Brandon! Kaman Helicopters did not fail! They are still in production today. They are used in high lift applications, predominantly in the logging industry. The lycrachord guitar backs were born out of the aerospace industry, however they didn’t turn old rotor blades into guitar parts. The piezo pickup technology was adapted from rotor gearbox vibration sensor technology, used to detect helicopter transmission impending failure. I don’t like to contradict but though unusual, they are a very rugged helicopter. Charles Kaman was an aerospace engineer and concert guitarist who thought outside the box. He was a pioneer in isolating, minimizing, and then enhancing acoustic resonance.🚁🎸
Always a pleasure to hear Roberto on guitar of the day...and what an interesting bass! Also...thank you Brandon, it's fun to learn a little a little guitar history...and as always, great job Jen!!!
My grandma lent me her typhoon 4. Fretted. I learned to play on that. What a cool sound. Funky jazz sound. I didnt know they were made fretless but is even better.
I owned that exact guitar. Sold it to a guy that played an upright bass and wanted something he could run through an amp in order to have a little more volume on stage. He loved it. Easy transition from the stand up to a fretless guitar. Re Kaman Corporation: They made the best and most reliable helicopter blades. The technology of the acoustic guitar backs was developed by the folks that made the blades. The backs are more durable than the wood and a more consistent tone. Thank you for this GOTD.
Body made by Hofner........ neck made by Ovation in Connecticut...... Schaller PUPS ....... I have a 1070 Tornado guitar which is similar.....but guitar..... Part of their original "storm" series......... underrated for sure........Tim Pierce has a Tornado he played on the channel once......
Yes. Ovations of different stripes where used by musicians all through the 70s. The only issue I found was repairability, Some Ovations were manufactured or had materials that were not common in typical guitar repair shops. But they did have unique qualities that created a lane for players that wanted to stand out.
I had one the only electric that had that stand up finger board growl ,played with Link Wray he loved ,I bought mine from Joe Byrd (Charlie’s Brother) $250!😎
Our high school had a Typhoon II. Superbly built and under rated. The neck is maple guys, kind of follows that violin/gamba family vibe...string basses have more in common with the gamba family than violin but both typically had a spruce top. maple backs, sides and neck and ebony fret board. There were variations of course! Cheers!
Nice bass and some pretty tasty playing as well. Would love to hear how my good friend Lee Sklar would sound on that fretless bass. I remember when the Ovations were first introduced with that unique curved design. I thought they were nice instruments! Fun GOTD for Bass today!!
This is a surprise, I did not know ovation made a bass guitar back then. I had an ovation when it first came out love the sound but sold it cos it kept slipping of my legs . It was really inovative
Same exact shape as a Gianini Craviola... ( Jimmy played a Nylon version on " All of my Love" ) I have an early example W/Brazilian R/W. It plays & sounds Unreal. Not particularly valuable... But soo many ppl try to buy it from me. All the Steel versions, ( Espically the 12's ) Suck. & the bridges pop off. ( They were intended to be a Nylon Oddity. ) OK, I'm done.
Are the top, sides a back are laminated? Why didn't Ovation make the back on this bass like on their guitars, not bolt on neck? What is the scale length? Roberto is a cool bass player. Thanks to you and Jen, the gem
Brilliant video! Thanks Roberto! Feel free to chide/razz/insult/humiliate me...but, I've a serious question about fretless basses and guitars. I've even converted one of my acoustic Ibanez basses to fretless by removing the frets, and filling in with a colored wood filler. Fingering. When you press on a fretted instrument, the string length is shortened to the upper above fret. Question? When playing fretless, do you play exactly on the fret lines, which would obviously intone things... or do you finger/press between the fret lines as you would a standard fretted instrument? To do so it seems to me you should tune a quarter step up if you are fingering between 2 frets generally in the middle? This confuses me. Help me Obi Wan !
Guitar backs made out of helicopter blades, that's even more unprecedented than the notion of an electric piano built by Harold Rhodes being made out of salvaged B-52 metal. As I write this comment, I'm thinking about Neil Diamond and how he used Ovation instruments almost exclusively during the 70s. Did he know that was how they were made?
Brandon! Kaman Helicopters did not fail! They are still in production today. They are used in high lift applications, predominantly in the logging industry. The lycrachord guitar backs were born out of the aerospace industry, however they didn’t turn old rotor blades into guitar parts. The piezo pickup technology was adapted from rotor gearbox vibration sensor technology, used to detect helicopter transmission impending failure.
I don’t like to contradict but though unusual, they are a very rugged helicopter. Charles Kaman was an aerospace engineer and concert guitarist who thought outside the box.
He was a pioneer in isolating, minimizing, and then enhancing acoustic resonance.🚁🎸
That’s one of the coolest things I’ve seen on the channel in a while
Not a bass player but I love Ovation. They’re the acoustics my dad raised me on.
Always a pleasure to hear Roberto on guitar of the day...and what an interesting bass! Also...thank you Brandon, it's fun to learn a little a little guitar history...and as always, great job Jen!!!
That could pass as an upright sound in a club for just about 99% of jazz gigs.
My grandma lent me her typhoon 4. Fretted. I learned to play on that. What a cool sound. Funky jazz sound. I didnt know they were made fretless but is even better.
Beautiful!
I have a Univox with a similar build, but I turned it into a fretless.
I owned that exact guitar. Sold it to a guy that played an upright bass and wanted something he could run through an amp in order to have a little more volume on stage. He loved it. Easy transition from the stand up to a fretless guitar. Re Kaman Corporation: They made the best and most reliable helicopter blades. The technology of the acoustic guitar backs was developed by the folks that made the blades. The backs are more durable than the wood and a more consistent tone. Thank you for this GOTD.
Great job Roberto !!! Thank you Brandon and Jen !!!
Body made by Hofner........ neck made by Ovation in Connecticut...... Schaller PUPS ....... I have a 1070 Tornado guitar which is similar.....but guitar..... Part of their original "storm" series......... underrated for sure........Tim Pierce has a Tornado he played on the channel once......
Yes. Ovations of different stripes where used by musicians all through the 70s. The only issue I found was repairability, Some Ovations were manufactured or had materials that were not common in typical guitar repair shops. But they did have unique qualities that created a lane for players that wanted to stand out.
I had one the only electric that had that stand up finger board growl ,played with Link Wray he loved ,I bought mine from Joe Byrd (Charlie’s Brother) $250!😎
I love Ovations in fact i have a custom Adamas a/e and i love it. I dont understand people's reaction to Ovations. They are great instruments ❤❤❤❤
Our high school had a Typhoon II. Superbly built and under rated.
The neck is maple guys, kind of follows that violin/gamba family vibe...string basses have more in common with the gamba family than violin but both typically had a spruce top. maple backs, sides and neck and ebony fret board.
There were variations of course!
Cheers!
Very cool! I like hearing the price. Good job.
Nice bass and some pretty tasty playing as well. Would love to hear how my good friend Lee Sklar would sound on that fretless bass. I remember when the Ovations were first introduced with that unique curved design. I thought they were nice instruments! Fun GOTD for Bass today!!
This is a surprise, I did not know ovation made a bass guitar back then. I had an ovation when it first came out love the sound but sold it cos it kept slipping of my legs . It was really inovative
Great upright vibe!
Incredible specs. The Ovation Breadwinner looks like Tex Ritter’s swimming pool. Page & Glenn Campbell put them on the map.
Same exact shape as a Gianini Craviola... ( Jimmy played a Nylon version on " All of my Love" ) I have an early example W/Brazilian R/W. It plays & sounds Unreal. Not particularly valuable... But soo many ppl try to buy it from me. All the Steel versions, ( Espically the 12's ) Suck. & the bridges pop off. ( They were intended to be a Nylon Oddity. ) OK, I'm done.
"a mere bag o'shells".😁👍
The Danny Partridge Bass... but without frets....that's pretty cool.... and hell of a good deal actually....
The backs of Ovation guitars were referred to as Lyrachord.
Nice bass. Unique tone. It appears from the video to be a bit shorter scale.
🔥
Sweet bass! According to ovationgallery it’s a two piece maple neck.
Are the top, sides a back are laminated?
Why didn't Ovation make the back on this bass
like on their guitars, not bolt on neck?
What is the scale length?
Roberto is a cool bass player.
Thanks to you and Jen, the gem
Is it still available and what’s the price ?
Brilliant video! Thanks Roberto!
Feel free to chide/razz/insult/humiliate me...but, I've a serious question about fretless basses and guitars. I've even converted one of my acoustic Ibanez basses to fretless by removing the frets, and filling in with a colored wood filler.
Fingering. When you press on a fretted instrument, the string length is shortened to the upper above fret.
Question?
When playing fretless, do you play exactly on the fret lines, which would obviously intone things... or do you finger/press between the fret lines as you would a standard fretted instrument?
To do so it seems to me you should tune a quarter step up if you are fingering between 2 frets generally in the middle?
This confuses me. Help me Obi Wan !
Try your best to fret on the markers.
I used to work in Manhattan for 40 years and I’ve been to the restaurant that Robert Vally has on his shirt. Ironic.
Sounds like u got it down!
I would greatly prefer master volume and tone/tone than master tone with volume/ volume
That thing needs a set of flatwounds.
Sweet looking bass, but unfortunate as it happens with every Thumpin’ Thursday I can’t hear it because my hearing sucks
Guitar backs made out of helicopter blades, that's even more unprecedented than the notion of an electric piano built by Harold Rhodes being made out of salvaged B-52 metal. As I write this comment, I'm thinking about Neil Diamond and how he used Ovation instruments almost exclusively during the 70s. Did he know that was how they were made?
30" scale
I have a fret less typhoon ii