{{Short description|Musical instrument company}} '''Vivi-Tone''' was a musical instrument company formed in partnership by former instrument designer for [[Gibson Guitar Corporation]], [[Lloyd Loar]], Lewis A. Williams, and Walter Moon. The company was incorporated in [[Kalamazoo, Michigan]] on November 1, 1933, with executive offices in [[Detroit]].<ref>Wheeler, Tom (1982). ''American guitars: an illustrated history.'' Harper & Row. p. 357.</ref> Though the company brought forth many innovative ideas in instrument design, it was ultimately commercially unsuccessful.<ref>Denyer, Ralph (1998). “The guitar handbook.” Alfred A. Knopf. p. 46.</ref><ref>Bonds, Ray (ed.) (2006). “The illustrated directory of guitars.” Barnes & Noble/Salamander Books, p. 262.</ref>
==Instruments== [[File:Acoustic-Electric Guitar MET DP-12319-020.jpg|thumb|Vivi-Tone Acoustic-Electric Guitar ({{circa|1933}}), exhibited at the [[Metropolitan Museum of Art]] {{smaller|[2016.415a, b]}}]] Vivi-Tone produced guitars, violins, mandolins, an electric keyboard,<ref>Bonds, Ray (ed.) (2006), pp. 261-62.</ref> and at least one amplifier (the so-called "Aggrandizer").<ref>Wheeler, Tom (1982). p. 358.</ref> One acoustic guitar design featured a secondary soundboard (the back of the guitar) as well as a primary soundboard (the top of the guitar). This secondary soundboard had f-holes, and was recessed from the rim of the guitar to keep this soundboard away from the player’s body. Another acoustic-electric guitar design from the mid-1930s had essentially a plank body, making it one of the very early examples of a solid body guitar.<ref>Wheeler, Tom (1982). p. 357.</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==See also== *[[Lloyd Loar]] *[[Electric guitar]] *[[Electric piano]]
[[Category:Musical instrument manufacturing companies of the United States]] [[Category:Manufacturing companies based in Kalamazoo, Michigan]]