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Peavey Cirrus 5
- Thread starter rzinszer
- Start date
Excellent bass! One of the ones I regret letting go. Actually thinking about a 6er sometime next year. Do a search...the Cirrus gets much love here and rightfully so. Superb playability, versatile and good looking!
I've owned two. Great basses. Play like butter. Good B string. They're very comfortable and well balanced. Not too heavy. Built really well...better than the Euro Spector, Lakland Skyline and any Fender I've owned in the past and right up there with my Warwick Thumb. They also look cool if the headstock doesn't bug you too much and they're supper cheap on the used market because of brand snobbery.
They have a unique sound to them, but they aren't as limited (bright and lacking low end) as a lot of people say they are. I've been able to get a passable P sound out of mine and I've also recorded one where it ended up sounding virtually identical to my Fender Jazz when I rerecorded the song using it. Of course, you can get a Hi Fi sound out of it as well...something you could never do from a passive P or J.
For full disclosure, I just sold one of mine and am trying to well the other because...actually I have no idea. I sold the first because I don't need two of them, but with the second I think its just that I gassing for something different. Its pretty much my favorite bass right now playability-wise (although I do like the way my Thumb sounds a little more fingerstyle--but its sooo much more uncomfortable to play) and I'm probably going to regret it if I end up getting rid of it.
They have a unique sound to them, but they aren't as limited (bright and lacking low end) as a lot of people say they are. I've been able to get a passable P sound out of mine and I've also recorded one where it ended up sounding virtually identical to my Fender Jazz when I rerecorded the song using it. Of course, you can get a Hi Fi sound out of it as well...something you could never do from a passive P or J.
For full disclosure, I just sold one of mine and am trying to well the other because...actually I have no idea. I sold the first because I don't need two of them, but with the second I think its just that I gassing for something different. Its pretty much my favorite bass right now playability-wise (although I do like the way my Thumb sounds a little more fingerstyle--but its sooo much more uncomfortable to play) and I'm probably going to regret it if I end up getting rid of it.
I love my Cirrus 5. Modern sounding tone with a great very focused sounding low B. 3 band eq. Balances well on a strap. Comfortable neck.
The different wood combinations will sound somewhat different. I have the alder/maple combination with maple fretboard which would probably be the brightest sounding wood combination and IMO it's very musical sounding. Not harsh or brittle.
I've had some bass player friends who have high end instruments tell me that the Cirrus ranks right up there with the best of them.
If you can find a used one in good shape you'll save some money because resale seems to be low (about 50% what they sold for new for used ex++ condition). Good thing for those of us who love them.
Also, I would suggest to anyone who thinks the Cirrus is to bright or hi-fi sounding to check out one of the USA Peavey Millenniums. They are discontinued but can be found at about 25% of what they originally sold for new.
Here's my two Peaveys.
The Millennium 5 on the left and the Cirrus 5 on the right.
The different wood combinations will sound somewhat different. I have the alder/maple combination with maple fretboard which would probably be the brightest sounding wood combination and IMO it's very musical sounding. Not harsh or brittle.
I've had some bass player friends who have high end instruments tell me that the Cirrus ranks right up there with the best of them.
If you can find a used one in good shape you'll save some money because resale seems to be low (about 50% what they sold for new for used ex++ condition). Good thing for those of us who love them.
Also, I would suggest to anyone who thinks the Cirrus is to bright or hi-fi sounding to check out one of the USA Peavey Millenniums. They are discontinued but can be found at about 25% of what they originally sold for new.
Here's my two Peaveys.
The Millennium 5 on the left and the Cirrus 5 on the right.
Interesting.
I`ve achieved a good hi fi sound and a decent Pbass sound, but never got close to a Jazz. Settings ?
I like the the Peavey's Cirrus electronics and VLZ pickups in my GV, which has a Millennium body shape. I highly recommend trying out the Cirrus.
Tones all in the hands.
I generally sound relatively similar on all my basses. To be fair, when I said "my" Jazz I meant an Active Deluxe not a passive J. Maybe what I really did was get the J to sound like the Cirrus?
Either way, it ended up sounding good.
I may know a thing or two about the Cirrus, eh?
In their respective price range, there is not thing that plays better or has a more solid B. With some EQ fiddlin' you might get a decent vintage tone, but it's great about that modern hi-fi tone that's meaty and not too zingy. They can get a decent P-style tone out of the neck and the bridge pickup is quite capable of getting a J-tone that's definitely active, but not overly aggressive, definitely fuller.
In their respective price range, there is not thing that plays better or has a more solid B. With some EQ fiddlin' you might get a decent vintage tone, but it's great about that modern hi-fi tone that's meaty and not too zingy. They can get a decent P-style tone out of the neck and the bridge pickup is quite capable of getting a J-tone that's definitely active, but not overly aggressive, definitely fuller.
An awesome bass. Mine is the next best bass that I have ever played. The best is my Ken Smith Black Tiger 5. I sold a 1983 Alembic Spoiler and a 2001 Warwick Thumb 5 BO to get the Smith. My Cirrus is a keeper!!!!!
This clip is one the main reasons why I decided to get a Cirrus:
A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste!
This clip is one the main reasons why I decided to get a Cirrus:
A Groove is a Terrible Thing to Waste!
They're terrible. I keep two around just to remind me of how much I hate them.
I actually leave them outside like that 24/7 in the hopes that somebody will swipe 'em.
Riis
I actually leave them outside like that 24/7 in the hopes that somebody will swipe 'em.
Riis
I had a Natural Maple six string back in 2000. Very good basses.
If you want something different, a Cirrus maybe what your looking for.
If you want something different, a Cirrus maybe what your looking for.
Agreed... and I'd even heavily qualify the P bass sound... these are not at all designed to sound like Fenders. They're really designed to more go after folks that like the Sadowsky Moderns, Smiths, etc.
Like cb56 says tho... great cutting and focused tone... especially nice B string too. Playability and tone quality right up there with some of the best basses out there. The other thing of note is the VFL pickups are particularly quiet in especially noisy environments.
NICE!! 
