Do you name your bass(es)? Why/why not? DB FORUM THREAD

I'm also bored with work. Usually actually.

I don't name my basses, but refer to them by maker, so people probably think I have one named Kay and one named Eastman. I also have a hot rod, unnamed. Referred to as 'the ford' or the shoebox....

 

I've found a perfect solution to boredom at work: retirement.

The previous owner of my Alcoa double bass had dubbed it the feminine short name for Allison, "Ali". I've just not been able to bring myself to continue that. I usually just refer to it as my double bass or my Alcoa, or if I'm in a rush, my DB.

 

Basses are like cats: once you name them you have to keep them. There is no flipping of "named" basses.

 

Naming one's bass has always struck me as a bit "creepy...." i.e., Norman Bates "creepy...".
IMFO, of course, as always.
Gotta go....
(Coming MOTHER!!!!)

 

I could never understand why people name their Basses,I just refer to mine as my P Bass, Jazz Bass,Stingray etc! I think it is more of an American thing.

 

Personally I've always thought that the naming of anything male of female is ridiculous! Basses. Boats, Cars, they are all inanimate object and therefore just tools. (Although I have a friend whole used to be a framer and his hammer was named Bertha!)

 

i once named an ax "betty." it ended up getting me in trouble ( ) so i stopped naming them.

current names:

- "the black one"
- "the red one"
- "the burst"
- "the blond one"
- "the ugly one"
- "the one in pieces"
- "the other one in pieces"

 

I haven't named my upright. It told me it prefers anonymity.

 

My fretted TWB.
My G Style.
My fretless TWB.

 

The upright I play most often was named by someone else. One day they just started calling it Megan and I thought that was such an absurd name for the bass that I couldn't stop thinking about it. Eventually I started calling it by that name! Now it's stuck. My upright's name is Megan!

 

I don't name mine.

I call some by their model name - Stingray, Precision, Jazz. The other two have model names that are kind of numeric, so I usually say "L" when taking about my L-2500 and usually say "hollowbody" (even though it's actually a semi-hollow) when talking about my Ibanez AGB-205.

But giving them names? Nah, can't imagine I'd ever do that.

 

I don't name my instruments or any other inanimate objects. Puzzles me why people do that.

 

I've got a Harley Benton P-bass I jokingly refer to as "Bach"

 

Yep, I name all my instruments. My main DB is named Oscar.

Many people have mentioned above that they view this as weird and, to be fair, I'm a weirdo

 

I have multiples of a few different types & brands of basses. (A couple of the same type backups on the side of the stage, in case something goes wrong). Naming three look-alike basses seems to be better than numbering them, like Pete Townsend did.

 

Here here. As soon as the checks stop I'm out too! Lol.

I don't find it creepy if people name their stuff. I do think there are a few intimate objects that naming goes without saying, like wood boats. My glass boat came with a name on it already, and it did suit me so I kept it. I get guys naming dragsters and certain cars, it's like branding/merchandising and the wife does that for a living, so I have a small amount of understanding of it.

 

I named my first car Nell after a spaceship from a crappy Sci Fi movie.

Other than that I don't think I have successfully named any of my possessions. I did try to name one of my motorcycles Norbert after Hagrid's dragon, but it didn't stick. The bike is a Honda Valkyrie which some calls a dragon.

Maybe a picture will explain the dragon reference:

This is not my bike, but it's the same model.

Since you asked why or why not. Why indeed? I simply don't find it useful. Maybe in few years.