The original series of six Phoenix Europa Neoclassical mandolins were built in 2005 with very select English sycamore maple used for the sides, backs, and necks and European spruce for the top. All the tone woods were European thus the name "Europa." A local luthier had stumbled across the sycamore, and I paid dearly for his stumbling. The fabulous tone of the Europas quickly made them collector's items.

In 2006, my Canadian wood supplier imported a nicely figured log of sycamore, and I quickly secured a half dozen planks. The picture shows a two-piece back after being carved by the CNC; one piece backs are also available. The sycamore was dried when I got it, but I seasoned it my shop for another year and a half before beginning to work it for the Europa II, a series of about twelve with the new feature of a side port. A side port can enhance the sound for the player without reducing the projection or volume.

Like the regular Neoclassical, the Europa II will be built for Thomastik medium strings or other light strings. As before, the internal blocks and lining will be willow, and the fingerboard, headstock overlay, tailpiece overlay, and finger rest will be ebony. A streaked fiddleback ebony will be available for some parts on some of the series. There will be 2mm snail dots for position markers on the side and face of the fingerboard. The stain will be a warm, dark brown with subtle shading. The finish will be a new premium waterborne varnish, harder and slicker than the usual varnish. Black and gold Grover tuners will be matched by black hardware throughout the mandolin. A black Eastman case will be included.

The price of the Europa II is $4,200.

Europa II front

Europa II back

Europa II side port