Fender Aerodyne Upgrade Pickups

smoothebass · #1 04-04-2007, 07:37 PM

I have the Aerodyne jass bass and the bridge pickup is the shorter length jazz pup mostly used at the neck. I don't want a neck pickup for a bridge pickup. Aren't the neck pups generally more deeper and darker in tone. I want more mids and highs at the bridge. If both pups were jazz i could buy a set of short length replacements ( a set consists of two short length jazz pickups for neck and bridge )for the MIM jazz bass. My bass has p-bass bridge pups. Does anyone know a brand that sells upgrade pickups for the p-j style Aerodyne jass bass.

luknfur · #2 04-05-2007, 05:41 PM

FWIW:

I've installed neck J's at the bridge several times. A neck J is darker and louder because of it's location. Usually bridge J is higher output than a neck J but I suspect that's mainly because of the extra windings being a larger pup. I really haven't been able to tell the difference in them tonaly (neck and bridge sets).

Personally I wouldn't hesitate to put a neck J in it if it fits the route.

snappytom · #3 04-05-2007, 08:27 PM

I have the Aerodyne (same as your pic, Japanese non-export Dolphin Grey) and put a DiMarzio DP126 P+J set in it that I got from MF. Fit perfectly and gave it a nice new sound. The stock P was OK, but the stock J was almost un-useable because of the noise. The DiMarzio set is nice and quiet.
I have been playing my Sterling more lately, but I cannot see ever getting rid of the Aerodyne.

smoothebass · #4 04-07-2007, 06:44 AM

That's good news! I called the Fender customer service after posting this thread. The representative said the long bridge pickup should drop right in. I asked how sure he was because I was going to make a purchase and didn't want to return anything. He said he asked the guy that designed the Aerodyne bass. I don't know if i should believe that or not, but what would he gain by lying? Thanks for the input. I am willing to try the regular bridge pickup after at least three people saying it will fit.

luknfur · #5 04-07-2007, 11:28 AM

FWIW:

since snappytom said he did it, you pretty much know it's not some freak dimension unless they varied those basses - highly unlikely. There aren't many freak J's around in my experience. Perhaps becuase the long and short are such standards the componenets are readily available. But if anything can go wrong it does so it's a good idea to verify before you buy.

I know more about Leo then the Fenders that followed but it seems to be a pretty well run outfit and there are people that have been with them for 15 or 20 years so I wouldn't be surprised.

Brendan100 · #6 04-10-2007, 07:41 PM

I have a Fender Aerodyne and I found that the Jazz Pickup in the bridge was really noisy so I had the electronics sheilded properly and that got rid of the noise straight away.
But, i still went ahead and replaced the pickups with Seymour Duncan quarterpounders and had a badass Bridge installed Now the bass is a monster!!

I can definately recommend doing these mods.

luknfur · #7 04-10-2007, 11:05 PM

FWIW:

That said, if you want to check it out first there's a shielding thread in FAQ and David Meadows (Audere site) has a great link on pup shielding. Also there's been recent threads regarding problems cause by Fender pickgaurd shielding either contacting or not contacting control shielding. Can't remember which it was.

Serelle · #8 10-31-2007, 05:57 PM

Hi all,

I have a candy apple red non export model too and I am wondering if the seymor duncan quarter pounders drop straight in? or is it better to go with the DiMarzio DP126 P+J?
I am looking for a big, round but punchy sound.

smoothebass · #9 11-01-2007, 03:46 PM

I replaced the pups in my bass with barts and it made a world of difference. They were drop ins for MIA jazz bass and they fit very well. The bridge pickup has at least 1/8 " extra space to acomadate larger pickups so any pickups that will fit a MIA jazz should drop in. I can't tell you whitch pups to go with but the barts sounded good . I wish they had more bottom end but the mids were stronger and the highs were very clear. Judging from the sound you say you're looking for i would say go with Dimarzio!

**Ukiah Bass** · #10 02-28-2008, 10:50 AM

I upgraded the pups in my Aerodyne jazz bass with Seymour Duncan quarter pounders. I wrote about the conversion in this article. It includes sound files so you can hear differences with pups dialed into different settings.

http://www.wikimusician.org/Fender_Aerodyne_Jazz_Bass

Slater · #11 02-28-2008, 01:04 PM

If the OP actually has the shorter neck J-pup in the bridge position, it must be a production error. Someone on the assembly-line must have grabbed the wrong pickup. I don't see any advantage to routing the Aerodyne for the shorter pickup. And, as others have already posted, they have installed standard Jazz bridge pickups in their Aerodynes with no problems.