https://www.siminoff.net/straightupstrings daily 0.75 2019-09-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566416111772-X670O8O0GZYG1QVG1F1I/2700sixpaksm_large.jpg Straight Up Strings - Guitar https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566416111753-IFNKXLIPR097C62YVT0K/2600sixpaksm_medium.jpg Straight Up Strings - Banjo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566416178755-G0VDEMZTUHHJZMANWAMU/Screen+Shot+2019-08-21+at+2.34.34+PM.png Straight Up Strings - Mandolin https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566413394714-2JWD9CTTV0Y9TUF9GZWN/DSC_2397.jpg Straight Up Strings https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567619978098-BO4YO0CM25YU45P9U179/Background+Texture+%2817%29.jpg Straight Up Strings https://www.siminoff.net/home daily 1.0 2021-02-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1568039154086-I1RPDLRO94I2AFIMAOB6/Straight+Up+Strings Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566416111772-X670O8O0GZYG1QVG1F1I/2700sixpaksm_large.jpg Home - Guitar https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566416111753-IFNKXLIPR097C62YVT0K/2600sixpaksm_medium.jpg Home - Banjo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566416178755-G0VDEMZTUHHJZMANWAMU/Screen+Shot+2019-08-21+at+2.34.34+PM.png Home - Mandolin https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567618718485-CTQVOS2HRWLC0SLTTMLL/Background+Texture+%2812%29.jpg Home https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566414980693-PCJ84AR80C1XBCKME93E/kaia_crop-1024x1024.jpg Home - Kaia Kater Banjo https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1612881729229-GGCKYQLD07P0KBTYLRCL/_+Siminoff+web+page+header+1.jpg Home https://www.siminoff.net/banjos daily 0.75 2021-02-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567546421027-6BNJ81TSOIJWB2YOJQKJ/Straight+Up+Strings+%7C+Banjo For Banjos https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1613076319130-B1TTAL1Q05PJ3U50JUCB/Combined+banjo+web.jpg For Banjos https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567542300334-L95OO4O9QFBR7PRG1XFS/DSC_2497.jpg For Banjos https://www.siminoff.net/guitar-banner daily 0.75 2019-09-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566920649672-YSYK48Q0KZVOK4J1M9ZJ/DSC_2539.jpg Guitar Banner https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566920649672-YSYK48Q0KZVOK4J1M9ZJ/DSC_2539.jpg Guitar Banner https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566920660738-91PU4UJQERUZEWAMPSRQ/DSC_2442.jpg Guitar Banner https://www.siminoff.net/guitars daily 0.75 2021-02-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566920310471-E6W9XIAXS0B9DDI6DQU3/Straight+Up+Strings+%7C+Guitar For Guitars https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1613076091714-HJ2EUDPFMS69HMO6KSYW/56CFAB64-E1F0-470F-AC09-B5D0E567C6FB.jpeg For Guitars https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566413394714-2JWD9CTTV0Y9TUF9GZWN/DSC_2397.jpg For Guitars https://www.siminoff.net/mandolin-banner daily 0.75 2019-09-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567543521454-3MT0PIX49R8RH8DZDMEE/DSC_2537.jpg Mandolin Banner https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567543521454-3MT0PIX49R8RH8DZDMEE/DSC_2537.jpg Mandolin Banner https://www.siminoff.net/mandolins daily 0.75 2021-02-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567546380100-G23KXPL94V1UDNQ42SST/Straight+Up+Strings+%7C+Mandolin For Mandolins https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1613076350778-MJG6G4063AAJLCDG65HE/Combined+mandolin+web.jpg For Mandolins https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567543596738-KGB2ZMBASLMRAV4K2XQ8/DSC_2407.jpg For Mandolins https://www.siminoff.net/banjo-banner daily 0.75 2019-09-03 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567542206220-UUTKA45WJA352ORTEJ5V/DSC_2511.jpg Banjo Banner https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567542206220-UUTKA45WJA352ORTEJ5V/DSC_2511.jpg Banjo Banner https://www.siminoff.net/about-us daily 0.75 2021-02-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566413394714-2JWD9CTTV0Y9TUF9GZWN/DSC_2397.jpg About Us https://www.siminoff.net/artists daily 0.75 2019-09-09 https://www.siminoff.net/artists/mike-finders monthly 0.5 2019-09-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1568041553500-E73RZF5VVAIBXALRZPZ5/Mike+Finders+%7C+Guitar+strings Artists - Mike Finders https://www.siminoff.net/artists/michaela-anne monthly 0.5 2019-09-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1568041256725-A60NLE36VCX8RTGG9HEN/Michaela+Anne+%7C+Guitar+strings Artists - Michaela Anne https://www.siminoff.net/artists/robert-greer monthly 0.5 2019-09-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1568040771966-P6J4SQ8BG789L7WNS3ZQ/Robert+Greer Artists - Robert Greer https://www.siminoff.net/artists/joe-newberry monthly 0.5 2021-09-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1568040584004-C7VEXE3R4T2SLCYR2P5M/Joe+Newberry+%7C+Guitar+strings Artists - Joe Newberry https://www.siminoff.net/artists/eli-west monthly 0.5 2019-09-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1568041367138-PM62EDFLWP1YVU30OKL9/Eli+West+%7C+Guitar+Strings Artists - Eli West https://www.siminoff.net/artists/cahalen-morrison monthly 0.5 2019-09-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1568041732126-WY7RBM7NUD6J0TRRCI8N/Cahalen+Morrison+%7C+Straight+Up+Strings Artists - Cahalen Morrison https://www.siminoff.net/artists/mike-robinson monthly 0.5 2019-09-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1568041460887-RSV4V88NKG0ZD448MRA2/Mike+Robinson+%7C+Guitar+strings Artists - Mike Robinson https://www.siminoff.net/artists/kala-kater monthly 0.5 2019-09-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1568040537662-0VJ6ZFAINQ0NVHQ6CGNN/Kala+Kater Artists - Kala Kater https://www.siminoff.net/artists/jeff-scroggins monthly 0.5 2019-09-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1568041589906-ICWTKAI0B7SMECWBRL1L/Jeff+Scroggins+%7C+Banjo+strings Artists - Jeff Scroggins https://www.siminoff.net/artists/hank-smith monthly 0.5 2019-09-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1568041877852-C91IU0DWB5RBYONOBOM3/Hank+Smith+%7C+Banjo+strings Artists - Hank Smith https://www.siminoff.net/artists/jayme-stone monthly 0.5 2019-09-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1568070028003-YACBDNFS1IYA560K8F5B/Jayme+Stone+%7C+Banjo+strings Artists - Jayme Stone https://www.siminoff.net/artists/aaron-youngberg monthly 0.5 2019-09-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1568041509397-FY0SKI5VNI487H48FX3Y/Aaron+Youngberg+%7C+Banjo+strings Artists - Aaron Youngberg https://www.siminoff.net/artists/jesse-langlais monthly 0.5 2019-09-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1568040961907-BZ6YG4AF3GM6ECE3PP34/Jesse+Langlais+%7C+Banjo+strings Artists - Jesse Langlais https://www.siminoff.net/artists/jens-koch monthly 0.5 2019-09-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1568041829187-P6CT0PTDH2DZF4OX6PZV/Jens+Koch+%7C+banjo+strings Artists - Jens Koch https://www.siminoff.net/artists/phil-barker monthly 0.5 2019-09-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1568040629458-WQGN6LO83HQD6FTFY0Z7/Phil+Barker+%7C+Mandolin+strings Artists - Phil Barker https://www.siminoff.net/artists/caleb-klauder monthly 0.5 2019-09-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1568040718710-2IBN41S6MDD00E6OQ6VK/Caleb+Klauder+%7C+Mandolin+Strings Artists - Caleb Klauder https://www.siminoff.net/artists/jacob-sharp monthly 0.5 2019-09-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1568041775106-PCEC7NEU1L450KNU3A11/Jacob+Sharp+%7C+Mandolin+strings Artists - Jacob Sharp https://www.siminoff.net/artists/tristan-scroggins monthly 0.5 2019-09-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1568041331602-1YYWPXZD0SB0SGLI6PC9/Tristan+Scroggins+%7C+Mandolin+strings Artists - Tristan Scroggins https://www.siminoff.net/artists/erik-igelstrom monthly 0.5 2019-09-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1568041936481-FANURXR0A6R07ISG6GMJ/Erik+Igelstr%C3%B6m+%7C+mandolin+strings Artists - Erik Igelström https://www.siminoff.net/artists/pepita-emmerichs monthly 0.5 2019-09-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1568040890951-VH6KG39HVTFCF5HH6HE5/Pepita+Emmerichs+%7C+Mandolin+strings Artists - Pepita Emmerichs https://www.siminoff.net/artists/cj-lewandowski monthly 0.5 2019-09-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1568041031845-MHN7NO85CTERLVU15W6R/CJ+Lewandowski+%7C+Mandolin+strings Artists - CJ Lewandowski https://www.siminoff.net/artists/josh-rinkel monthly 0.5 2019-09-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1568041119261-YTUW0C6J2UNPOI66KL50/Josh+Rinkel+%7C+Guitar+strings Artists - Josh Rinkel https://www.siminoff.net/artists/jereme-brown monthly 0.5 2019-09-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1568041196490-3SAGQJD5UDL7AY882216/Jereme+Brown+%7C+Banjo+strings Artists - Jereme Brown https://www.siminoff.net/artists/category/Guitar monthly 0.5 https://www.siminoff.net/artists/category/Banjo monthly 0.5 https://www.siminoff.net/artists/category/Mandolin monthly 0.5 https://www.siminoff.net/artists/category/International monthly 0.5 https://www.siminoff.net/book daily 0.75 2023-06-15 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/4c64b7b6-ad4d-4f4e-8906-0f2136549fa5/Life+of+LL+cover+F.jpg In-Depth Loar (book) - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1686846083990-SLF68UH6JG2P0TR2LYY2/Life+of+LL+pages+1.jpg In-Depth Loar (book) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1686845990802-G2SNQBZ5INV9LI5RIHND/Life+of+LL+pages+2.jpg In-Depth Loar (book) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1686845990809-CDCVLVMSRPAOX8LVTFMK/Life+of+LL+pages+3.jpg In-Depth Loar (book) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1686845993266-QUPJL1OK8U14JWL5J1YG/Life+of+LL+pages+4.jpg In-Depth Loar (book) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1686845994228-7TZIPIY765QLKTUK5QAW/Life+of+LL+pages+5.jpg In-Depth Loar (book) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1686845995812-ROJFWFU6XXUIHA7I7B6G/Life+of+LL+pages+6.jpg In-Depth Loar (book) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567619978098-BO4YO0CM25YU45P9U179/Background+Texture+%2817%29.jpg In-Depth Loar (book) https://www.siminoff.net/roger-siminoff daily 0.75 2021-02-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566922573677-JUDRZDNHWH34118GJW0Q/Roger_Alan-c19621.jpg Roger Siminoff Biography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566922406050-6E3UD1XLGRAJV5EZTTZQ/roger-southworth+press Roger Siminoff Biography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566922659532-X3YWFQC4L65R2P0V14U1/Frets+%7C+Roger+Siminoff Roger Siminoff Biography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566922605474-4OL3FVQV2D30U5PUMXQR/5-String+Banjo+Theory+%7C+Roger+Siminoff+publishing Roger Siminoff Biography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566922353236-SYSA2IMG7H1XKRTC6GSK/Roger+Siminoff+camera Roger Siminoff Biography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566922510913-PKQP8IETSVHVK908J0IO/Roger+Siminoff Roger Siminoff Biography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1612882020877-AARQJO588WMEYUV3E9KW/Roger+Siminoff Roger Siminoff Biography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566922443591-JVRMWNKKS7CR8F5XX1L6/Pedal-steel+Roger+Siminoff Roger Siminoff Biography Photo courtesy of Lynn Ward, Copyright © 2011, all rights reserved. https://www.siminoff.net/subscribe daily 0.75 2019-09-11 https://www.siminoff.net/endorsing-artists daily 0.75 2019-09-09 https://www.siminoff.net/orville-gibson daily 0.75 2020-05-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566923170826-P7QL3NPRZMEW1NBPUULI/gibson_tombstone.jpg Orville Gibson Biography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566923013377-4PAYG7GPPIOU6UX6KRPT/Orville-with-guitar.jpg Orville Gibson Biography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566922895998-BHV3E7K5T4FG7UKSMXK8/Gibson_mandolin.jpg Orville Gibson Biography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566922895869-VEGMQF9RUGAYJ99O6J9N/Gibson_harp_guitar.jpg Orville Gibson Biography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566922956643-0EBVAFPA5SC5EE9YAD2Y/Gibson_guitar.jpg Orville Gibson Biography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566922978412-BUBLVMNN96V99F9H3L8V/gibson_soundhole.jpg Orville Gibson Biography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566922978439-W5K1HOOYBBBT36WUN3UD/gibson_label.sm_.jpg Orville Gibson Biography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566922866289-RNDLQC0WOQSDUGKY6RQL/Orville+Gibson Orville Gibson Biography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566923083474-DH7N4F41TV4B1T5SI6ZU/orville_certificate.jpg Orville Gibson Biography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566923083477-L49G5P4SO65N88NRWUCW/Orville_standing.jpg Orville Gibson Biography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566923126393-U7ZLL140IPEJUQ8B652I/Orville_costume.jpg Orville Gibson Biography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1566923126384-LCYCBIEGDM93CH535XKV/Gibson_muse_band.jpg Orville Gibson Biography https://www.siminoff.net/lloyd-loar daily 0.75 2023-08-04 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567713102190-8CXT8SPOBL0T2LMENXMO/Lloyd+Loar Lloyd Loar Biography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567715978022-G63VAEI452VHFBL80XAI/Loar+Bertha+wedding Lloyd Loar Biography Mr and Mrs Lloyd Loar on their wedding day. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567714557029-HC7PQFOG0XSBUMJOYURP/Loar Lloyd Loar Biography Loar’s 10-string mando-viola, electric viola, and musical saw were kept in one carrying case. (The electric viola was a prototype for ViVi-Tone, therefore this case had to have been made in the early 1930’s.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567713129093-CNYYR3SRTJV42MU6TTJN/LLoyd+Loar Lloyd Loar Biography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567713888098-KQRDQOICTKX0M6MK1C08/Loar+house Lloyd Loar Biography When Loar was working in Kalamazoo for both Gibson and for ViVi-Tone, he lived in this 2-story home at 315 Woodward. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567714365063-FY9S1V6PVL72R155VAQ3/10+string+gibson Lloyd Loar Biography Loar’s first 10-string mando-viola was made by Gibson and had a pear-shaped body and featured an oval soundhole. The instrument was similar to the size and construction of the H-2 mandolas of the period. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567713227983-YPUIIURAGSFCEVYDRPL3/loar_with-3-point.jpg Lloyd Loar Biography In 1906, at 20 years of age, Loar was performing professionally with an unusual Gibson three-point H4 mandola that had no lower body point. During this period, he was a member of the Fisher Shipp Concert Company whose members included Loar, Fisher Shipp, Etta Goode Heacock, and Louis G. Karnes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567714420684-KS3MKN6VK0YMXGGUWUQH/Loar+at+Gibson Lloyd Loar Biography This photo of Loar was published in many of Gibson’s early catalogs and entitled “R&D Department.” It shows Lloyd with his 10-string mando-viola (shown below), at the Gibson factory at 225 Parsons Street, Kalamazoo, Michigan, ca.1924. From careful investigation of the building, it appears this photo was taken on the ground floor, along the western wall. Loar was about 38 years of age at the time this photo was taken. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567716248745-ZQNQ0WJ3LFZR2L5JR567/Loar+Bereave+card Lloyd Loar Biography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567715247481-2SBFBDUYTZ37VQR7Z7JS/Loar+with+F4 Lloyd Loar Biography Loar’s tenure with Gibson ended in October 1924. This photograph of Loar with an early pre-truss rod F-4 mandolin was one of the last pictures of him that appeared in Gibson catalogs (from the 1923 “M” catalog). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/66fb1cdd-6671-41e8-baff-51e3089536e3/ViVi-Tone+Mandolin.jpg Lloyd Loar Biography - Make it stand out The ViVi-Tone instruments were a major departure from acoustic stringed instruments of the time and featured soundholes on both the soundboard and backboard. The electrically- amplified instruments boasted Loar’s patented bridge-pickup system. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567713502780-L9V6BMRKT4C5JXKEP9KY/Loar+Shipp+ensemble Lloyd Loar Biography The Fisher Shipp Concert Company, ca. 1925. Here the ensemble featured Loar (L), Dorothy Crane, Fisher Shipp (standing), James H. Johnstone, Nell VerCies, and Lucille Campbell (Nell is holding Loar’s 10-string mando-viola). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567713715175-EZ50JU8JAEOI89N4FMCU/Loar+banjo+band Lloyd Loar Biography A Gibsonans banjo ensemble, from left: Crane, Shipp, Loar, Johnstone, Campbell, VerCies. (Loar is playing an MB-5 mandolin-banjo and Nell VerCies has Loar’s TB-5. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567715895490-6B7BOHNRA86LWA548J2P/Loar+papers Lloyd Loar Biography Loar’s correspondence files are filled with rejection letters. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567713448112-WUSPKX6DHHKTNH3IZ0A4/Gibsonian+Orchestra Lloyd Loar Biography Loar’s personal and professional relationship with Fisher Shipp was blossoming, leading to their marriage in 1916. When Loar was engaged to promote the “Gibsonian Orchestra,” Fisher was included as the vocalist. Here Loar (second from right, front) is performing on an F4 mandolin. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567715106930-1NCGO3D3GK9B7JNYIFVN/Loar+viola Lloyd Loar Biography Loar’s personal viola was made by August Diehl (1852-1922) and Loar had it fitted with a Virzi Tone Producer. Loar wrote about the benefits of the Tone Producer in Virzi’s 1929 catalog. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567716120994-AQAKEHWE9ARFL2HGABT7/Loar+F5+pickup Lloyd Loar Biography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/944bdd62-1354-40c5-9099-51401b1c42ae/ViVi-TONE+Clavier.jpg Lloyd Loar Biography - Make it stand out This is Loar’s personal ViVi-Tone Clavier. The speaker cabinet is to the immediate right of the Clavier. The small shelf on the bottom right of the Clavier is for the amplifier. This instrument is now at the National Music Museum at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, South Dakota https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567715763324-UORS2ZUP0N34QUZ3JDAC/VIVI_Loar.jpg Lloyd Loar Biography - Loar https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567715766133-HV1IE92QTIKEDCFSSF2K/VIVI_Moon.jpg Lloyd Loar Biography - Walter Moon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567715768954-Y8WXCK5QI9RY54ZP6O01/VIVI_Williams.jpg Lloyd Loar Biography - Lewis Williams https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567716318020-3NYWOB686M5N1IHHDHQ9/Bertha%27s+note Lloyd Loar Biography https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567715418978-V8AVZFELZ0WVIDA4QS9X/Loar+Williams Lloyd Loar Biography Lewis Williams and Lloyd Loar spent a lot of time on this wall outside Loar’s home in Rogers Park (a suburb of Chicato) planning and discussing the formation of ViVi-Tone.s https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567714333460-S0OW7NL4WDPYOH0M57YY/Gibson+sales+agent Lloyd Loar Biography Loar’s involvement at Gibson went beyond being an acoustical engineer and instrument designer. One of the jobs Williams assigned Loar to do was to be responsible for the service agents. Here we see Loar (standing in back of room, center, to right of blackboard) with a group of Gibson’s sales and service agents. Note the music notation on blackboard; most probably depicting the musical range of Gibson’s line of acoustic stringed instruments. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/ea0d0dca-1782-4ca0-8c59-113109bb4498/VIVI-Tone+guitar.jpg Lloyd Loar Biography - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567715167442-R634A2Y4ALX456B44CLX/Virzi+cancelled+page Lloyd Loar Biography Gibson’s 1925 Accessory Catalog was well into print production when Gibson decided to discontinue the Virzi Tone Producer as an accessory at the end of 1924. Rather than reprinting the catalog, the pages for the “Tone Amplifier” were stamped “CANCELLED”. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567713163500-YSIM4JAXMTMRRVINL4T3/Loar+Family Lloyd Loar Biography Some members of the Loar family in 1897. Back row (L to R): Clara Loar, George Loar, Emma Loar Gaddis. Center row (L to R): Raymond Loar, Lloyd Loar. Front row (L to R): David Loar, Thomas Loar, Laura Loar. Lloyd was 11 when this photo was taken. Sister Madelon was born three years later. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567715299524-RFEOAHSEDIYMS57ZIWLM/Loar+books Lloyd Loar Biography https://www.siminoff.net/privacy daily 0.75 2019-08-05 https://www.siminoff.net/loar daily 0.75 2020-05-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588887585647-KMJPIU4S3DXEP61BY8IK/The+%E2%80%9CVirzi%E2%80%9D+violin%2C+ca+1920 Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588885361683-RCL70MLEDYEY7WETLUGD/Piano+Bridge+patent Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name - US Pat 1,815,265; July 21, 1931 US Pat 1,815,265; July 21, 1931—- Following from his soundboard development in the previous patent, Loar set out to improve on the piano’s bridge system. As with his previous studies on mandolin and violin bridges, he strove to develop a bridge that could rock on its axis to take advantage of the strings’ longitudinal (rather than lateral) vibrations. His bridge design was intended to amplify the torquing motion of the bridge and to control how that bridge energized the soundboard to which it was connected. The cantilever positioning of the bridge (as seen in the middle drawing) enabled great mechanical advantage in transferring the strings’ energy to the soundboard. Loar was still living in Chicago at the time of this patent and applied for it on July 10, 1929. As with his previous filing, he assigned this patent to the Gulbransen Company of Chicago, Illinois. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588889525790-IXZ68RG2XEW9GJ6BR48J/ViviTone+Clavier Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name Loar’s ViviTone Clavier is serial #1004 which suggests it is the 4th one made. This instrument, finished in deep red mahogany, is in excellent physical and mechanical condition. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588889739430-KZ4CG2GCM920ZPGLCZDZ/ViviTone+speaker+cabinet Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name The speaker cabinet that accompanied the ViviTone Clavier features a 110v motor that turns a fan-like wooden disc in front of the speaker to create a vibrato effect. The switch on the back upper right side of the speaker cabinet controlled the motor. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588886798841-CNL3F4QEFJNX0WBH9GU0/plucking+action+patent Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name - US Pat 2,185,734; Jan 2, 1940 This was Loar’s last patent. It describes a very unique plucking (“plectrum”) action by which the strings of this electronic harpsichord were excited. The patent describes a pendulum system to efficiently pivot the plectrum away from the string after it is plucked. The application was filed on October 7, 1937. This patent was assigned to Frank Holton & Co., Elkhorn Wisconsin. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588627797240-YK93HNM9AMZFWG78593T/Bluegrass%2Bmandolin Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name - Bluegrass mandolin While Loar did extensive work on electric keyboards and amplified stringed instruments, his association with those developments did not endure to today. By contrast, the name “Loar” is heralded as the penultimate creator of the bluegrass mandolin. Clearly, Bill Monroe brought the mandolin into the spotlight, but the sound we associate with Monroe’s instrument came from Lloyd Loar. The F5 mandolin was a major departure for Gibson. It provided the same 13-15/16″ string scale as on previous mandolin models, but the F5 featured an extended neck with 12 frets clear of the body. The soundboard and backboard were carefully graduated and tuned, as were the tone bars and f-holes. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588627617522-RUMOR2OGYH0QV5FPZ3C7/Master+Model Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name - Master Model Each of the Gibson “Master Model” instruments featured a signed label which attested to the tuning process applied to that instrument. While Loar didn’t actually build the instruments themselves, he did test each one to ensure they were properly tuned, and then signed and dated the labels https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588889773552-05IIRIZZ0Y5FQ1HLAU7O/Lloyd%27s+Tenor+Banjo Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name Lloyd’s tenor banjo was in excellent condition; a marvelous Gibson TB-5 ball-bearing instrument with greenish Pyralin resonator, curly maple neck, Florentine gold plating, and mother-of-pearl tuning knobs. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588889375017-3MFUG4R4K8VURQGTVY5Q/ViviTone+Clavier Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name The instruments were wrapped in craft paper and crated onto wood pallets. Here the ViviTone Clavier is ready for un-crating in Bertha’s backyard. Tags from General Movers of Chicago were tacked to the outside of the crates with “Mrs Loar” typed on the “notify” line. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588889406689-V3EPKTIACXL8R334C5I5/Holton+Harpsichord Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name There were two Holton harpsichords, adorned with hand-engraved name plates that read: Electronic Harpsichord, made by Frank Holton & Co. Eklhorn, Wisconsin, Patents Pending. These instruments employed Loar’s U.S. Patent #2,046,333 for a string picking device, and were the first electrified harpsichords ever made. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588889587234-C7DT16TEEWIYOZ57HAX2/Holton+Electric+Harpsichord Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name The Holton Electric Harpsichords are Serial numbers 117 and 119. These instruments feature slide-off tubular-steel legs with casters. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588886675056-RLWA3TAABX005TM0L20L/Reed+mounting+method+Loar Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name - US Pat 2,046,332; July 7, 1936 This patent was filed on the same date (Jan 27, 1934) as one of his earliest patents (U.S. Pat. No. 1,992,317) and, like the following patent (U.S. Pat. No 2,046,333), is a subset or “division” of that initial patent. In this patent, Loar focused mainly on: developing a flexible mounting method for his “reeds” so they could vibrate at both ends, a method of mounting the reeds so they could produce a vibrato, a way to mount the reeds so there was no mechanical interference, an improved means of picking the reeds, and to provide a way to have ready access to the pickups through the back of the instrument. There were 24 claims in all. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588889801268-CERGCC209QTS73MS0PN4/Lloyd%27s+viola Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name Lloyd’s viola, a beautiful August Diehl dated 1878, boasts a Virzi Tone Producer. The tin string tubes have “Lloyd Loar” written in block letters on their sides in pencil. This viola was played for the first time in almost 60 years on October 2, 2005 by concert violist Patrick Tobin. This instrument is currently available for purchase. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588887997966-8BFUMNEBQYMGYZQZPV40/J%26J+Virzi Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name - Virzi labels The Virzi labels in Loar’s 1875 August Diehl viola are different from labels used in the Gibson Mandolins of the same period. Here two labels were applied; one says “J&J Virzi” and the other is a small Virzi company label with the date “anno 1922” hand written at the bottom. This Virzi Tone Producer is not numbered.Those in Gibson mandolins and guitars were numbered with a special Virzi label. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588628834069-8JYE3LIEGBTSMWYES412/ViviTone Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name - ViviTone instruments The ViViTone guitar and ViViTone mandolin were available in both acoustic and electric models. The ViViTone instruments featured f-holes, white pegheads with a black silk-screened logo and a dark, hand rubbed Cremona brown finish. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588626936592-DJOIDSNSU2M04RMEYDM3/Julius+Bellson Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name Julius Bellson https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588885297372-IG2YJTBZZ9IDQPCUG9QJ/US+Patent+1+1931 Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name - US Pat 1,798,212; March 31, 1931 US Pat 1,798,212; March 31, 1931— Loar’s first patent was a true indication of his focus on tuning the various components of musical instruments. In this Patent, he claims his ideas for the alignment of the sound-board’s grain, adding apertures (visible along upper edge of lower drawing) to the edge of the soundboard to make the soundboard more supple and to help tune the air chamber, positioning and tuning the soundboard’s braces, and general tuning of the piano’s air chamber. Loar points out in this patent that his improved soundboard design was efficient enough to permit the instrument to be strung with twins rather than triplets of strings per note. Loar was living in Chicago at the time he applied for this patent. This patent was applied for on Dec 24, 1928 and was assigned to the Gulbransen (piano) Company of Chicago, Illinois for whom Loar was working as a consultant. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588887632357-BSQSJ3PO5XQXG2C6J7EX/%22Tone+Producer.%E2%80%9D Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588627379267-B7MAG8OEWYJ8522SCNGQ/Lloyd+Loar+instrument+design Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588889132263-86IPV5C0IA22S8ZQV5XJ/Bertha+and+Lloyd Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name Bertha and Lloyd at Roger’s Park, Chicago, c:1939 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588889645919-P226J7T1Y2S5CGF6HHY7/speaker+cabinet Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name This speaker cabinet with wooden “H” in the grille also served as a bench for the Holton Harpsichord. The cabinet contains a single Webster speaker. A Webster amplifier was fitted inside the rear right of the cabinet. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588886843012-QB8G9ZUCECC5T0GAYOEK/Loar%27s+picking+action Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name - Patent No. 2,046,333 This is Loar’s prototype of the picking action described in his patent No. 2,046,333. The device has a delicate plucking mechanism that picks a string stretched vertically in the frame to the left. The white line at the bottom right of the photo is the inside edge of the ivory piano key. The prototype is of one key only, and is still very functional today. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588889221896-PTL4378BTJDIUP3XQDRQ/Bertha+and+Roger Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name Bertha and Roger get a chance to check out Gibson’s F5-L at the Winter NAMM convention, Los Angeles, 1985. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588887118301-USO2APDDWBRGCJUJ88CH/The+Physics+of+Music Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588626810330-UKD4Z5J1ZQYGGD6KJ9IE/Lloyd+Loar Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588886389704-PPA7GVH3FOGZZMVEL7II/Key+action Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name - US Pat 1,995,317; March 26, 1935 This patent was also filed on the same date as his previous two patents (Jan 27, 1934) and describes a unique key action with special picker jacks, picks, friction, and leverage points to improve the picking action without mechanical interference. While the text of this patent also speaks about a bar that touches all of the strings in their center to evoke the second partial (harmonic) and raise the pitch of the whole instrument by an octave, that feature is not called out in any of the patent’s claims. This patent was assigned to the Acoustic-Lectric Company of Kalamazoo, Michigan. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588887236455-F1Z4YVXERFTDH4LDRF62/Loar%27s+Marche+Militaire Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588626842481-UAOTET0ZVUPED5EG9NBB/Bertha+Loar Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name Bertha Loar https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588627415805-656Q0JT7MWL5F4ZDMLYF/Stradivarius+arching Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name - Stradivarius arching The “Stradivarius arching” or tortoise shell shape provided the backboard and soundboard with great strength without the need for additional structural bracing. But more importantly, the graduation from a thick center to a thin outer portion imparted to these “plates” the ability to evenly distribute energy from the center (where the bridge was mounted) outwards. (This photo demonstrates the type of arching and shape of a maple backboard that was used on the F5 mandolins. The wavy lines across the backboard are caused by the curly maple figure.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588888058964-H0WKF2SYV344VWIHLXYC/Virzi+Tone+Producers Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name The Virzi Tone Producers for violins were oblong-shaped and had only two “feet” compared to the Tone Producers for mandolins (left) and guitars which were round and had three locating points which were both glued and pinned in place for structural integrity. This Tone Producer came from a 1923 Gibson F5 mandolin. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1567713102190-8CXT8SPOBL0T2LMENXMO/Lloyd+Loar Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588628317555-NDUCKZQMRCBADQMRXX9O/ViviTone Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name - ViviTone clavier Loar was a performing artist, an engineering “artist,” and as we have discovered, an artist with pencil and paper. Uncovered with his personal papers were many drawings and sketches of instrument designs and instrument parts. One of many of Loar’s drawings, is this of the ViviTone clavier. It was drawn in pencil on a paper bag. c:1937 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588889956130-K6MUYCWGT1ZGUL2F8PU3/Speaker+cabinet+with+handle Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name Speaker cabinet with handle, Webster tube amp, and foot switches are finished differently from the Holton and ViviTone keyboards. The fact that the connector matches the connector on the mandolin’s pickup leads me to believe that this was the amplifier he used with his F5 mandolin. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588885852301-B25P75MZDE7TTR99TSC9/H5%252Bmandola Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name - H5 mandola While not as popular as the L5 guitars and F5 mandolins of the period, the H5 Master Model mandola was another interesting development produced under Loar’s direction.This instrument is 11″ wide and almost 30″ long and features a carved soundboard and backboard with tuned air chamber as did other models in Gibson’s Master Model line. The H5’s fretboard connected to the body at the 13th fret (instead of at the 15th as on the F5) and it featured a 15-5/8″ string scale. Some discussion in various luthiery chat rooms suggests that to achieve the correct body shape for the H5, “the commercially available F5 plans can be scaled up 15%.” Actually, that’s a bit misleading as the H5 has very different body proportions, scroll shape, bridge placement, peghead shape, f-hole position and scaling, fretboard shape, and more. (Photo courtesy George Gruhn) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1589489711463-7DLYZ0MO0BONPK6FKKUC/loar_workbenchstuff.jpg Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588887775638-WBCZP8553FPOGH4620B0/Multiple+Tone+Producer+Patent Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588886715820-ZPPKCI8LJXQ9RXI2LQU5/Keyboard+action+patent Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name - US Pat 2,046,333; July 7, 1936 This patent was a subset or “division” of a separate patent (below) filed on the same day of January 27, 1934. In this patent, Loar describes his design for a unique action for clavichords and harpsichords which provided for a “means for plucking the strings to initiate the vibration thereof without mechanical interference.” In addition, the patent called out a method to utilize a series of long coil-wound pickups which would be positioned near a keyboard instrument’s strings, basically transversing the entire harp of the instrument, to sense the strings’ movements and then amplify them. Loar’s prototype of this keyboard action is shown in the sidebar, below. The prototype, now almost 70 years of age, is still fully functional. Loar was still living in Kalamazoo at the time of this filing and assigned this patent to the Acousti-Lectic Company of Kalamazoo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588889087080-S18146YR1TCYVXALF1DL/Bertha+Snyder+Loar+Westerberg Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name Bertha Snyder Loar Westerberg, c:1923 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588890191140-LDU6AI9ILBAW1R9I8EMH/Patrick+Tobin Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588885404725-EO8KWV0JLWR4U96Z1QL8/Special+Effects+Patent Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name - US Pat 1,821,978; Sep 8, 1931 US Pat 1,821,978; Sep 8, 1931—- The application for this patent was filed on July 10, 1929. The patent describes Loar’s design of a picking action for producing a harpsichord effect and produce “special effects” in the playing of a regular piano. As opposed to add-on accessory products of the period, this technology of this patent is designed to apply a “wiping effect” to standard piano actions and to enable the entire set of hammers to shift their position so they would attack only one string (of the double or triple sets of strings in the piano). This patent was assigned to Gulbransen Company of Chicago, Illinois. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588626883237-K23CIPPFO6AXDWSWYVYQ/Ted+McCarty Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name Ted McCarty https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588889001448-ED0ZMMOD1VQQGD6SMLL3/Soundpin Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name The soundboard was reinforced with tape to prevent checking and cracking, and the instrument was absent of tone bars or braces. For more information about Albert Shutt and his instrument designs, please visit http://www.harpguitars.net/history/shutt/shutt.htm https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588888871229-CEBARYOV94CKAQ8L61E0/Shutt+Patent Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name Shutt received a U.S. design Patent #40,564 on March 8, 1910. The patent had a seven year life, which meant that by 1917, anyone, including Gibson, was free to employ the design features in their instruments. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588628700849-AL9UMN1NL62NFMELTU6H/ViviTone+electric+violins Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name - ViviTone electric violins Following the design of Loar’s prototype for his electric viola the production model for his ViviTone electric violins featured a flat soundboard with painted f-holes (no air chamber), a heavy ebony fretboard, and an electromagnetic pickup. (Photo courtesy of the National Music Museum, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, South Dakota.) For more information on the Loar collection at the museum, click here. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588886474705-W2D9WD6RK4HVP1WHCJJI/Amplifier+Patent Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name - US Pat 2,020,842; Nov 12, 1935 This patent was issued on the same day as his previous patent and describes an amplification means for an electric violin or viola. In this design, the instrument has no air chamber, but merely a simple spruce soundboard with no apertures. The pickup is mounted on the soundboard and the bridge is mounted directly on the pickup. (The prototype of this instrument was in my possession for several years. The instrument I owned had the pickup mounted on the soundboard, and not under it.) This patent also features a “pedal-operated circuit-controlling device” for altering the volume — in essence, the earliest known foot operated volume control. Loar also used this pedal control with his amplified F-5. This patent was filed on July 31, 1933 and assigned to the Acousti-Lectric Company. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588889554513-TMHFI8R040X807YG2TEB/Loar%27s+Reed+Action Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name Loar’s reed action features felt-covered hammers (the white vertical strips above the center most part of the photo) and a series of reeds that were tuned to pitch by adjusting their length and securing them to a steel bar (the grey flat surface that runs left to right). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588628625891-PX4DFILF3H39NXSNBHP0/Clavier Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name - Clavier As testament to Loar’s work, his personal clavier (shown here) was in perfect tune when it was first discovered and unpacked 50 years after his death. Unfortunately, the War years, coupled with lack of financing, made it difficult for Loar to advance his art and his business, and the production of ViViTone instruments came to premature end. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588887936987-JUQN7I04XLQOGNFTIY9N/Lloyd+Loar+Acoustic+Engineer Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name - Letter from Loar Numerous world renowned musicians received the honor of a cameo in the 1929 Virzi catalog, but a full page was dedicated to Lloyd Loar’s comments on the attributes of the Virzi Tone Producer in his Diehl viola. “I have thoroughly tested and inspected my viola in which you recently installed your Tone Producer. It pleases me greatly. In my opinion, you have contributed one of the most noteworthy improvements applicable to the construction of all string instruments of which there is any record in the last two hundred years. This opinion is not alone based upon the sense of hearing, but is reinforced by scientific tests much more final in their testimony. Testing the tone of my viola, I find that: previously those notes having the most pleasing tone color of any possible to the instrument under the most favorable conditions had but twelve [audible] partials or overtones. I am now able to identify fifteen and find indications of three more which are apparently too high in pitch to register definitely [to the human]. Parallel to the above and offering the evidence of hearing instead of science, my ear tells me: (1) The tone is richer and mellower. (2) It responds more easily and quickly to the bow, a suggestion of a ‘wolf’ tone at F on the G string is gone, and the tone is more powerful. (3) The pitch of the air chamber is not changed, neither is the characteristic tone color of the instrument.” ….. Lloyd Loar, M.M, Acoustic Engineer https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588888117933-PKNSJXR9N05CIQJE9FCL/Gibson%27s+Guitar+L5 Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name Some Tone Producers found their way to Gibson’s L5 guitars (as well as being installed in other non-Gibson guitars). When used in these instruments, the plates were tear-drop shaped and attached to the soundboard with feet similar to those in the photo. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588886431664-0IN0JSVCWAXPK1M17QIT/Amplify+Patent Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name - US Pat 2,020,557, Nov 12, 1935 Loar’s next effort was to amplify guitars, mandolins, and violins by developing an instrument with two soundboards and electronic pickups. In this patent, Loar describes that both soundboards have tone bars and that the inner or “secondary” soundboard is driven by the outer or “primary” soundboard. Of great interest is that the primary soundboard has only one oval soundhole (upper drawing) and the secondary soundboard (inside the instrument) has two F-holes, very reminiscent of the Virzi Tone Producer. He describes placing the soundhole under the bridge (with the bridge resting on the edges of the soundhole) because “the vibration in the board weakens as it travels away from the bridge so that the edges of the soundhole vibrate with the greatest possible intensity … and adds to the efficiency.” This patent, filed May 14, 1934, was also assigned to the Acoustic-Lectric Company. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588887696951-8ZECYP60JU7EKUJ1MTGK/Virzi+Patent Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588885806861-4101QRU2H2YUMYQULEDB/Loar%252BA5%252Bmandolin Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name - A5 mandolin The A5 boasted many features of it’s F5 counterpart. One major departure from the F5 design was the positioning of the bridge high above the centerline of the body in what appears to be an attempt to gain more live soundboard area than was achieved on F5 models. This also called for an accentuated headblock. The f-holes are slightly further outboard than those on the F5 and are sized about 15% smaller than those on the F5 to deliver a lower-than-natural voicing of the instrument’s air chamber. The binding on the lower corners of the peghead are bent rather than mortised and the peghead’s binding joins in a mortised “V” joint at the top center of the peghead. Loar elaborated on the pear-shaped f-hole body with an even greater Venetian flair for his ViviTone mandolin designs (below). [The instrument pictured here was signed and dated on Sept 10, 1923.] https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588887382838-OKNVGH93TC9XJK5DVVTC/Loar%27s+Research+for+Webster%27s+Dictionary Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name - Here is a letter from Loar to Gehrkens dated November 21, 1931. In regard to your query about flange and jack flange. In either a grand or upright action that is completely defined, if they are actions of the most complicated type, there would be at least five flanges. The one referred to in the drawing and description I sent you is probably the jack flange but it might not be. I abbreviated the description definitions somewhat and confined them to essentials because of the necessity of conserving space. In the grand, for instance, it takes about 95 definitions to completely explain it. The flange in every instance is a fastening to direct the motion of some moving part. It is always fastened by a screw to some solid part and by a hinge to the moving part. On the solid part there is a ridge that fits into a groove on the flange, this keeps the flange from twisting sidewise and throwing out of line the moving part it guides. I imagine it is this feature that entitles it to be called a flange. The jack in either upright or grand action, is a straight, slim piece of wood that lifts the hammer. If the flange in question is attached to the jack it is the jack flange. On the upright action there is also a sostenuto, guide, wippen, and a damper flange. On the grand there is a damper swing, damper lifter, sostenuto, wippen, and a support flange. If it impossible to exactly identify the flange in question it is still correct to just call it a flange. If there is time to send me the drawing and the explanation of it I will be glad to attend to it. Any flange takes the name of the moving part if guides. Sincerely, Lloyd https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588889922151-8X9T1A1FEQR9SFOKW8WB/Lloyd%27s+F5+Mandolin Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name The amazing find was Lloyd’s F-5 mandolin. This instrument is a rather standard F5 with flowerpot inlay, flat-grain neck, W/B/W binding, Virzi Tone Producer, gold-plated hardware, hand-wound pickup and volume control knob in the fingerrest (both removed in this photo). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588887076378-J74VIUL6M7RNZGJLL4W1/Loar%27s+Lab+Notebook%3A+The+Physics+of+Music Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588889703380-G5QGX6IUPMAGODG16SFU/portable+keyboard Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name Loar’s prototype portable keyboard features the reed system described in his U.S. Patent #1,995,316. A coil-wound electric pickup senses the reeds’ movement. There is a carrying handle on the far side and the sticker on the front, just below the second octave C key boasts Loar’s signature. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588628488827-BRCITH02YKK6T50SK8YF/Loar+speaker Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name - Speaker cabinet The speaker cabinet that accompanied Loar’s ViviTone Clavier features a 110v motor that rotates a fan-like blade. The blade turns in front of the powered-coil speaker as well as covering and uncovering an opening to the cabinet itself. This feature provided a tremolo that added timbre (tone “color”) to the erstwhile poor sound of his early electronic amplification system. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588886530857-H9K63FSMS86UF4A7DDAX/Guitar+Soundboard Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name - US Pat 2,025,875; Dec 31, 1935 After Loar’s extensive work on electronic amplification systems, this patent clearly expresses Loar’s realization of the attributes of non-amplified instruments. This patent describes a guitar which is switchable between amplified, non-amplified, or both by changing the internal components through a drawer in the side of the guitar. Unlike the bridge claimed in his previous guitar patent (2,020,557), the bridge in this guitar does not rest on the upper soundboard. Instead, it contacts an internal support which can be altered to either direct the string’s energy to the back or “belly” soundboard, or past a horseshoe-shaped magnet which surrounds an “armature” to generate electrical energy to be amplified. (An interesting idea which made me chuckle in light of the work on my patent 4,433,603.) Loar filed this patent on Jan 27, 1934 and assigned it to the Acousti-Lectric Company. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588627347186-GU0AHR8KD75DGDS51PFD/Lloyd+Loar Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588886189617-G98VK81UD3HUKQ2CCTSH/US+Patent Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name - US Pat 1,992,317; Feb 26, 1935 US Pat 1,992,317; Feb 26, 1935—- This filing created a major breakthrough in instrument design. The patent describes a piano with tuned “reeds” or bars whose adjustable length determined the pitch to which they vibrated. When struck by small hammers, and amplified, the reeds would emit a piano-like tone. A further objective of the patent was to create an inexpensive keyboard instrument with easy access to the pickups. And, since the reeds were not stretched wire (like their piano counterparts) they would always be in tune. Loar proved to be right. When his personal version of this piano was unpacked 50 years after he crated it, it was still in perfect pitch! Loar was living in Kalamazoo, Michigan when he filed for this patent and assigned it to his new company, the Acousti-Lectric Company of Kalamazoo, makers of ViviTone electric pianos. This application was filed on Jan 27, 1934. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588886345583-F7RWPK262LCH0KFLBDT7/Magnetic+Pickup Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name - U S Pat 1,995,316; March 26, 1935 This patent was filed on the same date as his previous patent (Jan 27, 1934) and was basically an extension of his previous work. In this patent, Loar focused on an improved magnetic pickup, a pedal controlled poten-tiometer, and an improved method to transfer the pianist’s energy “whereby the intensity of the tone is controlled directly by the force with which the keys are struck.” Again, he calls out the goal of producing an economical and lightweight piano. (The ViViTone Clavier which he manufactured weighs about 110 pounds compared to the 550 pounds of a traditional upright.) In this patent, Loar also describes that each rod or “reed” would have it’s own electronic sensor to amplify the sound. Loar assigned this patent to the Acousti-Lectric Company of Kalamazoo, Michigan. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588888747363-TESFY4D0K0TVM5AA1TDQ/Albert+Shutt Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name Photo courtesy of Gregg Miner and Jack Shutt https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588889880464-9H5M4IS57N7RWTPA99UB/Loar%27s+10+string+mando-viola Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name Among the amazing discoveries (not with the crates) was Loar’s 10-string mando-viola, electric viola with hand-wound coil pickup, and musical saw. Pictures of Loar holding this mando-viola at a Gibson workbench appear in many of Gibson’s early catalogs with the heading “R & D Department.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588888971820-X87RZLP84HBA585SSW5N/Shutt+Peghead Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name The machines were set into the peghead and the back of the peghead was covered with a plate (the plate pictured here is not original). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588889675765-R006HEVF7UDEHF7WF92Z/Webster+amps Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name All of the amplifiers are driven by various types of Webster amps. The tubes were carefully wrapped in sections of the Richmond Times-Dispatch (Virginia) newspaper dated Friday, October 23, 1942. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588888905159-FVERDS3OTG9KCPSXTK9Y/Shutt%27s+Mandolin Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name Shutt’s mandolins featured an elevated fingerboard extension. This design pre-dated the use of elevated extensions on Gibson mandolins and guitars. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588886577455-Z2R3C8KJ4LHIS8ZB30PN/Loar+Soundboard+and+backboard+patent Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name - US Pat 2,046,331; July 7, 1936 This was the first of two patents granted to Loar on the same day, and this Patent clearly demonstrates Loar’s genius in the most incredible method to drive the soundboard AND backboard since the invention of the soundpost! Here, Loar explains his idea for a bridge which rests on a horizontal lever. The lever has one foot extending to the backboard and another foot extending to the soundboard. Through this linkage, the strings’ energy is driven to both the backboard and the soundboard at the same time. Unlike the soundpost in the viol family, as the backboard is driven downwards, the soundboard is driven upwards, and vice versa, which “doubles the amount of compression and rarefaction.” Loar’s patent describes how the feet can be glued in place to facilitate construction or can be movable to change the leverage points and thus the tonality of the instrument. The soundboard and backboard are both described with longitudinal tone bars and the backboard is set in from the stiff rim, as on his ViviTone guitars. Amazing! https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588889996924-27PWYKJNSP76X4DK2DXQ/National+Music+Museum Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name In September, 2005, the ViviTone Clavier and the Holton Electric Harpsichords were donated to the permanent collection of the National Music Museum at the University of South Dakota. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588886763984-RCUKS71174R34R6PY3X9/Tuned+Reed+Clavichord Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name - US Pat 2,085,760; July 6, 1937 This patent, Loar’s last, is very interesting. Rather than describing a new design, it is instead a reiteration of his earlier patent, US Pat 1,995,316. The drawings and opening statements are virtually identical with minor modifications. However, the 10 claims of this patent (1,995,316 had 22 claims) are carefully and concisely reworded to assure the ultimate protection of his design and ideas for a tuned “reed” clavichord. The design still speaks about tuned “reeds” which float free in the air and are secured at one end, the specific striking mechanism and keyboard action, a means to control the intensity of sound, the portability of the amplifier, and the transfer of energy from the keys to the “reeds.” The application was filed on March 16, 1935. A typewritten attachment states that this patent, formerly assigned to Acousti-Lectric, was later assigned to the Vivi-Tone Company. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588889617353-VWV4QMCPNGAMLOKXZITQ/String+plucking+action Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name A view of the string-plucking action in the Holton Harpsichords. Conventional piano tuning pins were employed for the strings. The plucking fingers are seen below the center of the photo, each with a single screw to hold them in place. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588887885435-AR7AT1RK6M0XT48H2FDR/Virzi+violin Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name All Virzi violin models featured the “Tone Amplifier” which was affixed to the bass bar via two feet. In violins, viols, and bass viols, the Tone Amplifier was a singular, long elliptical disk. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588888940477-SC1KNR46QP8COKPQTEXQ/Shutt+Mandolins Lloyd Loar | The man inside the name The Shutt mandolins where finished in a honey-brown color and featured an ebony fingerrest. https://www.siminoff.net/siminoff daily 0.75 2020-05-14 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1589303419616-1M74MM4QEPOHF6MDNQO3/Luthier%27s+Handbook.jpg Roger Siminoff | Luthier, Acoustician, Inventor - The Luthier’s Handbook The Luthier’s Handbook explores the secrets and science behind building acoustic string musical instruments that sound good. The text focuses on wood selection, bridge designs, air chambers, bracing and tone bar configurations, soundboard design, string selection, and the art of tap tuning. “The Luthier’s Handbook” features ideas on revolutionary deflection tuning techniques for the serious builder, as well as a free String Gauge Calculator for selecting optimal string gauges. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588968453399-3JJ3VJCBF1U9LY9H7HT0/Component+Guitar Roger Siminoff | Luthier, Acoustician, Inventor - Component Guitar U.S. Patent 4,433,603 speaks of a guitar comprised of descrete interchangable components. With this design, a guitarist could assemble an instrument to suite his or her tastes of neck and body styles as well as interchanging pickups or electronic tone/volume control modules while playing. The system features a unique center section that is designed to hold the neck and body, as well as act as a central housing for all of the core wiring to accept pick-up and electronics modules. The center section’s unique neck support provides for access and playability of the entire fretboard. In this design, completed guitar parts could be sold as accessory items. Pickups and electronics snap-in. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588969060224-WTZ6CR58CG4FRXKE98HH/Boating+101 Roger Siminoff | Luthier, Acoustician, Inventor - Boating 101 Boating 101 is a handbook for power and sail boaters everywhere. It provides more than 100 tips on safety, maintenance, navigation, rules of the road, handling the VHF radio, docking, rafting-up, dingy handling, anchoring, heavy weather conditions, and much more. The text is heavily illustrated with photos and diagrams. For beginners or advanced “old salts.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588968420456-1KT0HZIFURBA6J9XYDUJ/Truss+rod+system Roger Siminoff | Luthier, Acoustician, Inventor - Truss rod system U.S. Patent 3,901,119, describes a vertabrae of links with a steel truss rod positioned off-center. When the rod is tightened, the linkage is forced to bend in the direction of the rod’s compressive force. In this system, there can be up-links, down-links, left- or right-links, or blanks (where no bending effort is exerted). Since the truss rod system is completely removable through the truss rod pocket (in the peghead), the links can be assembled in any sequence or order to correct a single axis or multiple axis defect. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588969015212-NAOSSTQ2CAQSMWXA4L7C/Constructing+a+Bluegrass+Mandolin Roger Siminoff | Luthier, Acoustician, Inventor - Constructing a Bluegrass Mandolin Constructing a Bluegrass Mandolin is the first comprehensive guide to the art of building a wood-bodied stringed musical instrument. First published in 1973, this fully illustrated text takes the reader from wood selection through all of the stages of construction including: making the neck, steam bending the sides (ribs), carving the soundboard and backboard, tuning the air chamber, assembly, and hand coloring. The text includes color photos on grain enhancement and a set of full-size fold out drawings. Foreword by Bertha (Lloyd) Loar Westerberg. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588968845519-WB27OJT2PO3Y2RG6GS0C/How+to+set+up+the+best+sounding+banjo Roger Siminoff | Luthier, Acoustician, Inventor - How to set up the Best Sounding Banjo How to set up the Best Sounding Banjo is a step-by-step guide to the structural tuning and proper set up of a banjo. Instructions include evaluations and settings for the neck, neck-to-rim fit, tone chamber, bridge, tailpiece, string-break angle, string selection, and more. All chapters culminate with the goals and objectives of “tuning” the banjo’s air chamber and head. A highlight of this book is a chapter by Earl Scruggs on how to set up a banjo for electric amplification. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588968492545-NGWC2EIUXU8NXPSRM8JK/Crankable+turning+machine+knob Roger Siminoff | Luthier, Acoustician, Inventor - Crankable tuning machine knob This design, U.S. Patent 4,278,002, covers a fold-out rapid-wind knob to enable musicians to quickly and easily change strings. The crank handle is spring loaded and folds into the knob body when not in use. A simply pull opens the knob to allow for fast winding and unwinding of strings. With this crank knob, a musician no longer has to carry extra winder devices and strings can be wound on and off in a matter of seconds. The crank conforms to the shape of the knob when it is folded in place making it virtually invisible. The spring loaded feature prevents the knobs from rattling and causing unwanted noises. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1589489138038-SABG5Y39W1IZPQ49YZ66/roger_pat_machine1-216x270.jpg Roger Siminoff | Luthier, Acoustician, Inventor - Geared machine assembly U.S. Patent 4,515,059, describes a unique tuning machine whose mounting bases are comprised of unique plates which emulate the shape and mounting holes of earlier machines. With this design, a guitarist changing from some early (no longer produced) machine to a new set of geared machines would be able to use the same mounting as the previous machines and not be left with unsightly holes or embossings in the paint where the previous machines used to be. It was intended that these machines would be sold as standard sets, and the various mounting plates to match the original machines would be available separately. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588968749750-ZENBTQU3UDRAIEE3L8PM/The+Art+of+Tap+Tuning Roger Siminoff | Luthier, Acoustician, Inventor - The Art of Tap Tuning The Art of Tap Tuning by Roger H. Siminoff is a 56-page richly detailed text on the process of adjusting the structural components of an acoustic string musical instrument to make it produce excellent tone. The text includes: a introduction to musical acoustics, a guide to using strobe tuners, the use of additional electronic equipment to improve sustain when tuning, structural changes you can make that affect tuning, tools to use, and much more. The accompanying 50-minute DVD includes numerous tests and demonstrations that let you both see and hear the tap tuning process and its results. Includes article by Lloyd A. Loar on soundboards and how they work. Foreward by Richard Hoover of Santa Cruz Guitars. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588968960671-XAAXN0GK4MJOIH808KFC/Constructing+a+Solid-Body+Guitar Roger Siminoff | Luthier, Acoustician, Inventor - Constructing a Solidbody Guitar Constructing a Solidbody Guitar provides all the instruction and diagrams necessary to build a full-size solidbody electric guitar. This book is fully illustrated and includes chapters on wood selection, making the neck, shaping the body, preparing the fretboard, assembly, hand coloring, hardware selection, and installing the electronics. The text includes color plates on sunburst and curly maple finishing as well as a set of full-size fold out drawings. Foreword by Chet Atkins. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588968921843-W9Y2LMTAWDWPP75V97X3/Construction+a+5-String+Banjo Roger Siminoff | Luthier, Acoustician, Inventor - Constructing a 5-String Banjo Constructing a 5-String Banjo treats the reader to the pleasure of building a bluegrass style 5-string banjo. This fully illustrated comprehensive guide includes wood selection, making the neck, steam bending the rim (or building one from solid wood), assembly, pearl inlays, fretting, hardware selection, and hand coloring. The text include color plates on shading the neck and resonator as well as a set of full-size fold out drawings. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588969286362-MMAIGWS50ZLTSR6YDGMT/Roger+H.+Siminoff Roger Siminoff | Luthier, Acoustician, Inventor https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1589489337979-3NU41HJM9ZJ2OJN4YHW6/roger_pat_string-216x270.jpg Roger Siminoff | Luthier, Acoustician, Inventor - String spool To further simplify string installation, U.S. Patent 4,377,963 describes having the last few inches of string spooled onto a thimble so that the string could be instantly attached to the machine head and the necessary slack drawn out to install the string. (Stemming from this design, Siminoff developed strings with a pin on one end [licensed to Gibson as the “Grabbers”] enabling the pin to be placed into the hole of a traditional geared machine and instantly locked in place. With this string design and Siminoff’s crank design [above], an entire set of guitar strings could be changed in 1-1/2 minutes.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588969478272-QQ109NCVZGQUAUEJM0OK/Roger+H.+Siminoff Roger Siminoff | Luthier, Acoustician, Inventor https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1589303278415-9KSSQ4W5R614XDURBXZY/Physics+of+Music.jpg Roger Siminoff | Luthier, Acoustician, Inventor - The Physics of Music Transcribed and annotated by Roger H. Siminoff. This book is a verbatim reproduction of a student’s notebook from Professor Lloyd Loar’s class at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL in the summer of 1943. The numerous illustrations were scanned from the original book to maintain a close feeling to what Loar drew on the blackboard. Great background on musical acoustics, inferences to tuned air chambers, and comments on Loar’s preference of the violin over the mandolin (acoustically). 48 pages, spiral bound. Prologue by Roger H. Siminoff . Available only through us. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588969315490-FVLKDEE9TOUHJRUDV6LL/Roger+H.+Siminoff Roger Siminoff | Luthier, Acoustician, Inventor https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588969558925-TCOJUC23KOJWGDMAKA25/Roger+H.+Siminoff%2C+Marine+Author Roger Siminoff | Luthier, Acoustician, Inventor https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588968803063-08OB3GNW1MFL7T3IRP3P/The+Ultimate+Bluegrass+Mandolin+Construction+Manual Roger Siminoff | Luthier, Acoustician, Inventor - The Ultimate Bluegrass Mandolin Construction Manual The Ultimate Bluegrass Mandolin Construction Manual is a compendium of 40 years of mandolin building and research by Roger Siminoff. This 160-page book features rich step-by-step assembly instructions, a complete set of the most highly detailed full-size drawings ever made available, more than 250 construction photos and illustrations, 4 pages of full-color photos of the color-finishing and grain-contrast process, luthier’s signature labels, a detailed guide on the art of tap-tuning, and much more. Foreword by John Monteleone. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588968533469-BUN2PX21PEL8BVRNNKSW/Adjustable+nut Roger Siminoff | Luthier, Acoustician, Inventor - Adustable nut The adjustable nut, U.S. Patent 4,304,163, enables the musician to set the strings’ “action” high or low without the need to file the nut (and possibly file it too low rendering it unusable). Each string’s contact point is a small screw which threads into the nut body and can be stopped at quarter-turn adjusting points. The adjustable nut provides the most precise nut action available. Further, the metal (brass) design provides the additional advantage of being a desirable rigid non-damping string support (acoustically speaking). https://www.siminoff.net/gibson daily 0.75 2020-05-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588955676065-I6N7LHL4NPZU1FWW2DGB/Gibson+banjo+rim Gibson | A Chronology With all the springs in place, the rim is finally ready to have the tone tube installed. The assembly of these rims was very time consuming and it is no wonder that the Company eventually favored a one-piece tone chamber and lastly, a one-piece cast flange. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588954807789-9D4JRT9KWBKXB7MT8JZN/Style+6 Gibson | A Chronology - Style -6 This banjo was a handsome combination of curly maple woods and flashy binding. The first models boasted black and white checkerboard-like binding. A variation of the style was introduced as the PT, an instrument with gold-speckled binding and a string scale length halfway between that of tenor and plectrum. After the PT’s short tenure (two years of production), several style-6 banjos were made with the same gold-speckled binding. The style -6 had hearts and flowers inlays, rosewood (later ebony) fretboards, gold-plated and engraved hardware, and a yellow-orange finish called “Argentine Grey.” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588956200946-7GC3JFEUPMYNFCXEV1KL/Gibson+banjo Gibson | A Chronology - Fig. 9 & Fig. 10 Fig. 9. In the early ’30s, a new tone chamber was designed to take advantage of the full 11″ head diameter. A cast tone chamber was prepared with a .655″-high lip (A) that could fit in place of the arch-top tone chamber (which had a lip of the same height). This design is often referred to as the “low-profile flattop tone chamber.” It was drilled with 20 holes (B). Around 1935, a new flattop tone chamber (Fig. 10) was designed with a top portion deeper than that of its predecessor. Because the “tone chamber” portion was larger, it only had a .420″ lip, and thus was not inter-changeable with the arch-top tone chambers. The flattop tone chamber was available as an option, but not promoted as a standard tone chamber system until the announcement of the top-tension models. These had 20 holes although some have been found undrilled. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588957258351-2SU1V52RQSP1L98YW40X/Roger Gibson | A Chronology Photo by Rosemary Wagner https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588954543945-3FOAZ6Z3IMTPYFJUJC4W/Style+75 Gibson | A Chronology - Style -75 This model was the top-of-the-line of the standard models during the latter part of the 20 Golden Years (other than the higher numbered top-tension models). It was constructed of Honduras mahogany, with a rosewood fretboard and rather plain inlay designs. The headstock was inlaid in a fancy, but not overly decorative motif; and the hardware was nickel plated. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588954888382-ZFDWUUL7DXCL0AG7MY05/Style+4 Gibson | A Chronology - Style -4 This style was the top of the standard (not engraved, carved, or gold-plated) line. The first version, introduced in 1923, featured silver plating, ebony fretboard with pearl dots, curly maple neck wood, and Pyralin resonator. In 1925 it featured a Honduras mahogany neck and resonator, nickel-plated hardware, Brazilian rosewood fretboard, hearts-and-flowers inlay design, and white/black/white binding. In 1929, the style -4 was changed to the same “eagles” inlay pattern as the Granada of that period. The wood was changed to burl walnut, and the plating changed to chrome. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588956122231-UTINBGBGMMU6VW96DPX7/Gibson Gibson | A Chronology - Fig. 6 & Fig. 7 In 1927, the first cast tone chamber (A) was employed (Fig. 6), which supported the head in the same arch-top manner as its predecessor. The inside perimeter of the tone chamber was drilled with 40 holes (although several instruments have been found with undrilled chambers). With the introduction of this system, a notched stretcher band (B) made its appearance, secured with round hooks that had straight-sided hexagonal nuts. The four-ply rim had a machined lip that accepted the tube. This design greatly simplified the banjo’s structure, which reduced manufacturing and assembly problems. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588954779821-Y5AE9GDY8JM6A1PSFHDU/Style+7 Gibson | A Chronology - Style -7 The bottom of the top-tension line. This style was made of plain maple and finished in dark brown. The hardware was nickel-plated and the inlay design was similar to the “bowtie” pattern used in the style -250 banjos of the late ’50s (although the style-7 had several slots cut into the sides of each inlay piece). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588956171028-1X44S6J18RR6PTV9P8MV/Gibson+banjos Gibson | A Chronology - Fig. 8 The style-2 banjos of 1930 featured a small cast tone chamber of modified arch-top design, with flat hooks, a grooved stretcher band, and a full 3/4″-thick three-piece rim. And, as indicated in Fig. 8, the shoes were not entirely banished from Gibson’s line. Lower-numbered models employed shoes with four-sided “diamond-hole” flanges and flanges whose plates were stamped in a wavy, flowing pattern. While these rims were used on lesser models, they had substantial mass (because they could be used a full 3/4″ thick since no flange or tube had to slide up on, and be attached to the rim) and proved to be good sounding banjos. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588956235288-VGGXJLX1T1I42T1QZSJK/Top-tension+banjos Gibson | A Chronology - Fig. 11 Fig 11. The top-tension banjos featured a specially cast and machined stretcher band (A), into which fit square-head, washer-head bolts (B) to allow adjusting of the skin heads of that time without removing the resonator. The square-head bolts threaded directly into the cast zamac (pot metal) flange, and the armrest could be removed (to get to the bolts beneath it) by loosening a thumbscrew. The flattop tone chamber was officially announced with the introduction of this model. From an acoustical standpoint, the added mass of the cast stretcher band and heavy bracket bolts provided improved sustain. This, combined with the top tension model’s solid resonator gave this instrument unusual performance characteristics not found in Gibson’s lighter-weight models. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588955069431-IOTJ6TKCI4XLZXTS0IEM/Style+00 Gibson | A Chronology - Style -00 This was the bottom of the line when it was introduced in 1935, it was made with a rosewood fretboard, dot inlays, nickel plating, white binding, and plain maple wood finished in a light walnut stain. This instrument had a round rod (rather than cast) tone chamber and a one-piece cast flange. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588954592409-O3Y78K3HTZAJHM66WF8C/Style+18 Gibson | A Chronology - Style -18 The best of the top-tension models. this instrument featured an arched (radiused) rosewood fretboard, large art-deco inlays, a new art-deco peghead design bound in white/black/white, and a carved (rather than laminated) heavy resonator whose outer surface was turtle-shell shaped. The top-tension model was the first official announcement of the flattop tone chamber design (although it was previously available on special order). Hardware was gold-plated and engraved, and the neck and resonator wood was curly maple. The resonator on top-tension models was machine carved from a solid piece of wood, instead of being laminated as on other models. The extra bulk, of hardware, plus the solid resonator made this model the heaviest of the Gibson banjo line (which served to provide great power). Tuning pegs had a large squarish housing which reflected the designs of the art-deco period. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588955950387-9U82B95STNNO31C9HYCC/Ball+bearing+tone+chamber Gibson | A Chronology - Fig. 2 The first version of the ball bearing tone chamber design is shown in Fig 2. Holes were drilled (A) into the top of the rim, and steel washers (B) were inserted to keep the balls (C) centered (some early versions had steel discs instead of washers), and to prevent them from digging into the wood. The hollow tube (D) that rested on top of the 20 balls was drilled (E) around its inner circumference. The balls were intended to prevent the tube from resting directly on the rim with the intention of making the tube resilient (springy). These early ball bearing rims had a thicker rim section (F) beneath the shoes. These rims also had the rounded bracket nuts that required a 5/16″ nut wrench (the long, straight nuts on later models required a 1/4″ nut wrench). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588954463244-VDN9LYHFRKHR7ZN3BRBM/Bella+Voce Gibson | A Chronology - Bella Voce Similar to the Florentine model, except the Bella Voce featured a rosewood fretboard with mother-of-pearl inlays, and a lyre design carved and painted on the resonator back. The first models had an ebony-veneered peghead with two variations of elaborate mother-of-pearl inlays, later changed to the same peghead as the Florentine model. “fiddle” headstock. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588954992002-G87JQC767TOCH007U6VL/Style+1 Gibson | A Chronology - Style -1 This banjo was introduced in 1922 with nickel plating, an ebony fretboard with pearl dots, and a “trap door” resonator. In 1925 the fretboard was changed to rosewood with fancy inlay shapes, the resonator was deleted, and a 10-1/2″ head was featured. In 1926, the style changed to a full-resonator model with shoes-and-plate flange and an 11″ head. In 1930 it further changed to a dark mahogany (stain over maple) finish, and “bat” inlays, In 1936 the inlay pattern changed again to simple dots. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588956359782-JOXCD8379L5PCD6ABNWU/Lyre+label Gibson | A Chronology https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588956479761-83OUK4MLAKVCN6RZ4PC0/Lyre+mandolin Gibson | A Chronology To construct the lyre mandolin, I cut the rim from a solid piece, rather than bending it (as specified in Orville’s early patent claims). The rim is 1-1/2″ high, as on most of Orville’s early instruments, the soundboard is Sitka spruce, and the backboard is African mahogany. The severely-arched soundboard offered no flexibility which resulted in the amplitude and tonal qualities being rather poor. The photo of me playing it, was taken in 1976. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588954916336-NALN9G5PXYQFZOVBICVR/Style+3 Gibson | A Chronology - Style -3 The first style -3 was introduced in 1923 and boasted nickel plating, an ebony fretboard with dot inlays, and plain maple neck wood. In 1925 the style -3 featured “snowflake” inlays, nickel plating, plain maple neck and resonator wood, and was finished in a dark-reddish brown mahogany color. In 1929, the inlay was changed to large, fancy designs. In 1937, a variation of this style became the style -75 (see above). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588955458223-APQ3MCEMBRSXLZGBNHKW/Gibson+rims Gibson | A Chronology To the inexperienced observer, some rims appear to have been made of five thinner plies; but this is a misconception caused by a practice still in use today. The bending and lamination process is a difficult one and several rims might come off the mold with unsightly glue joints. To improve the cosmetic appearance, a poorly glued three-ply rim would be placed on a lathe and a “cut” made into the glue joints. Then, thin filler strips would be glued into the cuts and then machined flush, resulting in a multiply appearance, while still basically a three-ply construction. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588956407968-KIS21CRSARXNIFNOY30A/Gibson+label Gibson | A Chronology The lyre is one of the earliest known stringed instruments and was often used as a decorative element on early objects. This clock, dating back to 1910, depicts a lyre whose design is very similar to the lyre in Gibson’s label. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588954951897-A7TOG1K6YU2CK86DVPG2/Style+2 Gibson | A Chronology - Style -2 The 1920 version had dot inlays, an ebony fretboard, and no resonator. In 1925 it featured a full resonator, shoes with a wavy-shaped flange, simple inlay designs, rosewood fretboard, and an amber-brown finish. In 1926, the openings in the flange were changed to diamond-shaped. The versions after 1930 had one-piece flanges, silk screened decorations, walnut resonators, and pearloid fretboards. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588957199157-2YHYMDP383F9HWLDPQ7N/University+of+South+Dakota+Music+Museum Gibson | A Chronology The above instrument is now in the permanent collection of the University of South Dakota Music Museum in Vermillion, SD. In October, 2007, I was invited to the museum to give a presentation on The Lore of Loar, and had a minute to stop and see Orville’s lyre mandolin. Photo courtesy George Gruhn. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588954843877-6ZNG99JWF1RNWNQK6HWT/Style+5 Gibson | A Chronology - Style -5 The style -5 was available in two distinct models. First as one of the early “trap-door” and Pyralin resonator banjos. The tone chamber at that time was the plain ball-bearing type. Fretboard inlay pattern was a fancy floral pattern, and the hardware was gold-plated. In 1925 with the introduction of the spring-loaded ball-bearing tone chamber, this style was introduced with a full resonator, “wreath” inlay design, gold-plated and engraved hardware, figured walnut neck and resonator wood, ivroid binding, wood-inlay marquetry on the back of the peghead, and fancy purfling. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588956545640-7DO088CV66D88ZJ0XSQA/Lyre+shaped+mandolin Gibson | A Chronology https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588954429969-HR19XO30H228W2CZK22W/Florentine Gibson | A Chronology - Florentine An elaborate instrument boasting Italian Renaissance motifs. The pearloid fretboard was hand painted with multi-colored scenes and the resonator back was carved and colored with a fancy crown-and-crest design. The peghead was veneered in pearloid, inlaid and bordered in colorful rhinestones. The hardware was gold-plated and richly engraved. Available in burl walnut, curly maple, Brazilian rosewood, or white holly woods. (Some had white-painted maple.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588955021154-W0XHG4GAQQRYCLJTPM5J/Style+0 Gibson | A Chronology - Style -0 The style -0 was introduced in 1925 with an “ebonized maple” fretboard, dot inlays, no resonator, and a 10-1/2″ head. In 1926 it was changed to an 11″ head. The finish during both years as an antique mahogany stain over maple. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588956092350-CV7BIIH6PGWX7CZCQDOG/Gibson+banjos Gibson | A Chronology - Fig. 5 A major design change occurred in 1925 with the introduction of the modified ball bearing tone chamber (Fig. 5). A round rod (A), smaller in both diameter and circumference, was brazed onto the hollow tone tube (B). A second stamping (C) was brazed to the outside diameter of the tone tube to keep it centered within the outer support ring (D). [The early support rings were drilled with a staggered-hole pattern, which is visible from the outside of the banjo at position (D)]. Flat hooks were still used on this version, and the springs were larger than on previous models. The banjo head had two contact points, giving it the first “arch top” profile. Lastly, we see the introduction of the hexagonal 1/4″ bracket nut which is still currently used on Gibson banjos. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588954102025-DMKVPIC7VMJBZU9G4H2S/Gibson+Factory Gibson | A Chronology The Gibson factory at 225 Parsons Street, Kalamazoo, Michigan, ca:1940. Heralding a 48-star American flag, and getting into full swing before the War years, Gibson’s signage (on both the left and right face of the building) boasts “guitars, banjos, mandolins, violins, music, and strings.” Banjo and mandolin production continued in this facility, kindly referred to by Gibson employees as “the old building,” until Gibson moved its operations to Nashville in 1984. The building still stands, today. (The photo, originally black and white, has been color enhanced for this web page.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588954734878-MQICFR1J7Y6WEQT2EJ7X/Style+11 Gibson | A Chronology - Style -11 A lower-priced standard model with pearloid fretboard, peghead, and resonator back all of which were silk screened in a multi-colored floral motif. Hardware was nickel-plated. This model had a 1/4″ brass rod as a “tone chamber” rather than the cast tone on better models. Some versions had necks that were painted royal blue. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588955416374-1I58RNJNTSXVHD0YCJJB/Gibson+rims Gibson | A Chronology Depending on the model, there were either of three or four plies: three plies of 1/4″ maple to make up a 3/4″ rim machined down for one-piece flange models, and four plies of 1/4″ rim to make up the heavy rim used for tube-and-plate models. All of the laminate ends were taper-cut, a method of angling the joining ends of each laminate so that they would overlap rather than joint flat end-to-end. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588956001080-EMU3TCE2QZMGYQGSFS3P/Balls+and+springs Gibson | A Chronology - Fig. 3 & Fig. 4 Fig 3. Shortly after the introduction of the ball bearing system, a lip (A) was machined into the rim’s side to support the tube (B), which replaced the shoes. The tube added greater structural stability to the rim (acting as a hoop on a barrel) and assured that the laminates would not separate. The hooks were still the flat design, but the nuts (1/4″ hexagonal) were changed to a more elongated shape. Fig 4 indicates the addition of springs beneath the ball bearings to further increase the resiliency. The outer profile of the rim’s lip was slightly changed to be more rounded and not as flat as (A) in Fig 3. As with the rims in Fig 3, the bracket nuts were the same elongated hexagonal 1/4″ nuts. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588954315331-9FAL4UAYPAK9TEOI8XH3/Gibson+Mastertone Gibson | A Chronology Gibson’s banjo models featured a robust series of changes in the design and implementation of tone-chambers, rims, flanges, resonator designs, platings, woods, bindings, marquetry, inlay, hardware, engravings, and finishes. Most all of the Gibson banjos were available in tenor banjo (TB), plectrum banjo (PB), guitar banjo (GB), mandolin banjo (MB), ukulele banjo (UB), and regular (5-string) banjo (RB) models. A few were available in a half-breed plectrum/tenor (PT) whose string scale was halfway between plectrum and tenor. The following is a brief description of the changes made during Gibson’s 1918-1938 Golden Year era. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588955895230-UFZEJ8V6K2PQZYQ7X7VA/Banjo+rim+pot Gibson | A Chronology - Fig. 1 The very first Gibson banjo rim “pot” assemblies utilized shoes (A) that held onto the rim (B) with hex-head, screws (C), as shown in Fig 1. The top half of the outer edge of the hooks (D) were flattened and were designed to fit into a grooved stretcher band (E). The nuts (F) were large and had a rounded bottom. A simple round rod served as a tone ring (G), and rested on top of the rim. The skin heads were held on with “flesh hoops” (H), which were rings of either round or square brass. Necks were originally fitted to the rims with standard wooden “dowel sticks.” That system gave way to a combination of a dowel stick and a single coordinator rod, which in turn was replaced by an upper nut and a lower coordinator rod (a single rod was unable to “coordinate” the neck’s axis, and was later replaced by two coordinator rods (although some models in the late 50s and early 60s had only one rod). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588954506484-7DEV6WT450DW3K8GYN8O/Granada Gibson | A Chronology - Granada The very first Granada model had a curly maple neck and resonator, with gold-plated, engraved, and burnished (dulled) hardware. The fretboards were Brazilian rosewood and the instrument was inlaid in the “hearts and flowers” design. The inlay pattern was changed to the “eagles” design when the “double-cut” headstock was introduced. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588955638115-YS965QUALQBGWF9BLAKH/Banjo+springs Gibson | A Chronology Of the 48 washers, 24 were placed below the springs, and 24 were countersunk – to hold the ball and keep it centered – and placed above the washers. Each spring, washer, and ball assembly went into a hole drilled in the rim. To ensure accurate height and contact of the balls to the tone tube, thin paper shims were placed beneath the bottom-most washer and the rim. (The shims are often discarded and rarely found on banjos today, except on those rare banjos that were never disassembled before.) https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588954360284-GSYUF9MDS4C370KNPV0U/All+American Gibson | A Chronology - All American A richly- decorated banjo model with a carved and colored eagle on the resonator back, and a three-dimensional eagle carved on the peghead. The fretboard was hand-painted with scenes depicting the development of American history. Gold-plated engraved hardware, pearloid fretboard, burl walnut and white holly woods. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588954628964-UKBX99W2R4HOE6D4E34K/Style+12 Gibson | A Chronology - Style -12 The middle of the top-tension models. Virtually the same as the style -18 except the style 12 was chrome plated, not engraved, and featured black walnut as a neck and resonator wood. The instrument was finished in a dark sunburst with dark regions around the outside back of the resonator, at the neck heel, and at the back of the peghead. Most of the top-tension models had three-digit serial numbers. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588956586099-I9EEKU2FKLP54IQPBGQ2/Lyre+label Gibson | A Chronology For the label, Orville’s photo was superimposed over the mandolin’s fretboard making it look more like a lyre than a mandolin. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588955597370-OB6RRHB22Q3GS61CVU19/Banjo+rims Gibson | A Chronology Gibson’s spring-loaded ball-bearing tone chamber system was a marvelous engineering feat of wood and metal parts. The assembly included (left to right) a grooved stretcher band, exterior tone chamber rim, tone tube with integral lip and arched upper ring, tube and plate assembly, 24 ball bearings, 24 coil springs, and 48 flat washers.Each spring was rated at 460 pounds per inch. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5d4062566a7863000143c32b/1588955843151-KJC5JD5RHI8LM4P8GQTX/Gibson%E2%80%99s+ball-bearing+tone+chamber%2C+c%3A1925 Gibson | A Chronology - Gibson’s ball-bearing tone chamber Gibson’s ball-bearing tone chamber, c:1925