C'mon, we all do it. Whats eveybody calling thier guitars these days??

Strangely enough for a guy who names everything else that I own (my favorite is Stevie the TV)

Stevie the TV just inspired me to name my external hard drive Stevie.

Well, most of my guitars aren't really named anything other than what they are...The Kramer, The Gull, The Ovation, The Memphis, etc.. However with my Strats, since I know have 5 of them...and just saying "The Strat" or even "The Brown Strat" is getting a bit confusing, I have started naming a couple of them.

My '96 is "Ol' Blue" and she's really my number one guitar. Second to her is my black '85 Squier MIJ which got dubbed "Blackie"...after all, what else does a Clapton fan name a vintage black Strat? LOL!!! My '08 Squier Standard is simply known around here as "The Pretty Strat" and the home build one is "The International Partscaster" (hmmm...maybe TIP for short?). I've been going back and forth on the new '03 MIM though. When I first brought her home I was going to name her "Stevie" in honor of Stevie Ray Vaughn since the guitar sort of had a similar look as Stevie's #1 but I have since changed the pickguards so that look really isn't there any more. I think I'm going to dub her "Mirage" in honor of our first dog who passed away 7 years ago but I'm not sure yet.

Now with that, here's a little something I've been playing around with on and off for a few months...it's not finished yet but it's based on a poem from a book by T.S. Elliot called "Old Possom's Book of Practical Cats" (for those not in to musicals, it's the book that "Cats" was based on).

Ahem.....

"The naming of Strats is a difficult matter,
it isn't just one of your holiday games.
You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter
when I tell you a -guitar- must have three different names!
First there's the name musicians use daily
such as "Fender" or "Gibson" or "Jackson" they say.
There's "Gretsch" and there's "Martin"
and "Ovation" and "Godin"...but all of them sensible every day names.

There's simpler brands if you desire,
such as "Epi" or "Memphis" or "Lotus" or "Squier".
and more specific names to that are often required
Such as "Tele" and "Strat" and "Les Paul" and "Firebird"...
but all of them sensible every day names.

But I tell you, a guitar needs a name that is special,
A name that's particular, and sets it aside,
Else how can she keep her fretboard perpendicular,
Or flex her tremolo, so that tone can reside?
For names of this kind, I can give you examples,
There's "Blackie" or "Brownie" or "Lucille" or "James".
There's "Lenny" and "One" (as in #1) and "Old Boy" or "Frankenstrat"
...but all of them sensible every day names.

But above and beyond there's still one name left over,
And that is the name that you never could guess;
The name that no disco band will ever discover--
But the guitar herself knows, and must never confess.
When you notice a guitar sitting alone on it's stand,
The reason, I tell you, is always the same:
Her strings are engaged in a rapt contemplation
Of the song, of the song, of the song of her name:
Her electrical, connectible, dare I say collectible
Deep and insatiable, singular Name."


Ok...ok...I'm still working on it.

Peace,
Jim

(No wait...I think I just heard T.S. Elliot roll over in his grave! LOL!!!)