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NPD: Aero Type 4A P-bass Pickup!

Jefenator

Jefenator

Aug 22, 2008
6,955
10,129
Oregon
www.jeffaddicottglassworks.com
#1
FINALLY got this up and running:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

My take so far after a couple of gigs:

• Decidedly less "thick" sounding (though some girth can be coaxed out).
• A little more direct, less compressed.
• Goes deeper. Mids are not bumped.
• Highs are not muffled or restrained at all! (Plenty of "click" for pick style.)
• Has a hint of P-bass character but is really more of a blank canvas.

My main point of reference is a Fralin. (This isn't the most scientific comparison - the Aero got installed in a whole different body that is much lighter in weight.)

At this point it's hard to say if this pickup will end my P search. It didn't immediately blow me away (like Aero's Musicmaster pickup did). But once I get used to this one and dial things in more, I might yet get hooked. (Can't wait to try it in a more full-on situation with the tube head...)

I'll try to make some clips as soon as I regain the technology.
 
#3
Thanks! :)

This is actually my third Aero pickup.

I spoke with Larry on the phone when I ordered this. Next time I do that, I'm going to have a note pad handy. Serioiusly. He has a LOT of information to offer, most of which is way over my head and thus went out the other ear pretty quickly. :rolleyes:

I do remember, he can be very exacting about string spacing. Alas, the body for this hadn't been built up yet so I had to take quick measurements from other instruments and hope 18mm would be good. (It was. But if you're running a super wide nut or a 20mm bridge or something, he can scoot that pole spacing around by the 1/10th of a milimeter. So have your spec's handy!)

I did some tinkering this afternoon and tightened up the pickup height. He advises 4mm with the string pressed down at the 12th fret, with a "window" of +/- 0.6mm. I nudged a little closer to the strings and I think that is going to help a lot.

That, along with raising the action and playing closer to the neck seems to be letting the beast out of the cage. :D
 
#4
Brand new here and not trying to hijack your thread, but I could really use an opion. Just became the owner of a 77 or 78 Musicmaster. I think I remeber from all the reading I have been doing that you had a Musicmaster. If that is the case, did you have an Aero pickup for this as well? How much better than the original sound? Here is my post if you have time to give an opinion. Thanks.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/musicmaster-trade-850188/

Steven
 
#5
prometheus said:
Brand new here and not trying to hijack your thread, but I could really use an opion. Just became the owner of a 77 or 78 Musicmaster. I think I remeber from all the reading I have been doing that you had a Musicmaster. If that is the case, did you have an Aero pickup for this as well? How much better than the original sound? Here is my post if you have time to give an opinion. Thanks.

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/musicmaster-trade-850188/

Steven
Click to expand...

I think the Musicmaster pickup sounds phenomenal because it is SUCH an upgrade over the original. Remember, musicmasters were "beginner" instruments, although they were nicely built (at least they feel that way when set up correctly). The Aero Musicmaster pup is great; more output, less mids (which translates to clearer sound) and responsive to eq change...that is, I feel it has a broader spectrum than the original pickup.

I think the OP has given a great description of the Aero P as well. I think of it as a happy medium between, let's say Fralins since you mentioned them as reference (though you could add Lolars and Bareknuckles to this category...or most vintagey pickups!) and EMGs: They maintain SOME character of their predecessors with the more modern sonic sensitivity of the EMGs.
 
#7
Here's the thread I started on the Aero for the Musicmaster:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f38/aero-musicmaster-557948/

Still the most dramatic pickup swap improvement I've ever experienced! :bassist:


Back on this thread topic, this Type 4A did a lot better on gig trial #3 after I did some tinkering. (Low action on a P-bass - what was I thinking?? :D) It thickened up very nicely and definitely goes deeper than I've experienced with this type of bass. Sounds a lot like the single-coil P-bass, actually (as much as one could hope for from a split-coil placed closer to the bridge).
 
#9
I took a detour for a few years with Lollar & Neo Punch P pickups in different bodies. I almost sold this whole body but then the right Warmoth neck came along, so I built it back up. And now I can't let it go! Here's a fresh photo:

aero-p-4a - 1.jpeg


It's been years since I've had a SCPB build. And the other split coils I tried were in different bodies. And I don't get to try the stuff out in full band context twice a week the way I used to. So this is pretty far from a scientific evaluation.

That said, I've been really enjoying these pickups a lot. My more classic P never worked very well with Pyramid Gold strings or the Bergantino B|Amp, but this bass sounds terrific with both! As with other Aeros, there is less baked in personality and more responsiveness. Not neutral in a wimpy/watery sense - more like "plenty of everything". Whatever I care to dig out with my hands... It goes well with the Warmoth neck, which is also better crafted and more even in response.

There might be a subtle difference in attack with the single poles, but nothing super dramatic. I've read how Leo changed to dual poles to blow less amp speakers but IME with the right windings & strings that type can still yield plenty of edge.

Swapping from an Antiquity set, my best prediction would be to expect something less voiced but more receptive to your touch. And maybe a little more "dynamic". HTH
 
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#10
Jefenator said:
I took a detour for a few years with Lollar & Neo Punch P pickups in different bodies. I almost sold this whole body but then the right Warmoth neck came along, so I built it back up. And now I can't let it go! Here's a fresh photo:

View attachment 5041214

It's been years since I've had a SCPB build. And the other split coils I tried were in different bodies. And I don't get to try the stuff out in full band context twice a week the way I used to. So this is pretty far from a scientific evaluation.

That said, I've been really enjoying these pickups a lot. My more classic P never worked very well with Pyramid Gold strings or the Bergantino B|Amp, but this bass sounds terrific with both! As with other Aeros, there is less baked in personality and more responsiveness. Not neutral in a wimpy/watery sense - more like "plenty of everything". Whatever I care to dig out with my hands... It goes well with the Warmoth neck, which is also better crafted and more even in response.

There might be a subtle difference in attack with the single poles, but nothing super dramatic. I've read how Leo changed to dual poles to blow less amp speakers but IME with the right windings & strings that type can still yield plenty of edge.

Swapping from an Antiquity set, my best prediction would be to expect something less voiced but more receptive to your touch. And maybe a little more "dynamic". HTH
Click to expand...

Thanks @Jefenator that’s really helpful. Great that you still like them so much after so many years. I think I’ll take the plunge.
 
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#11
The pickup arrived and I have soldered it in.

Initial thoughts that I missed a bit of girth so after a day or so i went back to the Antiquity. Immediately I missed the articulation and refined sound of the Aero Type4a. Doh! So now the Aeros are back in. I think I’m enjoying it but more time and gigging will tell. The control and definition, especially on the lows, is quite special.

I may find there is too much click with a pick, but at the same time I seem to be able to overdrive the signal much more than the Antiquity while still retaining a strong note, so I guess can soften the pick attack with some drive.
 
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#12
SteveMoodie said:
The pickup arrived and I have soldered it in.

Initial thoughts that I missed a bit of girth so after a day or so i went back to the Antiquity. Immediately I missed the articulation and refined sound of the Aero Type4a. Doh! So now the Aeros are back in. I think I’m enjoying it but more time and gigging will tell. The control and definition, especially on the lows, is quite special.

I may find there is too much click with a pick, but at the same time I seem to be able to overdrive the signal much more than the Antiquity while still retaining a strong note, so I guess can soften the pick attack with some drive.
Click to expand...
Click with a pick has always been one of my priorities, so, no complaint from me there! :bassist:
Congrats on your purchase - looking forward to hearing your impressions on the gig.
 
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#13
Jefenator said:
Click with a pick has always been one of my priorities, so, no complaint from me there! :bassist:
Congrats on your purchase - looking forward to hearing your impressions on the gig.
Click to expand...

So I've played a couple of gigs now and recorded on a song. Last nights gig was a boogaloo jam playing fingerstyle with a foam mute and the pickups were great. Old school sound but with better onstage clarity then I've ever had in that particular room, even when pushing the signal into overdrive. So that's a win!
The recording sounded great too but it was a very simple, supportive bassline in a dense mix so it wasn't the best use case for checking the tone of the pickup.

I've also recorded some rough A/Bs between the Antiquity (raised A) and the Aero Type 4A. My thoughts are that the Aero's have a way creamier and warmer sound compared to the Antiquity, while still being very articulate, which i love. The Antiquity definitely has more girth and grunt, feels waaaay bassier and potentially has a scoop somewhere in the high mids (?) which seems to suit picking better. However, they feel "colder" to me... less alive.

I'm leaning towards the Aeros at the moment but I may give it a couple more months of gigs.

My favourite strings are Pyramids @Jefenator and I have a set lying around that became too dead for the Antiquity pickup... I'm seriously considering putting them back on.
 
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#14
Just an update on this. A few months on, I've done a bunch of gigs and recorded an album (60's soul vibe) with the Aero Pe Type 4A's in my 62 RI precision strung with Pyramid flats.

My findings have been that the Aero's feel great but are missing a bit of ooomphf and clarity.

I just chucked in a seymour duncan SPB-1 that I happened to have lying around (i had dismissed it) and KAPOW, this is the sound I'm after!! It felt like coming home.

So far I've gone from GZRs (yuck!), to SD Antiquity I (really great but often too bassy), to Aero Pe 4As (lots of midrange warmth), to SPB-1s (tight and clear).

I'll give it a few months and see how I feel. Possibly the SPB-1s are just a better match for Pyramid flats and maybe the Aero would be better for a brighter string. I'll probably hold onto it either way
 
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#15
Sometimes you just got to keep throwing stuff at the wall until something sticks.
It's interesting how everyone has their own take on these different pickup and string pairings. (LOL - thanks for talking me out of trying Geezers!)
My '78 neck with Lollars wasn't working so well for me with Pyramid Gold flats; I was finding that ranged from dull to duller. (I went back to Labella Deep Talkin' which are like home base for a P but ordered light gauge by mistake; talk about no thump...)
I slapped the Golds on the newly-assembled WarmothAeroCaster just to get by while I was waiting for some other strings to arrive, but now they're on for the long haul. It's been my go-to all year:
warmoth-tele - 1.jpeg

The Warmoth neck seems to augment what the Aeros do, which is relay my playing more cooperatively.
The '78/Lollar does have more "character" but that hasn't always been a good thing. This Warmoth/Aero axe has been really consistent & reliable in terms of delivering all the snap or thump I want, in any register, on any stage, through any amp.
It irks me when a single pickup bass has a tone knob sweep that seems too subtle or limited. That has not been an issue here!
At one point I had my Aero 4A set out in a box, ready to sell - along with the body. Suddenly I'm glad I hung on to both. I guess sometimes a selloff fail turns into a build win!
 
#17
SteveMoodie said:
So I've played a couple of gigs now and recorded on a song. Last nights gig was a boogaloo jam playing fingerstyle with a foam mute and the pickups were great. Old school sound but with better onstage clarity then I've ever had in that particular room, even when pushing the signal into overdrive. So that's a win!
The recording sounded great too but it was a very simple, supportive bassline in a dense mix so it wasn't the best use case for checking the tone of the pickup.

I've also recorded some rough A/Bs between the Antiquity (raised A) and the Aero Type 4A. My thoughts are that the Aero's have a way creamier and warmer sound compared to the Antiquity, while still being very articulate, which i love. The Antiquity definitely has more girth and grunt, feels waaaay bassier and potentially has a scoop somewhere in the high mids (?) which seems to suit picking better. However, they feel "colder" to me... less alive.

I'm leaning towards the Aeros at the moment but I may give it a couple more months of gigs.

My favourite strings are Pyramids @Jefenator and I have a set lying around that became too dead for the Antiquity pickup... I'm seriously considering putting them back on.
Click to expand...
Considering replacing the Nordstrand ‘51 P Pickup in my Serek, do you still have any of the sound samples you could send me? I’ve been really interested in the Aero but without being able to hear one I’ve been hesitant to get one. Thanks!
 
#18
CliftonGrange said:
Considering replacing the Nordstrand ‘51 P Pickup in my Serek, do you still have any of the sound samples you could send me? I’ve been really interested in the Aero but without being able to hear one I’ve been hesitant to get one. Thanks!
Click to expand...
Hey @CliftonGrange , just to be clear the Aero Precision Type 4A is a split coil design and housing, so it isn’t a direct replacement for a 51 style pickup.

Here’s a band recording with this pickup and Pyramid Gold strings.



I currently have the pickup on again and the bass is strung with LaBella Jameson/Original flats. I’m liking this sound and feel as it is getting a bit more ooompf back that i was missing.
 

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