Please take a few moments to familiarize yourself with the different categories covered so you’ll know what questions you can answer by consulting this guide.

Note that models which may not be current catalog items may be listed in some tables. If your browser doesn't support tables, you can request a printed copy of this guide to be mailed to you with the service request form.

Reference Guides

Neck Widths

Following table for Epic, Orion, Essence, Rogue, and Europa basses.
Number of Strings Width Across Nut Width Across 24th Fret
4 1.625 2.360
5 1.875 2.930
6 2.200 3.560
Following table for Signature Standard and Deluxe, Series I and II basses.
Number of Strings Width Across Nut Width Across 24th Fret
4 1.750 2.250
5 2.000 2.500
6 2.000 3.125
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Wood Features

Following table for neck lamination patterns on basses.
MODEL 4-STRING 5-STRING 6-STRING
Epic and Orion 3 maple with 2 walnut veneers 5 maple with 4 walnut veneers 5 maple with 4 walnut veneers
Essence 3 maple with 2 walnut veneers 5 maple with 4 walnut veneers 5 maple with 4 walnut veneers
Spoiler 3 maple with 2 walnut veneers 5 maple with 4 walnut veneers 5 maple with 4 walnut veneers
Rogue 3 maple with 2 walnut veneers 5 maple with 4 walnut veneers 5 maple with 4 walnut veneers
Elan 3 maple with 2 walnut veneers 5 maple with 4 walnut veneers 5 maple with 4 walnut veneers
Signature Deluxe 3 maple with 2 walnut veneers 5 maple with 4 walnut veneers 5 maple with 4 walnut veneers
Europa 3 maple with 2 purpleheart laminates 4 maple with 3 purpleheart laminates 6 maple with 5 purpleheart laminates
Distillate 3 maple with 2 purpleheart laminates 4 maple with 3 purpleheart laminates 6 maple with 5 purpleheart laminates
Signature Deluxe 3 maple with 2 purpleheart laminates 4 maple with 3 purpleheart laminates 6 maple with 5 purpleheart laminates
Series I 3 maple with 2 purpleheart laminates 4 maple with 3 purpleheart laminates 6 maple with 5 purpleheart laminates
Series II 4 maple with 3 purpleheart laminates 4 maple with 3 purpleheart laminates 6 maple with 5 purpleheart laminates
Following table for body lamination patterns on basses. Top laminate can be changed from standard listed.
MODEL TOP ACCENT BODY BACK
Epic, Orion walnut maple veneer mahogany no
Essence flame maple walnut veneer mahogany no
Spoiler bocate maple accent laminate mahogany no
Rogue vermilion maple accent laminate mahogany no
Elan flame maple walnut veneer maple no
Signature Standard walnut maple accent laminate mahogany no
Europa rosewood maple and purpleheart veneers mahogany no
Signature Deluxe - Clarke rosewood maple accent laminate mahogany yes
Signature Deluxe - King coco bolo maple accent laminate mahogany yes
Series I walnut maple accent laminate mahogany yes
Series II bird's-eye maple walnut accent laminate mahogany with maple center veneer yes
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Standard Laminating Patterns

Because body lamination woods are chosen for maximum contrast by default, this is only a general guide. If you have a specific accent veneer/laminate, please specify at the time of order.

The following table is for mahogany bodies. Other body woods may affect accent wood.
TOP ACCENT
Bird's-eye Maple Purpleheart
Bocate Purpleheart
Bubinga Maple
Burl Maple Purpleheart
Burl Walnut Maple
Coco Bolo Maple
Flame Koa Maple
Flame Maple Purpleheart
Flame Walnut Maple
Lacewood Maple
Macassar Ebony Maple
Quilted Maple Purpleheart
Rosewood Maple
Tulipwood Purpleheart
Vermilion Maple
Wenge Maple
Zebrawood Purpleheart
Ziricote Maple
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Serial Number Guide

The first two dgits of the serial number are the year the instrument was completed. The code letter tells you the model. The next group of numbers must be from two to five digits and is the number of the instrument. Thus 94H8692 is an Elan bass completed in 1994 and is the 8692nd instrument was made. We started with number 1 in 1972 and when an instrument is finished, it received the next number, regardless of model. Any "A" or "B" after number is on the rare occassion that we duplicate a number. Hey, even we make mistakes.

MODEL CODE CURRENT OFFERED IN
20th Anniversary AM no 1989
Brown Bass BB yes 1998 -
Custom C yes 1971 -
Distillate D no 1978 - 1990
Elan H no 1985 - 1997
Electrum E no 1978 - 1985
Epic W yes 1994 -
Essence K yes 1991 -
Europa U yes 1986 -
Excel X yes 1998 -
Further F yes 2002 -
Little Darling J or JL yes 2004 -
Mark King Deluxe MK yes 1989 -
Mark King Standard MJ yes 1990 -
Orion Bass OW yes 1996 -
Orion guitar O yes 1997 -
Persuader P or V or F no 1983 - 1991
Rogue Q yes 1996 -
Series I blank yes 1971 -
Series II blank yes 1971 -
Skylark L yes 2002 -
Spectrum BG or M yes 1992 -
Spoiler S yes 1980 -
Spoiler-3/4 body R yes 1986 -
Stanley Clarke Deluxe SC yes 1986 -
Stanley Clarke Standard SJ yes 1990 -
Tribute T yes 2001 -
Alembic Export General AE no 1972 - 1976 all Series
Alembic Export Canada AC no 1972 - 1976 all Series

Where to find serial number:

  • on new instruments - stamped on the truss rod cover and in the electronics cavity.
  • on Epics and Orions - stamped in the back of the peghead and in the electronics cavity. Note: oldest Epics have the serial number in the electronics cavity only
  • on older isntruments - stampled directly on the ebony fingerboard below the 24th fret.
  • on the oldest instruments - stamped on the top of the peghead.
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Wood Nomenclature

American Woods

COMMON NAME LATIN NAME FAMILY OTHER NAMES
Maple Acer macrophyllum Aceraceae ---
Rock maple Acer saccharum Aceraceae hard maple, white maple
Walnut Juglans hindsii Juglancaceae California walnut, claro walnut
Madrone Arbutus menziessi Ericaceae ---
Sycamore Acer pseudoplatanus Aceraceae ---
Maple Acer macrophyllum Aceraceae ---

South and Central American Woods

COMMON NAME LATIN NAME FAMILY OTHER NAMES
Bocate Cordia spp. --- Mexican rosewood
Coco Bolo Dalbergia retusa Leguminosae granadillo
Mahogany Swietinia macrophylla Meliaceae ---
Purpleheart Peltogne spp. Leguminosae amaranth, violetwood, morado, saka, koroboreli, tananeo, pau roxo
Tulipwood Dalbergia fructescens Leguminosae jacaranda rosa, pinkwood, pau rosa

African Woods

COMMON NAME LATIN NAME FAMILY OTHER NAMES
Bubinga Guibouria demusi Leguminosae African rosewood
Ebony Diospryus crassiflora Ebenaceae Gabon ebony
Wenge Millettia laurentii Leguminosae panga panga
Zebrawood Microberlinia brazzavillensis Leguminosae zebrano, zingana, allene, ele, amouk

Indian Woods

COMMON NAME LATIN NAME FAMILY OTHER NAMES
Ebony Diospryus ebenum Ebenaceae ---
Macassar ebony Diospryus celebica Ebenaceae striped ebony
Rosewood Dalbergia latifoloa Leguminosae Bombay rosewood, sissoo, biti, ervadi, kalaruk
Vermilion Pterocarpu dalbergoides Leguminosae padauk, Andaman rosewood

Pacific Rim Woods

COMMON NAME LATIN NAME FAMILY OTHER NAMES
Lacewood Carwellia sublimis Protaceae Australian silky oak
Koa Acacia koa --- ---
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