Fender Aerodyne Club!

[Jloch86]

I've been meaning to post a pic of my non-export, figured I'd get it into the forum while I still have it.

View attachment 935045

That is gorgeous. Custom job I take it? With the pick guard, tone knobs, and inlays?

 

[Jloch86]

So... I love my Fender Aerodyne, but... It seems its tuning is very sensitive to temperature changes. I have the same strings on other basses (D'Addario Chromes), but the Aerodyne has to be tuned every time I pull it out of its case, and if the temperature of the room is different, I have to tune it again, sometimes it wanders off as much as a quarter note. I do not think the tuners is to blame, I think it may be somethink about the dynamics of temperature change between the strings and the slick Aerodyne neck.

Anyone else need to tune their Aerodynes a lot?

Are the strings new(ish)? New strings tend to take a few days, maybe a week or two to completely slacken enough that they stay in tune.

 

[JxBass]

That is gorgeous. Custom job I take it? With the pick guard, tone knobs, and inlays?

No, that's the way it came from the dealer in Japan. The only change I made was to add a Hipshot drop-D tuner.

 

[Shardik]

Are the strings new(ish)? New strings tend to take a few days, maybe a week or two to completely slacken enough that they stay in tune.

No. I've been using this for a year or so now.

 

[Shardik]

Just a wild guess…perhaps it's the lighter, less-dense basswood body that's expanding and contracting with the changes in temperature?

Maybe. The weight is one of the reasons for playing an Aerodyne, though. My back has seen better days.

 

[Malak the Mad]

Maybe. The weight is one of the reasons for playing an Aerodyne, though. My back has seen better days.

I am SO there with you, sir! In fact, it's kinda ironic…I'm a twenty-one year veteran massage therapist, one who specializes in pain relief and repetitive stress no less, and I have an incredibly cranky lower back! But if you ever want some tips to help yourself, shoot me a PM anytime.

 

[bonz - darrell]

@Shardik - you mentioned that you store the bass in it's case. Any chance the tuner knobs are bumping into the bottom or top of the case?
I hang mine, and it's tuning is very stable between playing. It's also quite stable when I play it (after it warms up). All my basses start out a little sharp so I tune down a hair, and as they warm up I have to tune back up -- but it's really minor. And all my basses do that...

 

[9mmMike]

The tuning machines on my Aerodyne are easily bumped as well. I have pulled it from the bag and all the blades were lined-up nice and neatly flat and I know that it has been auto-tuned in the bag!
I also think that the thin necks on these are susceptible to temperature. I have no issues with any other bass (all Precisions) with the same strings. I have a friend with a Geddy that has the same issue and that has a super thin neck as well.

 

[Shardik]

If they were bumped, then all the tuning machines is bumped about equally much, regardless of position. I find it improbable.

 

[bonz - darrell]

Ok, then back to my other idea -- my basses are all sharp when I first start playing. As I warm up the instrument (the strings mostly, I think) I have to re-tune because all the strings go slightly flat. Once the instrument has warmed up and been tuned it's very stable. Is that the case with yours?

 

[Shardik]

Pretty much spot on.

 

[bonz - darrell]

Pretty much spot on.

Well, in that case, I would say it's pretty normal. As I said, all my basses do that: short scale, longs scale, medium scale, fat neck, skinny neck, 21 fret, 24 fret, every one of them.
One guitarist I play with is always commenting on how his guitar needs to be tuned once he 'warms it up'.

Someone correct me if I've got this wrong, but when my strings are cold they are shorter, so they are tighter, so they are higher pitched (ie: sharper). As they warm up the become longer, so they are looser, so they are lower pitched (ie: flatter).
Obviously the greater the temperature variation between 'cold' strings and 'warm' strings, the greater the variation on tuning.

 

[Shardik]

In contrast, I have a SBMM Ray34. It is pretty stable, even when moving from one place to another. Most of my other basses are also stable, but I don't move them around between temperatures as much.

I guess this is normal for an Aerodyne. That is OK, then. I can live with it. I always tune before playing anyway, it just takes a minute longer for the Aerodyne because it always needs adjustments on all strings.

 

[Jonahlane]

Got this pic at a music festival of me playing my Hot Rodded Aerodyne. I named her The Duchess. I put the Seymour Duncan Quarter pounds, Emerson custom wiring, and Fender High Mass bridge on her.

Is there a way for me to get a number?

 

[Catbuster]

Numbers as I leave as the number guy. @hookgrip is large and in charge now.


Fender Aerodyne Club

1-Youngspanion
2-Coltranius
3-Lowfrq
4-Hdracer
5-Ilamor2112
6-Billy K
7-Rocinante-x1
8-Mr M
9-Hankazoid
10-Big chicken
11-Wake & Bass
12-Billy K
13-Ray34
14-Upandb
15-Philthygeezer
**16-GatorDogDoc**
17-Averagehack
18-WheresthPocket
19-StrangerDanger
20- Klonk
21- Bannybassman
22- Onosson
23- hollotim
24- bebop1
25- Jarod21
26- Stoutfellow
27- JacksonAerodyne
28 - Dom_Bass_2
29 - BassGen (Retired)
30 - H.Kristal
31 - Jweber76
32 -Burgardj
33 -Lordbeans
34-JohnnyChatter
35-swu678
36-TheOnlyJuan
37- Bass1965
38-Cellkirk74
39-Spin Doc
40-logans59
41-Lavave
42-THORRR
43-Brando28
44-Fit4pain
45-Bassmanmike1 (Honorary for his self built GORGEOUS Aero-clone)
46-Catbuster
47-Malak The Mad
48-Crash Alpha
49-Chrispunx
50-Melikecookies
51-LPswim2009
52-Dr. Goggles
53-Yesplz
54-Cadfael
55-hazmatt
56-Levis76
57-78Stingray
58-MeLikeBass
59-bluespenny
60-grey area
61-jefff100
62-ekidnu25
63-5Bass5
64-drewfunk
65-im_telling_Tim
66-KrügMeister
67-DaffyStarDuck
68-Sonic
69- ricoshea
70-Bassfacist
71- Snakeman1066
72-mack_avz
73-lakland55
74-MarkoYYZ
75-johnnychatter
76-Xandros
77-Ilmārs_Priede
78-Breakman
79-BogezOnBass
80-EricMordus
81-naaily
82-Gorn Captain
83-Spent
84-Spanish Dave
85-9mmMike
86-DJ_SlackHack
87-chienmort- Kinda odd French there
88-Dogghouse
89-Chickentown
90-Kiyote
91-bonz-darrell (formerly darrellj)
92- A-Step-Towards
93-scottz369
94-Ancient of Days
95-marcosedh
96- God's Favorite Bass
97-christle
98-Hopi76
99-flashgod
100-PatrikB
101-rdcowan
102-Lakland55
103-hookgrip
104-Bass5150
105-mojomik001
106-DJJazzV
107-Menorahman
108-Shardik
109-frogonbass
110-Bassplayer315
111-HAVOK
112-Birdbrain
113-lutherie sg
114-Amplified
115-AsCanBe
116-Justice Graves
117-Tbone76
118-Beverlyvista
119-GePe
120-Jloch86
121-JxBass
122-Jonahlane

 

[Birdbrain]

My Aerodyne. Like the cream covers and knobs?

 

[bonz - darrell]

My Aerodyne. Like the cream covers and knobs?View attachment 986353

How about a cream coloured input jack to finish off the look? Probably have to paint up a black one...

 

[Birdbrain]

How about a cream coloured input jack to finish off the look? Probably have to paint up a black one...

I thought about it, but going to leave it black.

 

[9mmMike]

@Birdbrain Looks great with that off-white binding.

 

[katysax]

Looks like I'm going to look at a used one about an hour from where I live tomorrow. Depends on the weather. I've been looking for a short scale bass but my real issue is weight of the bass. I've had a full scale bass before and could play it (I'm 5'2"). As I've gotten older I can't play a bass that is too heavy. I love the look of the Aerodyne and based on the pictures I've found a really nice one with a hard case. If it works out I'll be back.

Edited the next day: Well it did not work out. The bass is light enough - that's for sure, but I still felt like it was enormous. It was gorgeous - excellent, almost pristine condition cosmetically. However, the set up and intonation were terrible (which I could have fixed had I bought it). Much as I like the look of it, when in my hands just not the right bass. Too bad. It was a great deal - he was asking $425 including the Fender hard case and it looked almost like new.