I finally caved

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

Naming a guitar seems one of the more pointless things one could possibly do.

There are namers and there are no-namers, and each group feels this way about the other. My wife and I have named many of our favorite things over 50 years together, e.g. my espresso machine is Sofia, my car is B B Car, her car is Mrs M, and our enclosed patio is Caffe Brandi (after our beloved and wonderful dog, now sadly barking at the postman in the sky). But I've never even considered giving a guitar a name.

[RJVB]

Generally, I agree. But the story of why B.B. King named his guitar(s) Lucille strikes me as a valid exception.

That's the point, he named all of his guitars that way. That means it's no longer a name, but a label, a group identification.

[citizenk74]

well it’s all pointless really isn’t it?

don’t tend to name guitars tho

Wait 'til you get a dozen or so, and you are laid up and unable to get to your stuff. "Dearest, could you please bring me the (Gibson/Fender/Martin/Ibanez/etc.)? "Sure, Precious! Which one?"

All my guitars are named "Little Egypt" and all my amps are named "Godzilla", in honor of my first electric guitar - a hopped-up Kent Strat-alike; and my first favorite amp, a 40$ Monkey Ward MOSFET thing with one 8" speaker. It's a way of never forgetting my roots, and getting blase about things. Perspective.

[Christian Miller]

I will call all of my guitars Cedric Bartholomew Applethwaite III

[Cavalier]

I had a trashy Ibanez named Trixi Delecourte but it ended after too many misunderstandings....

[RJVB]

Maybe those who don't get it simply never talk to their guitars (or computers, or cars, or ...)

That said, I can see how one can call all one's partners "honey" or some such label

[339 in june]

I like the idea of calling his amp "Godzilla"
Thanks Citizenk74 !

[John A.]

That's the point, he named all of his guitars that way. That means it's no longer a name, but a label, a group identification.

I don't really know what you mean by that. Do you know why he called his guitars Lucille?

[sgosnell]

Generally, I agree. But the story of why B.B. King named his guitar(s) Lucille strikes me as a valid exception.

There are valid exceptions to everything. I just haven't run across one that applies to me.

[RJVB]

I don't really know what you mean by that. Do you know why he called his guitars Lucille?

I know how he came by the name "Lucille" and why the guitar he had at the time was named that way.

But if you give every guitar, the name becomes just another word for "guitar". A bit the opposite of the childish thing Apple are trying to do by not using an article when they talk about [their] iPhones, iPads etc.

Compare that to (here we go again ) Doug Macleod, who'll refer to his guitars by individual names (also in his liner notes). Saves him from having to use their usually cryptic model names, and me from having to remember those and match them to particular guitars.

Maybe it just makes more sense with acoustic guitars being played acoustically - where your sound doesn't depend crucially on things that are downstream from the guitar...

[sgosnell]

Ken Parker names all his archtops. No model names, just names. I suppose when you're paying $40,000 for a guitar you want individuality. Sort of the way Strads and other very high-end violins are named. But my $1500 red-headed stepchild of a guitar needs no name, nor will it get one.

[citizenk74]

I like the idea of calling his amp "Godzilla"
Thanks Citizenk74 !

You're welcome! The name applies most aptly to the Plexi half-stack, of course, but it is the "fire-breathing monster" aspect that is the core idea. Just as "Little Egypt" emits an Exotic/Erotic/Mystic penumbra of associations transferable to individual instruments. A rose by any other name might have equally sharp thorns....

[bluejaybill]

OP, which model of 335 did you end up with?

[Christian Miller]

OP, which model of 335 did you end up with?

just the standard - I think all the basic models (ie non reissue) have the same basic spec just different cosmetics. So mine is just a 335 in Sixties Cherry.

[jazzkritter]

“Just”
you modest little devil you)))

[Christian Miller]

“Just”
you modest little devil you)))

Well, the whole ‘nice guitar’ thing is how long is a piece of string innit?

But this one’s a player, I think. Let’s goooo.

[jazzkritter]

[John A.]

I know how he came by the name "Lucille" and why the guitar he had at the time was named that way.

But if you give every guitar, the name becomes just another word for "guitar". A bit the opposite of the childish thing Apple are trying to do by not using an article when they talk about [their] iPhones, iPads etc.

Compare that to (here we go again ) Doug Macleod, who'll refer to his guitars by individual names (also in his liner notes). Saves him from having to use their usually cryptic model names, and me from having to remember those and match them to particular guitars.

Maybe it just makes more sense with acoustic guitars being played acoustically - where your sound doesn't depend crucially on things that are downstream from the guitar...

In this case, it's not about the guitar. It's about BB reminding himself that it's only a thing for which it is not worth risking one's life. As someone who is not a guitar namer, it strikes me as a valid exception, but only if they all the same name.

[RJVB]

In this case, it's not about the guitar. It's about BB reminding himself that it's only a thing for which it is not worth risking one's life.

For that, I can just call them what they are ... electric guitar

[sgcim]

Attachment 90147I told you so’s below please.

You can play any type of music with a 335, but I'm still with your moratorium on them for you-know-what...

[grahambop]

I saw Emma Rawicz at the Verdict, Brighton last night and her guitarist David Preston was playing what I thought was a 335 (although I have since googled it and I believe it is actually a 356, some kind of limited edition model slightly smaller than a 335).

He kept getting a sort of slow vibrato on chords, I couldn’t work out how he was doing it (didn’t seem to be bending the neck for example). His guitar was a bit hidden by a music stand, but eventually I realised he had some kind of small palm-Bigsby fitted, which explained it.

[Marinero]

I saw Emma Rawicz at the Verdict, Brighton last night and her guitarist David Preston was playing what I thought was a 335 (although I have since googled it and I believe it is actually a 356, some kind of limited edition model slightly smaller than a 335).

He kept getting a sort of slow vibrato on chords, I couldn’t work out how he was doing it (didn’t seem to be bending the neck for example). His guitar was a bit hidden by a music stand, but eventually I realised he had some kind of small palm-Bigsby fitted, which explained it.

Hi, G,
I think I remember you saying you were a former Saxer. How did you enjoy Emma's playing?
Marinero

[grahambop]

Hi, G,
I think I remember you saying you were a former Saxer. How did you enjoy Emma's playing?
Marinero

well that’s overstating it a bit to be honest! I had a tenor sax for a few years but I couldn’t get on with it, for one thing I had an ear problem (fluid in the ear which I had to have drained) which made it uncomfortable to blow, plus I was never going to be good enough to play fast bebop lines. I realised I was much better off sticking with the guitar.

Emma is great, she gets a really full tone on the tenor (you can see I was well placed to hear her!), also she played soprano and flute with great sound too. One thing I liked was that she did not use the mic at all for the saxes. (The mic in front of her was just used for announcements, and for the flute).

My only slight reservation was that she played all her own tunes, some were very good, some a little less interesting perhaps. I would have liked a couple of standards or at least someone else’s tunes just to vary things a bit. But she was promoting her new CD so that’s understandable.

Her technique is excellent, very clean and fast when required. Incredible that she only took up the sax 4 years ago (she played classical violin for 3 years before that).

[Marinero]

"My only slight reservation was that she played all her own tunes," grahambop


Hi, G,
Yes, it's difficult to get a full reading of a player's skills/voice playing strictly original material. Contrariwise, every "standard" has a history and, in a sense, an expectation of thematic development based on melody and harmonic structure(of course, allowing for your personal read of the material) and how one puts his/her stamp on the music. My personal feeling about her playing ,based on 20 years of obsessive "tenor madness," is that she has an overtly academic style of playing, and playing standards would be a great boon to her personal development. I usually relate "original material" to a player's later artistic development as we saw with Miles, Wayne Shorter, Sonny Rollins, etc. As far as evaluating her sound(volume/intensity/character), this is only possible when listening to a horn player live. Thanks for your feedback.
Marinero

[grahambop]

She can play standards, in fact she mentioned how she started out at jam sessions in London playing them.