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Peavey battle: Millennium Plus 5 vs. Cirrus 5
- Thread starter fourstringbliss
- Start date
You speak as if I have some kind of track record here...
You're not the only one with a track record. I too bought another 5+ after regretting the sale of my original. I'm not gonna fall for that one again.
You're not the only one with a track record. I too bought another 5+ after regretting the sale of my original. I'm not gonna fall for that one again.
I'm just going to hold on to my Mill+5 and save up for a Cirrus 5. I've got to stop selling one to buy another. The Mill+5 is a keeper and I need to just keep it!
Bravo!!! I would call than an epiphany!!
So, how do a Mill 5+ and a Cirrus 5 compare tonally? Someone said the Mill is brighter - is that it?
Sorry, can't help you there as I've never got the chance to play a USA Cirrus. Spade2You makes a good point about the Cirrus' though. I will really depend on the wood combinations.
The used Cirri are dropping in price, as well. I've seen a couple in the ~$700 range. No reason you can't have one of each. American-made, neck thru multi lam necks, figured body and top woods, top grade hardware...seriously undervalued IMO.
Riis
Riis
Any difference in the neck profile? I first fell in love with my Millennium's neck; then discovered all the other good stuff about the bass later.
Is the Cirrus' neck pickup as comfortable a spot to anchor a thumb as the J-pickup of the Mill?
Is the Cirrus' neck pickup as comfortable a spot to anchor a thumb as the J-pickup of the Mill?
I like the Cirrus neck a tad better. It feels as if the neck profile is ever-so-slightly flattened. My Cirrus has a big 'ol wear spot at the the neck pup where a previous owner rested his thumb. Word of caution: keep your thumb nail trimmed as its quite easy to erode, scar, whatever the oil / wax finish. My red Cirrus has some type of poly-schmucko gloss finish which offers more protection.
Riis
Great post, thanks.
I guess I'll stay with my original plan and find a 5-string Millennium to go with my 4. I'd like that low-B for some of the songs we play at church; but I haven't found much call for the low-B on the blues and classic rock that my band plays.
"Poly-schmucko"
I think I dated her in high school. 
I'm hard on all my stuff, the more protection the bass has, the better.
I sure loved the look of that Blue FM Millennium Plus I saw a week or too ago that somebody sold. When I purchased my last bass it was between the Millennium AC BXP in FM voilet, and my Ibanez SR400QM. I love the SR, but I still want the BXP - they're beautiful!
I just got back from the Christian Musicians Summit in Redmond, Washington, and I had two experiences that have confirmed that I'm keeping my Millennium+5 for good. Maybe I'll get myself a fretless at some point, but I think my Mill+5 might just be the only fretted bass I need.
One of the clinic presenters at the CMS was Dave Ellefson (formerly of Megadeth). I had figured he'd be playing his Peavey Scorpio but he was playing a Cirrus 4-string. It did sound good and had me thinking that maybe I would get a Cirrus. When I talked to him about the Cirrus and he saw that I had a Mill+5 he said he used to own one and that he'd much prefer it to the Cirrus. He prefers the pickup configuration and the sound. He introduced me to Dave(?) Peavey (Hartley's Son) and they both checked out my Mill+5 - it was pretty cool!
The biggest impact was playing through one of these:
Invalid Link Removed
It's this tiny Markbass combo that has a 12" woofer and one of their Little Mark II bass heads built in. This thing weighs 30 lbs but sounded bigger than my Yorkville 400w 210 combo! Thick but clear and I finally discovered what my Mill+5 is supposed to sound like! With all amp controls and bass preamp controls set flat it sounded beautifully thick! I've got to get myself one of these! Eventually I'd want to pair it up with one of these:
Invalid Link Removed
One of the clinic presenters at the CMS was Dave Ellefson (formerly of Megadeth). I had figured he'd be playing his Peavey Scorpio but he was playing a Cirrus 4-string. It did sound good and had me thinking that maybe I would get a Cirrus. When I talked to him about the Cirrus and he saw that I had a Mill+5 he said he used to own one and that he'd much prefer it to the Cirrus. He prefers the pickup configuration and the sound. He introduced me to Dave(?) Peavey (Hartley's Son) and they both checked out my Mill+5 - it was pretty cool!
The biggest impact was playing through one of these:
Invalid Link Removed
It's this tiny Markbass combo that has a 12" woofer and one of their Little Mark II bass heads built in. This thing weighs 30 lbs but sounded bigger than my Yorkville 400w 210 combo! Thick but clear and I finally discovered what my Mill+5 is supposed to sound like! With all amp controls and bass preamp controls set flat it sounded beautifully thick! I've got to get myself one of these! Eventually I'd want to pair it up with one of these:
Invalid Link Removed
I played both basses before buying the Millennium 5 in 2000. The descriptions of the differences between the two are extremely well described by cb56 in post #2 of this thread. I sure wouldn't mind having a Cirrus as well! Chewy BiTs, my string retainer also took a hike from the rest of the bass and the screws have been replaced with a coarser thread type. Since then, no problems. 
Well this isn't a 5 string comparison, it's a 4 string comparison.
I recently purchased a Cirrus that it impeccably setup..it almost plays itself.
The Cirrus and the Millennium are two totally different basses in feel and sound. I have no problem just picking up the Cirrus and playing it, but switching from a Millennium to the Cirrus is quite different feeling. The Cirrus being neckthu has the neck above the body by the depth of the fingerboard. The Millennium sits more above the body (almost twice as much). The Cirrus feels a lot longer. Both are 35 scale, but it you look the Cirrus has a smaller headstock. The fingerboard is about 2 inches longer, and the extension is towards the headstock (My Skjold takes the neck into the body somewhat and doesn't feel as long.) The difference in length is about the distance of the nut to the first fret. The Cirrus neck profile doesn't seem to be something that I can tell is a lot different from my J/MM Millennium (all birdseye). My regular J/J Millennium neck is a bit thinner.
Soundwise they are just quite different...as is my J/J Millennium versus my J/MM Millennium. I think that being neckthru it has a lot more presense in midrange. I might try the preamp mod, but I can get great tones out of the stock preamp, so I doubt I do it.
Overall, I just have to say they are QUITE different. I love the Millennium and the Cirrus...but boy the Cirrus is just real effortless to play.
I recently purchased a Cirrus that it impeccably setup..it almost plays itself.
The Cirrus and the Millennium are two totally different basses in feel and sound. I have no problem just picking up the Cirrus and playing it, but switching from a Millennium to the Cirrus is quite different feeling. The Cirrus being neckthu has the neck above the body by the depth of the fingerboard. The Millennium sits more above the body (almost twice as much). The Cirrus feels a lot longer. Both are 35 scale, but it you look the Cirrus has a smaller headstock. The fingerboard is about 2 inches longer, and the extension is towards the headstock (My Skjold takes the neck into the body somewhat and doesn't feel as long.) The difference in length is about the distance of the nut to the first fret. The Cirrus neck profile doesn't seem to be something that I can tell is a lot different from my J/MM Millennium (all birdseye). My regular J/J Millennium neck is a bit thinner.
Soundwise they are just quite different...as is my J/J Millennium versus my J/MM Millennium. I think that being neckthru it has a lot more presense in midrange. I might try the preamp mod, but I can get great tones out of the stock preamp, so I doubt I do it.
Overall, I just have to say they are QUITE different. I love the Millennium and the Cirrus...but boy the Cirrus is just real effortless to play.
The Millennium has a longer top horn, possibly to offset the bigger headstock and slightly lighter body. This is why it will sit a little higher than the Cirrus.
As for the playability, the Cirrus' only competition is from basses 2-3x as expensive. The Millennium can get pretty close if you have the neck shimmed. Without the shim, it's a tad high, but still better than most basses.
As for the playability, the Cirrus' only competition is from basses 2-3x as expensive. The Millennium can get pretty close if you have the neck shimmed. Without the shim, it's a tad high, but still better than most basses.
My new Millennium Plus 4 has been used 3 times, yes 3 times! Just bought it and it's MINT. Even the strings are mint. Bought it NOS.
QUESTION: What strings does/did Peavey use in 2001 for these Millys? I love em and want more for my other basses.
Thx,
Hawk
QUESTION: What strings does/did Peavey use in 2001 for these Millys? I love em and want more for my other basses.
Thx,
Hawk
Great score! (Got any pics?) My memory banks are telling me that Peavey strung them with their own Cirrus nickle roundwounds.
