What do ya'll call your mandos?

[Lord of the Badgers]

Think we've done this before but I've got The Badgerlin (used to be the Cub til my friend renamed it).
The f5 is Preston which isn't imaginative. That's its original owner's surname. It just helps so as to not confuse the drummer in conversation about mandolin choice in gigs....

[JEStanek]

I've not named any that are currently in my care. I refer to them by their maker or what they are, Eastman, Spira, Old Bowl, The Octave.

Frankly, it doesn't matter what the heck I call them, they neither listen to me or come when called.

Jamie

[UsuallyPickin]

Friends ......

[barry]

I named this one "Archie" the day I got it.

[JeffD]

Frankly, it doesn't matter what the heck I call them, they neither listen to me or come when called.

Unfortunately the behavior is not limited to mandolins.

[Tom Wright]

At my last gig, after I explained I was using a 10-string mandolin, a man asked "What do you call a 10-string mandolin?". I answered "A 10-string mandolin."

Another question was "How do you tune it?"---A: "Very carefully."

[kudzugypsy]

I named this one "Archie" the day I got it.

Barry - looks like a very early Pag - what # is it?
I have #35, David McLaughlin's old Pag and while i'm not an instrument namer, the day i got it i started calling it "Zeus" - i.e. throwing lighting bolts.
i only have one other instrument with a name - "Juanita" which a previous owner scratched on the back of the peghead of my 1932 National style N Reso.

[allenhopkins]

I named a few instruments, back when I had a few instruments. When the count got over 25, I gave up.

What I do remember, though, is where I got them, in many cases, and from whom I obtained them. I associate the Sobell with Martin Simpson, who used to own it, and the Holdrio "pocket" mandolin with my late great-aunt Mildred, who found it and gave it to me. The "no-name" mandolin-banjo, with the dowel stick stamped "Levis Music," a defunct Rochester store, reminds me of Marty Lash, whose late husband Barry home-made a (terrible) bridge for it, and later gave it to me. The 1970 Martin D-41 evokes the Hayward kid who grew up next door, and later sold me the guitar to raise bail money for his girlfriend. These little bits of history attach themselves to the instruments, and every time I open their cases a bit of memory pops up.

I sometimes get a bit anxious about personifying inanimate objects -- though I have been known to name my automobiles...

[barry]

Barry - looks like a very early Pag - what # is it?
I have #35, David McLaughlin's old Pag and while i'm not an instrument namer, the day i got it i started calling it "Zeus" - i.e. throwing lighting bolts.
i only have one other instrument with a name - "Juanita" which a previous owner scratched on the back of the peghead of my 1932 National style N Reso.

Yes. Paganoni #2. Dated 3-15-1970.

[Demetrius]

Archie looks good!

[kudzugypsy]

"Zeus" Paganoni #35 (July 1990)

[Kalasinar]

I don't often name things... i refer to my mandolins as 'the Eastman' and 'the Pocket'...

The only objects i seem to name are my two-wheeled vehicles.

[barry]

Demetrius-

Thanks. It is very good. It has a VERY dry, woody, mid-range focused tone, with lots of character.


Kudzygypsy-

#35 looks very nice. Paganoni seems to have tightened up his workmanship over the next 33 instruments. #2 is a bit more "rustic" in the details.

That is how the name "Archie" came about. It was the name of the multi-year winner of the annual World's Ugliest Dog contest. You know, the Chinese Crested that is so ugly it's cute....

[Demetrius]

[JeffD]

winner of the annual World's Ugliest Dog contest. You know, the Chinese Crested that is so ugly it's cute....

Ummm... nope.

[Demetrius]

Oh both of those Pag's look terrific, and I bet they sound just as good...

[kudzugypsy]

Demetrius-

#2 is a bit more "rustic" in the details.

compared to modern builders, #35 is still very 'handmade' looking. these were made way before the current crop of repros. i got to play #5 at IBMA this year - it was perhaps the best mandolin i have ever played - to the point i had to put it down and walk away or.... Tony Williamson had it at his booth and it was for sale - i am glad i already own one.
I really like Pags so they all are special imo. there is something about the character of them that appeals to me. there is certainly no correlation between perfectly fit & finished and massive tone.

[jmagill]

Doesn't matter what you call them. They won't come anyway...

[mandomurph]

Chester, Woody, Booger, and SideKick.

[Jim Garber]

I've seen similar threads on guitar forums.

There is an old and venerable thread on then same subject that JeffD links to above.

the Cümbüs, mandolin

If you had to name that one you could call it "Jim Bush" which is close to the Turkish pronunciation and would be appropriate for a mandolin.

I don't name any of my instruments except to differentiate one from the other. And they definitely don't come when called.

But I am strange: I also hate calling Gibson mandolins "Gibby" or Gilchrists, "Gil".

[mandroid]

My Spruce head rebuilt Slingerland Banjo Uke , as I reply when this question comes up once again,
is Called KawLija.

It is tuned FCGD..

[Trav'linmando]

I have always had names for my stuff ie , vehicles, instruments etc. Currently in my truck with me reside Anna Lee , Valerie and Leticia. At home is Cleo Patra and Dorothy. Btw my truck (a Peterbilt) is named Petunia.

Larry

[jaycat]

I don't reckon I know what y'all calls 'em, but we all calls 'em "mandolins" . . . gee haw!

Doesn't matter what you call them. They won't come anyway...

[DHopkins]

I don't name my mandolins. I don't know why. I just don't do it. For that matter, I've never named any vehicle I've ever owned and I've never named that other thing either.

[Ky Slim]

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