tedmanzie Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 You know the sort of the thing.. "I've had her for ten years now but I've got my eye on a new bass so she's got to go, a lovely neck with great fat sound, she's a real players bass"... etc. Yuk. When people refer to their basses / cars / boats etc as 'she' it makes me squirm. If I wanted to refer to inanimate things as 'she' (or 'he') I'd move to France, Italy or Spain where they do it properly. So can you stop it please, or I'm leaving the country. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterfire666 Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 agreed, its for people who arent in touch with reality, very perculiar folk that think inaminate objects have a personality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Protium Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbandit599 Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 For boats 'she' is pretty much the accepted terminology, anything else a bit weird. Mind you, I think that football fans who continually go on about '[u]we[/u] should have done this' , or ' [u]we [/u]played better in the second half etc' are even more deluded. You're just watching, probably not even at the game, there is no WE! You are just a punter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepurpleblob Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 (edited) They do it with cars too. They even give them girls names. They're mental. Not in a cut you up and keep the bits in the freezer way.... well, hopefully not The nearest my fleet of ancient BMWs gets to names is some very fruity ones when they break (often!). Edited January 26, 2013 by thepurpleblob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepurpleblob Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 [quote name='redbandit599' timestamp='1359202822' post='1951462'] Mind you, I think that football fans who continually go on about '[u]we[/u] should have done this' , or ' [u]we [/u]played better in the second half etc' are even more deluded. You're just watching, probably not even at the game, there is no WE! You are just a punter! [/quote] And, to completely go off-topic, "it's YOUR Marks & Spencer". I'm guessing if I walk in and ask for the keys to MY shop it's going to end badly!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomBassmonkey Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 What's wrong with it? "It makes me squirm" isn't even justifying why you think it's wrong. There's nothing wrong with referring to inanimate objects as "she" or even naming them IMO. Posting publically on a forum that (I assume) will contain a lot of people that do what you don't like accusing them of not being in touch of reality or asking them to stop really makes you look very judgemental without any kind of justification. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Well ya know, each to their own I suppose. My basses took a considerable amount of time and effort to co-design and it became a lot easier in conversation just to name the bass under construction - a bit of a code name referring to the neck 'logo' that ended up being inscribed on the control panel cover too. My 7 string bass in my Avatar took 9 months to 'create' too. So, yes, I guess that personified the bass - i actually like it that way. The name itself partly came from my nickname and also the name of a song by guitarist Geoff Whitehorn. I dunno, maybe it's tipping my hat to my fave musicians who have instruments that are 'named' too. Brian May refers to his 'Red Special' guitar as "The old lady" and Billy Sheehan's original precision/tele frankenbass is known as "The Wife" Calling it she or he for me is a bit more tongue in cheek, but if i were going for a choice, I'd prefer a 'she' sat on my lap than a 'he' heh heh! With ref to football players in the post above - I always thought a player said 'we' to blame the other team mates for their own dire playing lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 When I refer to my basses nowadays I call them "it", but when I only had three of them I gave them male names. Now that there are seven of them I just say "the upright 5", "the fretless 5", "the 4" etc. with the exception of my student bass, which I don't play any more but still cherish, which goes by the name Barry (don't ask). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dom in Dorset Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 I do it because I like to and it does nobody else any harm. Most languages assign gender to inanimate objects as a matter of course, it's only English that doesn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbandit599 Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 I think a name for your bass is ok, it just doesn't necessarily have to take on a 'sex' with it. My Sandberg has a name 'The Bandit Bass' it (and my username) derives from my old Suzuki Bandit motorbike, I sold the bike (after much heart wringing) but swore to spend the money on something fun and hence the bass has to be 'The Bandit Bass' and it also had to be red.. Having just typed the above, I've probably just realised that I'm in no position to question giving a bass a sex..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blademan_98 Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Everything I own has a gender associated with it. If I like it she's female. If I don't then he is a fatherless piece of junk lol Each to their own Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 (edited) Is it me or is there a lot of meanness on BC this yr? Since the start of the year there has been a few 'Most hateful threads (quotes, songs etc). Criticising people for Youtube vids, other critical threads. Now this, criticising for terminology and use of words..f*** me this is sad. I'm sure BC not always been this bad! Edited January 26, 2013 by Lord Sausage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Female Basschatters... Do you assign a gender or name to any of your musical instruments? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvia Bluejay Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 See above... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiOgon Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 How about: I really love that bass, it's colour is White Blonde - like your hair, it reminds me of you so much - it's a bit expensive but I couldn't liken you to a cheap bass could I? If I get it I'll call it Carole after you, it'll always remind me of you, I'll alway love it & look after it like I will you Sort of excuse - of course I don't know if it would work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danthevan Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Because for many bassists it's the only female thing they have got there fingers round the g-string on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oggiesnr Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 [quote name='tedmanzie' timestamp='1359201602' post='1951438'] If I wanted to refer to inanimate things as 'she' (or 'he') I'd move to France, Italy or Spain where they do it properly. So can you stop it please, or I'm leaving the country. [/quote] So should you leave the country and go to France you would discover that "she" is correct (for basses anyway) la guitare basse, "la" being the female definite article. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 [quote name='redbandit599' timestamp='1359202822' post='1951462'] For boats 'she' is pretty much the accepted terminology, anything else a bit weird. Mind you, I think that football fans who continually go on about '[u]we[/u] should have done this' , or ' [u]we [/u]played better in the second half etc' are even more deluded. You're just watching, probably not even at the game, there is no WE! You are just a punter! [/quote] Players and coaching staff use the 'we' to refer to the club as a whole, including the fans. A Football club is a club, without the fans it would be nothing. Fans are very much a part of it, and contribute to it's continued existence. Ask any sport psychologist the importance of crowd support. Back OT I think it's similar the reasons boats are 'she'. The vast majority of bassists are men, I would guess the vast majority of those who call their bass 'she' are straight, and would not want to touch a male in the intimate way we touch our basses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pst62 Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 [quote name='ThomBassmonkey' timestamp='1359203965' post='1951481'] What's wrong with it? "It makes me squirm" isn't even justifying why you think it's wrong. There's nothing wrong with referring to inanimate objects as "she" or even naming them IMO. Posting publically on a forum that (I assume) will contain a lot of people that do what you don't like accusing them of not being in touch of reality or asking them to stop really makes you look very judgemental without any kind of justification. [/quote] +1. Well said that man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassmachine2112 Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Go and tell my Ricky that,s she,s not a beautiful she with curves if your brave enough By the way my van is called Rupert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Sausage Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 [quote name='MacDaddy' timestamp='1359207335' post='1951552'] Players and coaching staff use the 'we' to refer to the club as a whole, including the fans. A Football club is a club, without the fans it would be nothing. Fans are very much a part of it, and contribute to it's continued existence. Ask any sport psychologist the importance of crowd support. [/quote] This! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donnyboy Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 I don't think it's worth worrying about , or analysing to any great extent I do think some things - basses/guitars included are more feminine/masculine for some reason. I think my fiesta red bass has lovely curves and is a joy to hold - so SHE must be feminine , right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seashell Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1359206772' post='1951540'] Female Basschatters... Do you assign a gender or name to any of your musical instruments? [/quote] Not at present. I think sometimes things just seem to acquire a name or a gender of their own. I'm still waiting for that to happen with mine If you make too much effort to think of a name, that's when it can get a bit squirmy ...like "Say hello to Miss Fenella Fender" But if it just happens, that's coool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaydentaku Posted January 26, 2013 Share Posted January 26, 2013 Thank you for wasting 5 minutes of my life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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