PEAVEY Cirrus BXP 5-string

Another "not a restoration but cleaning and get back to playing" experience. I must admit to being subject to the mystical spell that is the neck-through aura in the bass world (versus the bolt-on). I mean, who wouldn't want unlimited sustain and the fundamental boominess of each note to ring through? I have always kept my eye out for a good deal on one but the right one always seemed to elude my grasp. And the, yet again, I walk into the local second-hand store and there it is on the top shelf: a Peavey Cirrus BXP 5-string. VFL active pickups, 35" scale, string-though body, neck-through body and a very smexy oiled darkwood finish. I took a photo of the price tag to do some research and hope it would still be there if I decided to pull the trigger.

Exchange rate at the time put it at about $350US. I liked it, it was a decent price but best of all it was HERE. Most likely made in Indonesia, she's a candidate for some wiring work in the not-too-distant future.

It was in the store for some time (3-4 weeks which is a decent amount of time for the mid-priced instruments) and they store all their guitars with little to no string tension so it took a few days to get everything adjusted correctly but once she's dialed in she's a tone monster!

Forgive the silly Instacrap picture, I was going through a phase. Shortly after purchasing this one I found a Yamaha case, which fits this bass like a glove, for something ridiculous like $27US.

So I think my bass lineup is complete: the Peavey Cirrus BXP 5-string, the Tokai Hard Puncher passive P-bass, a short-scale Yamaha MB-III and the Michael Kelly Dragonfly acoustic electric.

I hope you enjoyed learning about how I acquired the Cirrus bass. If I could offer you any advise it would be this:

• If you want to learn how to build and repair instruments, there's nothing wrong with buying an instrument just because you want one. I'll write you a note if you need one.
• Know your stuff. Don't discount the "it's here and I want it" feelings. They can help you or hurt you...just know that.
• Let your cat lay in the guitar case. Those photos will make you (or someone else) happy when the pets have passed away. You can always vacuum it out afterwards. 
• Don't be shy in asking for help. There are many people who will gladly lend a hand (or an e-mail) to get you headed the right direction.  
• Have fun. If you are doing this as a hobby and are miserable, forget about doing it for a living. Life is too short to spend time doing something you hate.

If you want to see more of my adventures in the world of stringed instrument construction, restoration, and repair visit the Rattlecan Guitar Restorations YouTube channel, friend us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages and, if you're interested in supporting my projects take a look at the Rattlecan Patreon page.

Have a great weekend. Cheers!

James