I had a GV with a bart pre but switched to the millennium
Much better and compared to the cirrus pre I found more bite in the milly
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U.S. Peavey Club
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Much better and compared to the cirrus pre I found more bite in the milly
My question is about the four string G Bass.
I know Peavey did run out of Milly Pre's.
The Milly has the sweep mid control, but is the rest of the Cirrus Pre the same as the Milly Pre?
Are the low and high controls set at the same frequencies? ...is it the same design with just the mid sweep added or is it a different sounding Pre all-together?
To my ears, the Millenium preamp is more articulate with a mid bump.... that said I hear a Millenium as being bright mids.
I'm unsure if the +/- is the same as a Cirrus and/or if the Q is the same or if the Pivot point is the same
Good question... a smarter member will know exact nerd details
The circuits are similar, but different. I haven't really studied the circuits. but here's a visual reference for you:
I just swapped my Tobias Growler 5, natural, to a friend for his nice shape 2002 Peavey Cirrus 5 USA with a nice redwood front. I find both the Growler and the Cirrus played by themselves sound real nice, but, don't fit well in the mix with the two bands I play with. The two basses I have that mix well with other instruments is my Fender Road Worn 60's Jazz bass and my 1990 Fender Jazz Bass V Plus. I have heard videos of these bands, and thge bass sounds fantastic with those basses. But, when played alone, in my living room, the Tobias and the Cirrus have a "better sound".
I don't want to spend the money putting Bartolini pickups and preamp into the Cirrus, since I don't know how much better the Cirrus will be, and how it would then fit in with the mix.
Am considering doing a preamp change with the Cirrus that would not be reversable.
Am also considering making the Cirrus "passive" as a trial.
Just don't know how all of this is going to "fly". I think the Cirrus is a beautifully built and looking bass, but not happy with its sound.
Any suggestions are welcome.
Thanks, Bruce, on the coast of South Carolina
I don't want to spend the money putting Bartolini pickups and preamp into the Cirrus, since I don't know how much better the Cirrus will be, and how it would then fit in with the mix.
Am considering doing a preamp change with the Cirrus that would not be reversable.
Am also considering making the Cirrus "passive" as a trial.
Just don't know how all of this is going to "fly". I think the Cirrus is a beautifully built and looking bass, but not happy with its sound.
Any suggestions are welcome.
Thanks, Bruce, on the coast of South Carolina
I had the same problem with my Peavey GV (same pickups and pre as Cirrus). Before trying a pickup/electronic swap, I decided to switch strings. Went from using the Peavey branded strings to TI Jazz Flats and have been happy with it since. Point being, you might try different strings first. Perhaps even significantly different from what you would normally use on the bass.
If you're thinking of making it passive, that's going to require new puckups. That bass has both active pickups and a preamp.
You know, that is a real good suggestion. There is a receipt in the bass case that shows that the strings on the Cirrus now are Ernie Ball 2836 Slinky strings. On my other basses I have not been happy with Ernie Ball strings. I have heard good things about the Thomastik brand strings. Thinking about biting the bullet and trying a set.
Thank you for the suggestion, Bruce
Don't know if I agree with you on this. I can look at the output of the pickups and of the preamp set flat, on my bench scope. That will tell for sure if the pickups have enough output to be used passive. Will let you know. Thanks, Bruce
Is this the string set you are talking about trying? Thomastik JF345 Flatwound 5-String Jazz Bass Strings. Thank you again, Bruce
For what it is worth, I have two Cirrus 6's (redwood top and a Wenge top) and a flame maple top 5. All three have D'Adarrio XL's on them and they all sound great solo and in a band setting.
I have a Millennium 4 that was NOS and the first guy who bought it sold it cheap. I got the bass and hated the tone but it had the original Peavey strings on it. I put a set of LaBella flats on that bass and now it sounds terrific.
Strings can make a dramatic difference in the tone/cut of a bass.
By the way, I have owned many high end basses including Pedulla, Ken Smith, Roscoe, Mike Lull, Warwick, Modulus and G. Gould and the electronics in the Peavey Cirrus are as good as any I have tried. Please think twice before changing the electronics.
I have a Millennium 4 that was NOS and the first guy who bought it sold it cheap. I got the bass and hated the tone but it had the original Peavey strings on it. I put a set of LaBella flats on that bass and now it sounds terrific.
Strings can make a dramatic difference in the tone/cut of a bass.
By the way, I have owned many high end basses including Pedulla, Ken Smith, Roscoe, Mike Lull, Warwick, Modulus and G. Gould and the electronics in the Peavey Cirrus are as good as any I have tried. Please think twice before changing the electronics.
The only electronics change I would make would be the Milli pre into the Cirrus... I love that preamp. However, My GV sounds great with the stock setup. I can't imagine ever feeling the need to change that in any way. It's sporting Pure Blues and the Cirrus wears the stock Peavey's.
Thank you all for your "input" (not a pun) on my new 2002 Cirrus 5 bass.
I am also an audiophile, and really like the Panasonic Muse electrolytic capacitors.
I would like to re-cap the original preamp with the Muse caps.
So I don't have to remove the preamp to list the electrolytic caps on the board, does anyone have the values of the 5-8 of them on the board?
Thanks all again, great info, Bruce
I am also an audiophile, and really like the Panasonic Muse electrolytic capacitors.
I would like to re-cap the original preamp with the Muse caps.
So I don't have to remove the preamp to list the electrolytic caps on the board, does anyone have the values of the 5-8 of them on the board?
Thanks all again, great info, Bruce
I believe the LaBella flat wound are less money than the Thomastic.
Could you please tell me exactly which model LaBella strings you are happy with.
Thank you, Bruce
Replacing flatwounds is an "every 7 years" event,probably longer.
I think I might have used the JF365 since the GV is a 35" Scale (JF345 is for 34, JF365 is 36). They are expensive strings, but worth it IMO. I currently use them on my GV, L2500, and Growler. First set I bought went on the Growler about 6 years ago and I have not needed to replace them. Admittedly the Growler does not get as much play time as my other basses, but they do last an extremely long time. So far the GV and L2500 have had the same set of flats in the time period that I would have gone through 2-4 sets of rounds. I have tried other flats and disliked the feel of them (too stiff), the Thomastik strings feel great. Have heard similar about LaBella, but never tried them.
Here in Europe we pay the same for Tomastik as we do for La Bella/GHS/D'Addario etc so there's no point in penny pinching on strings.
Folks often complain TI jazz flats are too flexible but normally their experience is with a 34" scale. I find the tension on TI's make for easy playing. La Bella do low tension flats,they are quite nice,have them on a SC P-bass. Standard La Bella flats can seem stiff compared to TIs,that stiffness works well on my T40 converted to 5 strings,floppy B string on 34" scale basses are best avoided.
Personal opinion here. Can't stand both D'Addario chromes and EB Cobalts.
Folks often complain TI jazz flats are too flexible but normally their experience is with a 34" scale. I find the tension on TI's make for easy playing. La Bella do low tension flats,they are quite nice,have them on a SC P-bass. Standard La Bella flats can seem stiff compared to TIs,that stiffness works well on my T40 converted to 5 strings,floppy B string on 34" scale basses are best avoided.
Personal opinion here. Can't stand both D'Addario chromes and EB Cobalts.
La Bella 5 string flats set number is 760 FL-B. They make another set designed for string through body but I used the standard long set for my Millennium 4 which is also 35" scale so the 760 FL-B should work on the Cirrus 5.
