Basses Named After Car

[matthewbrown]

I just read this book:
Play It Loud: An Epic History of the Style, Sound, and Revolution of the Electric Guitar.

The authors noted how many electric guitars were marketed like cars, and as a result, many of them were named after cars: Firebird, Thunderbird, Mustang, etc. And those names were applied to basses, too, although I expect it was more of an afterthought.

It seems to me that initially, the most popular basses have had names that were more descriptive of the bass or its applications (Precision, Jazz) than anything else. Of course, I did play a Stingray for awhile...


Anyone notice any marketing trends in the names that major manufacturers give to basses over the years? Also, what was up with "Ripper" and "Grabber"?

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Music Man Caprice

 

[DWBass]

Corvette

 

[two fingers]

Isn't a Fender part of a car?

 

[Paul Boyer]

Of course, the cars were named after something else to begin with. Rickenbacker had a bass called the El Dorado (2050 and 2060) that had gold plated hardware. Named after the legendary city of gold, as was the Cadillac El Dorado. Rickenbacker currently has the Cheyenne bass (4004Cii). Chevrolet has/had the Cheyenne pickup truck.

 

[DWBass]

Animals? Warwick Dolphin. MM Stingray.

 

[12BitSlab]

Corvette

If you visit the Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, KY, they have several special Corvettes made by Gibson.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

Music Man Caprice

Isn't there also a Cutlass?

Oldsmobile

I'll never forget:
There was a dude we worked with named Doug Olds.
Every time we went with him in his vehicle, we'd call it the Oldsmobile.
It was a Toyota.

 

[B-line]

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Yes, just paint, but...I think that they are purty cool!

 

[JACink]

While I can see that the guitars and basses do share the same names as many cars out there, but it is also a coincidence that they share the same names with the (mainly) animals/fish/birds that the cars were named after.

Which came first, the chiken or the egg?

(first Ford Mustang = 1964 or first Fender Mustang = 1964)

 

[rtslinger]

Fender Jaguar

Dean Cadillacs

Schecter Model T

Sadowsky Metros

EKO actually produces a model called the Camaro

Hagstrom Impala was produced from 1963 to 1967

The Fender Toronado was produced from 1998 to 2006

Celebrity has been a guitar model for both Ovation (1984 onward) and Mosrite (1960s and 1970s)

Both Hamer (1993 to 2002) and Framus (2000s to present) have produced guitar models called the Diablo.

I got nothing after these

 

[JJR58]

Thunderbird.

 

[Fresh Eddie]

Music Man Caprice

Isn't there also a Cutlass?

All of the original MusicMan Basses were named after cars: Stingray, Cutlass, Sabre....

 

[Rezdog]

Greetings from the North,


Fender Jaguar

Gibson Triumph


Rezdog

 

[DDXdesign]

Also, what was up with "Ripper" and "Grabber"?

I believe Grabber was due to the sliding pickup: you could just grab it and slide it to a new position for a different sound.

Ripper was probably just one of those model names that came up naturally - "Man, this thing rips!"

 

[B-line]

ESP Original Series -VIPER BASS-

Got one!!

 

[rtslinger]

found another

Just like the cars, Duesenberg instruments are also called Doozy or Duesy

 

[Fender_Bender]

Bronco.

 

[AndyII]

My first car was a Cutlass. My first bass was a Jazz. Hmmm....not interesting, although they were both blue.

I do miss my 1982 baby blue Cutlass with the plush dark blue interior, the dark blue vinyl top, and they 8-track player.

 

[B-line]

ITALIA GUITARS
HA!

BOOM!