Naming a new instrument, for us, is always a very serious and exacting task.
We are aware that a great name for an instrument can positively affect how
the instrument is perceived by our dealers and their customers.

Thus, the name "Tamarack" for our new line of flat mandocellos was
only arrived at after long hours of research and much discussion within the shop.

We limited the choice
of names to Montana trees and shrubs so
that we would be consistent with our other flat names: Aspen, Alder and
Sage. We also eliminated trees or shrubs that could be used in instrument building such as
cedar, maple and
spruce because we
did not want the instrument to be associated with a particular wood.

With those limitations
in mind, we proceeded diligently with the task at hand. Some of us liked the Yucca, but unfortunately it is
not native to Montana. The Poplar was
another early favorite but we felt that it was too close to the adjective "popular" and, of course, the statement "I'd like to order one of your popular mandolins" would apply to any of our instruments.

Choctawhatchee Pine was considered and rejected as too long
to fit on our labels. Hemlock, Locust & Weeping Willow were never contenders.
Moosewood we have reserved for a custom instrument and Betula Populifolia was too scientific. Hackmatack could be a good fit for some of our customers but is probably better suited for a golf club. Yew had a following
but Paula objected.
She envisioned phone conversations where she would have to inform the customer that she could not be ordered, at any price.

The Tamarack tree
met all of our criteria.
It is a Montana tree.
It follows our standard progression from A
to Z: Aspen, Alder, Sage, Tamarack; and,
it is not easily
confused with our
other instrument
names.

The Western Tamarack, also known as the Montana Larch, is the largest of the tamaracks. It attains
its greatest size and abundance in Montana. This majestic tree displays its unique personality by changing its needles to a soft burnt orange color in the fall. It is one of the few coniferous trees to shed its needles in the winter.