Building a Custom Electric Bass from SCRATCH

[@xylafoxlin]

ICYMI: I have a second channel called Xyla Foxlin Offcuts now! Here's the link to the video on the steambox: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a2bIep6ch5WIj7s Also, the forms and templates are on ebay: www.ebay.com/itm/265803027479

[@bubbaluvv]

so youtube did a thing and sent me here. im glad i watched...no matter what haters say, good on you for trying something so crazy...you get a sub from me

[@mobiousenigma]

quick note on shellac it isnt the insect excrement its there exoskeletons. if memory serves its the lac betel bodies and solvent base . you should look into french polishing if you think sanding takes time lol. thanks for the video

[@gallaxyquest]

Wonderful video absolutely inspiring!!!🤗 Are you selling the bass you made?

[@j121212100]

badass bass!

[@berndeckenfels]

Offcuts… is genious

[@douglasboyle6544]

Make sure you protect the Purple heartwood with a UV blocking finish, UV light will cause it to lose its purple hue and fade to dark brown over time

[@dmeemd7787]

Man, good call!

[@gaveintothedarkness]

Otherwise in wont be Deep Purple anymore heh heh heh

[@jozsefizsak]

I wasn't aware that UV is the culprit but the brown that mine turned is not in any way special so avoiding it is definitely worth trying.

[@toine512fr]

That wood is cursed.. But beautiful.

[@dentakuweb]

It's starts off as Deep Purple but later in life it's better for playing Brown notes.

[@mwmtoolworks8042]

just FYI, purpleheart is oily, it gets everywhere, it turns your snot purple, dulls your blades, breaks your bits, tears out worse than a gross crusty scab, and smells like farts... But also, a spiral template bit (the larger the diameter the better) will help a lot with that tearout

[@nilsniemeier5345]

It will also cause you to break out in hives if you're susceptible.

[@richardl6751]

Tzlam isn't fun either.

[@BluesHarry]

Purpleheart smells less like farts than rosewood, IMO

[@theelectronwrangler6416]

@@nilsniemeier5345 YUP. Learned that one the hard way.

[@checkedoutchris]

Yes. All that above. And I've heard the dust can be hazardous (poisonous). So. If it turns your snot purple, you're doing it wrong. Don't permanently injure yourself for your craft. (nice work, by the way)

[@lunamatic9775]

I came to this channel because I'm learning how to build guitars, and you ended up inspiring my 7 year old daughter to want to be an engineer! Thank you and keep on creating! "She's really cool when she's wearing her safety glasses" - quote from my kid. 😀

[@deeliciousplum]

Wonderful! 🌺

[@larscw74]

Engineering is an amazing trade as you can make anything you can dream up.

[@craigreed3761]

Coming from someone with 40 plus yrs working with all things wood AND 45 yrs playing guitar, I've seen it all but Xyla you are simply amazing! This is only my 2nd video from you and you've already not only built but designed a teardrop camper and a really cool unique bass guitar! So, wow what an introduction into your world! I've noticed you say many of these tasks are your 1st time doing which makes it even more amazing! To say I'm impressed is a massive understatement! I was initially concerned about the resonance of the bass but I see you've attached the ash to the purple heart in enough places to alleviate my concerns and I've never seen the type truss rod you have as mine are adjusted on the headstock and you adjust at a 90° angle. Interesting! Anyway, you are so proficient at so many things I am blown away. Also you present your videos with such an engaging manner! Especially the humor you inject so seamlessly! And like you, i spent most of my 20's sanding. Lol. Thank you for making these videos because I was having trouble finding anything to keep my interest and I can't begin to describe how inspiring you are! You most definitely have a new subscriber here and I am definitely spreading the word!

[@orrenlane]

As someone who sands guitar and bass necks everyday for one of the biggest guitar companies... I am beyond impressed with the skill and attention to detail you put into making this beautiful instrument, especially the neck. Shaping the neck is definitely no easy feat, yet you made it look like a cakewalk. Well done

[@glenw-xm5zf]

She is kind of 'gifted' imo. I love her humour

[@bradkuntzelman5343]

The sneaky cut at 33:40 switching from Xyla to Nick was pretty well done... I had to rewatch that section to see how I missed it.

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

That cut was smoother than the bass playing.

[@peetiegonzalez1845]

That was awesome. I was like “What? SHe gOt Gud!”. That she built a bass, having never even held one before, is incredible. It’s not perfect, but it looks like it wouldn’t take much tuning to make much better.

[@jasonbonifacio2473]

Jesus, as someone with lifelong adhd / follow-through problems, I can’t even imagine the commitment and stamina it takes to not just do the actual physical project, but then to storyboard, film, edit, and voiceover. Me quito el sombrero-awesome content!

[@piccalillipit9211]

Im with you on that - for me it would be half varnished and played once and in the corner of the room and a guy off the internet would be paid to edit the video whilst I designed a thing for giving tablets to cats...

[@michaellukaniuk5074]

You should be very proud of this build Xyla. You got a big thumbs up from a bass legend playing your first guitar design/build with a neck you shaped by hand. I am blown away.

[@DominusFeles]

Can’t believe you had Nick test playing your homemade bass! Legend! And this build should have been entered into the Great Guitar Build Off that Crimson Guitars are hosting right now 😄

[@thesidsss]

I’m very impressed! Building a Bass, Guitar or even an Ukulele is dozens of big and small difficult jobs. it’s funny how much wok goes into it then one day the strings are on and up to pitch and you have yourself an instrument! Playing it is so satisfying and all the little mistakes disappear. I’ve used Purpleheart in an all three instruments and every time you commented on it, I had to chuckle. It is a stunning wood and spectacularly challenging to work with. Congratulations on your build, well done!

[@imccrae]

I've had a piece of brazilian wallnut sitting in my workshop for many years, waiting for me to build a bass. I think it's time, you've inspired me. Yours is so amazing ! Love it.

[@acousticshadow4032]

A Brazilian walnut, eh? What is her name? 🙃

[@Its_Just_Max_]

Luthier here! I've made the same mistake with cutting into templates like you did on the neck pocket. I highly recommend using a fixed base for your router rather than a plunge base. when going to a new depth it's a little stressful as you have to walk it in, however it takes away a great amount of risk of cutting where you don't want because the bearing is always below the base. (or somehow set an upper stopper on the plunge base so the bearing doesn't retract higher than the baseplate) also having built a good handful of guitars now.... it's all sanding. it's 99% sanding. and then when you think you're done sanding, you sand more.

[@Lolloolollool]

I can't believe you got Nick to play your bass! What an honor to have a legend use something you created!

[@xylafoxlin]

He KILLED IT

[@TimeShrike]

Oh NO! ...are you making a new one then? On a serious note, it would be very interesting to see a pro luthier comment and do a light review on your build. Congrats, beautiful instrument! BTW, drop D tuning + distortion pedal = zen powers (All hail BONG (UK), especially "Mana-Yood Sushai" and "Thought and Existence". But also Sunn o)))'s low end bliss).

[@pvic6959]

@@xylafoxlin but YOU also killed it by creating such a master piece!

[@Tom_Emody]

Very impressive wielding of craft! Wow.

[@johncillis3431]

My middle bro (RIP) played the twelve string and bass (he nailed 'Jumping Jack Flash', my fav Whoopie Goldberg movie). My fav bass player (RIP) was the basketball player Waymon Tisdale. I also love the guitar player Peter White, who played with Al Stewart in the 70's and is now known for his smooth jazz. I have seen him several times in concert, the first one free in '93. I have also seen Starships' Craig Chaquico for free and also have paid to see him perform. I have enjoyed listening to female smooth jazz performers, sax players Mindy Abair and Candy Dulfer. Your carpentry and rocketry skills are inspiration for men and women, that no matter how old we are or what our gender, we do not think 'old' and our genders are 'one' if we approach life with love and do not judge just by people with beauty like yours since under our skins surface is intelligence, the most important thing you and your friends share.

[@ScottWalshWoodworking]

gorgeous design Xyla! One of the most interesting, yet visually pleasing guitar/bass bodies I've seen. There are so many wacky looking instruments out there but yours just look correct, while looking like nothing i've seen before. Also glad your new shop space seems to be working out.

[@mal2ksc]

It's also nice she doesn't have to hog out material for weight reasons. As for durability, I imagine it will be somewhat more easily damaged than a normal solid-body, but probably not in a way that would make it any less reliable.

[@tracyalan7201]

Wow, I can't believe I'm this late with a new Xyla project. I was thinking that something was overdue but after watching this video, I'm totally blown away. Is there nothing that this woman can't do? I can't do a fraction of the stuff she's ever achieved or done, but this one is one of the best, which is hard. All her stuff is fantastic. Her imagination is fertile and rich in not just imagining but also implementing. Watching the intricacies of building this electric bass from scratch, the tiny details, and the amount of work, as she mentions on the sanding, taping and fine points, I'm impressed. True craftswoman in every bit of work and she's so calm and patient. I'd be pulling my hair getting frustrated at little setbacks. Then she completes it, and it sounds as great as she models and plays it. Truly, impressive work. I hope the receiver appreciates a Xyla design as its always one of a kind and piece of art & function.

[@matthewf1979]

I just started playing bass after ~30 years in guitar. It’s just too much fun and really gets you out of a musical rut.

[@zepo82]

my dad is sending me his bass.. old 60's job :) I was a guitarist on and off till this point and he was always a classical/spanish guitar man ...should have asked earlier!

[@TysoniusRex]

I checked out this video because I really enjoy bass guitar, and the end product is just so eye-catching. 36 minutes later and...I am so blown away by all the thought, time and talent you put into this project! Just an incredibly beautiful work of art, but I can see how maybe you don't want to dwell on the challenges posed by the purple heartwood. Anyway, I'm totally going to back you on Patreon just so I can see more of your work. Thanks!

[@deeliciousplum]

I think that this is the first time that I've not fastforwarded through a musical instrument luthier's video. A wonderful balance of patience, skill, and quirky humour made this a joy to watch and to listen to. 🌺

[@SeanBlader]

Like you don't realize what a real renaissance woman Xyla is until she's shredding that thing. Canoe builder, Musician, Pilot, Woodworker, Maker, Rocket Scientist. Holy crap.

[@stevescuba1978]

It's really cool seeing someone take on all manner of challenges. Sweet bass!

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

She has mastered the element of wood. She can do anything with her woodbending powers.

[@DrRusty5]

I was thinking the very same.

[@carlsage8198]

Thought I would share: a method we would use when I was in Native Arts Studio (University of Alaska Fairbanks) that *sometimes* helped avoid the cracking for bent wood was to pre-boil the wood. Basically using a huge stock pot (or equivalent). In our studio the pot was kept running on a hot plate for a couple of days at a stretch, rotating pieces in and out as needed. Also adding a "dash" (or two) of fabric softener to the water - both in the boil and steam - can ease the work process while steaming.

[@jerrycapizzi2081]

I don't think I've ever been so impressed by a woodworking video. You have some real pro-level skills there, Xyla.

[@halhortonsworld5870]

I am a bass player. When I was starting out when I was like 15 or so, I built a bass guitar from leftover parts of broken guitars. I had a starburst body of a Stratocaster copy and a 4-string bass neck. I worked those two pieces until they fit together, then started applying the hardware that I harvested from many other old guitars. The BEST part of this bass was the DiMarzio Super Distortion guitar pickups. Playing those thru a Peavey amp with the saturation turned all the way up gave it a super nasty fuzzy metal sound (think Neil Young 'Hey Hey, My My' sound). I could still turn it back down for 'normal' bass sound, but it was nice to have that fuzzy option in my tool box.

[@larryschweitzer4904]

Nice job! I have a shop where we do commercial bent laminate wood almost daily. On work with reverse curves we use a form similar to the inner form you made. The outer form is made less ridged so any minor variations in the thickness of the lamination stack will still clamp tight. The thickness of the laminations is dependent on the radius. For the ones you had to bend around we would have made the laminations considerably thinner. To cut the laminations we use a straight line rip saw with a blade that is designed to slightly shave the face of the cut so almost no saw marks show on the work and none show after lamination. Strips are kept in order so the grain pattern remains. Put a pencil V on the board first so you can reference them later. PS resaw blades generally don't work well on table saws because they require considerably more power. Our small SLR saw has 15hp.

[@johnkemas7344]

Great job Xyla, as usual!! I love your channel, always great enthusiasm!! I'm almost 70 now, still making and building, teaching, and my whole career has been building prototypes and 1 off projects as a T&D maker, model maker, electronics technician a personal maker and an Amateur radio operator and I long ago lost track of the hours I've spent sanding, polishing, fitting building, testing etc!!! I started in shop class in 7th grade and never looked back. It's been a hell of great ride too!!!

[@kcstevens7532]

WOW, girl !!! This is an incredible demonstration of your gifts of skill, talent and tenacity.. Thank you very much, ma'am.

[@AstroCharlie]

The jeans leg soft-jaw on the neck is one of my favorite tricks I've seen, and the final result is incredible!

[@xylafoxlin]

Is that.... a Joft Jaw?

[@adrianlikins1314]

@@xylafoxlin Le-vice?

[@fluiditynz]

Painfully detailed work there Xyla for a fantastic result. I know the pain of screws that snap off just before time! For tricky screw holes in difficult material one trick I've used is to cut a channel along the end of the screws and then use them like taps. Set a battery drill to screw slip setting and then turn the slip torque down lower than what would break the screw shaft. Then work the screw in and out of the wood/metal, clearing the channel until you have it all the way in. If you feel you need more mess in your workshop then definitely get a CNC machine. I laminated 5 x 18mm thick plywood sheets together for my second hydrofoil and the amount of waste wood off of that was stunning. If you want to go down the budget track for a CNC, I recommend you use an Arduino Nano, load it with GRBL and then run it with Estlcam which has some great instructional tutorials by the writer of the software.

[@rakentrail]

Xyla, I worked for a guy that made bent wood boats. We use to add about 1/2oz of fabric softener (Downy) to every gallon of water in the steamer. 5/4 oak bent like warm butter. Give it a try!

[@bensmart2829]

always a good day when xyla uploads

[@xylafoxlin]

🥰

[@treavormiller9552]

I don’t think I can properly express how impressive this project was to me! You very clearly know exactly what you’re doing and so bravo! It really makes me want to take on more difficult projects myself!

[@MichaelAlm]

That bass came out awesome!! Nicely done Xyla 🙌

[@dlfabrications]

You should only leave approx. 1/4 above your work piece of expose blade. You should this because if the blade snaps, it helps prevents it from spearing you.(bandsaw blade)

[@lear1980]

Beginning to post shorts is a wonderful idea. I might not have sought out this video without it and I'm so glad I did. What a beautiful and amazing instrument you created. You have the imagination of a dreamer, the vision of an engineer and the skill set of an artist. You are an amazingly gifted, and entertaining, young women.

[@pwitkop]

This looks awesome! One thing that you can do for fasteners in very hard woods like purple heart is to tap machine screw threads and use brass machine screw threads. I've only done it in acrylic, which worked well, but I've seen it used a few times hard types of wood

[@kevinmackenzie1074]

I was going to suggest the same thing. This has worked well for me in several types of hardwood and is way less stressful than hoping a wood screw wont twist off. I use a coarse machine screw thread then drill, tap and countersink the hole. Congratulations Xyla on an excellent build. I loved your teardrop trailer build too. Looking forward to watching more of your videos.

[@vernonmatthews3445]

You really set yourself a new bar. Can't wait to see where it goes from here. And I know you will appreciate the following... I've worked with Purple Heartwood before. So you should have talked to me first. When I saw you opt to use it like you did, I knew you were in for a life changing experience. So I thought I might throw a little more trivia your way... Just so you are more well rounded. 1. Purple Heartwood is so solid it has almost no compression or expansion between wet and dry (Purple Heartwood is almost waterproof too), as well as it takes shocks like a champ. This made It ideal for internal bracing on large sailing cargo ships of old. 2. Breathing the saw dust can cause lung infections, so doing this right after COVID was probably risky. 3. Our oldest son wanted a stripper canoe out of Purple Heartwood. I had already built five of them, but not with Purple Heartwood. We knew this would be an epic build. Stapling alone was a monumental task, much less bending (you really can't steambox Purple Heart unless it's very thin)... AND wait for it... SANDING. Although we got the shell off the form, a violent storm moved through and sent a 500 pound branch off the top of a large tree torpedoing the work and it's shelter, thus ending the build. Years later we rebuilt a large canoe designed for big river boiling whitewater, into a very fast Realtree Camo performance touring canoe for him. It's madin voyage was an overnighter in the Bayou. 4. (This one is directed to your Ash and Maple) when screwing down end pieces, especially those involving end grain, I strongly suggest using some sort of Pan Head or Washer Head and a Pilot Point Bit (think pocket hole jigs). These will squeeze the pieces together like a clamp, without trying to split the ends apart. We'll I'll stop here and look forward to seeing you raise your bar even higher. Till then keep your paddle wet and your seat dry.

[@funkyfender1]

Tip on ‘angled plugging’…. Use a straight plug and then trim it with a chisel and sand it back to ‘angled’! Ok, takes a little longer, but is easier and less prone to misalignment… great job Xyla!

[@max-andrewmcmillan4235]

that was amazing, I am on my fifth bass, and have indeed used Purple heart, and yes its all about sanding, and sanding and sanding. thank you.

[@henryvolk1084]

Hi Xyla. I'm a lifetime luthier. I must say you are very skilled. I really enjoyed watching this build. You definitely think out of the box. Fantastic!

[@LostButMakingGoodTime]

Xyla, you are a machine. I’ve watched you turn your hand to a lot of different things, but this is several orders of magnitude beyond. An absolute machine. An adorable, funny, gifted, hyper-smart, incredibly talented, wonderfully self-deprecating, massively skilled craftsperson, with a wild heart and a truly special gift for communication. But… a machine. I don’t think there’s anything you could not accomplish. All the very best.

[@ShaneSemler]

This is a very cool bass design. Now I want a short scale version.

[@jyvben1520]

key hanger size ? it would snag on some things ...

[@Refract3d]

Also, a tip for the angled plugs... don't angle them on both ends :) Leave the top square so you can hammer it in, then trim it flush with a saw or something, it'll make your life so much easier.

[@samwillpiercetheheavens2263]

Hey, you taught me how to solder almost a year ago!

[@johntom5416]

As a 67 year old wood worker who's worked with purple heart quite a bit let me give you some tips. The really small drill bits need to be turned much faster than your battery powered hand tools ... depending on the actual size upwords of 5000 rpm. They will not break as easily! I know it is somewhat counterintuitive, but trust me it works. Oh and that goes for ANY material, metal included, not just purple heart.

[@LucumLuftra]

Next up, the Xyla-phone. In the series of making instruments for the rockin' Foxlin music band 😆

[@mienaikoe]

Xyla: "Not that I'm liccing my bass, that would be weird" Adam Neely: And I took that personally

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

doot doot doot doot dooo da doooooooo

[@carmiethompson2676]

All of the exotic woods are very tough on tools & have their own particulars regarding handling, workability, finish etc. I was a Design Engr. for LeBlanc Clarinets & other products. We used Grenadilla, also called African Blackwood & it's amazing material. Tapping it is similar to a hard Brass, no inserts needed. One thing about exotic woods that you don't have w/ metals. After extensive machining, the wood had to 'relax' in a temperature & humidity controlled room from 2-6 months to recover most of its mechanical properties which included it's tonal qualities. Then additional machining could be performed. There was two(?) 'relaxation' sessions given to the wood during production & the NEW Corporate owners(after 2007) didn't like that. So they 'sped up' the process & in about 6 months there were cracks radiating from the tone holes in a $20K Clarinet were no dealer/customer had any previous concerns. Very disappointing & unnecessary.

[@guamflyer1]

Really Love your tools..got my 3 year old watching you..Thanks..hope your Plane doing Good..My other Daughter a Pilot too

[@KeritechElectronics]

Absolutely stunning job and lovely design. I'm damn impressed and envious! So that's a Xylaphone, right? :) You've got a Fran-tastic woodworking bench there. Loving it.

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

Technically, the word "xylophone" means "wood instrument," so yes, it is a xylaphone.

[@MegaCadr]

Omg that is inspirational! Makes me want to get back to building instruments.

[@tonysansom]

You and me both 😀

[@darnbricks]

Wow! As a bassist, and an amateur carpenter, this building process was really fascinating to follow. But three-hundred dollars for the maple? I know that you need really sturdy wood for the neck of a bass guitar - it's far more important than most musicians realize - but that's quite steep. Also: it's a pity you lost the footage where you saw out the nut, as I'm a lefty and always used to have trouble switching that part around on right-handed basses - but no worries, I've got two left-handed ones now (a five-string and a regular). Anyways: the resulting instrument sounds wonderful, and looks even better - I get why you chose the purple heart, even if it's a mess to work with, as it's an absolutely stunning color. Seriously: this is some incredibly impressive work you've done here!

[@wingracer1614]

I was thinking the same thing about the neck until I saw those tiger stripes pop out on the finishing, that's not cheap. Yeah it's still inflated StewMac pricing but at least makes a little more sense. If you want to learn how to make new nuts, there are some great luthier and/or repair channels out there you can watch. Rosa String Works, twoodfrd, Dave's World of Fun Stuff, StewMac's own channel, etc.

[@darnbricks]

@@wingracer1614 Yeah, that finishing did a wonder on the maple's gradient pattern and color, I'll give you that. Thanks for the tips regarding repair channels! At the moment, I'm satisfied with my lefty Sire Marcus Miller and Yamaha five-string basses, and my Les Paul guitar, but I'll keep your comment in mind if I ever want to convert another right-handed instrument. As a lefty, it can be quite annoying to find your perfect bass on sale, but once again it's a right-handed one. Sure, there's always some trouble with the location of the switches and strap buttons, but that's something you get used to. No, the biggest obstacle to get it tuned properly and consistently are those tiny incisions in that darn nut.

[@johnhunter4770]

Awesome projec. For shaping the profile of the neck, you can get a drawer scraper (and sharpener) from Stew Mac. It's just a flatbpiece of metal that you create a burr on the edges and just scrape the wood away. Easy to control and actually goes pretty fast. It won't dig in like a spoke shave and you can see what you are working on unlike a plane.

[@ligh7foo7]

💕 The ambient bass playing softly in the background

[@pinwizz69]

This young Lady has crazy awesome wood working skills. That bass is absolutely beautiful. Just like it's maker. I miss having a shop like hers. I used mine to scratch build arcade game cabinets I'd install custom 60 in 1 multicade game boards in with braigedia harness, led lighted buttons including flipper and shake buttons on the sides to play the digital pinball game that's one of the 60 games. An led lighted mini trackball for centipede and millipede games. A bunch more to many to list. I'm reparing one now I did over 10 years ago the Rocker owner had damaged during a party. I learned wood working helping my Dad build a wood airplane.

[@TimGlaser]

Oh my god, you're friends with Nick? Also, beautiful instrument and I hope the rest of your year goes better. :)

[@officialBro-uc1pt]

this looks so dope and you probably spent age getting it perfect, well done brilliant job

[@gregsmith9179]

YEARS AGO I WAS TOLD BY AN OLD WISE MASTER CRAFTSMAN IN ENGLAND, "A MASTER CRAFTSMEN (THE HIGHEST LEVEL IN WOODWORKING) IS NOT SOMEONE WHO NEVER MAKES MISTAKES BUT ONE CAN RECONIZE A BOO BOO AND FIX IT, SO NO ONE SEE'S IT. YOU DID GREAT. I LOVE WATCHING YOUR VIDS. A NEW SUB. SHOOTING THE GUNS WAS GREAT

[@SylviusTheMad]

I recognize that steam box! In the 1980's, one of my father's colleagues happened to be on the Canadian Olympic doubles luge team. The team was not well-funded, however, so they only had one sled. This sled was saved for competitions, so there was no way for them to train on an actual sled because they didn't have an extra one. They had most of one, but the runners (called kufens) had been broken in a crash. Enter my Dad. The luge team knew my Dad was known as a hobbyist woodworker, as well, so they asked him if he could build some kufens, which are these long, curved, slightly flexible, wooden things. So he build a steam box much like yours (his source of steam was two kettles on a kerosene camp stove), and steamed and bents several boards which he glued together into 2 laminated kufens. And they worked, and were actually used on the training sled of the Canadian Olympic team.

[@FrozenKnight21]

With every video you make, I become more and more jelious. If aliens were to encounter the human race, I'd nominate Xyla as our representative. She represents every attribute which I personally would want the universe to see.

[@Bob_at_OZDiggzguitars]

I'm amazed, great 1st one. Welcome to the electric guitar making addiction! I love how you used some semi-hollow dot 335 techniques with the bending. You had this like you have crafted guitars before, so..very cool. One thing you might try on frets is undercutting them on the ends. It prevents fret sprout later, and you HAVE to do it with fretboard binding. You still blop some superglue/ebony dust on there and bye bye fret slot gap and no sharp tang edges later in the years...nice. Most builders agree about Purpleheart, no doubt. There is a reason the big corps have used certain woods for many decades and leave the exotics to the custom shop divisions. BUT...The best part was how happy you were with it when it was done! Please do another one when you have time. You might even think about entering the next Great Guitar Build Off from Crimson Guitars.

[@SilverScarletSpider]

I want to see what Xyla can do with an exo-skeleton… show Allan Pan how it is done 😁😂

[@craigr13666]

I... I just, love, your content. You're incredible. From an idea in your mind to an actual working final piece. Blows me away. It turned out, amazing! This is the kind of thing that I grew up watching on the weekends on public television. I have so much appreciation for this format and the people who share their ideas, knowledge and abilities! Keep up the wonderful work!

[@matthewridgeway9250]

I l9ve how the neck grain popped as soon as you sprayed it. Beautiful!

[@mr_q_02]

The thing about sanding is you're never "done"....you just get so sick and tired of sanding that you call it good enough. lol

[@nasonguy]

I mask up, get my blocks out, knife, sheets up to 1000 grit, then get completely frustrated and tired around 400 and just go like “yup, feels smooth enough to me” as I quickly swipe the piece with my nearly numb hand.

[@vigilantcosmicpenguin8721]

Sanding is like being Sisyphus, pushing the rock up the hill knowing he is never done.

[@Taylor___]

He's such a good bassist. Great job on this project

[@j.robertsergertson4513]

HURRAY ! you're back Cool bass ! Next you should make a bass shaped like a bass🐟

[@michiganengineer8621]

With the neck of the guitar extending from the mouth of the fish perhaps?

[@dongraham7881]

60 yr old carpenter here. You are a blast. Quick tip = use screw type clamp (pony etc.) You will own that Basstard. Squeeze clamps have their place, but sometimes ya just need a work horse. Carry on.

[@kevmac1230]

I stumbled across your site and BOOM! You are the perfect woman.You click all the boxes and you make basses,unreal.Who's the lucky person that wins your heart?I'm a senior bass player so please take this as a compliment.Great site too! I had to add the bass turned out great, I'm super impressed.Nick's a fine player . Subbed!

[@panagea2007]

This was awesome. The hard work, skill, dedication, and passion tells me that I am absolutely not going to be building my own bass.

[@Macakiux]

I love this video. Being a fan of your builds and also a fan of guitar making channels I enjoyed this one soooooo much. You are so good at it. I hope you'll try to make a guitar later. No purple heartwood though.

[@XavierBetoN]

Yes purple heartwood, we love to watch her suffer

[@MCFishNuggets]

Ran to my computer when I got the notification

[@alciderichards3622]

nice work, I know nothing about guitars but I know a lot about woodworking. It is great to see some new techniques like laser cuting and CAD used in woodworking. You are also very fun to listen to and pretty funny. I am showing my daughter (13) your videos. My son too,

[@brianegendorf2023]

It always amazes me when the most basic build of something is STILL crazily work and detail intensive. I've seen Luthiers make these, and they put so much more work into it..but just seeing what you did is still pretty insane..

[@astro143_]

I followed the process of this project on your social media, none of it did it justice like this video. That is absolutely stunning, and sounds great. I hope to see it hanging behind your head in more videos! Wishing you all the best, I can't imagine how rough the last few months have been. Love watching your content! I look forward to the next installation of Xyla Sands Wood.

[@TheWadetube]

Nice Job. Very professional. I know that these color woods all turn brown from sunlight. A uv blocker will help but keep it out of sunlight, bright rooms, and it will last a long time.

[@nalinux]

We really did a very nice job. I've been working a lot with wood, and saw nothing bad in the whole process. Excepted the small mistake with the router, shit happens:) Nice care about security, which is important. To avoid tearing a piece of wood in the back when you drill it, just use clamps to fix it tightly on another piece of wood underside. Driiling from both side is often a cause of mistake. Using tape also helps.

[@SeanNorrey]

Thanks! You showed me some techniques that really helped! Routing the truss rod channel looks so much easier than every other method I have seen, it's what has stopped me making a neck. And I really liked the bending information, it's always looked a bit unachievable as well. I'm looking forward to trying some of these things and made sure I saved this video.

[@johnmoser2689]

The parallels in the craft you are practicing are so closely related to Class A die making and repair I started in woodworking in the 80s then transitioned into precision machining and Tool and Die Excellent work young lady

[@code-fox]

Nice build. Extra thumbs up for featuring the best bass player on the planet!

[@gmacka6333]

I have to say, that you must have incredible patience. It’s quite admirable to see that. Nice job on this project. Pretty amazing.

[@LesterSuggs]

I watched your tear-drop camper build and fell in love with your work and the collaboration with your friends. I subscribed. Keep up the wonderful work.

[@Xarzith]

It's probably said already, but for the angled pegs, use a longer shaft and cut it after the clue has cured. It helps with the alignment and getting the peg into the place in the first place. Say, 5 - 10 cm pegs for 45 degrees or more. Also with hard wood, you really should measure the inner diameter of the screws you're using and drill the pilot holes to match that. It also helps to use screws made from softer materials like deck screws over steel ones to avoid shattering the screw shaft over the screw "spiral sleeve" for not knowing the correct word in English. Softer wood you can do 1-2 mm narrower pilot holes or match the inner diameter of the screw and use glue to strengthen the grip of the screw.

[@riddlesphinxx]

I don't know why you started popping up in my feed a few days ago, but I love everything I've seen. Stay wonderful!

[@LaverneLovatt]

I am glad you toughed out this purple heart. Yes it is a very difficult to work. It has been used for industrial truck beds because of its toughness. It can make for a horrible sliver as your body will encapsulate it and become infected. Nice instrument. Good save with the repair on the oops

[@kevinpenry9665]

Love your choice of purple heart wood. I first heard about it in high school like 40yrs ago.

[@royhi1809]

Got it right on the first time build. Won't have doubted you for a second. Keep reaching for the stars!

[@jeremyhicks6889]

Split the wood before you cut to dimension. The splits at the outside of curves are caused by the grain running out the edge of a cut part. (the grain doesn't run parallel to the cut piece so the grain "runs out"the side) Use knot free, straight grained wood that is far from the root flare of the tree. Quarter sawn is also good. By splitting it first, you ensure that the grain is true to the piece.

[@Jonathan_Doe_]

Nick was definitely genuinely enjoying the neck on that thing, the tones lovely too!

[@tmc1967]

I didn’t know who you were but I play bass and this popped up In my feed. I think your guitar is awesome. I have a custom made bass I have owned for 30+ years and your guitar will still be out there a long time if cared for. Great job and you are also an awesome role model for young women. My daughter is in college for STEM and she will be following in your footsteps soon.

[@stevelafrate1968]

great build. Purple heart will make you appreciate carbide blades for sure.

[@briansimkins9488]

I've been building thing"s for over 50 years and i"m impressed with your work . excellent!

[@muslehed]

Skills across the spectrum!! Great build.

[@stephenjordan8712]

Wow! That was sooo much work, but what a beautiful outcome!

[@MikeSavageZA]

Good lord. I would have run out of talent within the first minute of this build. Amazing job!

[@thornescapes7707]

One handy thing that I installed in a welding shop was pairs of receptacles that were on different phases as well as different breakers. This way, not only could you plug two tools into different circuits side by side, but if you wanted to you could easily rewire the electrical box to be 240v just by changing the receptacle. (The guys were blowing a lot of breakers, which can become dangerous.) Also, make sure that you're installing 20 amp receptacles if you're adding them.

[@evanbarnes9984]

You can also wax your screws to help with driving them into difficult woods like purpleheart

[@merldewitt1969]

Purple Heart is known as a Iron Wood, and it is used as Keel tembers for very large sailing vessels. It is also super beautiful. I seen others mention to use UV protection on it. Hope you had fun with it.

[@Mojje42]

New video!!! this was so cool to watch and be along for the build process and you look Stunning plus Badass with the bass at the end if you haven't already i'd highly recommend checking over the electrics in your workshop nothing more frustrating then having fuses blow or lights flickering when using machines.... plus it feels safer