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Fender Aerodyne Club!

#863
bonz - darrell said:
On that vein, I just ordered up the BT-10 for my Aerodyne.
Click to expand...

Did you order a chrome or black tuner?

I ask because the first Drop-D tuner I ever bought was for my 'Dyne. At first, I thought I'd made a mistake getting the chrome one, since the rest of the hardware is smoked chrome, but I decided to just leave it alone. It doesn't really stand out that much anyway.

Ultimately, I'm glad I went with chrome. I bought some black UltraLites for a build project and found out they are matte black, not shiny. Black would not have complimented the rest of the hardware. :rollno:
 
#864
Malak the Mad said:
Did you order a chrome or black tuner?

I ask because the first Drop-D tuner I ever bought was for my 'Dyne. At first, I thought I'd made a mistake getting the chrome one, since the rest of the hardware is smoked chrome, but I decided to just leave it alone. It doesn't really stand out that much anyway.

Ultimately, I'm glad I went with chrome. I bought some black UltraLites for a build project and found out they are matte black, not shiny. Black would not have complimented the rest of the hardware. :rollno:
Click to expand...

I'm ordered a chrome tuner. Unlike the J's, my P is all bright chrome hardware. I gave some thought to giving it the 'black out' treatment, but it looks so pretty as is. My Ibanez and my Urge I are both completely blacked out now.

I would like to find ultralights that look like the stock tuners...
 
#865
Gotoh Resolites are going to be the closest thing to an ultralight, but that looks like the original. They'll cover all the holes on the backside of the neck, but they are a little pricey. Great quality, mind you...
 
#867
Malak the Mad said:
Did you order a chrome or black tuner?

I ask because the first Drop-D tuner I ever bought was for my 'Dyne. At first, I thought I'd made a mistake getting the chrome one, since the rest of the hardware is smoked chrome, but I decided to just leave it alone. It doesn't really stand out that much anyway.

Ultimately, I'm glad I went with chrome. I bought some black UltraLites for a build project and found out they are matte black, not shiny. Black would not have complimented the rest of the hardware. :rollno:
Click to expand...

I do not have my bridge yet. It will be some time still before I get it since it is not a normal production item. There may be a picture in this thread of Bottoms_Up's bridge.

My P is also equipped with chrome tuners by the way and the Hipshot x-tender looks like it is factory.
 
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#868
bonz - darrell said:
Their website is a little light on specifications. I'm guessing the GBR-640's?
Click to expand...
GBR = reverse wind, which is a vintage thing. The GB-640 will have the regular forward wind. The mounting plates are larger and therefore cover the original holes, rather the the usual ultralights that have that small sealed body and single screw, which to me is unsightly when it exposes a backside that previously sported larger tuners. Unless you're going to paint it over, the holes will always show and the wood/clear can sometimes have a different shade or glossiness.

That said, I realize now that the clover-leaf tuner heads are ever so slightly smaller on the 640.
 
#869
MarkoYYZ said:
GBR = reverse wind, which is a vintage thing. The GB-640 will have the regular forward wind. The mounting plates are larger and therefore cover the original holes, rather the the usual ultralights that have that small sealed body and single screw, which to me is unsightly when it exposes a backside that previously sported larger tuners. Unless you're going to paint it over, the holes will always show and the wood/clear can sometimes have a different shade or glossiness.

That said, I realize now that the clover-leaf tuner heads are ever so slightly smaller on the 640.
Click to expand...

Cool. Thanks for the insights.

I guess I should have worded my question more carefully. What I meant to ask was GB-640 vs GB-528 -- I wonder if the 528's would use the same holes...

Thanks!

darrell
 
#870
My Aerodyne is one of the early ones without a strat jack, I have been debating putting a chrome J control plate on it, not drilling holes or routing just removing the knobs, and nuts to the pots and jack, putting the plate on top and putting the knobs back on, not sure if the pots are long enough though and I dont think chrome will look good with the smoked chrome, just bored I guess.
010.jpg
 
#871
A-Step-Towards said:
My Aerodyne is one of the early ones without a strat jack, I have been debating putting a chrome J control plate on it, not drilling holes or routing just removing the knobs, and nuts to the pots and jack, putting the plate on top and putting the knobs back on, not sure if the pots are long enough though and I dont think chrome will look good with the smoked chrome, just bored I guess.
Click to expand...

:eek: Stop right where you are. :mad: Put down the screwdriver and step away from the bass guitar.

I can't think of a worse thing you could do, than that, and I think you'd regret drilling holes in the bass after coming to your senses.

I get that it looks kind of expansive and empty, but that's the whole point. Even on regular Jazzes, I have never understood how people think that control plate looks good on the front of the bass, all on its own. I know Jaco immortalized the look, but I personally think it's terrible, since the SHAPE of the control plate is made specifically to mate with a pickguard. If it's designed to be out there on its own, it should have a different shape, IMHO.

:cool:


I think that might be the most smileys I have ever used, but that's how strongly I am against your idea.
 
#872
MarkoYYZ said:
:eek: Stop right where you are. :mad: Put down the screwdriver and step away from the bass guitar.

I can't think of a worse thing you could do, than that, and I think you'd regret drilling holes in the bass after coming to your senses.

I get that it looks kind of expansive and empty, but that's the whole point. Even on regular Jazzes, I have never understood how people think that control plate looks good on the front of the bass, all on its own. I know Jaco immortalized the look, but I personally think it's terrible, since the SHAPE of the control plate is made specifically to mate with a pickguard. If it's designed to be out there on its own, it should have a different shape, IMHO.

:cool:


I think that might be the most smileys I have ever used, but that's how strongly I am against your idea.
Click to expand...
I said in my post NOT drilling holes. It would sit on the surface and not move around if the pots shaft was long enough to go through and be screwed down. Of course it would work if someone routed the front cavity , but I wouldnt do that. I dont do irreversible mods, it took me 3 months to find this Aerodyne without the strat jack (which I hate).
 
#873
Ahh, got it.

If you want, I could cut out a control plate shape out of chrome vinyl for you... to try it out, and if the pot shafts on yours are the same as the ones on my strat-type Aero, they'll be too short. I have seen some cheapo thin guage control plates, but there's also the chance that they don't line right up.
 
#874
For anyone looking for a deal on a non-export Aerodyne Jazz, ebay seller batfuk has a few available. The name is odd, but he is a pro and you can by with confidence. I've had two very smooth transactions with him and the basses arrived to me in Toronto, from Japan, in 3 days.

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$399 + $115 shipping is about as cheap as it's gonna get for one of these, which is less than the usual US sold models go for on the used market. It's been well played, but if you're looking for something sexy to gig with, maybe the wear is OK. Almost all of my stuff has some mojo wear, and I kinda prefer it that way.
.
 
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#875
[edit] Oops. Posted in error. Ignore me. Temporary Friday lunch time insanity... Trying to read posts, not post posts.

Ahh well, since I'm here, I might as well mention that I took my Aero-P to practice again last night (alone, all by itself, left all my other 'favourite' basses at home).
This thing is the bomb! It just rocks and rocks and rocks.

And it's purdy too.

darrell
 
#876
MarkoYYZ said:
Ahh, got it.

If you want, I could cut out a control plate shape out of chrome vinyl for you... to try it out, and if the pot shafts on yours are the same as the ones on my strat-type Aero, they'll be too short. I have seen some cheapo thin guage control plates, but there's also the chance that they don't line right up.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the offer, I actually decided against it, If I wanted a control plate one I will just buy one of the Japan market ones. I do like the nakedness of if as my favorite Fenders are Jazz bass Specials which this has a slight throw back to.

I also prefer the no dots on the fretboard.
 
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#877
My Hipshot BT-10 drop tuner arrived the other day. It's a perfect fit -- screw holes lined up perfectly, a perfect fit.

The good news is that it doesn't seem to have affected the head-dive characteristics of this bass. If it is any worse, it's very subtle, and not enough to affect the play-ability.

Now to decide on whether to order the custom fitted Hipshot Vintage bridge...

darrell
 
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#878
bonz - darrell said:
My Hipshot BT-10 drop tuner arrived the other day. It's a perfect fit -- screw holes lined up perfectly, a perfect fit.

The good news is that it doesn't seem to have affected the head-dive characteristics of this bass. If it is any worse, it's very subtle, and not enough to affect the play-ability.

Now to decide on whether to order the custom fitted Hipshot Vintage bridge...

darrell
Click to expand...

Love that BT-10! Love that Hipshot Company. The BT-10 is an especially fantastic unit as it absolutely looks like it was an "as delivered" factory part.
 
#879
I own three hipshot drop tuners - - one of which has been on three or four different instruments. My other hipshot d-tuners are the gb-7's which fit ibanez basses with gotoh style tuners and my Urge I...
Come to think of it, the bridge on my Urge is a hipshot as well.
Between hipshot and seymour duncan quarter ponders, I'm set!
 

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