whats the meaning behind the musicman names?

[kevins]

i understand that the stingray obviously was named for the corvette of the 70s also called the stingray. leo fender often named instruments after cars ie mustang, jaguar, stingray and so forth. and the sterling's names meaning is pretty obvious too.

but some of the more modern(and pre ernie ball names) aren't so clearly named and that got me wondering why certain instruments are called what they are called for example why is it called..."bongo" "cutlass" "sabre" any history on those names?

 

[MadMatt]

Well I doubt that is was intentional but all of the EBMM bass model names (except the 25th and Big Al) are also names of car models. I doubt if it was intentional as the Oldsmobile Cutlass or Mazda Bongo are not the most beautiful or desirable cars out there

 

[sitonmybass]

Bongo name

BP's own words taken from the Bongo Information Page:

"Bongo was the code name that the BMW guys had for the project. I decided to keep the name. I have had many eggs thrown at me for it, but I like it."

 

[kevins]

lol mazda bongo, yeah i read the tidbit on the codename but i was wondering the origin of that codename really. as for the cutlass it may actually be the car, cutlasses are pretty decent cars lol, couldnt be any worse than naming a bass after "pinto".

 

[Chuck B]

A friend of mine had a dog named "bongo"...

 

[syciprider]

Buick Lesabre ?

 

[MrMusashi]

cutlass and sabre because they cut better than forks?

MrM

 

[Duarte]

I always thught they just chose the coolest words.

 

[strummer]

I always thught they just chose the coolest words.

Yeah, me too

 

[ivbenaplayin]

lol mazda bongo, yeah i read the tidbit on the codename but i was wondering the origin of that codename really. as for the cutlass it may actually be the car, cutlasses are pretty decent cars lol, couldnt be any worse than naming a bass after "pinto".

or Vega...

 

[MadMatt]

Now lets not forget the Pacer... Only to be topped in ugliness by the Gremlin!

For the jung'uns

AMC Gremlin Wikipedia
AMC Pacer Wikipedia

 

[Ken Baker]

...for example why is it called..."bongo" "cutlass" "sabre" any history on those names?

Back in the pre-Ernie Ball days, Leo had a penchant for naming instruments after military machines or other "things" military. So the Cutlass was named after the F7U Cutlass. The Sabre after the F-86 Sabre or possibly the F-100 Super Sabre.

This naming convention carried into the G&L years, mainly in the guitars, but also in a couple of basses that have been out of production for many years.

Ken...

 

[Bart B]

Back in the pre-Ernie Ball days, Leo had a penchant for naming instruments after military machines or other "things" military. So the Cutlass was named after the F7U Cutlass. The Sabre after the F-86 Sabre or possibly the F-100 Super Sabre.

This naming convention carried into the G&L years, mainly in the guitars, but also in at least one bass that has been out of production for many years.

Ken...

Invader, F-100, jup , a 'Constellation' bass would be cool, if it would be as classy as the plane

 

[danny-79]

And the Stingray is still as classy as the car it was named after

 

[kevins]

Back in the pre-Ernie Ball days, Leo had a penchant for naming instruments after military machines or other "things" military. So the Cutlass was named after the F7U Cutlass. The Sabre after the F-86 Sabre or possibly the F-100 Super Sabre.

This naming convention carried into the G&L years, mainly in the guitars, but also in a couple of basses that have been out of production for many years.

Ken...

eggselent! thanks for that. then the question is...was the mustang named after the car or the airplane the car was named after...dun dun dun


apparently there was a stingray tank but im pretty sure it was probobly after the car. it would be funny to see something named after "the spruce goose" however...it could be made of pine!