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Bit of a random topic I know but I was just wondering what name (if any) everyone gave to their violin. Do you think it creates a greater attachment to the instrument and might even help you play better?
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I have named all my instruments through the years and many other items. I think any time we give an item, or an animal a name we make it personal and then give it a lot more attention. This will then cause attachment. All my instruments have names because, at least for myself, it makes me more excited to play. Especially when I have multiple violins. But to each his/her own. Some people may not name their instruments. Its a very personal choice!
I just play the until a name pops into my head that seems to fit them. My two current violins are named Equis and Maggi. My two previous violins were Snippet and Viero.
Lead me, Follow me, or get out of my way!
~General George S. Patton
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The day I received my fiddle I was talking to one of my sisters. She asked if I realized it was the anniversary of our mothers death.
"Bertha Madeleine Ann McMahon Smith"
So when I get scolded, she is Bertha... When I am rewarded she is just Mom...
Now I have to learn and do justice to the Blue Danube, moms favorite tune.
To play a wrong note is insignificant; To play without passion is inexcusable. - Ludwig van Beethoven
My journey began on Aug 3 2017
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I named mine Rose after my grandmother since it was the fiddle he woo'd her with! It fits her perfectly!
"Reality is an illusion, albeit a persistent one".- Albert Einstein
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I've had good intentions to name my fiddles, but nothing felt right or stuck. My little old German fiddle I often refer to as Gramps, but my main fiddle (Ming Jiang Zhu 905) just gets called my Ming.
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World's Okayest Fiddler
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Oh, all right, I admit it.... I have named my 5 fiddles....
The first was my old SkyLark which was the devil to play - so naturally he was originally called "Hermano del Diablo" - but - I subsequently did a lot of luthiery work and upgrading, including restringing "him" as a viola - the SkyLark has now had not only a gender-change but also a name change - she is "Violetta"
My second is an EV - and is called "Luci" ( no particular reason - although I got her while Hermano was still Hermano, and also because at that time I was a very raw beginner I think I was continuing the "devils instrument" connection but didn't want to name it Lucifer, and gave her the benefit of the doubt..... 
Next is my FiddlerMan Concert - "Connie"
Then my 3/4 1920's e-bay fiddle - "Yabé" ( ya-bay )
Finally my MJZ 905 - "Li-hwa" ( Chinese for 'princess' )
Folks often say - "Bill, what's the point of having 5 fiddles dude 
, you can only play one at a time" - really - folks that say that - they just do not understand, do they ? 
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh - 
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
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It's cool to hear everyone's stories and reasons for naming their fiddles. I've decided to name mine Veidhlín. It's Irish for violin, it just seemed to fit best for me.
BillyG, if I had the money I'd definitely have multiple fiddles!
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Over the last few weeks, I sold two of my three violins. I'm still in the first year, and have upgraded in price and quality. For my sole remaining fiddle, I imagine that I could name her, but once you name a fiddle, I would think it's a long-term (maybe life) commitment, from having that greater attachment.
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I've got two violins. So far one is called Issaiah. I have no particular reason to have named it Issaiah, I just thought it looked like one. I have yet to name the second one. Any ideas anyone?
Do not practice until you get it right, practice until you can't get it wrong.
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Great names. I call mine "Fiddle"
I guess my imagination isn't as good as all of you. 
"The richest person is not the one who has the most,
but the one who needs the least."
My cheap starter violin was Anna, but she's my electric guitar now, her belly stuffed with cotton pads, I put felt under the sound post and fixed the pick-up inside under the bridge. So she has a couple holes in her back. She was a terrible violin but I like her sound as an e-guitar now. But haven't used her for months.
My now official violin is Anna Maria. Anna was a very common name in 1600s/early 1700s Germany and double names were very frequent too. Yes, I talk to her like, "You did pretty well today!" Being nice to your instruments can never harm. 
By the way, the name of my spinet is Sophia and my recorders are Sophie and Sophie Charlotte. Sophie Charlotte was the first queen of Prussia and very musical and her mother was Sophia the electress and duchess of Hanover.
My trumpets are Violetta, Lizzy and Scarlet. Scarlet is a red plastic trumpet indeed. Then there's Electra the blue plastic trombone and Ol' Grandma the trombone I got for christmas in 1976. Still missing is Bonney Goodman who sounds like a jazz clarinet but the fingering is mostly like a baroque recorder (until you get to overblowing notes).
So that's my little family.
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Fiddlerman said
Great names. I call mine "Fiddle"
I guess my imagination isn't as good as all of you.
Yes, but you're the Fiddlerman so it instantly becomes way more creative
Also in honor of this thread I'm now officially naming my Stagg VSO 'The Horror' to commemorate its former glory - even though it has been somewhat tamed since with the dominant strings, the new bridge I carved, your carbon fiber bow and the wooden pegs I jammed in there without the proper tools.. I also managed grab it while falling, which caused it to crack... so to quote Mandy... 'It opened up' :))))) lol
Will have to figure out a name for my real violin which I should be receiving next week though... that's gonna be a hard one I imagine
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Hmm, I haven't named my viola yet, even though it probably deserves one: it's almost 40 years old, and I've been playing it for 11 or 12 years. Since it's a professional-level viola, I don't expect to ever buy another one.
I'm thinking Phoenix might be a good name. The viola was made in Phoenix, Arizona, for one. It'd also be a symbolic name in another sense. I had a terrible depressive spiral starting in 2007 that lasted more than two years, and the first thing I was able to get myself out of bed to do was play viola. I ended up practicing all the time, 5+ hours a day for well over a year, and it helped pull me back to being able to function normally again. Then, having decided to change career paths, I went to law school and stayed sane through all the hard work by playing music. While in law school, I discovered that I was able to play repertoire I wouldn't have been able to even begin to approach just a few years earlier, took a flyer on a semi-professional orchestra audition, and surprised myself by winning the seat I auditioned for! So this viola has been a crucial part of my own rising from the ashes.
The only other name I have in mind is "Firebird" -- I'm just going back and forth on whether I want the name to be exactly the same as the city.
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I like the idea of naming instruments, but I'm so bad at it.. Lol.
I just call my violin "Squeaky." My other instruments haven't had the most creative names either, unfortunately. My clarinet is "The Shadow" and my guitar is "Lucky."
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spirryn said
I like the idea of naming instruments, but I'm so bad at it.. Lol.I just call my violin "Squeaky." My other instruments haven't had the most creative names either, unfortunately. My clarinet is "The Shadow" and my guitar is "Lucky."
I love the name Squeaky! My first rented violin was a squeaky! I drove my family crazy ? learning how to play! I did get past the squeaky stage, Did LOTS of Scales! I think Scales, Opus, Minuet etc would all be good names for a Violin!
"Reality is an illusion, albeit a persistent one".- Albert Einstein
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jose6ph said
It's cool to hear everyone's stories and reasons for naming their fiddles. I've decided to name mine Veidhlín. It's Irish for violin, it just seemed to fit best for me.BillyG, if I had the money I'd definitely have multiple fiddles!
Nice one @jose6ph - I like Veidhlín - well cool my friend ! 
- and welcome the day you can stretch the finances to more !!!! You can never have too many - their voices are all so different... wonderful !
Hah you can tell, I'm Scottish by the piper.... 
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh -
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
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LOL @spirryn - "Squeaky" will be what YOU have temporarily named her.
But it's not really her name, is it? Come on, admit it..... It's just that she hasn't told you yet....
One day, one day, yes it may take some time, but, one day - she will tell you her name - and you will never sell or trade her in.
becomes -> 
becomes -> 
all of which = happy days ! ROFL
I seriously recommend not copying my mistakes. D'oh -
Please make your own, different mistakes, and help us all learn :-)
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@BillyG You are probably right! I will probably have to update when the time comes. LOL
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My number one (as far as guitars go) is a mint 1987 Charvel Model 2 in a striking red finish. I affectionately refer to her as Ol' Red.
“Without music, life would be a mistake.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche
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How obvious to name your fiddle, yet it never occurred to me. I have 2 (well 3 if one counts an unrepairable cracked one that I inherited from my dad. I played it for years even through music school until 7 years ago--but let's not talk about that, it's too depressing). One of my current ones was completed in 2012, the other 1789. I am not normally the naming type, but still it makes sense to me to do so to one's violin. Not that I need extra incentive to practice or any of the other mentioned reasons--I love to play, and these violins are good enough that I am pleased how I sound, and they have enabled real progress. But I am going to have to really think about what I'd name them. They are very different, so would of course need very different names.
As far as how many violins to own--right!--one can't have too many. On the other hand, I am always tempted by instruments I see, but sensibly I should not buy more of the same price range. If I were to buy another one, it would be to make a big jump in price and go to sort of the pinnacle of quality, and that probably would mean selling one or both of my current fiddles. That would greatly pain me, but probably not too much to prevent me from doing it. Currently looking at one from 1757, but not seriously.
Now on the subject of naming, what to name my 3 bows....
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