Finally feel like I know enough to start upgrading from random Craigslist finds to something more deliberately chosen. My shortscales are already set - the Sterling Stingray SS and SX medium scale J-bass are out - upgraded to Sire U5.
So what’s the BB collective hivemind think is the best price to performance ratio for a PJ config between:
MIJ Aerodyne PJ (used in red, or blue, or anything but black - I mention color here because that alone is forcing the price up here ); about 1000 USD.
Marcus Miller Sire P10 (2nd Gen); used; also about 1000 USD
Marcus Miller Sire P7 (2nd Gen); probably new around 815 USD
Fender Aerodyne
Sire P7
Sire P10
0voters
(FWIW, I’ll keep a Squier VM70’s as my jazz bass for now. In the future a J-bass upgrade will probably be as close to 1000 US budget as I can stay in a decision among Aerodyne J config / Sire V7 / V10 / straight Fender Jazz.
They’ve got that 604 deal in 3 colors too (white, burst and black). All 2nd gens (1st gen was my first guess on why they’re so low). Only differences I can see between that and the P7’s at ~815 are that the 604’s are alder body with ebony fretboard while the 815 models are swamp ash body with hard maple fretboard. Otherwise identical.
A choice between an Aerodyne and anything else is no choice at all Having said that, apparently the standard Aerodyne pickups are nothing special. If I’m not mistaken, @John_E swapped out the pickups in each and every one of his Aerodynes (and he owns a lot of them).
Comparison here. Looks like body/neck/fretboard materials and pickups are upgraded. Price difference for those upgrades runs $200-400. Differences as listed by Sweetwater are below.
I don’t know anything about Sire basses. I do think the Aerodynes are some of the best looking basses I’ve seen, but I would also get it in black. So I’m no help at all here, really.
Sire has its own factory where it maintains high quality control of their builds. Their materials and finishes are top-notch and their necks are uber-comfortable to play. Their name doesn’t start with an F, but they deliver a ton of quality and value.
Have you looked at Fujigen Mighty Power? It’s in the neighborhood of 800-900 USD depending on conversion rate and is higher quality workmanship, but is a P/P not a P/J
I like Sires but the preamps leaves me unimpressed. A Darkglass Tone Capsule on a P7 might be the ticket. My PJ is a Charvel San Dimas with the Tone Capsule, very similar
I’m no help in terms of decision making as I haven’t played any of the basses you listed, but if you’re on the market for a P7 or P10, you might want to check the new P8 and P10dx that Sire recently announced. The P8 seems to be a P7 with the roasted maple neck and the P10dx has hipshot gold hardware. New colours as well.
I’m giving a very close look at the P5 myself and everything I read or hear about it seems very convincing. There’s also a new P5R (P5 but with rosewood fingerboard).
I’d say aerodyne non s port would be the way up go but upgrading to active eoukd be either expensive or pain. You have great choices of pickups but preamp I’d go with John East J-Retro. The L shape electronics and the integrated battery under the control plate is something else.
My angle on this is resale. Aerodyne would hold better value than Sire.
); about 1000 USD.
Having said that, apparently the standard Aerodyne pickups are nothing special. If I’m not mistaken, 
