Following Lloyd Loar's departure from Gibson in the early 1930s, the designer partnered with Lewis Williams, and Walter Moon to form Vivi Tone, which was incorporated in Kalamazoo MI on 11/1/1933. The company sought to advance Loar's increasingly revolutionary ideas, most notably for electric instruments. Absent from Vivi Tone was Loar's famous acoustic-forward nuanced engineering, in favor of complex double soundboards, electronics, and "fairy high action frets"...all in the search for volume. We're pleased to offer for sale an original example of a Vivi Tone Electric mandolin featuring double spruce top construction, original pickup, and hardware; old screw on jack was retrofitted with 1/4" many years ago. The teardrop a style body has a bound top with "dog-bone" sound hole; original engraved manganese tailpiece, and thick pickguard; small portion of original label viewable through back f hole; lots of cosmetic wear present. The mahogany neck has a bound ebony fingerboard w/ 14" scale length; pearloid peghead overlay w/ Vivi Tone logo; engraved geared tuners; some wear to original frets, and finish checking. Includes original hard case.