Original Retail Price for a Cirrus BXP 5? Opinions also sought.

Eilif

Eilif

Grooving under the MDW runway.
Oct 1, 2001
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#1
Hey Folks,
My dad has been playing a USA Cirrus 4 string for a few years now and he wanted to try a 5 string. He found a Cirrus BXP 5 for $300 at a local Pawn shop It's the version with the fancy quilted top. He liked the way it sounded and felt, got them to knock another $20 off and took it home yesterday. For $280 I'm pretty sure he got a good deal, though ebay prices are all over the place, ranging from around $350 shipped to over 500 hundred used. I'm curious to know the original Retail and Street prices for a new Cirrus BXP 5 were. I couldn't find a Peavey price list that contained a Cirrus BXP 5.

Also, for those who have had them...
Are these MIK or Indonesian?
What years were they made?
What did you think of them?
Anything to watch out for?
Do these have the same pickups and preamp as the USA Cirrus basses?
Any notable difference between the glossy quilt top models (he got one of these) and the satin versions that show the laminations?

Thanks!

I'll have a chance to try it out and A/B it vs his 4 string USA Cirrus on Christmas. I'll report back what I find.
 
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#3
Eilif said:
Do these have the same pickups and preamp as the USA Cirrus basses?
Click to expand...

good question.....i have a USA Cirrus that uses an 18v true-active (low-Z pickups, like Alembic) system...the first thing I would check is to see if it uses two 9v batteries, and that would mostly answer that question
 
#4
Hi @Eilif

Afraid I can't help on prices but current eBay prices are about £250- £275 so $300 - $340.Checked over some of the Peaveys here and got some thoughts.

Later Indonesian Cirrus - thin bubinga veneer, glossy neck, down to 34" scale for the 4 strings and the 18v preamp is a potted unit made by G&B,same folks who do Spector Tonepump pre's. Far as I can tell same VFL pickups, sounds like a Cirrus anyhows.

Now when I compare it to the Zephyr it feels a cheaper build,I'm blaming glossy finish . The Zephyr is probably Indonesian too and the body construction is very good. It has a semi gloss finish rather than the satin on my USA Cirrus so I think money saved on a couple of coats/sanding. Zephyr was a passive bass but the control cavity is the same as the Cirrus. Think X amount would get turned into Cirrus by cutting battery box. I turned this one active and it's a fine bass.

I know a few folks with early Cirrus BXP and they're happy campers. But then they have the 35" natural finish models.

If folks were looking for a BXP Cirrus my advice would be look for the earlier MIK/Indonesian but that's only based on
my dislike of the bubinga veneer. If the pots get worn or scratchy well it's easier to replace them if there's a potted preamp than on a PCB like the USA has. If you don't like monorail bridge stick an ABM on it they're about $100.
 
#5
Thanks for the info folks. I have limited experience with G&B, but the G&B pups that were in my LTD 214 were actually quite good. I'm with those who prefer the look of the non-veneer basses, but that's a quibble.

The BXP my dad bought is is a 5 so I'm pretty sure it's 35" regardless of year.

My dad did mention that he hadn't opened it up but he thought the battery compartment was as big as the one on his USA Ciruus 4 which is 18v.

Zephyr is basically a grind with the cirrus body shape right?
 
#6
@Eilif

If I remember right G&B build pickups for Duncan and EMG as well. It's definitely an 18V preamp in the BXP Cirrus,
G&B preamp in the Cirrus and there's one in my Chinese Millennium.The Indonesian Millie preamp just says Peavey
but looks the same as the other two.Preamp in the Void PXD says Peavey VFL preamp but looks the same.

It's marketed as having Cirrus electrics though by the time of it's release they might have meant BXP Cirrus electrics.
No problems to report with any of them and as I said it's easier to fix pots etc with a potted preamp than PCB.

I put the BXP through it's paces tonight after replying. It plays well,took a bit off the saddle blocks and the action mirrors
the Millies hovering around 1.25mm - 1.5mm. Green pan scrub would solve the gloss neck.

I have saw these go for $200,by anyone's standards that's a steal :thumbsup:

And yes the Zephyr is the European Cirrus shaped Grind.
Zephyr.jpg
 
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