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Gear Discussion Forums => Fender Basses => Topic started by: ilan on December 08, 2017, 08:53:41 AM

Title: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: ilan on December 08, 2017, 08:53:41 AM
For my fretless project - saw this Aerodyne body on eBay - does anyone know if the pocket will fit a vintage 70s P neck?

(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/VuIAAOSwyYFaJXBM/s-l1600.jpg)
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: Dave W on December 08, 2017, 10:41:14 AM
I don't know for sure, but the Aerodyne body ought to accept another 20-fret 4-bolt Fender neck.
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: Highlander on December 08, 2017, 01:41:54 PM
 :popcorn:
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: Pilgrim on December 08, 2017, 03:25:02 PM
My temptation is to say yes, but there are occasional wrinkles in the Fender stuff I'm not familiar with.

Not to speak heresy, but that might be a question for TalkBass or the Fender Forum.
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: Psycho Bass Guy on December 08, 2017, 09:33:40 PM
Fender Japan ought to play nice with old Fender USA, and Aerodynes are amazing basses. I have a first gen one without the Strat jack: one of the VERY few Fender P/J's that works. Also be aware that's not a photography trick; the body IS carved to an arching curve like a Les Paul.
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: gearHed289 on December 11, 2017, 08:21:08 AM
The Aerodyne had a 20 fret neck, so you might be in luck?
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: ilan on December 13, 2017, 11:11:58 PM
I decided not to buy, I want sunburst. Thinking about this PJ body from Mark Jenny -

(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/a/(KGrHqZ,!jgF!tL9f)g(BQYgT5Kv,Q~~/s-l1600.jpg)
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: gearHed289 on December 14, 2017, 08:02:09 AM
Now THAT'S cool!
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: ilan on January 06, 2018, 08:21:54 AM
Yesterday I ordered that 3TS PJ body from mjtele (http://stores.ebay.com/mjtagedguitarfinishes/_i.html?_dmd=1&_nkw=). Spoke with Matt and he told me they have a 4lbs. ash body - that's very light and so I placed the order.

So it's going to be Jaco-style with a couple of changes - a P neck pickup (70s grey bottom) and unlined fretboard.
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: Rob on January 06, 2018, 12:22:38 PM
Nice!
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: Dave W on January 06, 2018, 02:49:42 PM
That's definitely on the light side for a J body, even for swamp ash.
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: ilan on March 27, 2018, 12:58:26 PM
Got some progress pics today in the mail. Now they are going to darken the exposed wood and buff it. I opted for no checking. It looks a lot like the color and wear on my '75 P (relic'ed by 40+ years of playing, 30 of which were my playing).


Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: ilan on April 16, 2018, 11:20:59 AM
Received the body. Very nice and light weight. But it's drilled for a side jack. I didn't ask for that. It's visible in the secont pic but I didn't notice.

MJT offers to make me another body.

I'm not sure what to do. First, I don't want to wait another 3 months. And I don't know if I'll get a 4lbs. ash body. And I already paid a total of $183 for shipping to Israel + VAT + fees, I'll have to pay that again for another body. And I'll have to ship the current body back to the US. All that adds up to almost the cost of a new body.

Any advice? Should I just live with the side jack hole?

Come on, make fun of me for ordering a relic and complaining it's not perfect.
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: Psycho Bass Guy on April 16, 2018, 11:48:43 AM
Received the body. Very nice and light weight. But it's drilled for a side jack. I didn't ask for that. It's visible in the secont pic but I didn't notice.

MJT offers to make me another body.

I'm not sure what to do. First, I don't want to wait another 3 months. And I don't know if I'll get a 4lbs. ash body. And I already paid a total of $183 for shipping to Israel + VAT + fees, I'll have to pay that again for another body. And I'll have to ship the current body back to the US. All that adds up to almost the cost of a new body.

Any advice? Should I just live with the side jack hole?

Come on, make fun of me for ordering a relic and complaining it's not perfect.

FYI, the very first run of Aerodynes have a side-jack. I prefer it FWIW.
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: ilan on April 16, 2018, 02:00:54 PM
FYI, the very first run of Aerodynes have a side-jack. I prefer it FWIW.
What am I going to do with the 4th hole in the control plate then?
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: clankenstein on April 16, 2018, 02:13:28 PM
Series Parallel switch?
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: doombass on April 16, 2018, 02:38:57 PM
Or?:
(http://darrenriley.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/IMG_8548.jpg)
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: Pilgrim on April 16, 2018, 02:45:59 PM
What am I going to do with the 4th hole in the control plate then?

Add a chicken head knob with a number dial that goes to 11?
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: amptech on April 16, 2018, 10:25:44 PM
What am I going to do with the 4th hole in the control plate then?

Two jacks? You can choose between straight and angeled plugs, and the ctrl. plate will look stock.
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: ilan on April 17, 2018, 01:22:26 PM
Two jacks? You can choose between straight and angeled plugs, and the ctrl. plate will look stock.
That seems to be the answer. Since I already have a Richter V/B/T plate for it. Maybe I'll just use a recessed football jack plate and a dummy jack to plug the hole.

(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/MFoAAOxyRhBS4Z7X/s-l500.jpg)

(https://smhttp-ssl-54936.nexcesscdn.net/media/catalog/product/cache/1/thumbnail/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/r/i/richter_jb-vbt.jpg)
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: Dave W on April 17, 2018, 07:03:53 PM
I realize that you already have the Richter preamp plate, but if it bothers you that much, get a three hole plate as Daniel suggested, go stack knob with a separate preamp. You can always sell the Richter or save it for your next project.
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: ilan on April 18, 2018, 07:04:03 AM
It's not a preamp, just a PCB with minimal wiring and supposedly less hum and no need for shielding the cavity. It's wired vol/balance/tone - more logical to me than VVT for a 2-pickup 3-knob setting.

It's either sending back the body and having another one made (and waiting 2-3 months), or living with the side jack hole. Still haven't made up my mind.
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: FrankieTbird on April 18, 2018, 08:12:31 AM
You could use the side jack, pull the jack out of the plate and use the hole for some sort of switch, like a pickup switch.  Or maybe the Richter will line up with the holes in the 3-hole plate if you're really lucky.  Or you can make your own plate out of stainless or polished aluminum.
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: Dave W on April 18, 2018, 02:54:33 PM
It's not a preamp, just a PCB with minimal wiring and supposedly less hum and no need for shielding the cavity. It's wired vol/balance/tone - more logical to me than VVT for a 2-pickup 3-knob setting.

It's either sending back the body and having another one made (and waiting 2-3 months), or living with the side jack hole. Still haven't made up my mind.

If I were you, I'd sell it locally and buy another before going to the shipping expense of sending it back.

Otherwise, you can always find something to plug either one of the jack holes. Even an amp jewel light. It wouldn't have to be wired in.

Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: Chris P. on April 19, 2018, 01:56:48 AM
A producer's switch.
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: doombass on April 20, 2018, 12:30:52 AM
A producer's switch.

Best advice so far.
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: ilan on April 20, 2018, 03:49:35 AM
A producer's switch.
:mrgreen:
I actually have two on my '64 Gretsch 6070. Originally tone filters and a kill switch, all I needed was the volume knob so the two switches were bypassed.
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: steveonbass on April 20, 2018, 05:29:25 AM
These are all cool suggestions but frankly, this is not the body that you really want.  I, personally, would wait the 2-3 months. 
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: ilan on April 20, 2018, 07:21:34 AM
These are all cool suggestions but frankly, this is not the body that you really want.  I, personally, would wait the 2-3 months. 

The only thing that I don't want is the side jack hole, and I can live with it.

Getting a new one would set me back another $47 in UPS fees even if MJT labels it repair/return to appease customs, which I'm not 100% sure will work. Not to mention the wait - about 3 months.

So the body stays. Let's see if MJT compensates me in any way. I'm not going to ask for a partial reimbursement, I'll leave it to them.

Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: ilan on April 20, 2018, 09:57:25 AM
Wendy at MJT just emailed me this: "Remind me on your next project and I will make sure you get a discount."
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: Pilgrim on April 20, 2018, 03:29:16 PM
Nice way to assure there's another project in your near future! 
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: ilan on April 20, 2018, 03:48:02 PM
Nice way to assure there's another project in your near future! 

Oh, there always is.

For years I've been thinking of building an active P around a 1980 Fender Precision Special PCB that I bought NOS many years ago. Back in the 80's I loved the P Specials and even owned one (LPB/rosewood) for a very brief period, but they were all boat anchors, 11 lbs. basses. Plus I have always disliked the matching headstock, gold plated hardware and high-mass bridge. So a lightweight P with that PCB would be nice. I could never install it in a vintage body because it requires additional routing for a battery compartment and under the guard for a 3rd pot.

(http://www.vintageguitarandbass.com/graphics/pBass.jpg)
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: ilan on April 24, 2018, 05:34:56 AM
Still waiting for the P pickup, this is what it looks like now.

(http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll127/ilanlukatch/FL.jpg)
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: ilan on April 26, 2018, 04:27:42 AM
Fully assembled

(http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll127/ilanlukatch/FL_PJ_MJT.jpg)
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: gearHed289 on April 26, 2018, 07:48:27 AM
I'll bet that sounds nice. I've been digging the P pup lately since I got my Hamer Blitz. Hasn't been my "go to" sound since the early 80s (John Wetton inspired), but it's nice to have in the arsenal.
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: Pilgrim on April 26, 2018, 01:18:49 PM
That is downright pretty. Classic colors, classic look.
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: amptech on April 26, 2018, 10:28:52 PM
That must be as nice as a P/J can get!
Title: Re: Advice needed - 70s P neck on a new Aerodyne body?
Post by: wellREDman on April 27, 2018, 09:26:33 AM
my thoughts too,
 if I absolutely had to fender it would be something like this