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Please help specify HS Ultralight tuners for Fender Aerodyne Jazz Bass (CIJ)

N. Kentucky Bass

N. Kentucky Bass

Supporting Member
May 10, 2006
8,103
8,363
Northern Kentucky
sites.google.com
#1
Hi there, I'd like to replace the stock tuners on my Fender Aerodyne Jazz Bass (CIJ) with Hipshot Ultralights. I'm hoping to reuse the same holes in the headstock. Here are photos. Can anyone please tell me the correct tuner model to order? The stock form factor appears to be the same as HS American Classic but it would be great to save on weight w/Ultralights. Thank you!

AerodyneHeadstockFront.JPG


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#3
The Hipshot tuning machines arrived. I'm glad I did the upgrade. The new machines are much lighter -- it feels like the weight of a coffee mug was lifted from the headstock. The new tuners must have a higher gear ratio than the stock tuners because I can now zero in on correct tuning with my Boss tuner with smooth, micro-incremental control. Tuning with the stock machines was often a back-and-forth effort, not a big deal, but this is definitely better. Tone is great, even better, especially with the previously installed BadAss II bridge, Seymour Duncan Bassline pickups, and Status groundwound strings. I guess this bass is about as tricked out as it can get. Thank goodness I like it! BTW, the whole process took about an hour. I've never done it before and did not know what to expect tool-wise, etc. so I took my time. A luthier could probably do this in 15 minutes.

Here are photos of the replacement process:

1. Remove the stock tuners A stock tuning machine is above left, a Hipshot to the right.

Tuners 1 remove old tuners.JPG


2. Remove the stock bushings.

Tuners 2 remove bushings.JPG


3. Install new tuning machines, drill four holes, add screws. One of these days I'll get around to filling the old holes with putty. For now, I used 1000 fine sandpaper to smooth out the holes. You can see how the exposed area of headstock has changed colors since I acquired the bass 3.5 years ago.

Tuners 3 add screws.JPG


4. Tighten new bushings. The new bushings are slightly narrower than the hole diameter, but the combination of the rear-side anchor screw and the front-side bushing pressure nut made each tuning machine rock solid prior to re-installation of the strings.

Tuners 4 tighten new bushings.JPG


5. Installed old strings. Ready to go!

Tuners 5 reinstall strings.JPG
 
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#8
Nice job. Another possibility to consider: the 'Fender style' tuners offered by Hipshot(HB2 for example) are lighter than some Fender units, because some Fender units use a brass string post, vs. aluminum in a Hipshot unit. You can save approx. 0.8 oz per machine as a result- sometimes this is enough to balance a slightly neck-heavy bass.
But Ultralights are REALLY light- at 1.8 oz they're less than half the weight of some Fender units(4 oz).
 
#11
very cool alot of Areodynes up here in Nor cal. I see you two boys are just alittle north of me. I just brought back a jazz/P Aerodyne from Ikebukuro Tokyo Japan. It jumped off the wall of the store when I walked in. There was 50 basses up there but this Dolfin Grey Fender blew me away. I had to have it . It sounds great and I was thinking of doing simular upgrade.How did the Badass II fit in the recess that the stock bridge was in?Also I talked to Hipshot and the tuners I want in black will need me to drill out the holes just a tad to fit.And You didn't like your pickups?Mine sound great but I would be interested in your up grade also.I want to know much better they sound. Perhaps Fender Japan has upgraded the bass for 2010. I don't know. Anyhow good job Ukiah.
 
#12
The BadAss bridge fit perfectly. No mods required. The sustain w/the new bridge was startling. Another essential upgrade.

However: a few years after making the swap I started hearing random crackles/pops when I moved the bass while playing. Turned out the grounding wire under the bridge had been sprayed black. Scraping off the paint provided a clean ground and the noise issue disappeared.
 
#17
Billy K said:
And You didn't like your pickups?Mine sound great but I would be interested in your up grade also.I want to know much better they sound.
Click to expand...

I have many comparative recordings made with this Aerodyne Jazz bass and the Seymour Duncan pickups. Some tracks include DI on one channel and mic'd cab on the other so you can flip back and forth. All is described here:

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Several videos of performances on YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheStormyWeathermen
 
#18
You got a BA bridge on your Aero? Mine must be different. My bridge is smaller than a normal Fender bridge and is recessed into the body and every aftermarket bridge I have seen will not fit in the small area. I can't see routing my body and repainting to get a bridge on it. Mine is a CIJ Japan market one.
 
#19
You know when he said a Badass fit I was going to buy one right away, now though I don't know. My Aerodyne is recessed too.I would love to do some upgrades I thought about pickups but Chunger(another poster here doing SX rebuilds) had my Aero for a few weeks and said the pickups were awsome and don't need to be changed Bassaman also played it and said the same. The tuners would be a good change but I don't like the idea of 16 holes to fill.But I will be following this post to see what some others come up with in terms of upgrades
 

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