Looks like I've managed to answer my own question - Bass Player reviewed the Zodiac Bass very favourably.
Link here: [url="http://www.bassplayer.com/story.asp?sectioncode=13&storycode=13237"]http://www.bassplayer.com/story.asp?sectio...storycode=13237[/url]
And full text below:
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<be>Peavey Zodiac BXP</be>
By Greg Olwell | March 2006
They say you can’t have it both ways, but with the Zodiac BXP, Peavey might be out to prove “them†wrong. An import version of the Mississippi company’s more expensive Zodiac bass, the Zodiac BXP combines classic inspiration with modern touches.
The Zodiac basses were clearly inspired by the earliest Fender Precisions. First, there’s that big pickguard, which harkens back to a time when old-fashioned wood wasn’t as appealing as that exciting new material, plastic. It’s an eye-catching element, especially with its angular cut, but my tester’s flat-looking pattern lacked most tortoiseshell plastic’s typical shimmering depth. The chrome control plate is another vintage-inspired piece.
Unlike the single-pickup ’50s P-Basses, the Zodiac has a considerably more versatile two-pickup setup, adding a single-coil J-style pickup in the bridge position. Another hip touch is the slender, J-like neck, which gives the bass a sleek feel.
The Zodiac arrived with a setup that was strictly Old School: high action with plenty of neck relief. It was too much for my taste, but a little trussrod tweak and a slight lowering of the bridge saddles made the Zodiac BXP much easier to play. The frets were even and buzz-free all over the fingerboard, and the body’s deep cutaways put even the highest frets within easy reach. The bass balanced well on a strap, but the short lower horn allowed the bass to easily slip off my lap when seated.
<be>So, What’s Your Sign?</be>
The Zodiac’s P pickup is closer to the bridge than usual, which gives the soloed neck pickup a tight sound with a powerful low-mid presence: Think of Paul Simonon’s intro to the Clash’s “London Calling,†but with a little more in-your-face growl and a quicker attack. With a pick, it sounds especially brutal and forceful. Rolling down the tone knob softens and darkens the sound considerably, cutting more highs than most passive tone controls. A peek inside revealed the source of the extra treble trim: The tone pot’s capacitor value is .104µF, rather than the more typical .047µF. Even with the tone control all the way down, though, the dark sound never dipped into woofy, muffled territory.
Like the P pickup, the bridge-position J has an aggressive sound and quick response. Soloed, it didn’t sound exceptionally detailed, yet its familiar voice was straight out of the J-pickup playbook. Using both pickups full-on revealed the Peavey’s most interesting voice: an articulate, slightly nasal sound with a bit of a mid scoop, and plenty of booty and clarity. Picked, slapped, or fingerstyle, this setting retained a hollow midrange cluck, which could be easily altered with a right-hand position shift for more thump or snap. The detailed high end and tight bottom offered a unique slap voice, which became my favorite flavor. Fingerstyle lines had a snappy manner with a strong, supportive low end.
<be>You Born Today</be>
The Zodiac BXP’s appearance evokes some of history’s most treasured basses, while featuring traits for modern players like a tighter-sounding neck pickup and slender neck. With its constellation of familiar and new sounds, the Peavey Zodiac BXP offers a pocketful of mojo at an affordable price.
<be>Overview</be>
List $499
Street $380
Pros Strong rock and slap sounds; affordable
Cons None
Contact 866-433-2333, www.peavey.com
<be>Methodology</be>
Soundroom Ampeg SVT Classic head and 8x10 cabinet, Fender Rumble 60 1x12 combo, Eden DC112XLT 1x12 combo, Phil Jones Bass Briefcase 2x5 combo, Eden Nemesis 120 1x12 combo
<be>Soundroom Policy</be>
We test products in real-world environments, evaluating them with regard to price and the manufacturer’s design intent. Advertising does not influence our product coverage. We invite manufacturers to fact-check product reviews prior to publication, and we print dissenting opinions when applicable. Street prices are approximate.
<be>Second Opinion</be>
The Zodiac BXP seems versatile and well constructed, with a groovy vintage vibe. While it riffs on the original Fender P’s cool looks, it has a petite, comfortable body and a fast, flattened neck that reminds me of Peavey’s eminently-playable Cirrus basses, but with a more rounded fingerboard. Tempering the P pickup’s big round boom by half-dialing-in the bridge pickup produced my favorite sound—thick yet articulate—but every setting was assertive and responsive. I’m not jazzed about the look of Hartley Peavey’s initials on the headstock, but they’re so illegible I could always pretend they say “BL.†—Bill Leigh
<be>Tech Specs</be>
Scale length 34"
Weight 8 lbs, 15 oz
Body Alder
Neck Maple
Fingerboard Rosewood
Neck width at nut 11/2"
Neck width at 21st fret 23/8"
Pickups Alnico P- and J-
style pickups
Other colors Black, sunburst, white
Made in Korea
Gig bag/hard caseGig bag, $23 list; hard shell case, $112 list
Warranty Five years
limited[/i]
Enjoy.
Pete
