Do you name your guitar?

GSMetal · Sea Monkey Joined: 03 Feb 2007 Posts: 12

As a motorcyclist (BMW) all of my bikes have names.

Do you have a name for your guitar?

sharring · Tiger Joined: 04 Feb 2004 Posts: 815 Location: Texas

I have a pet name for mine...it's "you idiot"... Smile

Example-Why did you play that you idiot? What were you thinking? etc...

Bates15 · Moderator Joined: 19 Feb 2002 Posts: 1084

No pet names here.... Now you mention it, it might be a good idea Smile

PunkStar · Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2007 2:26 am Post subject:

I mostly play my acoustic. But it is a Cole Clark Fat Lady 1. So as such, it is inheritly female. But I have not been bothered to come up with a name.

Herb · Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2007 6:23 pm Post subject:

markm2553 · Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2007 6:55 pm Post subject:

I'm an odd one I guess, I don't have a name for my Harley or my guitars. Confused

PunkStar · Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2007 9:16 pm Post subject:

It's certainly not unusual for a guitarist to name their guitars though. Eric Clapton had one named Blackie (I think he sold that one though). Steve Vai's main guitar is Evo, he also has one named Flo, and others as well. And Stevie Ray Vaughan had at least two named guitars. Number One, and Lenny (Lenny being named after his wife Lenora).

Some players feel that the guitar is a tool of limitless creativity. They have a sort of emotional connection to the instrument, like they go to another place when they play. Perhaps even feeling the instrument has a soul of it's own (much the way the samurai regarded their swords). If you can follow that logic, then it isn't a great step to give this separate soul a name that has a stronger bond than mere generic identification (guitar). Maybe that's why many players name their guitars.

Maybe the reason isn't as complex as that. But it looks like a good philosophical theory to me. Very Happy

jeff_osu · Tiger Joined: 17 Sep 2003 Posts: 838 Location: Oklahoma

I never outright named mine, but when I was a lot younger my neighbors had a dog named "Butterscotch", and I've subconsciously associated that name with my guitar based on the color and name.

sharring · Tiger Joined: 04 Feb 2004 Posts: 815 Location: Texas

"Perhaps even feeling the instrument has a soul of it's own"...wouldn't that be paganism? Confused

GSMetal · Sea Monkey Joined: 03 Feb 2007 Posts: 12

PunkStar · Posted: Sat Feb 24, 2007 6:30 pm Post subject:

sharring · Tiger Joined: 04 Feb 2004 Posts: 815 Location: Texas

GSMetal-one is alive and one isn't. Whether dogs have souls is another discussion.
Punk- the point i'm trying to make is that perhaps one should respect the player more than the instrument. Be God's-scott

PunkStar · Posted: Mon Feb 26, 2007 4:55 am Post subject:

GSMetal · Sea Monkey Joined: 03 Feb 2007 Posts: 12

sharring · Tiger Joined: 04 Feb 2004 Posts: 815 Location: Texas

GSMetal-i'm just being onery. But do painters name their brushes? i suspect it's a fine line to walk-being appreciative of the tools God gives us without worshiping the tools. (edited for clarity-mine).