Bob Givens started working on instruments in 1962 as a repair person in Los Angeles. From 1962 to 1966 he did over 300 5-string Mastertone conversions and around 10 D45 conversions. He then moved east to Nashville where he became involved in mandolins - first with F5 conversions and then making his own instruments. He designed an A model and went into business with Tut Taylor to mass produce them in the old Harmony guitar factory. The partnership with Tut Taylor did not work out however and in 1974 Givens moved back west to the coast of Washington and got back into custom work and restorations. Having done extensive work on Norman Blake's 1938 Martin D-18, Givens designed his own 18 dreadnought guitar model using that instrument for inspiration. By 1976 he was selling a limited range of acoustic guitars and mandolins, distributed by Guitars Friend, Idaho.  Bob Givens died in 1992 at the age of 50.

Source: RL Givens guitar and mandolin catalog, 1976

Source: Vintage mandolin - Bob Givens article