Fender Aerodyne Club!

[2tonic]

That, and the basswood body which is a little bit lighter than alder.



From my experience, there might be a tiny variance, but I can't say if it would pose a serious problem.

I installed an Aerodyne neck onto a Mighty Mite body, which is a licensed copy of the standard Jazz bodies. At first, the screw holes didn't line up 100%. It was close…really, really close. But instead of doing a lot of filling & drilling, I tried something my local guitar tech suggested. I put on a set of strings and started increasing the tension while holding the neck and body together. The tension pulled the neck into the pocket enough that the holes finally matched up. I managed to get the screws in place and screwed down, all the while holding the two halves together…and violá!

View attachment 2994885
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1. Thanks for the info
2. Beautiful bass. I mean it, man. That moves me!!
3. You tensioned the strings, tightened the screws, and....
" Voilà", you got a Viola?

 

[Malak the Mad]

1. Thanks for the info
2. Beautiful bass. I mean it, man. That moves me!!
3. You tensioned the strings, tightened the screws, and....
" Voilà", you got a Viola?

1. You're most welcome.
2. Lotsa thanks! If I've inspired just one person, I've done a good thing.
3. Oh, you betcha!

Yeah, I popped the neck into the pocket, installed the strings, took up just enough slack so they had a couple of wraps around the tuning posts, flipped the whole thing upside down and started adding equal amounts of tension to each string a couple of turns at a time. When the neck started to lift out of the pocket, I kept it all together by pressing down firmly against the area where the neck and body join (re: where the screws and neck plate go).

Once the tension became almost too much for me to keep them together, I checked the spacing and violá…all the holes lined up! So, while keeping that downward force upon the body/neck joint, I moved the plate in place and started bolting everything down.

This, mind you, was not the exact advice my guitar tech gave me. He suggested I do this trick to make sure a neck was tightly ensconced in the pocket and was straight. In his scenario, the bolts were to be partially installed…as in, mostly seated, but still allowing the neck to wiggle back-and-forth a bit. Then string it up and add tension to the strings to make sure the neck was truly straight. Using it to squeeze the neck in that last millimeter or two I needed was my idea.

 

[Ramonesfan59]

Metro Guitar in Arlington was able to put an Aerodyne neck onto a Blacktop P body without issue. (Don't know if that helps, but it did happen.)

 

[Bottoms_Up!]

I have Status graphite Jazz necks on both of my Aerodynes and they fit like gloves.

 

[Fredrik E. Nilsen]

I have Status graphite Jazz necks on both of my Aerodynes and they fit like gloves.

Are they one piece (no fretboard)? Couldn't find very much information. And do you have any idea of the weight compared to a standard jazz?

 

[Fredrik E. Nilsen]

I'm waiting for a new (used) Aerodyne jazz (the model with pickguard), and was thinking about putting on a Warmoth fretless neck. But: they all have truss rod adjustment at the heel. I guess there is no route for adjusting the trussrod under the pickguard? Not sure I want to make one.

 

[flashgod]

Do you guys have an issue with the fingerboard radius of the aerodyne?

The radius is with 7,25" compaired to standard Jazz necks with 9,5" very round.
My problem is, that especially the bridge PUP cannot compensate that radius and the E and G stings are louder than the A and D string in the mix with the neck PUP.
I like the unique tone of the PJ PUPs of the aerodyne.
Because of the unequal loudness of each string I tend to use the neck PUP only.

Is there any alternative Jazz PUP available, where you can adjust the height of the pole pices?

 

[Fredrik E. Nilsen]

Do you guys have an issue with the fingerboard radius of the aerodyne?

The radius is with 7,25" compaired to standard Jazz necks with 9,5" very round.
My problem is, that especially the bridge PUP cannot compensate that radius and the E and G stings are louder than the A and D string in the mix with the neck PUP.
I like the unique tone of the PJ PUPs of the aerodyne.
Because of the unequal loudness of each string I tend to use the neck PUP only.

Is there any alternative Jazz PUP available, where you can adjust the height of the pole pices?

I wish you hadn't said that. I've never thought of it, but now I can't stop thinking there's a difference.

 

[flashgod]

Exactly.
Before I realized the problem, I was totally happy with my dyne. Now I constantly check the loudness of each string.

 

[Malak the Mad]

Do you guys have an issue with the fingerboard radius of the aerodyne?

The radius is with 7,25" compaired to standard Jazz necks with 9,5" very round.
My problem is, that especially the bridge PUP cannot compensate that radius and the E and G stings are louder than the A and D string in the mix with the neck PUP.
I like the unique tone of the PJ PUPs of the aerodyne.
Because of the unequal loudness of each string I tend to use the neck PUP only.

Is there any alternative Jazz PUP available, where you can adjust the height of the pole pices?

Personally, I love the necks, but that's more of a "fretting hand" concern.

DiMarzio makes a pickup with adjustable pole pieces, both for Precisions and Jazzes. Once you get the E and G strings set, you just raise the A and D poles accordingly.

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[Jeff Elkins]

Personally, I love the necks, but that's more of a "fretting hand" concern.

Same here. I LOVE the small radius. It’s how I found Aeros to begin with.

[not checking string volume levels... not checking levels... nope, not checking...]

 

[flashgod]

Personally, I love the necks, but that's more of a "fretting hand" concern. View attachment 3005716

DiMarzio makes a pickup with adjustable pole pieces, both for Precisions and Jazzes. Once you get the E and G strings set, you just raise the A and D poles accordingly.

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Thanks for the info. Will consider to replace the J. Nevertheless the aerodyne represents one of the best packages in the Fender arsenal

 

[bonz - darrell]

Do you guys have an issue with the fingerboard radius of the aerodyne?

The radius is with 7,25" compaired to standard Jazz necks with 9,5" very round.
My problem is, that especially the bridge PUP cannot compensate that radius and the E and G stings are louder than the A and D string in the mix with the neck PUP.
I like the unique tone of the PJ PUPs of the aerodyne.
Because of the unequal loudness of each string I tend to use the neck PUP only.

Is there any alternative Jazz PUP available, where you can adjust the height of the pole pices?

Why not just use a compressor (lightly) to even out string volume?????
Works for any bass, and once its dialed in (its subtle) I never go without.

 

[Malak the Mad]

Thanks for the info. Will consider to replace the J. Nevertheless the aerodyne represents one of the best packages in the Fender arsenal

I think Wm. Shakespeare said it best when he said, "Hell yeah, Bro!"

 

[flashgod]

Why not just use a compressor (lightly) to even out string volume?????
Works for any bass, and once its dialed in (its subtle) I never go without.

That’s what I use in the Studio. I underestimated the use of compression for many years. What’s ur fav compressor?

 

[jefff100]

..,.the aerodyne represents one of the best packages in the Fender arsenal

Well spoken. I’ve never played a Fender that I like better than my Aerodyne. I keep trying
P-basses in stores looking for that holy grail that so many speak of and I’m realizing none of them are near as good as what I alreay have.

 

[Interspace Station]

The radius is with 7,25" compaired to standard Jazz necks with 9,5" very round.
My problem is, that especially the bridge PUP cannot compensate that radius and the E and G stings are louder than the A and D string in the mix with the neck PUP.
I like the unique tone of the PJ PUPs of the aerodyne.
Because of the unequal loudness of each string I tend to use the neck PUP only.

Is this really that significant of an issue? Sounds like a trivial amount of distance we’re talking about, but if you hear it in your mix I second the compression suggestion. Perhaps working on improving your attack technique would also help even it out, not knowing your skill level or how hard/soft you play.

I tend to dig in quite a bit personally so perhaps for me it’s a non-issue, but curious who else actually sees this issue soloing the J.

 

[jefff100]

I’ve never noticed much of an issue personally but then again I’m not an overly analytical person. My pup’s are not stock and they’re not a balanced set. I use the J pickup more as a tone additive to the P. My favorite way to run the Aerodyne is flat out; IE both volumes at 10 and the tone up on high. Depending on the music I will roll off varying amounts of the J & tone.

 

[Xandrell]

I remember the E was louder and perhaps the G so I angled the P down and it fixed it. It could be more of the placement of the P. I think I'd rather have the P reversed so the it's closer to the bridge for the E. I've never noticed some strings louder on the J. The radius doesn't seem to be enough to really make a difference.

 

[Flippy]

I do notice the difference between string volume on neck and bridge pickups. But it's probably not significant enough to matter in the mix.