Another, What should I call this?

[G.S. Monroe]

What should I call this? Round #2

I'm sure we have all experimented at one time or another with "unconventional" instrument designs...
Here is one in my collection. Background... I recently built a Tiple, and was intrigued by it's 3 string course with an octave string lay out.
So in my curiosity, I built this.... it's made of cypress with chinaberry front and back panels.
It is an electric solid body instrument, with 6 strings, in 3 courses... either the more conventional 2 x 2 x 2,
or my favorite the 1 x 2 x 3 with a triple octave melody!
The first course is a low "D" string, the middle course is dual mid "aa"'s, and the bottom is a triple course with an octave .. "d D d".
I've tuned like the dulcimer or bouzouki, either D aa dDd, or G cc gGg.

It's got a 22 inch VSL, chromatic frets and a zero fret for a nut.

It sounds unlike anything I've heard before, but it is fun to play with a slide or by finger picking melodies.
And you can use blues bar chords. But what do I call this thing?

[Jon Whitney]

Battle Axe? It's pretty cool looking, what ever you call it. Can you post a sound file?

[Markus Schmid]

Shame on me I have not seen this thread earlier. Shame on me I don't visit this forum more often.
But well, here I am. Your creation caught my attention.

It sounds unlike anything I've heard before, but it is fun to play with a slide or by finger picking melodies.
And you can use blues bar chords. But what do I call this thing?

Of course, there are several approaches to find a name for a new instrument. In this case here, the most relaxed approach would be a response to your statement "It sounds unlike anything I've heard before" and call it something you never have heard before, whatever this may be...

Although, my personal approach would be a more serious one.

• At a first instance I would refer to the instrument the new creation would be played like, regarding playing technique and music stile.
• At a second instance, immediately or at the same time stringing and tuning would play an important role in finding an appropriate name.
• As a third criterion shape and size would come into the game.

Of course, I could now make up a name for your pretty cool instrument, but in case you have not found one meanwhile by yourself, I do not feel entitled to steal you the fun of finding one!

[G.S. Monroe]

I think I ended up calling it an electro-bouzouki.

[Markus Schmid]

At least in my ears, that sounds better than "battle axe"!

[Jon Whitney]

Hey! Axe is a perfectly good synonym for any electric instrument!

Electro-bouzouki is just fine, though.

[Andrew Porter]

A Tripe (no derogatory conotation intended).