Bass Of the Week: Xylem 5-String Black Limba Bass

Xylem Custom 5 string

This week we’re featuring a beautiful custom Xylem 5-string bass. This particular bass is a neck-through design featuring a black limba body with a bookmatched macassar ebony top, accented with bocote and maple. The quartersawn neck is bird’s eye maple and has an ebony fretboard and custom inlays of a tomoe and falling leaves.

All the electronics are Bartolinis, including two BC5CBC humbuckers and a HR4.7 preamp. The hardware is rounded out by Hipshot Ultralite tuners and a Hipshot Triple Lockdown bridge, all finished in gold.

Proprietor and builder Anthony Olinger creates completely unique basses as per customer orders, so no two basses are alike. His builds start at $1,500, though this particular commissioned bass was priced at $4,500. For more info, visit the Xylem website.

Xylem 5-String Black Limba Bass Gallery:

Xylem 5-String Black Limba Bass Specs:

  • Body: black limba, bookmatched macassar ebony top, bocote, maple accents
  • Neck: quartersawn bird’s eye maple thru neck w/ bocote stringers, ebony fretboard w/ ebony binding, ebony nut, 35” scale length
  • Frets: 24
  • Nut: Ebony
  • Tuners: Hipshot Ultralite
  • Bridge: Hipshot Triple Lockdown
  • Pickups: Active Bartolini BC5CBC humbuckers (w/ ebony pickup covers)
  • Electronics: Bartolini HR4.7 Preamp
  • Weight: 9.4 lbs.

Xylem 5-String Black Limba Bass Video:

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Share your thoughts

  1. Doug Lathey

    It’s just a Carl Thompson rip-off.

  2. alexander freeman

    love the harmonics sounds I had a pedular bass 5 string before is got stolen out of my old guitarist van I was suppose to go to ultra sounds studio on 30st & 8ave after work my guitarist was suppose to meet me down there they stole my bass and his 72 fender strat I don’t to talk anymore thank you!!

  3. Alfred Smith

    I want to go to there…

  4. Christopher North

    Mmmmmm.

  5. Nice work, but a little too derivative of Carl Thompson.