing that again (a vintage National guitar if mine disappeared while shipping to Italy). Also, a lot of countries are now charging “landing fees”. I also make Bluebird Picks and I sent $50 worth of picks to Amsterdam and the post office said that he’d have to pay $159 juts to pick them up! Crazy. So I’m just sticking to folks in the United States. Thanks!