"That Thing"

**bjc** · Dec-10-2005, 9:55am

Just an amusing little story: Our office was being flimed for the City's TV station. We were singing a Christmas song and the TV folks edit all the offices together to make some sort of City Christmas Presentation (Sarcasm ahead---I can hardly wait).

So, in an effort to spare the fine citizens the horrors of my singing voice I played mandolin to accompany our ensemble. The woman comes in to shoot us and starts to arrange us. She gets to me and says "Since you're playing that thing you can go..." I just started to giggle and no one really understood why...

Oh the misunderstood mandolin players...

Anyone else out there have a "name that thing" story?

**Jason Kessler** · Dec-10-2005, 10:43am

After my band played a few sets for an informal party, a slightly inebriated young lady announced, in one of those odd moments when a crowd falls simultaneously silent, "But Jason's thing is so little!"

**Ted Eschliman** · Dec-10-2005, 11:11am

Along the lines of the "He-who-must-not-be-named" Harry Potter character, many folks at church bewildered by my 8-string wonder would merely compliment me on my playing of the... and without even trying to guess its name they would just bend their right elbow and shake their wrist two or three times.

Like some secret fraternity handshake; despite the "ignorance," I'd take them at their good intent.

**MML** · Dec-10-2005, 11:37am

Ted, That is the universal, non-verbal discription of a mandolin...didn't you know that?

I've had folks call it a Manjerine, banjurine, ukeilin.

**John Rosett** · Dec-10-2005, 11:59am

"what do you call that little instrument you're playing?"
"i call it bruce, it's a mandolin."
-jethro

**Jim Yates** · Dec-10-2005, 2:42pm

I'm sure I'm not the only one on this site who's been told,"I love your ukulele playing."

**SternART** · Dec-10-2005, 2:47pm

Be sure & bring your "banjo" was about the worst I can recall......

**357mag** · Dec-10-2005, 3:20pm

I deal in commercial property rentals. As a result I have many people in and out of my home/office several times a day. For the most part they are are educated, worldly folks. I usually get compliments on my guitars and of course the mandolins. But it never ceases to amaze me how many of them look at the mandos and say "What are those little things?"

**Pedal Steel Mike** · Dec-10-2005, 5:07pm

You guys have no idea. Whatever problems you have with peopole not knowing what the word mandolin, they pale by comparison of people know knowing the name of my instrument. I've seen it called a everything from a steel pedal guitar, (this in the liner notes to a Beach Boys album) to a table slide, to a slide harp, to everything in between.

Once, when I was playing at an outdoor jam session (through a pignose), I even put a sign on my steel saying that it was a pedal steel guitar, and people STILL came up to me and asked what it was.

I think part of the problem is that the fact that the name contains 3 words, pedal steel guitar, is beyond some people's comprehension. I want to change the name to the TIFKATPSG. (The Instrument Formerly Known As The Pedal Steel Guitar.)

**JEStanek** · Dec-10-2005, 7:07pm

Poor Mike. Now he knows how a museum docent feels as people ask who painted the labeled painting.

I oud hate to bombarde you with obscure instruments. #The knowledge people shawm know and don't makes me dizi. #I say nyckelharpa and some one says gesundhiet! #Lotsa folks think the psaltery can only be found between the Proverbial Job! #And a sitar doesn't watch my kids while my wife and I watch a movie. #Egads! or is it Gdaes?

Jamie

Funny thread. #

**f5loar** · Dec-10-2005, 10:05pm

I knew a pro solo mandolin picker who strolled Italian resturants with his '23 Loar. He was asked so many times "What is it" that he had printed on his business card a little photo of a bowl back mandolin and above it the words "It's a Mandolin" and below it his name and phone number. He simply handed them his card and kept playing. Also got more gigs off giving out the cute cards!

**mandolinrick** · Dec-10-2005, 10:21pm

I was having problems with a girl friend and we were having an argument - rather she was telling me what was wrong with me. And she listed "and you like to play that damn banjo..." - I had to try real hard from not laughing right then. So, after we made up, I continued to call my mandolin my "damn banjo", and it became a private joke between us. And when people ask me what it is that I play, I still sometimes say "I play a damn banjo." Maybe I should say "damned banjo..."

Rick

**VictorLouis** · Dec-11-2005, 9:55am

Originally Posted by (JEStanek @ Dec. 10 2005, 20:07)

#Lotsa folks think the psaltery can only be found between the Proverbial Job! #

Heah! I now know what those are. What a neat sound they have. There's a local fellow that has one amongst his other, more common, items like hammered-dulcimers, chord-harps and zithers.

**jbrwky** · Dec-11-2005, 12:41pm

Whoa, she called it a damn banjo and you made up with her? In North Carolina I think its grounds.

**JEStanek** · Dec-11-2005, 8:47pm

VictorLouis,
There is a guy in NC who makes some really pretty Appalachain Dulcimers (uses cross section of walnuts for soundholes) who makes a nice bowed psaltery too. Archie Smith Instruments. Beautiful. I was several hundred short of a new toy. They sound haunting.

Jamie

**Jim Yates** · Dec-12-2005, 11:34am

Pedal Steel Mike - I've seen reviewers call it a petal steel guitar. Not to be confused with a floral tele.

**Fred G** · Dec-12-2005, 12:08pm

My daughter did an internship last summer and was talking to a guy there who has been to the pub we play at. She asked him if he ever saw my band. He said "once I went in there and there was a duo with a mexican and and old guy playing the ukele" we laughed so hard because Jake is samoan/dutch and I was only 43 and playing a mando for crying out loud.

**TommyK** · Dec-12-2005, 12:59pm

Originally Posted by (JEStanek @ Dec. 10 2005, 20:07)

Poor Mike. #Now he knows how a museum docent feels as people ask who painted the labeled painting.

I oud hate to bombarde you with obscure instruments. #The knowledge people shawm know and don't makes me dizi. #I say nyckelharpa and some one says gesundhiet! #Lotsa folks think the psaltery can only be found between the Proverbial Job! #And a sitar doesn't watch my kids while my wife and I watch a movie. #Egads! or is it Gdaes?

Jamie

Funny thread. #

I think you've theorbo-ly covered it!
Our school just took delivery on a new one. Italian, it looks like a long handled 'taterbug harp guitar.