Why are the kits named the way they are named?
- Thread starter pure love
- Start date
I think Dan should jump in here, but as a fairly early customer, I’ll start. The first kit was SEX, for single ended experimentation. Mono power amps. Then came Foreplay, a preamp. (Get it?)
Then, iirc, a conversion of the SEX amp to a se 2a3 amp, called Afterglow. I built all of those way back when.
Then a parafeed version of Afterglow named Paraglow.
That’s all the history I’m fairly confident about. (There were SEX speakers with the early amps too)
But the former President for Life can answer the “why” much better than I can.
Then, iirc, a conversion of the SEX amp to a se 2a3 amp, called Afterglow. I built all of those way back when.
Then a parafeed version of Afterglow named Paraglow.
That’s all the history I’m fairly confident about. (There were SEX speakers with the early amps too)
But the former President for Life can answer the “why” much better than I can.
pure love
Member
What would a Bottlehead Heroin kit look like? What would be the best amp one could build? haha
pure love
Member
Seems to me like things just fitted well together, someone must have noticed that single ended experimentation kit abbreviates to sex and foreplay just fits soo well and then things just happened if you understand what im trying to say
hmbscott
Member
Speedball has it in the mix, an upgrade for Crack. And, the Mainline uses it. So, I'm gonna guess Heroin would be a refined, powerful and addicting headphone amp.
I don’t think that we’ll continue the drug naming convention for new products, but I don’t think we’d rename anything existing either. Most of the newer products (SEX 4 notwithstanding since that was the next in the series) have leaned away from that line of names anyway.
It makes advertising hard, for one. Lots of manual review. Zero chance we’d get an ad approved saying we’re selling heroin. Shopify might even step in on that one. I also think the general mood has shifted away from thinking the drug names are quaint.
The new amp doesn’t follow either the sex or drug conventions, but it still feels like a Bottlehead name to me.
It makes advertising hard, for one. Lots of manual review. Zero chance we’d get an ad approved saying we’re selling heroin. Shopify might even step in on that one. I also think the general mood has shifted away from thinking the drug names are quaint.
The new amp doesn’t follow either the sex or drug conventions, but it still feels like a Bottlehead name to me.
Karl5150
Member
I always thought BH kit naming was unique, funny and played to a good portion of the audience. I don't think anyone can deny the addictive nature of these kits so Crack it is for the most poplar kit, and the upgrade names itself.
While I understand moving towards names that tie to the products form or function makes sense, I personally like opening a file named "SEX 2.1" on my work/home laptop for the curious and uninitiated who thought a trip to HR might be called for.
Karl.
While I understand moving towards names that tie to the products form or function makes sense, I personally like opening a file named "SEX 2.1" on my work/home laptop for the curious and uninitiated who thought a trip to HR might be called for.
Karl.
bucketofguts
Member
Bring back the original hat rack please.
hmbscott
Member
The sex and drugs naming theme has a strong ‘70’s feel. Cool then, dated now. Smart to move on. Was the third leg of Sex, Drugs & Rock n Roll was never used for BH naming inspiration? That could be both contemporary cool and yet retain continuity with BH’s past naming themes.
You guys make me feel like David Lynch being asked to explain his movies. I saw competitors naming things like WPLG100T3 or whatever and thought "who's gonna remember that? Marketing really isn't that hard. You come up with names that everyone remembers. One of my favorite moments in the business was when some pastor sent me a scathing email telling me he would not buy a product named S.E.X. That was the moment I knew I was on the right track, someone had noticed.
I'm not so sure that anyone ever thought drug names were quaint. I'd get scolded for those every once in a while, even occasionally by a recovering addict. But I understand Jameson's concern that the algorithm now determines what is acceptable. It's his company now and he should do what is most comfortable for him. Could maybe name the next one Quiet Grounding, or Imperturbable Harmony to keep things safe and calming. Or maybe just 30 Watt Tube Amp.
I'm not so sure that anyone ever thought drug names were quaint. I'd get scolded for those every once in a while, even occasionally by a recovering addict. But I understand Jameson's concern that the algorithm now determines what is acceptable. It's his company now and he should do what is most comfortable for him. Could maybe name the next one Quiet Grounding, or Imperturbable Harmony to keep things safe and calming. Or maybe just 30 Watt Tube Amp.
hron61
Member
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I used to find random characters in literature and then add the name of a color from artist paints to name my race motorcycles. Example : "Crimson Morlock" The Morlock is an evil creature from an H.G. Wells book. Your marketing has always been memorable, "one of a kind hat rack" comes to mind, I may be paraphrasing that a bit.
Love it. I had figured to use the naming convention of the old blues greats if I ever started a blues band. Classic example being Blind Lemon Jefferson. This was not long after my broken leg was put back together with 18 screws and a couple plates. I was gonna call myself Gimpy Pale Washington.
bucketofguts
Member
Doc B. How did you do such a good job breaking your leg?
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