Fender Aerodyne Bass

[Mickyk]

Any reviews on the above basses, been gassing for a while on these.

Appreciate any comments .

[lidl e]

I know many people who have them and love them.

 

Personally i find them a bit light. I'm also not crazy about a jazz with no pickguard.

 

But they are definitely well regarded.

[Steve Browning]

I had a pair of Aerodyne Precisions. Really nice but found the pickups a bit weak. 

[BlueMoon]

I like the fact that it is both light and very resonant. I switched out the pickups due to hum……….otherwise, a good option.

 

The black version is a finger-print magnet like all all shiny black instruments.

[karlfer]

Don't know if the link will work, but new band, recorded on iPhone last Saturday, our first gig together. Cobbled together showreel.

 

These FSR models have MUCH better pickups than ANY Aerodyne (or indeed Fender Japan basses) I've had before.

My Cal Blue Jazz was lurking behind the back drop, if anything it plays even better than the P.

 

I love them both, fabulous basses for what I need.

 

Try video again 

 

 

Edited May 17, 2023 by karlfer
Video showreel vanished.

[RikiB]

I like them

[NancyJohnson]

I had one a while back - it was one of the ones with the scratch plate and bell-control plate (uncertain whether this is classed as the export or non-export model).  Black.  It was alright, lightweight, sounded OK.  Someone said it looked like something, '...that bloke in ZZ Top might use...' after which I lost any love I had for it and sold it on shortly after.

[BassAdder60]

Saw one in ( Jazz ) PMT Northampton for £1100 approx but wasn’t keen on the No pickguard look 

 

I’m sure it’s a quality bass though 

[tegs07]

Really nice neck, light, looks great IMO, black ones are a swine for fingerprints, for a (relatively) expensive bass the pickups and loom are a bit meh. Replaced mine with some Geezer Butlers and it sounds great. I’m not keen on the ergonomics of a Jazz bass so will probably sell it/trade it at some point.

[MacDaddy]

On 07/05/2023 at 23:33, lidl e said:

I know many people who have them and love them.

 

Personally i find them a bit light. I'm also not crazy about a jazz with no pickguard.

 

But they are definitely well regarded.

 

The non-export ones have a pick guard, and look a lot better IMO.

 

 

[jd56hawk]

On 07/05/2023 at 17:15, Mickyk said:

Any reviews on the above basses, been gassing for a while on these.

Appreciate any comments .

The nice ones, the typical ones or the new ones?

Jazz or Precision?

Edited May 31, 2023 by jd56hawk

[Mickyk]

This one I've  got my eye on .but no Pickguard.

[Magister Ludi]

mine,as of last year-its a beaut….

[Mickyk]

That's lovely,but what does it sound like.?

 

[karlfer]

Horses for courses I guess. I really like the simple basic look without scratch plate.

The big thing for me with the recent FSR is the pickups are so much better than the lackluster ones previous Aerodynes have had.

Only opinions borne of my own experience.

[Woodinblack]

I had one, black one with no scratchplate. played well, the pickups were a bit weak I thought, compared to a geddy lee that I used to have. The non beveled sides in the end started to irritate me a bit but then I got rid of it, as I always do, because it was a 4 string so I couldn't really use it live.

Overall I liked it, but it didn't have anything to really make it stand out, other than its looks, and that wasn't enough.

[Guest]

IMO basswood sounds horrible and it dents really easily. I’d never buy another basswood instrument. 

[tegs07]

24 minutes ago, Lord Summerisle said:

IMO basswood sounds horrible and it dents really easily. I’d never buy another basswood instrument. 

That’s MM Bongos out then. Possibly some of the best sounding bass guitars ever IMO.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, tegs07 said:

That’s MM Bongos out then. Possibly some of the best sounding bass guitars ever IMO.

Each to their own. Basswood certainly isn’t robust wood even if you like the tone.

[Chienmortbb]

On 08/05/2023 at 08:19, BlueMoon said:

I like the fact that it is both light and very resonant. I switched out the pickups due to hum……….otherwise, a good option.

 

The black version is a finger-print magnet like all all shiny black instruments.

All true, the AJB, jazz bass (or really a P/J) is not that hummy, but I swapped the pickups for a set of DiMarzio P/J with a humbucking jazz.

The fingerprints on the black is true, of course the Aerodyne looks so cool...

 

Be aware that the new ones have a 12" neck radius, whereas the early ones had 7.5" and some folks find that too tight.

[Chienmortbb]

On 04/06/2023 at 07:06, karlfer said:

FSR?

Can you explain the TLA?

[Chienmortbb]

On 31/05/2023 at 23:04, Magister Ludi said:

mine,as of last year-its a beaut….

That is a later one I think, The early ones were P/J and had a high mass bridge. The jack was flat on the front, not like the Stratocaster front mounted design introduced later.

[karlfer]

31 minutes ago, Chienmortbb said:

Can you explain the TLA?

 

I'd try if I knew what TLA was?😆

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, karlfer said:

 

I'd try if I knew what TLA was?😆

It’s another Three Letter Acronym.

[karlfer]

1 hour ago, Lord Summerisle said:

It’s another Three Letter Acronym.

AHH, thanks your Lordship.

FSR, Factory Special Run.