winterfire666 Posted August 9, 2014 Share Posted August 9, 2014 (edited) my long awaited custom Xlyem bass arrived a week ago and i thought it was about time to put my thoughts out there, as far as i am aware this is the 1st Xylem to arrive in the UK. Xylem Custom basses are known for their carl thompson style designs and distinctive carving styles which was why i was drawn to them when looking for a totally custom instrument, the reviews and comments out there on the web are all very complimentary and its obvious that Anthony has passion for his instruments and workmanship. anyone interested in ordering one should be aware of the waiting times though, i paid my deposit in march 2012 to put things into perspective. during this time i was always kept up to date regarding when mine would be started and expected build times, delays did occur but i was always kept informed. Anthony is a one man builder and doesnt let the instruments go out untill they are 100% ready, which in the long term is a great thing especially when ordering a fully custom instrument (in my case with no financial restrictions). things need to be right. [attachment=168776:custom-bass-yggdrasil-(6).jpg] So its here!! it was extremely well packaged in a basic gigbag (with xylem logo) packed well into a box with lots of packaging, inside another box with lots more packaging. [u][b]Looks[/b][/u] Firstly, it really does look truly stunning. the finish is superb and the quality of workmanship could never be called anything less than 1st class, easily as good as any other high end bass that i have come across (and better than most) all the joins are faultless, perfectly smooth and because of the choice of woods they stand out as a design feature. (the heel joint in particular is epic) The inlay work is pristine and faithful to my original sketches and the ebony and bloodwood really standout against the maple fretboard. Anthony at Xylem has really captured exactly what i wanted and turned my ideas into reality perfectly. he was very helpfull in the design process and i really valued his opinions and suggestions. the attention to detail is just epic, even behind the truss rod cover and the rear electronics cover thing are neat and tidy with perfect smooth joins where applicable. [attachment=168774:custom-bass-yggdrasil-(5).jpg] [attachment=168775:custom-bass-yggdrasil-(9).jpg] [u][b]Playability[/b][/u] out of the box it was in tune and felt amazing to play from the start, i really love the neck, it turned out better than i expected, its super slim (front to back) i have never felt one more comfortable, probably the 33'' scale helps that too the fretboard has a very shallow radius, almost flat. the action is super low, just how i wanted. tapping is so easy and i instantly found some of my harder basslines easy to play its very responsive to the touch, the only thing i have ever played that comes close to it in terms of playability was a custom lightwave pickup loaded custom bass at the music live n.e.c. convention many years ago, i dont remember the make but it was £7500 ( more than double the cost of this bass) my cousin, also a bassist came over to check it out yesterday and was blown away buy the quality of it and most of all by the way the neck feels. he also commented that the finish looks far better than in the photos. It is very lightweight and more importantly very well balanced, it sits on the knee comfortably and is even better on a strap, no more sore shoulder for me :^) [u][b]Sound[/b][/u] The sound is incredible through my rig (TC RH750 and Barefaced Super 12t cab) the Seymour Duncan steve harris (in the classic p position) sounds as you would expect, awesome, the 1/4lb er in the bridge position really packs a punch, is very aggressive the kind of sound that hits you up the side of your head ;^) both of them are very balanced from string to string thanks to the reverse positioning of the pickups. the addition of the piezo bridge saddles has really made it into a versatile tone monster, im amazed how good this sounds on its own, the bottom end is huge and woody, the top has a wonderfull sparkle, the mids are a little reserved but that makes for a perfect blend with the magnetic pickups. the controls are from top to bottom, Vol, Blend, Tone for the magnetic pickups then a 3 way switch Mag/blend/piezo selector then finally just a vol for the piezo with a standard mono jack insterted the signals blend but you can use a stereo jack to 2 x mono leads to split he 2 sound to seperate amps if needed, making it very versatile indeed. i have already recorded some parts for my band Winterfire with it and im finding it sits in the mix with more mid presence, more clarity in the bottom end and a nicer sparkle on the top end, it is more 'me' than my previous Palm Bay (which is an awesome bass too) i like to be heard and it really does the job. overall it has a very organic woody tone with the ability to dial in some severe aggression when needed. [u][b]Final thoughts[/b][/u] Was it worth the cost? yes its easily the best bass i have played and it has a personal meaning to me too. Was it worth the wait? yes, i think the wait reflects the dedication that Anthony has to making the perfect custom instrument for whoever is ordering and if i had the funds available i would be putting in another order immediately for an 8 string octave bass :^) overall i absolutely love it and wouldn't change anything, even though i had finished all of the bass parts on my bands debut album i now need to redo them all, it would be a crime not to. im itching to gig with it, its just a shame we are training up a new guitarist and are not ready yet. im planning to do a video review as soon as i get the chance. [attachment=168772:20140809_110055 (768x1024).jpg] [attachment=168773:20140809_111916_Hagrid_Metal_Rustic.jpg] here is a link to the xylem website where there are full specs, sound clips and an extensive gallery [url="http://www.xylembassguitar.com/custom-bass-yggdrasil-specs.html"]http://www.xylembass...asil-specs.html[/url] Edited August 9, 2014 by winterfire666 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Top review! I love the sound of the neck dimensions. Do you mind saying how much it cost? With import duty and all those extras. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterfire666 Posted August 10, 2014 Author Share Posted August 10, 2014 the cost was $4000 for the bass but additional costs were $550 for fully insured shipping (ouch), $168 UK Duties $80 Fedex customs clearance fee and $944 for the dreaded V.A.T total cost $5742 with the exchange rates as they are now and as they were when i put my deposit down it worked out as just under £3500 all in. after spending some time with it i think i got a bargain, yeah sure it wasnt cheap but i have played far more expensive basses that cant hold a candle to it in terms of looks or playability. most importantly i expected something great and my expectations were exceeded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 That's a lot of bangers for a bass. And I'm delighted for you! I always loved Xylem's work to look at, and I'm so pleased the bass exceeded your expectations. Worth every red cent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cameronj279 Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 It's a lot of money but it's also a hell of a lot of bass! Looks aren't exactly my style but the craftsmanship looks top notch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fumps Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 Its a jaw dropping piece of kit. I love the look & am overjoyed that it plays like it does. One day.......one day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterfire666 Posted August 12, 2014 Author Share Posted August 12, 2014 cheers folks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madshadows Posted August 21, 2014 Share Posted August 21, 2014 Awesome looking bass, what a beauty, you are a lucky man, enjoy it dude John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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