Do you name your basses?

[OxForever]

I named my bass, such as it is, "Big Johnny Twinkle" but I use "Twinkle" as a nickname.

 

[Sorado71]

Only my Jack Casady Signature Basses are named; however, Epiphone named them, I didn’t.

 

[MisterFred]

Fine old string instruments are named for their provenance, usually famous people or great musicians who have owned them. In that spirit I have named a '75 P bass that once belonged to one of the greatest unknown rock guitarists ever, Ronnie Payne of Mount Vernon, NY, "The Ronnie". A few years ago I spotted a P bass at a garage sale around the corner, it was a Jaco-ized fretless Japanese Fender; he wanted $20. That one we call " The Windfall"

 

[Winky]

My Squier is James Westfall, and my Fender is Dr. Kenneth Noisewater. You ladies play your cards right you just might get to meet the whole gang.

 

[bigtone23]

I don't care for proper names. The names are usually just shortened descriptions of what they are: Jazz Five, P Five, RicRiot (a Patriot with added neck pickup like a Ric), Foundy, Green, '72, Sub, Sub 5, RB45 (Ibanez RB630 with Peavey T45 guts), etc...

 

[Kimberly Munn]

My

Seems like, especially if you have more than one say, Fender P-bass, you'd consider naming them to keep them straight.

Or is that just weird?

And if you do name them, I'd love to hear what names you've given them.

My basses name is Eliot.

 

[rhs1856]

Pedulla basses:
MVP in cherry burst (but pretty orange), strung as piccolo = Li'l Red
Buzz in black, strung as piccolo = Black Beauty
PentaBuzz (#1, my 1st 5-string, was green/blue burst, now purple, strung EADGC) = Mr B
PentaBuzz (#2, quilted maple, almost natural, but with a little gold tint) = Aura Lea
ThunderBolt (#1, 5-string Cocobolo) = Coco
ThunderBolt (#2, 5-string blonde maple) = Mabel
ThunderBuzz (5-string fretless in violet), strung EADGC) = Violet
ThunderBass (#1, 6-string vintage cherry burst) = Christine, inhonor of Mike's S.O., a wonderful person + the title character in the Stephen King novel / movie, a fiercely loyal, supernaturally-endowed, but amoral car. I purchased her - uh-huh - on eBay; turned out she'd been stolen & pawned. I wrestled with Sgt. Troy King of the Portland PD for 3 months to keep her (PayPal refunded me & I transferred the $s to the original owner's insurance company. Neither she nor they wanted the bass; Sgt. King thought he might be able to use it as evidence in a case against the pawnshop owner.) After refinishing/refurbishing, I used a Feng Shui consultant to clear her accumulated bad "chi" - love that bass.
ThunderBass (#2, 5-string Cocobolo) = Bobbi
HexaBuzz in cherry burst = Helen

Obviously, most of those are pretty literal / "inspired by" some characteristic of the instrument.

I name pets - including cats - bikes, cars, etc.

 

[Fenderchris]

I'm generally against that sort of thing, but I do have one that has acquired the name Fiona. It looks a bit Picassoesque so got the name from line 'She's the one-eyed Fiona' in the Lyle Lovett song on 'The Road To Ensenada' album. But that's it - there will be no more naming.

 

[Bobo]

Not really. My Hofner is Hof, Rickenbacker is Ric, and Fender is of course Henry.

Of course!

 

[OxForever]

You named your Hofner after Dennis Hof who died about a year ago, the best-known pimp in the USA?

 

[Harold Runyan]

Seems like, especially if you have more than one say, Fender P-bass, you'd consider naming them to keep them straight.

Or is that just weird?

And if you do name them, I'd love to hear what names you've given them.

No, I always thought that would make me feel bad when I traded or sold one. Honey, I sold the PBass sounds better than Honey, I sold Betty!

 

[Randytenn]

My p-bass is named Janet.

 

[dorseylogan]

The Blue Monster

 

[Ronzo]

You named your Hofner after Dennis Hof who died about a year ago, the best-known pimp in the USA?

Don’t hassle his Höf!

 

[Asylum-49]

Oh yes!

Duff

Frank

Workhorse

 

[R C]

I have soooo many more things to worry about...like rhythmically challenged guitar players, keyboard players that take up 2/3 of a small stage for a 5 piece, drummer w/busted car, or will the front diva show up on time for sound check. Naming my basses didn't occur to me. I agree w/the previous poster, the bass makers already named them.

 

[RedBadger]

Mexican five string tuned E to C answers to “Cinco” & white jazz bass called Blanco. other basses ‘sin nombre’ may be sold so no special attachment. Bobby Vega put a shark sticker on the back of his 1961 jazz bass. Other musicians would ask him did you bring “charky” tonight?

 

[Krakmann]

My actual ones are "Granatero" (awful name, but my daughters christened it and it got stuck in my mind), AstroBoy, Mr. Caine and Ursula.

 

[NevadaNed]

Absolutely! They each have their own "personality" if you will. Left to Right in this pic: Kala U Bass (Junior). Squire PJ (PJ. Logical right?). '85 MIJ P bass (Little Blackie). Lakland Skyline 55-01 (Mr. Natural).

 

[NickRiffed]

I call my Jack Casady Sig bass “The Jack”. I call an Epiphone an “Epi” but it bothers me when people call a Gibson a “Gibby” and an Ibanez an “Ibby”. I’m not sure why, it just does.

I'm just wondering what you would call a Hohner 'The Jack' if you happened to obtain one, seeing that it's name has already been used?