Could we cool it with the bass jargon?

[consectaneus]

TL;DR

The other day this sent me the google: "VTDI plus a comp and a hpf". Now, to folks in the electronics section, this is their native language. Writing all of that out every time would quickly get tedious and most here don't blink an eye at it. In fact, they would be surprised that a bass player didn't know that. Now I do. The Sting thing got me too. I assumed he meant the Sting signature. I thought wow...those are going up in value.

 

[Auspuff]

I thought all along that this was a Sting bass...
View attachment 3745857

That's just wrong.

 

[micguy]

In my High School, there was a bunch of kids that ran around speaking in acronyms. To be part of the "in crowd" you had to have a copy of the IDIHB (I dig initials hand book). As status was apparently very important, and you'd lose status if everyone knew what was going on, the IDIHB's were naturally controlled; only given to a small group. It was, as pretty much everything in High School is, idiotic and sophmoric.

The acronym list referenced earlier is our IDIHB. Unlike High Schoool, we let everyone read it. We're less idiotic, and also less sophomoric, but we reserve the right to be a bit of each.

YMMV - AFAIK

 

[Sparkl]

In the interest of efficient communication, would it be possible to use standard language rather than bass jargon in posts?

I can understand "pups" as shorthand for pickups, but I also see some newer members thinking they've stumbled into a dog owners' group. "Tort" means one thing to us, but something completely different to lawyers.

I bring this up because of two recent experiences.

One poster referred to something like his "Fender L." I know Ps and Js and PJs, but couldn't recollect any Fender model that started with an L. Another TB-er thought that it was a reference to Fender's early numbering system, where an L serial number would have indicated a pre-1965 vintage. But even today, neither of us knows for sure.

And just today, a TB-er posted something about his "Sting." Some responders to the post thought he was talking about the P-bass model that Sting uses. As it turns out (I think, anyway), he was referring to a MusicMan StingRay.

Since we're all in this together, and we do really want to understand and help each other, do you think it might be possible to take a look at your post before sending, just to make sure you're saying what you mean and making your point clearly to a general audience? Assuming that everyone you want to communicate with is familiar with all the bass jargon is usually a mistake.

Thanks.

Just about everything you mentioned in your post has already been established and widely accepted a long time ago. A Sting will always mean Stingray and nothing else.

And probably as much as lawyers care about us understanding their jargon, so do we

 

[bassdude51]

Yeah, and we have to clarify between bass and bass.

 

[consectaneus]

I thought all along that this was a Sting bass...
View attachment 3745850

Sheesh...how old is he again?

 

[abarson]

I write technical documents for a variety of audiences, and the misuse of terms, the proliferation of abbreviations and acronyms doesn't make life easier. I despise how texting has stultified our language to a mere blush of its bountiful linguistic loquaciousness. We aren't paying for characters, so write "okay" instead of "k", dammit! Your flailing opposable thumbs can handle it, trust me!

 

[Sunnburn]

No offense. This thread totally reminds me of this video. I bet this after party was a barnburner! Lol!

 

[mdogs]

I can't believe no one has said, "Ok boomer," yet.

 

[Kro]

I write technical documents for a variety of audiences, and the misuse of terms, the proliferation of abbreviations and acronyms doesn't make life easier. I despise how texting has stultified our language to a mere blush of its bountiful linguistic loquaciousness. We aren't paying for characters, so write "okay" instead of "k", dammit! Your flailing opposable thumbs can handle it, trust me!

Ugh words? What are you a dinosaur? Where's that sarcastic thumbs up emoji...

 

[Michedelic]

Sheesh...how old is he again?

Coming up on 69 later this year; keep in mind that The Police’s heyday was 40 years ago.

 

[Kro]

I can't believe no one has said, "Ok boomer," yet.

It's because 99.99% of TB are boomers. It's a fact.

Boomers don't go saying "OK boomer" to each other.

At least I don't think they do... though that would be awesome!

 

[Michedelic]

I can't believe no one has said, "Ok boomer," yet.

That’s so last year.

 

[RR-rambler]

Back in the day would be driving to work listening to Jim Rome on the radio. He was always talking about "C-bus"... C Bus? Crapchester I got. Being out west C Bus baffled me....then one day.....

 

[groooooove]

Carrots 101: Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits

 

[wes stephenson]

“Pups”, fist bumping, and people calling me “bro” or “homie” send me into a homicidal rage...

but that’s just me..

Dang homie why you so mad bro?

 

[mongo2]

A Sting will always mean Stingray and nothing else.

Except when Sting means a Fender Sting Signature bass.

 

[lamarjones]

Just ask. Don't be so self conscious that you can't ask TB for clarification..they will give it to you.

This also goes for anything in life. The notion that not knowing what is being tossed around makes you dumb...when in reality acting like you know when you don't is the only thing that could make you seek dumb.

 

[eddododo]

In the interest of efficient communication, would it be possible to use standard language rather than bass jargon in posts?

I can understand "pups" as shorthand for pickups, but I also see some newer members thinking they've stumbled into a dog owners' group. "Tort" means one thing to us, but something completely different to lawyers.

I bring this up because of two recent experiences.

One poster referred to something like his "Fender L." I know Ps and Js and PJs, but couldn't recollect any Fender model that started with an L. Another TB-er thought that it was a reference to Fender's early numbering system, where an L serial number would have indicated a pre-1965 vintage. But even today, neither of us knows for sure.

And just today, a TB-er posted something about his "Sting." Some responders to the post thought he was talking about the P-bass model that Sting uses. As it turns out (I think, anyway), he was referring to a MusicMan StingRay.

Since we're all in this together, and we do really want to understand and help each other, do you think it might be possible to take a look at your post before sending, just to make sure you're saying what you mean and making your point clearly to a general audience? Assuming that everyone you want to communicate with is familiar with all the bass jargon is usually a mistake.

Thanks.

YMMW, FWIW

 

[electracoyote]

Sometimes someone makes an obscure (to me) reference and either (A) I or another member asks for clarification, and I learn something, or (B) I do the legwork and research it, and I learn something.

Either way, I learn something.

If someone is just trying to be clever and coin their own terms, create their own mini-verse, that's an impediment to comprehension with a bit of grandstanding thrown in. An eye-roller for sure, but hardly worth a generalized scolding, and definitely a symptom of the way language has changed and the relatively new license everyone has to code everything since AOL started sending us mail. ;^)

As for the more common or decipherable abbreviations, acronyms, and other shortcuts firmly established here, they are actually a facilitator to comprehension and a time-saver. Anyone worried about it should just give themselves a few visits, they'll catch on pretty quickly.