That Foundation is screaming for some paisley.
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U.S. Peavey Club
- Thread starter Soundchaser11460
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Any chance one of you fine folks could give me a run down on all the different Cirrus models? I always knew there were us neck-through and bolt-on models, and then some overseas stuff, but I’m sure someone is a bit more knowledgeable. Thanks!
How cool would that be?!That Foundation is screaming for some paisley.
Along with those there was the Sarzo models, Bamboo wing (made in China) the other was Indonesian production.
BXP models mostly had gloss finishes and mono saddle bridges, they were discontinued around 2015.
2017 Cirrus was back on the menu, again Indonesian builds. These models all had rosewood boards and ABM style bridges. Preamp changed from a SMT module back to a PCB. Pegheads had the 'Powerplate'.
Despite following the US models closely the 2017 release was very short lived. CITES regs had restricted the use of rosewood and bubinga so none of Peavey's distributors would touch them. Initial run was sold by Sweetwater but they dropped the line after the first few were delivered. This left Peavey trying to sell them, problem there was price. Folks could by used US models for $600 - $700 and Peavey were asking $1000 for the 4 string Indonesian re-issue.
Peavey quietly dropped the Cirrus about a year later.
Sadly the 'Undercover Bosses' was no fluke as nobody told told Samick, they were left with 2nd production run. The Indonesian factory workers were offered commission rates if they could find buyers.
Shoddy business and pretty much the final nail in the coffin for me.
Thanks for the writeup! I've seen plenty of praise for the "import" versions over the years. Are the BXPs any more or less well regarded compared to the later run, or vice versa? Seems to me the 2017 run was a real miss of the dartboard marketing wise...
This is an amazing depth of knowledge/insight. Thank you.
I'm afraid I never got any first hand experience of the reissue.
The BXPs definitely had a lower build budget, veneers opposed to drop tops. On paper , and according to Peavey PR, the reissues were identical to US models. Trouble is the reissues were only sold in the USA where folks could buy US versions used or NOS for 25 - 30% less, not ideal conditions for unbiased opinions.
The only outside reports I came across were Bass the World, who made no mention of BXP, and a TB member residing in Indonesia who rates his reissues higher than his BXPs.
Between the $1500 US flamed maple on eBay and the $999 Oak reissue on MGR , I'd be inclined to take the reissue.
That said I'd take a 'darkwood' BXP over both of those, even if it was $500
I have an early Indonesian BXP, in dark wood, which appears to be a version of mahogany (Kodiak—feel free to correct me) and is solid wood as opposed to the veneered bubinga and tiger eye versions. The build quality on mine is very good. The pickups are the same as on my U.S. made models. The biggest difference is the preamp…the BXP just didn’t sound as refined as my U.S. models. I dropped a Millennium preamp in it, and now there’s no sonic difference between them. The neck on my BXP is great—but not as over the top outstanding as my U.S. models—I had never experienced such an amazing neck as on my U.S. models. That said, the neck on the BXP is both comfortable and easy to move around on for my smallish hands.
Nowadays, prices on the BXP have risen to where they are now closer to the U.S. version, rather than half their price point when they were originally introduced…so if I were in the market for a Cirrus, I would probably just save up the extra money and get a used U.S. model.
Kim
Nowadays, prices on the BXP have risen to where they are now closer to the U.S. version, rather than half their price point when they were originally introduced…so if I were in the market for a Cirrus, I would probably just save up the extra money and get a used U.S. model.
Kim
electronics and hardware are the biggest difference... some usa had millenium preamps as an upgrade option.
contrary to popular marketing, there were choices - no real custom shop sold to the general public
USA were sold like a deli (choose your options)
There were multiple layouts of the contour cases,
If unlined, I've seen some creative people melt the interior of the case... unsure how they did that safely (someone smarter can coach with that)
Can the cirrus preamp be modded to have the mid sweep like the millennium? Or are they completely different circuits?
A millennium preamp fits in the same holes ... the problem is that they are no longer available as parts (and tough to find used)
- Apr 18, 2008
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Just curious - with the plethora of high-quality aftermarket preamps, why the interest in sticking with the original Peavey circuit? Does it do something special/unusual?
Basically the same circuit.
High/Low did +/- 10Db at the same frequency as your standard Cirrus Pre, Mids got +/- 10Db but you could vary the point it kicked in.
When they discontinued the Millennium , 2004, a few Cirrus models got those surplus preamps. The bolt on necks shipped with Millennium preamps as did the tiger eye 'custom'.
Since they’re the same circuit, how possible is it to retrofit a cirrus preamp with a stack pot to enable mid sweep?
This is a question for @AudioTaper
Just seems like it’d be an avenue worth exploring. It’s always seemed to me like that’s “the” mod people went for on the cirrus, so if the milly board stock has dried up, it’d be nice to have another option.
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,016
- 1
- 31,730
- Disclosures
- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
Again, why the Peavey preamp and not an East, or Nordstrand, or Aguilar, or Noll, or … ?
I’m just curious as to what’s possible, or if anyones done any of the R&D before me. I’m sure all those options are great. And I’m sure the “why” came down to how you could order a drop in milly preamp for not much scratch at the time, but now maybe not so readily.
