New Xylem Build: 36" Scale Four-String Fretted - Page 2

sheepdog · #21 01-14-2009, 05:12 PM

I honestly was not hip on the design at first, but I really like the finished product. Sort of like cjb's comment about the headstock. It looks good now that it is together.

Passive tone only?

prof pop · #22 01-14-2009, 05:20 PM

Oh wow...

love the fretboard. and... well everything really!

savage work man, im building my first bass sometime in feb.
It would be great if i could email you and ask for some basic pointers??

Cheers
Al

Rock-Bassman · #23 01-14-2009, 05:52 PM

Dude that thing is SWEET! You should try to get a sound clip up somewhere. It looks awsome, and prolly sounds better

Great Work love the headstock.

XylemBassGuitar · #24 01-14-2009, 06:29 PM

Thanks guys,

sheepdog, it doesn't have a preamp seperate from what's built into the pickup itself...I think that answers your question about the passive tone (I'm not quite sure what makes a "passive tone" control). There were a lot of guys that didn't like the design at first...I was actually a little apprehensive about posting the construction pics for that reason. But, it seems to get pretty positive reactions now that it's finished.

prof pop, I'd be happy to give you some pointers on building your own bass. You can get my email address off my website.

sheepdog · #25 01-14-2009, 06:57 PM

what was the 2nd knob for? That is what had me thinking some sort of passive tone/treble roll off. Great job!

vbasscustom · #26 01-14-2009, 07:16 PM

i have a question about the bridge, i doin one pretty much just like that, and i was wondering what you made it out of, it looks like ebony to me, but im not sure, thnx

XylemBassGuitar · #27 01-15-2009, 07:45 AM

The bridge is a piece of cocobolo (which is pretty much as hard as ebony) sandwiched between two pieces of black walnut.

Gotcha sheepdog, yep the second knob is a passive tone control.

tdogg · #28 03-20-2009, 03:46 PM

i would love to hear a soundclip!

XylemBassGuitar · #29 03-23-2009, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdogg

i would love to hear a soundclip!

Thanks tdogg...I'm workin' on it...hopefully I'll have one ready in the next two weeks.

tdogg · #30 03-23-2009, 08:42 AM

xylem, i was looking at your website. i was curious what that bridge design sounds like on a guitar. does a wooden bridge like that "muffle" the sound at all? they look awesome. is it a similar sound to a standard acoustic guitar bridge?

XylemBassGuitar · #31 03-23-2009, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdogg

xylem, i was looking at your website. i was curious what that bridge design sounds like on a guitar. does a wooden bridge like that "muffle" the sound at all? they look awesome. is it a similar sound to a standard acoustic guitar bridge?

That was the first time I'd used one of those bridges on a guitar. I definitely thought it would change the sound, but it actually sounds about the same as any guitar with a metal bridge. That guitar sounded really crystal clean, whether that has anything to do with the bridge I'm not sure. One thing I think the bridge helped with was the sustain because of the steep break angle it created (of course, the thick, Gibson-ey neck and steep break angle at the headstock helped that too).

Same with the bass it pretty much sounds like a bass with a metal bridge (although that one is a tiny bit woodier sounding).

Those wooden bridges really seem to make a difference when you use them on a fretless. Then you get a much more woody, natural tone from the instrument.

Thanks for the compliments...

JanVanHove · #32 05-15-2009, 03:03 AM

I have what might seem like a stupid question about the bridge myself: It it screwed in/glued on the body, or is it just held in place by the pressure of the strings?

I'm thinking more and more about using a bridge like that for my first build...

XylemBassGuitar · #33 05-16-2009, 08:04 AM

The bridge is just held in place by the pressure of the strings, that way the intonation can be adjusted more easily.

JanVanHove · #34 05-16-2009, 08:41 AM

and doesn't it tend to slip up? with that sharp angle of the strings at the bridge?

XylemBassGuitar · #35 05-16-2009, 10:37 AM

Nope, not at all. In fact, it is very difficult to purposely move the bridge when the strings are up to tension (and even a bit below normal tension, so dropped tunings are no problem either).

If you make sure that the bottom of the bridge and the top of the body are each perfectly flat to about .001" you should have no problems with the bridge moving.