Fender Aerodyne

[munkeh]

At the moment i have a MIM Active Deluxe Fender Jazz bass, might consider selling it and buying a Fender Aerodyne P/J bass instead... before i make this decision final, just want to ask has anyone actually A/B'ed both basses together?

Which bass cuts through better... i mean the fender MIM deluxe would cut through more IMO if the aerodyne doesn't have a P pickup and IMO doesn't a P-pickup cut through better than jazz pickups? Like giving it a more meaty sound? Then you got the whole Alder Vs. Bassword as nearly all comments i've read, Alder cuts through better than Bassword because of the more defined mids in the wood.

Discuss.

Thanks all

[Machines]

I wouldn't go as far as to say one wood is sonically better than the other - they're more just different.

I think you're better off with an active bass as you have much more control over the sound.

[OutToPlayJazz]

I'd agree with Machines... Active is always best for a more controllable sound. No flat spots or quiet patches! I've sold every passive bass I've ever owned, as much as I love the jazz aerodyne as well!

[martthebass]

[quote name='munkeh' post='3203' date='May 21 2007, 12:14 AM']Then you got the whole Alder Vs. Bassword as nearly all comments i've read, Alder cuts through better than Bassword because of the more defined mids in the wood.[/quote]

Not that I have one - but most Basswood Bongos I've heard sound pretty meaty. Gather Basswood is a bit soft though so you have to watch the finish (having said that Swamp ash ain't no diamond)

[kevbass]

Well I'd go for the fender aerodyne myself, they're top basses and better than the MIM actives, they're nice and light and they sound the business, plus no batteries to worry about, true passive fender tone. They have p and j combination pups so they're versatile too.

[phatbassdood]

my 2 cents....
Having owned a fender aerodyne, I have to say I didn't find it sonically versatile, but it did have one good sound. It's great strengths to me were its fantastically fast neck and its light weight. The downsides were that lack of sounds available and the 'ridge' along the edge of the body where your right arm rests when you're playing it.

I sold mine just after I got my Bongo, and wouldn't go back to to passives now - I can cut through the mix using the eq on the bass. If you want to move the active MIM jazz along and you can get along with the bongo's shape (I know some can't but it fit's you like a glove so to speak) I would suggest you try one out. I don't think an aerodyne will improve your position (even tho' I still have a soft spot for them)

[BB2000]

Most people seem to love the Aerodynes. I'm a fan of P-J basses and imported an Aerodyne about 2 years ago. I thought the feel and standard of the parts sucked. It felt like a £70 Chinese bass rather than a £400 Japanese instrument. The machine heads and bridge were very flimsy, the board had lots of open grain and had been stained (and filled with some gunk). It did actually sound good, but suffered more from hum than any other bass I've handled. The paintwork and binding was also pretty good.

Having a lot of other Jap Fenders (the alder/US PUP ones) it was a bit of a shock to me, and I only kept it a couple of days. If you're after a P-J configuration I'd say go for the MIM precision special.

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='4001' date='May 21 2007, 10:01 PM']I'd agree with Machines... Active is always best for a more controllable sound. No flat spots or quiet patches! I've sold every passive bass I've ever owned, as much as I love the jazz aerodyne as well![/quote]

Sacrilege!

My collection's split about 40/60 (passive to active)

The 3 passives are excellent;

Squier MII 70's VM Jazz
Fender MIA S1 Jazz
Yamaha Attitude II limited 10th Anniversary BS signature

And I'd never sell them!

I agree that active electronics can give more sound variations, but I have a Hohner which sounds better passive and a Vigier which sounds better with the EQ set to "Flat".
That said, the Warwicks and Zoot sound better active, but only because the pick-ups sound a bit feeble unaided...

There's a mixture of woods in there, though. Maple, Wenge, Rosewood, Ash, Purpleheart and Zebrano.

There's definitely an increased tendency to use Basswood or Agathis bodies in mid-priced instruments to keep costs down and introduce a degree of sustainable wood sourcing into instrument manufacture.

As for the purchasing decision regarding MIM J Deluxe vs. MIJ Aerodyne, try this;

Pin down an Aerodyne, and take your MIM Jazz with you and A/B it in a shop. What? They won't let you? Guess they don't want your business or that of your friends/relations then!

Having tried both together, at least you can make a reasoned decision. Then come the options based upon your thoughts.

Keep the MIM
Sell the MIM and buy the Aerodyne
P/X the MIM against the Aerodyne
[i]Find[/i] a way to buy the Aerodyne (if you like it) AND keep the MIM J Deluxe.

I must admit, that's how I do it now. Save up finances and pent-up GAS. Go out and find something genuinely new or different or better. Then buy it!
Then you don't regret flogging what (in retrospect) was a really good bass to buy another one...

[BB2000]

A couple of others to consider - Yamaha BB's and G&l SB-2. Unless it has to have Fender on the headstock.

[ped]

I have heard the pickups in the Aerodyne are a bit weak and mismatched in volume.

[Buzz]

[quote name='ped' post='7896' date='May 27 2007, 11:29 PM']I have heard the pickups in the Aerodyne are a bit weak and mismatched in volume.[/quote]

This.

I do find the p-pup overpowers the j-pup on mine.

Although, I've heard a couple of good things about putting a Lindy Fralin PJ set in.

[JJTee]

You can hear my Aerodyne in action here: [url="http://www.myspace.com/goodbyesergeants"]http://www.myspace.com/goodbyesergeants[/url] on the first track, Oh No I Know. If you wait to the end at 2:50 you can hear it it in all its glory. Original pickup replaced with Bassline Quarterpounders...

[Waldo]

[quote name='ped' post='7896' date='May 27 2007, 11:29 PM']I have heard the pickups in the Aerodyne are a bit weak and mismatched in volume.[/quote]

I've heard similar, swapping the pickups out for different ones seems to be a standard thing for Aerodyne users.

[TJAS92]

yea i swapped my pickups out of my aerodyne and put some 70s vintage lace pickups that i found on ebay and it jus transformed it completely its an awesome bass and i love absoultley love it,

but i was put in the same postions as munkeh as my parent said it was either my fender MIA fender jazz bass active deluxe or the aerodyne but managed to persuade them to let me keep both

[HarryPotter]

I tried on last week and didn't like it at all, it just felt 'wrong', may just have been that one though.

It sure was perty though :-D

2 hours later somebody bought it so somebody must have liked it.

[Sean]

[quote name='Waldo' post='8046' date='May 28 2007, 01:08 PM']I've heard similar, swapping the pickups out for different ones seems to be a standard thing for Aerodyne users.[/quote]

I put Fralins in mine, actually it was delivered with Fralins, great pick ups.

The PJ555 is a great bass. Stick some seymour duncan's in that and it'll be a beast.