Aerodyne Precision

[Maude]

Hello all, 

I've seen an Aerodyne Precision for sale that I have fallen for, just not sure what I should be paying as you don't seem to see many P's, plenty of J's but not P's, maybe that should tell me something. 

It's a '94 CIJ trans blue flamed maple, cream binding, good condition and the seller has fitted a cream pearloid scratchplate (original included) which I like even though I really don't like pearloid normally. Comes with a hard case. The back of the neck and headstock has some lovely grain. 

So the big question, what is a fair price? 

I want to clarify, this is not my bass (yet) and this isn't a work around of the selling fees. 

Thanks 🙂

[yorks5stringer]

Here's a sold 2006  one from 2010, expect they are worth a bit more now?

 

[AndyTravis]

Not 1994, remember the release of these in about 2003/4.

i love that blue

[Maude]

8 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

Not 1994, remember the release of these in about 2003/4.

i love that blue

I'm confused, were they released in 03/04?

This one is a 94 apparently. 🤔

 

[Maude]

13 minutes ago, yorks5stringer said:

Here's a sold 2006  one from 2010, expect they are worth a bit more now?

 

Hmm it's considerably more than that. I'm useless when it comes to the value of basses as I don't really keep up with what's what. 

He wants £650 

[Maude]

I don't even know if I'll like the tone compared to a traditional P, but wanted an idea on value before I make the journey to try it. 

[AndyTravis]

4 minutes ago, Maude said:

I'm confused, were they released in 03/04?

This one is a 94 apparently. 🤔

 

It’s not a 94.

Fender Japan handily reuse, mix up and have no real use for serial numbers.

I remember the press release sheet being sent to us and I worked in a shop 2003-2014.

Think the domestic Japanese market had them a year or so before the UK.

 

[Maude]

What do we think about £650? 

It seems steep if the one in that ad sold for £360, though that was nearly ten years ago. Doubled in that time, I don't know. 

[AndyTravis]

I’d happily pay £500 but £650 might be a push. Dunno. Is it worth £650 to you?

[Mickeyboro]

The Jazz pickup is a mod, right?

[Maude]

I know it's worth what someone's willing to pay, but I just wanted a ballpark figure. If I bought it and kept it I wouldn't really care but as it's an oddball P, so to speak, I don't want to pay too much in case I need to move it on a year down the line. He's open to offers so if I got it down a bit then that's probably about right I suppose. 

[Maude]

3 minutes ago, Mickeyboro said:

The Jazz pickup is a mod, right?

I've no idea, I'm really not up on my models at all. 

I saw it and loved it. Any info good or bad about these is welcome. 

[AndyTravis]

7 minutes ago, Mickeyboro said:

The Jazz pickup is a mod, right?

The white cover is, but the aerodyne p was a p/j.

red, amber, blue.

there are some Japan only models in Sunburst.

if it plays well and sounds good, £500-£550, but £650 is a push, if it were pristine and unmodified the. Maybe...

[Maude]

Yes, just found this on some other (ahem) bass forum. 

Commercial User

Flamed maple tops over alder bodies, available in trans Blue, trans Red and trans Amber, with the cream colored binding. They were PJ only and weren't as thin or arched as the Jazz Aeros that are more well known. Modern P neck profile instead of Jazz (which they often do when making a PJ). Available only for 2 or 3 years in the early 00's, and never made since.

I have one in Amber, and they do occasionally pop up in the classifieds or Reverb, maybe even eBay. If you come across one for sale, snag it, as they don't change hands very often. 

[AndyTravis]

[Maude]

I've messaged the seller and might go have a look. It's a hundred mile round trip though so wanted to be fairly sure. If it had a maple board that would clinch it. 

[stewblack]

I saw a red one fs on FB the other day, didn't know they existed until then, now here's another one! 

[Maude]

We haven't had a gig for few weeks and I'm getting bored, and then I start spending money 🤣

[Ricky 4000]

Personally, I'd far prefer the Aerodyne Jazz due to the Jazz neck. There's a trader in Taunton whom always seems to have them in funky JDM colours... 😍

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FENDER-JAPAN-2010-DOMESTIC-OLD-CANDY-APPLE-RED-FINISH-AERODYNE-JAZZ-BASS-MIJ/202792923036?hash=item2f37666f9c:g:WPwAAOSwm8Zdl3nH

[Misowaki]

Okay, so I've owned two Jazz Aeros; red about 10 odd years ago and white which I sold a year or two ago for £700.  At the time I was kinda surprised it went for that much but that seems to be more or less what I've seen a rarer one go for.  Kinda regretted selling both though.  I saw a lad selling one of these Ps about a year or so ago and was asking about the same, think it was the orange. 

This blue one is the first Aerodyne I ever saw, think it was at Wunjo maybe, around 15 years ago.  To look at, it's pretty stunning and I'm not normally a fan of fancy looking basses but it is a beauty in the flesh/wood.  My two Aeros played really nice and sounded great.  I prefer the sound of the Aero to my Elite P (which I never use in active).

The only fault I could find in an Aero is the lack of contour in the lower bout where you'd rest a forearm.  Literally, that's it.  Otherwise they're great basses and those Ps are gorgeous, pics don't do justice.

Would I buy another Aerodyne?  Yeah, happily.  Would I pay £600?  Maybe... although I'd be happier paying £500 because that would be a steal.  It's the 100 mile round trip I don't like.  You'll end up paying an extra £50 on top of it.  If you've never played one it may not be worth it but it's every bit as playable as a low end USA bass or high end MIM bass.  I personally love an MIJ.  

Edited October 9, 2019 by Misowaki

[Maude]

7 hours ago, Ricky 4000 said:

Personally, I'd far prefer the Aerodyne Jazz due to the Jazz neck. There's a trader in Taunton whom always seems to have them in funky JDM colours... 😍

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FENDER-JAPAN-2010-DOMESTIC-OLD-CANDY-APPLE-RED-FINISH-AERODYNE-JAZZ-BASS-MIJ/202792923036?hash=item2f37666f9c:g:WPwAAOSwm8Zdl3nH

That red one is nice and I do prefer a slimmer neck. But there's just something about the P body shape if prefer over the J body shape. I've done a bit more hunting and a few people are describing the neck as J profile or somewhere between the two so hopefully not too chunky. And the big one is I'm not really up for spending the best part of a grand. 

I've sent him an offer of £500 so we'll see what he says. The ad says he's seen another bass he wants so needs to sell and open to offers. 

[Maude]

Thanks for the info @Misowaki, I'm not too worried about the drive, quiet roads down here this time of year and a 100 mile trip will only be £15 in fuel. I'll see what he says about my offer. They seem to be appreciating in value so if I did buy at full price but not get on with it after a while then maybe just stash it for a couple of years until I could easily sell to my money back.

A lot of people saying if you find a P Aero at a decent price just buy it as they're a bit rare, so who knows. 

[Drax]

 

2 hours ago, Maude said:

A lot of people saying if you find a P Aero at a decent price just buy it as they're a bit rare, so who knows. 

 this ^^

Cracking basses, and the lightest Fender make too.. Sold a (mint, J) Aerodyne last month on commission sale for £750, so £650 feels ok for private sale for something that rarely surfaces, dependent on condition. 

If you know you like P necks, you'll be happy with the rest of the bass. 

 

 

[karlfer]

Try it if you can. I've had a couple.

Good in many ways, but;

no forearm contour thing, 

both had pick ups that seemed weak to me

 

[Steve Browning]

Here's an old pic of my red one (I also had a natural). Excellent basses. Lovely and light. Usual Japanese build quality.

I sold mine for around the £500 or so each IIRC.