Cirrus: first impression

I just got back from Mr. E's Music in Bedford, TX. Thanks, embellisher, for pointing me in that direction. I went there to try out this Cirrus thing everyone is raving about. Unfortunately they only had one, a six-string. I'm not a six-string player at all. All I've ever played is four, and I'm getting ready to start on five. I think it was the redwood/alder. I'm not sure what the fingerboard was made of, but I didn't care for it. Their "guitar guy" was off today, so I was kinda on my own.

I played it acoustically for a while, and was impressed with the low string action, and the acoustic sound. Not being experienced with sixes, I picked up a Yamaha six and tried it for comparison. Playing the Yamaha was like trying to drive a semi through a mall parking lot the week before Christmas. (Trust me. I've done that.) But the Cirrus was very smooth and fairly easy for even me to play. It is every bit as beautiful as the pictures I had seen. Maybe even more so. Construction was first rate. Someone here told me fit and finish was a tie with Carvin... I don't know, but it is very close.

I plugged it in to an SWR Bass 350 head, Goliath Jr III 2x10, and a Son of Bertha 1x15. That makes a really great little stack by the way. I set all the eq on the head to zero, turned the aural enhancer off, etc. I put the eq knobs on the bass in their center detent and the pickup pan control in the center. Turned it on... WOW! This is one of the best sounding basses I've ever heard! Maybe THE best. After I doodled on it like that for a while, I started experimenting with the controls. They work great, but I like them pretty much in the center. If you like a little more ass, turn up the bass boost on the Cirrus and get all the bottom you could ever want. Low end for days. Really amazing.

The 35" scale is not really awkward even for my slightly smaller than average hands. Usually longer scale basses are really a stretch for me, but this one wasn't bad. I don't know if the small tradeoff in playability is worth the awesome sound, I'll have to play them a few more times before I decide. Overall playability is absolutely top shelf, the longer scale being my only, minor, complaint on that issue.

I'm still looking for a five-string Cirrus. I don't think the string spacing is going to be quite as wide as I prefer, but that's just my personal preference, not a defect in the bass.

I almost hate to use the "P-word" in association with this fine instrument. But I'm going to have to stop bad-mouthing Peavey if they are going to make gear of this quality.

 

The price on it was $1999. I think that was list and I'm sure they would come down off this.

When I started playing in the mid '80's, all I had was Peavey. Their was one guitar store within 80 miles of where I lived, and they carried mostly Peaveys. At that time, Peaveys sucked. There might have been a gem in the rough here and there, but overall, it was trash. I got a bad taste in my mouth about Peavey equipment. I'm trying to be as fair and honest with myself about newr things of theirs I try because I know they've made huge improvements since then. But it's not always easy.

 

Yeah, I'm going to go over Garland way Saturday. If that Zoo doesn't have one, I'll get them to see if one of their other stores does. I also want to go to Speir and Larry Morgan, so I'm going to be in the neighborhood.

I think I'm starting to get GAS.

 

I believe it's highly contageous. Especially if you spend a lot of time in music stores, or on music-related internet sites.

You know, you might think you are cured, but when the next wave of new gear comes around, you could suffer a relapse.

 

Thanks, rickreyn, but I have not decided to buy one yet. I have ordered a Carvin 5-string, and when it comes in I'll see how it stacks up against other things I've played.

I'm not ready to say that one is better than the other. What has changed is that I used to be completely convinced that you couldn't find a bass to compare with a Carvin without paying two to three times as much. The Cirrus has changed that. It's a new game now.

 

That would be great.