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Thread: Naming your Mandolin

  1. #1
    Registered User mbruno's Avatar
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    Default Naming your Mandolin

    So I've never named my instruments - no real reason behind it, just never really did. I just call them by what they are - the Gibson, the Newson, the 5 string Mann, the 8 string Mann etc. My girlfriend is adamant that I should be naming them - I'm fairly stubborn in my "I don't care" opinion haha.

    It got me thinking though - how many of you all have named your mandolins?

    If you have named yours - what's the name and why?
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  2. #2
    Registered User Charlie Bernstein's Avatar
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    Default Re: Naming your Mandolin

    I usually name my instruments, cars, amps, and homes. My latest mando acquisition is an old oval A Gibson Junior.

    I call it Junior. You can probably can guess why.

    My other mando is orange. I call it Clementine. You won't need help with that one, either.

  3. #3
    Registered User Charles E.'s Avatar
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    Default Re: Naming your Mandolin

    I am in the same camp as you, I have my Girouard and one I built. Never named cars or instruments. My wife however names her cars and drones, go figure.
    Perhaps when your girlfriend gets a mandolin she can name it.
    Charley

    A bunch of stuff with four strings

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  5. #4
    Registered User Joey Anchors's Avatar
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    Default Re: Naming your Mandolin

    I like naming my mandos.

    Crystal Forest A/N - Abalone Pearl H.

    Draleon Royale- Claudia

    Eastman MD404 - Penelope
    Waterloo WL-M

    Blues Mando Social Group - member

  6. #5
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    Default Re: Naming your Mandolin

    I had enough trouble naming my kids, can't do a mandolin.

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  8. #6
    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Naming your Mandolin

    Every few years someone starts a new thread on the subject. For instance:



    Probably a few dozen more in the past.

    In answer to your question: NO!
    Jim

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  10. #7
    String-Bending Heretic mandocrucian's Avatar
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    Default Re: Naming your Mandolin

    Synchronicity!!

    I just completed a totally unscientific poll or "What name should a musician bestow on their instrument?" Not a Lucille or Marilyn in the batch.

    The favorites, in descending order:

    1) Bond, James Bond
    2) Mrs. Peel
    3) The Gumpster
    4) Beelzebubba
    5) Mr Plinky (or Miss Plinky)
    6) Bruce*
    7) Weginald (or Wegina)
    8) Scabbers


    *overwhelming favorite of Australians

  11. #8
    Registered User Randi Gormley's Avatar
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    Default Re: Naming your Mandolin

    I'm more like the OP. I have the strad, the snake, the quiet bandolim, the loud bandolim, the rogue, the Eastman etc. etc. I used to name my cars but haven't in decades.
    --------------------------------
    1920 Lyon & Healy bowlback
    1923 Gibson A-1 snakehead
    1952 Strad-o-lin
    1983 Giannini ABSM1 bandolim
    2009 Giannini GBSM3 bandolim
    2011 Eastman MD305

  12. #9
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    Default Re: Naming your Mandolin

    I have been told to tell my students they should name their instrument in order to connect/bond with it and not neglect on practicing. For those of us who practice because we can't help not to, I get how this doesn't make sense. I personally started naming mine when I was young and didn't have a reason to do so. It seems to keep my students excited about their new instrument.

  13. #10

    Default Re: Naming your Mandolin

    I na.ed my first build, an IV kit A style, Grizelda, which means endless patience. I definitely needed endless patience to get through to completion. My Collings MT2 is a cream top with Italian spruce top, and I named her Pearlie.

  14. #11
    Mandolin user MontanaMatt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Naming your Mandolin

    Mine were named by my 4 yr old son.
    The Red One, and The Yellow One.
    Can you guess who's who in my avatar?
    2007 Weber Custom Elite "old wood"
    2017 Ratliff R5 Custom #1148
    Several nice old Fiddles
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  15. #12

    Default Re: Naming your Mandolin

    When I'm having difficulties staying in tune when I'm playing at a local session, whichever mandolin it is is called ' that useless piece of effing junk '

    Dave H
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    Ibanez Artist 5 string
    2001 Paul Shippey oval hole

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  17. #13
    Registered User Gunnar's Avatar
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    Default Re: Naming your Mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by MontanaMatt View Post
    Mine were named by my 4 yr old son.
    The Red One, and The Yellow One.
    Can you guess who's who in my avatar?
    I'll guess that the upper one is "the red one" and the other is "the yellow"? Cuz kids like ironic reverse psychology?

    No, I haven't named any of my instruments cuz I'm not good at naming things. I have named all my instrumentals.... if I ever get a dobro I'm gonna name it turtlebrane, but it's a long story why
    Mandolin: Kentucky KM150
    Other instruments: way too many, and yet, not nearly enough.

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  19. #14

    Default Re: Naming your Mandolin

    Naw, we don't give inanimate objects names......that's too cutesy, IMHO.

    OTOH, if you like the word cutesy -- reminds me of that stupid car insurance commercial where the single gal says her car has been through 3 jobs, 4 boyfriends, and she even "named" it Brad.............yep, I could scream each time I see it......

    But, I what I actually find even more offensive is when people name their dog or cat, "The Dog" or "The Cat" or "Sh*thead" or have an animal for several years without naming it at all.......what's up with that?!!!

  20. #15
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    Default Re: Naming your Mandolin

    I have owned at least a couple of hundred instruments over the years, but have only named one.

    I have an inexpensive oval hole mandolin that I bought because it vaguely reminded me of Jethro Burns old Gibson A-5. I was going to name the mandolin 'Jethro', but I am such a hack mandolin player that I thought it would be an insult to both Jethro and mandolin players in general . . . so, I named it 'Homer'

  21. #16
    Dan Sampson mando_dan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Naming your Mandolin

    The Buckeye F5 is, err, Buckey, while my Flatiron mandola remains unnamed for some reason. Our cars are Rocky (the color or rocks) and Irene (purchased during Hurricane Irene).
    1999 Buckeye #18 (Bucky)
    198x Flatiron pancake mandola (no name)
    2020 Kentucky 252 oval hole (Aurum)

  22. #17
    Registered User Charlie Bernstein's Avatar
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    Default Re: Naming your Mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by Charles E. View Post
    I am in the same camp as you, I have my Girouard and one I built. Never named cars or instruments. My wife however names her cars and drones, go figure. . . .
    No surprise there. Queen bees always know their all drones' names!

  23. #18
    Registered User Charlie Bernstein's Avatar
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    Default Re: Naming your Mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by mandocrucian View Post
    Synchronicity!!

    I just completed a totally unscientific poll or "What name should a musician bestow on their instrument?" Not a Lucille or Marilyn in the batch.

    The favorites, in descending order:

    1) Bond, James Bond
    2) Mrs. Peel
    3) The Gumpster
    4) Beelzebubba
    5) Mr Plinky (or Miss Plinky)
    6) Bruce*
    7) Weginald (or Wegina)
    8) Scabbers


    *overwhelming favorite of Australians
    ?!?

  24. #19
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Naming your Mandolin

    At a jam a few months ago a guy had a small amp with a woman's name on it. I asked what was up with the name and he said "It's my wife's name. She's loud and so is this amp".

    I don't name instruments or any animal I may have to eat.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

  25. #20
    Registered User Charlie Bernstein's Avatar
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    Default Re: Naming your Mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by Jeff Mando View Post
    Naw, we don't give inanimate objects names......that's too cutesy . . .
    Only if the name is cutesy.

    I've had three Plymouth Valiants. One was an automatic. It stalled at red lights unless I put it in neutral and kept my foot on the gas pedal. When the light turned green, I'd shift into drive.

    Naturally, I named the car Lurch.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by MikeZito View Post
    I have owned at least a couple of hundred instruments over the years, but have only named one.

    I have an inexpensive oval hole mandolin that I bought because it vaguely reminded me of Jethro Burns old Gibson A-5. I was going to name the mandolin 'Jethro', but I am such a hack mandolin player that I thought it would be an insult to both Jethro and mandolin players in general . . . so, I named it 'Homer'
    I had a baseball bat named Homer.

    Still couldn't hit anything with it.

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  27. #21
    Registered User Simon DS's Avatar
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    Default Re: Naming your Mandolin

    An Ashbury Octave Mandolin called, ‘Chow Mein’?

  28. #22

    Default Re: Naming your Mandolin

    I have my grandmother's name stamped on the tailpiece of my Collings. Sort of commemorates her as when she passed away, she sent a little bit of cash my way that I used to fund the purchase. Since then I've always referred to it as Eunice. (Sort of a humorous aside, one time a young Korean drug rep came by the hospital and told me that she had an unusual name but that it came from the bible. I told her that I'd heard of it before and showed her Eunice - she was appropriately speechless!)

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  30. #23
    Registered User BoxCarJoe's Avatar
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    Default Re: Naming your Mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by rick frank View Post
    I have my grandmother's name stamped on the tailpiece of my Collings. Sort of commemorates her as when she passed away, she sent a little bit of cash my way that I used to fund the purchase. Since then I've always referred to it as Eunice. (Sort of a humorous aside, one time a young Korean drug rep came by the hospital and told me that she had an unusual name but that it came from the bible. I told her that I'd heard of it before and showed her Eunice - she was appropriately speechless!)
    Same situation with my mom.
    She gave me what little she had when she passed and I put it towards an instrument I named after her.

  31. #24
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    Smile Re: Naming your Mandolin

    Quote Originally Posted by mandocrucian View Post
    Synchronicity!!

    I just completed a totally unscientific poll or "What name should a musician bestow on their instrument?" Not a Lucille or Marilyn in the batch.

    The favorites, in descending order:

    1) Bond, James Bond
    2) Mrs. Peel
    3) The Gumpster
    4) Beelzebubba
    5) Mr Plinky (or Miss Plinky)
    6) Bruce*
    7) Weginald (or Wegina)
    8) Scabbers


    *overwhelming favorite of Australians
    I am a 67 year old Australian and have only known about 5 people named Bruce in my life. And they were all women.

  32. #25
    Registered User seankeegan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Naming your Mandolin

    http://www.alisonstephens.com/instruments.html

    She had another Embergher that was on permenant loan from the family of her late teacher, Hugo D'alton. She called it Hugo. I believe it returned to the D'alton family after her untimely death.

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