Do you name your guitars?

[NavyChap]

When I first started lessons (about a year or so ago) I read somewhere that you are supposed to "name" your guitars -- is that a tradition that is still practiced? Is it "old school?" Do you name yours?????
I named my first Taylor "Cecelia" -- since I am a minister I chose the name because she was the patron saint of musicians.
Then I got the "bug" of purchasing more guitars --
the Yamaha FSC700SC was named "Winnie" after my mom who died in '96
Then I bought the Ibanez AM73B-TF and name him "Herbie" after my dad who died of TB when I was 5
Next came the Zager ZAD50-CE
and then the Seagull S6Original.
last two are yet to be officially named.

[MrMartyr]

I don't name inanimate objects. The guitar is an means to an end. Its a tool. The guitar will never be better than my ability to play it. It relies solely on me for its voice.

[Woodstock School Of Music]

Here we go again get ready for the snobs to talk down to you for even considering such a thing.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by NavyChap

When I first started lessons (about a year or so ago) I read somewhere that you are supposed to "name" your guitars -- is that a tradition that is still practiced?

Hi NC
Our 'tradition' in our family is to call cars by either their maker, model (Ford, Saturn, Explorer etc) or job (RV, SUV). Guitars are by size or maker's last name.

So we have Dreadnought, OM, or mini-jumbo Olson, Bashkin, Voyage-Air, Kronbauer. Nothing more.

Not giving them child-status (or perhaps more serious) doesn't indicate to us any less importance nor inclusion in the life of our family.

And for the record, dman, I'm not being snobbish, just reporting what happens at our house. If you want to give your instruments names, it's fine by me.

[MC5C]

Ones I build, yes - so far. Ones I buy, no. Other than "the '46 Zephyr, the '35 Dobro" and like that.

My first archtop is named "Firewood", because I used several pieces of highly figured and spalted maple from my firewood pile for the trim. My second archtop is named "Catherine", after my wife.

Brian

[Wade Hampton]

After dman wrote that this thread will give snobs a chance to talk down to those who do name their guitars, Larry - who doesn't name his guitars - replied:

Originally Posted by ljguitar

And for the record, dman, I'm not being snobbish, just reporting what happens at our house. If you want to give your instruments names, it's fine by me.

Which is my attitude, as well. It doesn't have a negative impact on my life if somebody else wants to name their guitars, I just don't have any inclination to do that myself.

I tend to refer to my instruments by either the manufacturer's name or an abbreviated version of the model name. My Gibson Advanced Jumbo is "the AJ," my Klepper KJ is "the KJ," my 000-42 is "the Triple O," and so forth.


whm

[Ralph124C41]

Originally Posted by MrMartyr

I don't name inanimate objects. The guitar is an means to an end. Its a tool. The guitar will never be better than my ability to play it. It relies solely on me for its voice.

Exactly my thoughts. I don't name my hammers, etc.


However, BB King ("Lucille"), Eric Claption ("Blackie") and a host of other pros don't share my thoughts so it's up to the owner to do whatever he or she wants to do with his or her guitar.

[Bingoccc]

No. I understand that some people do but it's not for me.

[cmd612]

No, but my spouse started referring to them as "Marty," "Al" and "Gil" (derived from the brand names), and, since I'm all for shorthand and don't have more than one guitar from any maker, I go along with it. (No nickname yet for the used Epiphone I picked up this week. If it gets one, I may suggest "AJ" rather than "Epi." )

[Ed-in-Ohio]

Count me as an unapologetic guitar namer (see signature below).

For me, getting to know the guitar, its gender, and its 'True Name' is a wonderful part of the relationship I build with an instrument once I get him/her.

[00-28]

Originally Posted by Ed-in-Ohio

Count me as an unapologetic guitar namer (see signature below).

For me, getting to know the guitar, its gender, and its 'True Name' is a wonderful part of the relationship I build with an instrument once I get him/her.

OK, that's a little more than I need to know. .......Mike

[riverrummed]

Usually a name will come to me for a given guitar but I have two that have yet to reveal their names...yet. Harmless fun.

[s2y]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi NC
Our 'tradition' in our family is to call cars by either their maker, model (Ford, Saturn, Explorer etc) or job (RV, SUV). Guitars are by size or maker's last name.

So we have Dreadnought, OM, or mini-jumbo Olson, Bashkin, Voyage-Air, Kronbauer. Nothing more.

Not giving them child-status (or perhaps more serious) doesn't indicate to us any less importance nor inclusion in the life of our family.

And for the record, dman, I'm not being snobbish, just reporting what happens at our house. If you want to give your instruments names, it's fine by me.

I'm more along the lines of this.

I used to name guitars after women I was chasing. I was young and didn't end up keeping those guitars. Nor was I even close to dating those women.

[PistolPete]

I don't especially name guitars, they tend to just be "the Gretsch", "the Yamaha" etc. The exception would be my resonator which is sometimes referred to as "The Tin Toy".

I do find I usually want to refer to guitars as "she" though. Possibly because I'm from a seafaring family & had the female-pronoun-for-boats convention embedded at an early age.

[DanPanther]

No, The manufacturer did that for me.

Dan