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New Fender Aerodyne....magic?

bigsnaketex

bigsnaketex

Dec 29, 2011
616
13
Down South
#1
Just took delivery today of a new Aerodyne......AND IT IS SWEET!

I swear that it seems that even though it is a jazz bass, that the neck is shaped slightly differently, more tapered? It is certainly faster....and very light!

I played it back to back with my American Deluxe Jazz Bass and even though the Deluxe costs 3 times as much and is obviosly much better built, it doesn't play as well.....so if anyone knows the secret, please let me know!
 
#2
I also just got a new fender aerodyne. They have always been one of my favorite style of bass. I'm assuming you got the aerodyne jazz? They have a few different versions of the aerodyne. The necks are different also... Even though both jazz basses they are different creatures. Sound different also.
 
#3
yea, mine is the Jazz........and YES, it sounds different!!

But my main question was and is......."why does the neck feel so different"?

I think that neck is quite amazing and I just don't know why or how. It may be that the Japanese built Fenders just have some magic in them (as opposed to the Mexican built ones!).

Even though I have never played one, apparently the Squire Vintage basses that they make in Japan are also quite coveted by players due to their "playablity" - not so much because of the electronics. And of course, the price on the Squire's doesn't hurt either!!

I was just wondering if other folks that have the Aerodyne felt the same way I did about it. I took mine to my local music store (who is a Fender dealer but they don't have any Aerodynes) and all the bass salesmen played it, and played it, and played it. They absolutely loved the feel of it, the balance and everything. Now not all of them were crazy about the black scheme or the "smoked" chrome - but they all raved about how it played.

So maybe it is just magic. Thanks for the response!!
 
#4
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#7
That's beautiful and looks just like mine.........and yes, I reckon it should be in the other category. My mistake.

On a side note, I put some ebony die on my fretboard and turned it towards the dark side so it's pretty much a stealth bass now!!

May I ask you what bridge you put on yours and did you see a difference in the resonance??
 
#8
bigsnaketex said:
That's beautiful and looks just like mine.........and yes, I reckon it should be in the other category. My mistake.

On a side note, I put some ebony die on my fretboard and turned it towards the dark side so it's pretty much a stealth bass now!!

May I ask you what bridge you put on yours and did you see a difference in the resonance??
Click to expand...

Here is the new configuration: Fender Aerodyne Jazz 4-string electric bass / passive (Seymour Duncan SPB-1 Vintage for P-Bass pickup on the neck and STK-J2 Hot Stack J pickup on the bridge, BadAss II bridge, Hipshot Ultralight tuning machines, Status half wound strings)

Yes, the bridge made a huge difference in sustain and note stability. The tuners dramatically cut weight and eliminated neck dive. The pickups improved tone. The strings are a preference, brightness of roundwounds with the tactile feel closer to flats (w/more flexibility).
 
#9
I have ordered a Bartoloni PJ set for the pickups but was not sure about the bridge. Two schools of thought on the bridge #1 - thin, cheap bridge helps transmit the vibrations directly to the body for more resonance. #2 - thick (bassass or heavy mass) bridges help the strings to vibrate better for the pickups.

So I appreciate your input on your experiences - as you know, theory is one thing but experience rules!!

On the tuners.......did the Hipshot go into the same screw holes or did you have to fill the old ones?? That's my next adventure!!

And thanks again for replying - real world input is invaluable.
 
#12
thanks Ukiah, that's great info. I have ordered the hipshots already and am awaiting their arrival. I've also got the Schaller high mass bridge coming - which is the German answer to the BadAss II which you just can't hardly find now.

Now to settle on some strings.........maybe try some flatwounds to see how mellow it will get? Who knows - so many choices, so little time!!

But man, I'm still digging the neck on this thing!!
 
#14
JohnnyChatter said:
The neck is different... Its a C neck not a modern C neck. I don't know. I just got mine and i love it. I got one of the ones they don't sell in the states in metalic green. I really have to crank the mids on my swr to bring it out though.
Click to expand...

I played one for a few hours, and the neck is super fast! Even faster than a regular jazz neck. The necks on the aerodynes are closer to the necks on the 70's jazz basses in terms of thickness than they are to the modern ones. I tried out the squier vintage modified jazz but it's not as nice as the aerodyne jazz neck.

And off I go to scour craigslist for someone trying to get rid of their aerodyne!
 

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