Hello,

I had a look at the catalogues - and now I´m just a little bit wondering about my S2 - or is it an Empathy. Who can help to answer this question. All my basses are in used condition, so that I don´t know exactly the building-year.... Where are the differences between the Empathy an die S2 ? On the headstock of my Empathy is the sign of "Status" and in the line under that " Empathy" - on the headstock of my S2 (6-string) is the sign of "status" and under that "graphite" "Made in England" - I would be very pleased, if someone knows the anwer....:(
Torsten

in the middle of the picture is my Empathy-5-str. - on the right is the S2?

Some of the later S2's are difficult to distinguish from the Empathy basses as they have the same Board 301 electronics. The earlier Series 2's had a 4 pot control setup. I think it really depends on the age of the 5 string. The fact that it doesn't say Empathy on it suggests to me that it is a later Series 2.

If someone knows better I am happy to be corrected.

This is why we need a good 'timeline' database so you would get a pretty accurate idea of age from the Serial Number!

:o

i'm not too sure how keen Rob and Dawn are to have people call them up with Serial Numbers for production information. i'm sure they're busy???!!!!

might be worth a try though!

Anyone?

With the co-operation of Rob Green we hope to have a list of serial numbers and dates on this site before long. Hopefully it will become the definitive list but it may need some input from members to complete any gaps.

oooh, I see. But if I´m right, the emphaty-headed-line is with black hardware - the headless with golden hardware. And within in S2-Line it´s otherwise. So I read it in the catalogues. If you need help by the timeline-database - please let me know...

Is it right, that the serial-nr is signed under the brigde? And what year means the "later S2" ? The only difference between my Empathy and my "S2" is, that on my S2 is a green line between the front-cover-wood and the body...I don´t know what that could be....

Thank you for your informations :D

On my Empathy there are thin red laminates between the front and back wood facings and the body core. I think most Emapthys had this and I am not sure if it appeared on any other models. No doubt someone will be able to confirm.

that´s right - my Empathy has got a yellow laminate between the facings and back/front...... I don´t know if my S2 is a S2 or an Empathy....

Now I know the answer - I hope so :-)

I had a look at my S2 an also a look at my Empathy - there is one difference.
My Empathy is build with 5 pieces per side (in the middle is the graphite-neck - and on the back a piece of wood) - and my S2 has got 3 pieces per side.....
I think, that´s the difference between Empathy an S2......
S2: 7 pieces ( I think it is also within newer models...)
Empathy: 11 pieces

Is it right?

That would make sense. Never counted them myself.

The Empathy when introduced, used to have the powerband' EQ system which meant the bass and treble were stacked' on one dual-concentric pot and the parametric EQ on another stacked pot (midrange frequency and cut/boost) unlike the Series II which had the regular bass and treble controls. The bodies did have extra laminates but as far as I'm aware, there was no mention of the name Empathy' on the bass in terms of a logo (mine did not!).

Check out my thread about Empathy #001 - this body shape was slightly different to the headless angular' shape. Later models changed again to a slightly more angular shape!

Cheers Nick