• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Fender Aerodyne Club!

#1,941
bunky1998 said:
Any suggestions on tuners/PUP’s? I’m looking for a vintage/standard P&J tone.
Click to expand...
If you're looking to shave off even more weight, Hipshot Ultralites would be the way to go. Otherwise, I'd leave the stock tuners in place.

As for pickups, I'm still trying to find my own perfect P/J blend. Originally, I tried a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder Precision pickup paired with a Fender Super 55 (split-coil Jazz pickup). Sadly, the ¼Pounder was just too aggressive and dominated the mix, despite the Super 55 being a remarkably beefy bridge pup.

For a while, I was using a standard MIJ P-pup with the 55 and I still like the results I got with that, but I've been known to experiment here and there. For example, I found a good deal on a Tesla Precision pickup, but sonically, it was pretty close to the MIJ. Soon, I'll be installing a Bartolini "Classic" Precision. If it's just as beefy as a Bart "Classic" soapbar I used in another projekt of mine, but still have the clarity I desire, I just may have found my personal, perfect P/J recipe. (For the record, and this is just my own personal opinion, demos I've heard of Bartolini "Original" pickups aren't bad, but to my ears they fall short of the "Classic" pups.)
 
  • Like
Reactions: bunky1998
#1,942
bunky1998 said:
View attachment 3482919 LOVE this thread!

I’ve wanted an Aerodyne for years. Waited until I could score the color I wanted from a US source.

Just picked up this beauty. Scored a NOS Leo Quan bridge on Reverb for it, thinking about adding some tuners & maybe new PUP’s (jury’s still out on the stock PUP’s).

First off, I love that this thing doesn’t weigh a ton. It’s comforable on this old neck. Comfortable to play & I love the neck!

Any suggestions on tuners/PUP’s? I’m looking for a vintage/standard P&J tone.
Click to expand...
Hipshot makes a drop-in machine and a drop-d that looks like it came from the factory that way. Great product. Great company.
I left the stock pups in mine and added GHS light gauge flats. Someday I will get a bridge from Hipshot as well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bunky1998
#1,945
All depends on what style your playing, I use DR hi beams, round wounds on my Fender Jazz with Alembic neck & my Ibanez Soundgear for rock bands. Those are .110-.55. On my Ovation acoustic/electric I use Fender black nylons, they are .110-.55 as well. My guitar player plays bass in another band & I got him using some LaBella black nylons .115 on the bottom & he loves them!
 
  • Like
Reactions: bunky1998 and EdBo
#1,946
Changed knobs and put on a cream pickguard.
20190720_154744.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: SwitchGear, 4-fingers, EdBo and 4 others
#1,948
Malak the Mad said:
If you're looking to shave off even more weight, Hipshot Ultralites would be the way to go. Otherwise, I'd leave the stock tuners in place.

As for pickups, I'm still trying to find my own perfect P/J blend. Originally, I tried a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounder Precision pickup paired with a Fender Super 55 (split-coil Jazz pickup). Sadly, the ¼Pounder was just too aggressive and dominated the mix, despite the Super 55 being a remarkably beefy bridge pup.

For a while, I was using a standard MIJ P-pup with the 55 and I still like the results I got with that, but I've been known to experiment here and there. For example, I found a good deal on a Tesla Precision pickup, but sonically, it was pretty close to the MIJ. Soon, I'll be installing a Bartolini "Classic" Precision. If it's just as beefy as a Bart "Classic" soapbar I used in another projekt of mine, but still have the clarity I desire, I just may have found my personal, perfect P/J recipe. (For the record, and this is just my own personal opinion, demos I've heard of Bartolini "Original" pickups aren't bad, but to my ears they fall short of the "Classic" pups.)
Click to expand...
Steve Philip said:
Got my Aerodyne a few months ago, plays great, awesome neck! Pickups were weak, so I just ordered the Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounders. Also got a Hipshot KickAss 4 bridge & a Black Tusq nut. I'm running the black Rotosounds with a .115 on the bottom. Waiting to have them all installed, hoping for a fatter sound! I'll keep you posted!
Click to expand...

hi Steven,
I have my Fender Jazz Aerodyne since 10 years. I tried a lot to get a sound that I liked. Various string brands like GHS Pressurewound, GHS Boomers, Fender 7250, Dean Markley Blue Steel, Dean Markley SR2000, D'addario, but always ended up with Rotosound 66 45-105. Then bought a Badass II bridge and hoped for something better, but I didn't get this wow-feeling. Then tried Seymour Duncan SPB-3 /SJB-3, which gave a complete other sound and louder. More moderne, but not really wow. Now I just switched back to original bridge and factory fender pickups as I had noise which I thought was a grounding problem. Went to my electronic luthier and also brought a Lakland skyline bass. My luthier said: The Lakland Skyline is electronicwise produced perfectly. BY the aerodyne is really a bad produced product concerning electronics. So he shielded the caviety and made a grounding screw in the aluminium shielded caviety to the potis. He said it is now better, but will never be a huge sounding bass with that electronic. Well, I tried everything with this bass for 9 years, but I still think i looks great and the quality of the body, neck and hardware is really good - but I will never ever get the sound I'm looking for. I have another Fender Precision Amercian Standard produced in USA and this is just perfect!!! Sound is fantastic. I would recommend any bass player to buy either a Fender Precision of Jazz produced in USA and you get a perfect instrument from the start - if you want Fender. But I learned lot during the years with this Aerodyne and I was lots of fun, But I'll keep the bass
Cheers
 
  • Like
Reactions: bunky1998
#1,949
Deleted member 345985 said:
hi Steven,
I have my Fender Jazz Aerodyne since 10 years. I tried a lot to get a sound that I liked. Various string brands like GHS Pressurewound, GHS Boomers, Fender 7250, Dean Markley Blue Steel, Dean Markley SR2000, D'addario, but always ended up with Rotosound 66 45-105. Then bought a Badass II bridge and hoped for something better, but I didn't get this wow-feeling. Then tried Seymour Duncan SPB-3 /SJB-3, which gave a complete other sound and louder. More moderne, but not really wow. Now I just switched back to original bridge and factory fender pickups as I had noise which I thought was a grounding problem. Went to my electronic luthier and also brought a Lakland skyline bass. My luthier said: The Lakland Skyline is electronicwise produced perfectly. BY the aerodyne is really a bad produced product concerning electronics. So he shielded the caviety and made a grounding screw in the aluminium shielded caviety to the potis. He said it is now better, but will never be a huge sounding bass with that electronic. Well, I tried everything with this bass for 9 years, but I still think i looks great and the quality of the body, neck and hardware is really good - but I will never ever get the sound I'm looking for. I have another Fender Precision Amercian Standard produced in USA and this is just perfect!!! Sound is fantastic. I would recommend any bass player to buy either a Fender Precision of Jazz produced in USA and you get a perfect instrument from the start - if you want Fender. But I learned lot during the years with this Aerodyne and I was lots of fun, But I'll keep the bass
Cheers
Click to expand...

I’m not sure I’m understanding completely. Bass electronics are a very simple thing. Pickups, pots, wires, and a jack. It’s really no big deal to change them all out if there’s something wrong.
 
#1,950
mojomike001 said:
I’m not sure I’m understanding completely. Bass electronics are a very simple thing. Pickups, pots, wires, and a jack. It’s really no big deal to change them all out if there’s something wrong.
Click to expand...

I fully agree with you, not a big deal and not very expensive. But it's a shame to buy such a beautifull instrument, but with such poor quality of potis and wiring. Anyway, my conclusion is that the Aerodyne will never really produce a great tone. I would still recommend a precision or a jazz bass of US origin, but not a P/J configuration
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zoobiedood
#1,951
Educate me on these please.
Tried one a year ago at GC and the set up was horrible; I lumped these into no good (not fair based on the only one they had).
I ended up buying a MIM P; can't get used to the non-rolled fingerboard and not thrilled with the pup or tuners.

OTOH, the Aerodyne is maybe the only Fender P with passive electronics and a 1 1/2" nut.
Just how good can these basses be set up to play?
Would you consider them equal to MIA or MIM quality wise?
Are the MIJ basses better?
Any particular year better or worse than another?
 
  • Like
Reactions: bunky1998
#1,952
Jim C said:
...the Aerodyne is maybe the only Fender P with passive electronics and a 1 1/2" nut.
Just how good can these basses be set up to play?
Click to expand...

There’s the limited Invalid Link Removed with 1 1/2” nut also currently available, you’d be hard pressed not finding one in Seafoam green at your local Guitar Center right now. P body, P/J pups, Geddy sized neck.

Being the Aerodyne has basically the same bridge as most other Fender basses, setup comes down to the specific instrument and wouldn’t be any better or worse than most. My 2003 non-export was able to be set up perfectly for my prefs, D standard tuning and relatively low action with little relief. If anything the slightly recessed bridge into the body may help for lower action. Mind you the newer ones may have some variation in build and quality but again, not really any difference in set up than any other Fender on the market.
 
Last edited:
#1,953
For me it's all about the neck.
I'm not a believer in special bridges or nuts.
Not all that interested in an active bass but if the Special is anything like the MIM neck; the unrolled fingerboard edge is a deal killer.

I've owned a lot of Fender basses and currently have 7 including 5 from the 70's, a 60' p bass and a 2018 MIM P.
There are a lot of ski-jumped necks out there as well as others that just won't set up that great without fret work.
Agreed that the newer MIA product is much better although I'm not interested in a gram over 8.5 lbs which kills a lot of choices.

Wish there was an Aerodyne with a USA J neck!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Max Phonic 67
#1,955
I had never even heard of the Aerodyne before, saw this in my local music shop & just loved the way it looks. After bridge, pickups & nut, along with some extra heavy black nylons, it sounds as good as it looks! I've modified many basses in the past & knew just what it needed, my current favorite out of four...
 
#1,956
Steve Philip said:
I had never even heard of the Aerodyne before, saw this in my local music shop & just loved the way it looks. After bridge, pickups & nut, along with some extra heavy black nylons, it sounds as good as it looks! I've modified many basses in the past & knew just what it needed, my current favorite out of four...
Click to expand...

Are you going to play nice and share some photos of your Bass with the mods ?
Thanks :hyper:
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back