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11-10-2008, 05:48 PM
|  | Registered User Owner and Operator, Xylem Handmade Basses and Guitars | | Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Durango, CO | | | New Xylem Build: 36" Scale Four-String Fretted
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I'm almost finished with this bass, so I thought I'd start posting pictures of the early construction.
The body of the bass is made of black walnut and mahogany.
The core of the neck is quartersawn rock maple with mahogany sides, a cocobolo fretboard and cocobolo binding. It will have a single EMG-DC pickup.
Let me know what you think!
More pics to come next week! | 
11-10-2008, 10:33 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Racine,Wi | | | I love your designs, very exotic and you're only about 60 miles from me.
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11-10-2008, 11:34 PM
|  | Registered User Owner, Iron Ether Electronics | | Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: LA US | | | Very cool stuff, Xylem. This'll be a fun one to watch. | 
11-17-2008, 04:56 PM
|  | Registered User Owner and Operator, Xylem Handmade Basses and Guitars | | Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Durango, CO | | | | 
11-26-2008, 02:27 PM
|  | Registered User Owner and Operator, Xylem Handmade Basses and Guitars | | Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Durango, CO | | Here is the latest work, the bass is one piece now.
Happy Thanksgiving! | 
11-26-2008, 03:39 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: North Yorkshire, UK | | Wow, can we get a closeup shot of the back of that scarf joint? 
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11-26-2008, 10:09 PM
|  | Registered User Owner and Operator, Xylem Handmade Basses and Guitars | | Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Durango, CO | | | Sure thing Mikey...I'll post a closeup of the scarf next week with the new pictures. | 
11-26-2008, 11:39 PM
| | | | i was debating weather or not i liked the headstock but then when you put it on the body it worked for me. so far good lookin' bass. | 
11-27-2008, 06:09 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Seattle, Washington | | Looks killer! Love the colors in that Black Walnut 
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12-23-2008, 06:23 PM
|  | Registered User Owner and Operator, Xylem Handmade Basses and Guitars | | Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Durango, CO | | The bass is almost finished. Here is what it looks like after the first coat of oil.
The next round of pictures will be of the finished product. | 
12-23-2008, 06:34 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Toronto, Canada | | | That's one pretty bass. I particularly love the grain on the fingerboard. | 
12-25-2008, 01:50 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Central New Jersey | | | You have some great designs. I just finished a semester of Biology, so I have to ask, did you name your company after the water transport system in plants? I got a nerdy kick out of it. Keep up the great work! | 
12-25-2008, 01:54 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Austin, TX | | | please sir... a pic of the bottom side of the bass. i'm curious. does the mahogany core widen from back to front? or is it two pieces?
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12-25-2008, 02:27 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Mukilteo, WA | | | I really like the shape, but the only thing that I dont really like how far the upper horn sticks out. Other than that, it looks great to me
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12-25-2008, 02:50 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Winnipeg, Canada | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Sterling_Bass You have some great designs. I just finished a semester of Biology, so I have to ask, did you name your company after the water transport system in plants? I got a nerdy kick out of it. Keep up the great work! | http://www.xylembassguitar.com/about.html
"What is Xylem?
Xylem is a kind of transport tissue found in vascular plants, such as hardwood trees. The main function of xylem is the transport of water and soluble mineral nutrients from the roots to the rest of the plant. Basically, xylem is like a part of the circulatory system of plants and trees."
I'd say yes.
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12-25-2008, 03:01 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Central New Jersey | | | I should have known to look on his site. Regardless, that's a clever company name. | 
01-04-2009, 10:39 AM
|  | Registered User Owner and Operator, Xylem Handmade Basses and Guitars | | Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Durango, CO | | Quote:
Originally Posted by TrevorOfDoom please sir... a pic of the bottom side of the bass. i'm curious. does the mahogany core widen from back to front? or is it two pieces? | The mahogany core is actually two pieces; straight on the front and tapered on the back.
I should be able to post pictures of the finished bass this week. I'll include some of the requests too (i.e. the bottom side of the bass and a closeup of the scarf joint).
Then I'll work on posting some sound clips too.
Sterling_Bass, where are you taking biology? I've actually got a bachelor's degree in zoology from Colorado State. | 
01-04-2009, 01:35 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Nebraska | | | i was also interested in the center section. what are you finishing this with again? whaat is the binding on the fingerboard, and how wide is it?
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01-05-2009, 04:45 PM
|  | Registered User Owner and Operator, Xylem Handmade Basses and Guitars | | Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Durango, CO | | | The bass is finished with Danish oil. The binding is cocobolo and is about 1/16" wide. The other stripes you see down the neck are strips of mahogany that are about 3/16" wide. | 
01-14-2009, 05:55 PM
|  | Registered User Owner and Operator, Xylem Handmade Basses and Guitars | | Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Durango, CO | | | Finished! With the exception of the router (for the cavities/pockets), hand drill and dremel tool (for the inlay) I built this bass from start to finish with nothing but unpowered hand tools.
All in all, it came out well. Really low action with no buzz anywhere. Great feel and ease of playability (even despite the 36" scale...I'm used to playing a 32").
The bass sustains for a long time too, probably owing to the steep break angles at the headstock and bridge and the stiff neck.
The tone on this thing is awesome, it is an absolute pleasure to play. I'll try and get some sound clips up soon. The 36" scale combined with the EMG-DC really sounds sweet. I can almost produce the brown noise with this baby...I guess I'll have to make a 38" scale with more pickups and two 9 volts next time...
I think I was most amazed at how light the bass came out. I don't have a scale, but it feels like it comes in under 9 pounds, maybe even a little less.
Let me know what'cha think fellas... | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | |
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