RE: [Harp-L] re: names

["Robert Gaustad" <robertgaustad@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Yeah, I tend to agree that names are overrated.  I mean, why be creative
when trying to describe a labor of your love?  Take, for instance, this new
harmonica from Tim.  Let's say I'm a decent player, maybe not a top pro
player, but a decent one.  And I don't have $100 for a new harmonica that
might be top of the line.  Let's say I'm kind of a...ah, I can't think of
the name for...somebody like a ballplayer who has been around for a long
time.  I mean he's good, but not a star...what do they call one of those
guys?  Oh, yeah, a journeyman.  So let's say I'm one of those guys, but a
harp player.  If I saw that name "Journeyman" I'd pass right by it.  No,
that's not right...I'd pass right by the name "Custom Marine Band, $50"

But I like Jonathan's style and if I were a new parent, I'd stop worrying
about how to name my kids. It's easy - your first kid would be something
like MU1 for Male Unit 1.  But then for twins, it might be something like
MUT1A, and if the second twin were a girl, FUT1B.  But it's not really
helpful because a lot of people might have that name.  So we could extend it
to how my name might work since Robert is not helpful - MUT3ASACTO53BRNBRN.
That would translate to a male unit (me) the third kid, a twin, born in
Sacramento in 1953 with brown hair and brown eyes.  You've given me a whole
new way of looking at names, Jonathan.  Thanks.

And, of course, why name songs?  How about BEAT#9?  Or better yet,
BEAT#??GGSFGG instead of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". Or, LW#?GHS instead
of "Juke"!

But in all fun...I mean, all seriousness, come on, what the heck is wrong
with naming something that you created?  Maybe you don't like it, Jonathan,
but so what?  Okay, I'll fight to the death (well, maybe) for your right to
say what you will about names and anything else, but it just seems a bit
like picking nits.

I personally thought the name was kind of appropriate and not a bad thing to
call it.  But in my new naming scheme above, combined with the analog way of
doing things, perhaps it could be CHMB50Journeyman.  But then we'd probably
shorten it to just CHMB...I mean, Journeyman.  Can you tell I'm a marketing
guy?  I much more enjoy the name Fender Champ than I would FMILT5WAT.  

Disclaimer - most of what was written above was written with tongue planted
firmly in cheek, or covering holes.  Nasty emails back at me will be
accepted at the Junk door.

Robert Gaustad



-----Original Message-----
From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Jonathan Ross
Sent: Sunday, May 21, 2006 9:30 AM
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [Harp-L] re: names

Tim Moyer wrote:

"I wish now that you'd submitted an
entry, Jonathan, so I could see what you would consider a good name."

Custom Marine Band, $50

I really don't see the need for anything else name-wise.   
Fortunately, I'm in pretty good company on that:

http://www.customharmonicas.com/james_gordon_product_pricing.html

If it was an all-new harmonica, and you were a company like Suzuki or Leo
Shi introducing a new line, say, I'd just go with an alpha- numeric system.
Say, PT-50.  P for plastic comb, T for traditional MB-type covers and well,
50 for the price.  Or an internally logical number like 911 was for Porsche,
or 270 and 280 were for Hohner.  I don't even mind an adjective with the
number (Special 20, Super 64), but it's not what I would do.

Notably, neither organ companies nor piano companies have ever needed to
have names for their products beyond the descriptive (for the most part).
Thus you have a Steinway model D concert grand, or simply an Opus number for
an organ.  I can think of exceptions in both cases, but they are just that
(and, again notably, these are aimed at the lower end and not done by the
premier companies).

Of course, electric guitars are an exception--but then, besides the classic
names which have simply been around so long they are no longer onviously
bad, most of the newer names are horrible.  And the best acoustic guitar
companies always went with a systemic approach, occasionally with a
descriptive (Jumbo, for instance, which is just that--though I wonder if
they had a suit from Barnum's corporate heirs over that...).

To each their own, of course, but even given that, I don't see "journeyman"
as a good name.  I'm not sure what would be, but that's why I wouldn't go
with a name  in the first place.


  ()()    JR "Bulldogge" Ross
()  ()   & Snuffy, too:)
`----'



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