Stephen's Stringed Instruments

Stephen's Stringed Instruments was established by luthier Stephen Davies - best known for the Stephen's extended cutaway. The extended cutaway concept originated in the early 1980s when Stephen Davies, a classically trained luthier and guitarist, struggled with hand positioning due to the heel of his guitar. Inspired by this challenge, he sought to remove the heel without compromising the guitar's integrity. Initial prototypes, built on acoustic steel-string guitars, received enthusiastic responses from players like Pat Metheny, Kenny Burrell, and Kevin Eubanks. These prototypes validated the design's benefits and led to further adaptations for electric guitars. By the late 1980s, Davies secured patents and trademarks for the EC design. Today, Extended Cutaway guitars are manufactured and sold worldwide by Stephen's Stringed Instruments and Washburn International.