To people watching, Pete Traynor was a Bass player and tech for a local music store in Toronto (yorkville) He got tired of repairing all the rental amps and created a more robust amp. He mostly used fender circuits with some tweaks. YBA-1 is a Bassman, YBA-2A/B are built around the Harvard, YGM3 is similar to a deluxe, and the YGL3 that Johan has in his other vids is similar to a twin. They have mustard caps and Phillips tubes (our brit heritage and where we got many imports in the 60's). The rumour is, and can be seen on you tube, that pete would throw the amp off the second story of his building. The purpose was to simulate what would happen to the amp falling off a fullstack and the stage and hit the ground. 5 meters or so. In most cases the handwiring was so robust and the HUGE Hammond transformers would be fine even after this large fall. Change your tubes and bobs your uncle. I am sure this wasn't a regular occurrence, but perhaps as a once in a while quality check and maybe for promotion. Lennon and Clapton can be found playing them in 69(I believe) during a festeval that slips my mind at the moment. The biggest weak point in the amp was the switch to Marsland speakers. The original Jensen P12Q (or Radio Speaker Canada license version) are great alnico american sounding speakers. However the Marsland tend to be a more neutral coloured speaker-which makes sense for a bass player. Many of their most renown products are big bass amps like the monster YBA-3(think marshall major). Bass amps generally don't want for too much colouring of your tone. So with the speaker factory just a short ride from the yorkville amp facility they sourced their bass styled speakers locally. The Marslands aren't bad speakers, many of us like them, but they are bit lifeless compared to some Jensen or Celestions. Think of the 70/80 as your stock speaker. Its an OK speaker, but lacks character. I have an older model and it had a Jensen. Great speaker with loads of tone that allows you to get the goods with this amp. Its almost half as loud(100dB vs 92-94 dB) as a Vin30 so you can actually use the volume on the amp and get a nice breakup. This year marks Traynors 60th anniversary. 1963-2023. Hoping the do another reissue like the did for the 50th anniversary. They are great amps even the newer ones no longer linked to Pete Traynor himself. The YGM series, the Darkhorse, the YCV series and my personal favourite YCS50-H no longer in production with only smaller amps being made. Not Vintage but has many great tone options on it. Their YCV20WR(wine red) may be one of the few amps we actually took a shine to. Lots of options on it and it comes with a Greenback in a nice small format. Check around for some tone samples on youtube. Some are pretty good. Hopefully Johan gets a chance to plug this small amp into a big 412 loaded with greenbacks. It really shines with some nice British speakers. The volume control and single vs HB can really effect how much drive and sparkle you get out of the vintage versions.
@@ProSimex84 The YGL Mark III is the only one I can comment on. Very robust and clear at high volume. Easier to get it to break up compared to a Hiwatt but still very close. My friend had one that was similar in many ways to my ‘76 DR103, that he used to own as well.
I have one from 1973. Really the only difference to the later one you have is that my reverb tank is down in the bottom of the speaker cab instead of under the chassis. The screws are a great Canadian invention! The ROBERTSON head. These screws never slip!
It's amazing how many Canadians still don't know what they are. I just looked at one of these for 400 bucks. A freind of mine has a basement full of traynor amps. Must be 50 or more.. love my yba1!
Up until very recently you could grab these things for like 200$ CAD. Even with prices going up they are still some of the best value vintage amps you can find (especially here in Canada where you you're pretty much tripping over them they're so plentiful). Fun old story, they used to test the build quality of these amps by throwing them out of the 2nd story window at the factory, cleaning up the glass and replacing the tubes, and seeing if they still worked afterwards. Lots of love for Traynor amps!
Peter Traynor was the amp repair guy at the original Long & McQuade store in Toronto. He was tired of fixing blown up amps and thought he could build his own more durable amps. That is the story anyway.
The prices for the new ones have gone through the roof as well . In 2018 a YCV 50 was 900 dollars plus tax and now in 2023 they are 1500 plus tax Canadian . A 600 dollar increase in 4 and half years. I also seem a Joe Bonamassa Epiphone 62 ES 335 for 1800 dollars plus tax which means it's over 2000 dollars after tax for an eipiphone . 2000+ dollars for an Epiphone and what really makes not sense is that last year when they did the Lazarus Joe B Epi 59 it was 50 dollars cheaper then the regular 59 . I seen a used Epi 59 in a shop for 1150 dollars plus tax . Used epipohones for 1300 and not even a rare rk signature model. Gibson is pricing them selves out of existence. 58 reissue gibson les Paul's have gone up 1200 dollars I one year on Canada. I had decided a few months back I would just by Epiphomes and spend a few hundred on upgrades but even that is becoming challenging. I bought a single gibson custombucker to put in the bridge of one of my epi 59s and it cost me 412 dollars Canadian for a single pickups. It sounds better then the BB3 that was on there but not by much. More clarity and less bright as the BB3 was a touch brighter then I like on that guitar. A little more touch sensitive and more PAF sounding and is am happy with the sound but the improvements does not match the price
Finally. Great amp! They reissued it a few years ago, handwired. With a jensen p12q. Approx 1100 Cdn or 800 USD/euro The screws are robertson screws. Canadian square screw that predates philips star pattern. Great crunch at 8 gets flubby above that.
@@JohanSegeborn They are a great screw with lots of torque and less prone to 'round' out like a Phillips. Best part is because of a slight taper on them they can even stick on your drill or screwdriver when held towards the floor(not always) and horizontal it will sit in line no problem. Lot less struggling that with a 'star'. The only reason they aren't known world wide was because Henry Ford didn't want to license them for his cars, he wanted them without paying for the intellectual property. Might have been a mistake by Robertson, but its a great shape. Otherwise we might all be using them. Sorry something canucks are proud of though. I would have thought they had went overseas, but perhaps not. For building decks, before torq bits, you couldn't find a better alternative.
@@thorinbanenice history on these. Up here that is the default wood screw, and there are 3 sizes and the screwdrivers have either a red handle, green, or yellow from largest to smallest square.
Hi John great vid I own two of these the screws you refer to are a roberts bit Canadian invention. the speakers in almost all Traynors are Marsland brand thanks Wlll
I love the image of this video. Hey, I'm a little Traynor and standing up here with all these big ol' Marshalls doesn't faze me a bit. I belong here! Not only do I belong here, I'm takin' over, eh?
Ah this takes me back! These were everywhere when I was a kid on the east coast of Canada. Johan if you can find a Traynor YBA1 bass master you should feature it. Very similar to a 5F6 or JTM45 type of circuit. Traynors are our silver face Fenders. They're everywhere, still affordable and built like tanks.
Affordable? Not in years now... unless you consider $1000 "affordable" Yes, if you go back 20 or 25 years they were affordable. You could get an old Traynor for a couple hundred bucks used. But then, you can say that about Marshalls and HIWATTS then as well. All of that was ruined by the advent of the internet and specifically - ebay.
Both the YGM-3 (1x12) and YGM-4 (4x8) are beasts. Like a gritty Deluxe Reverb with a hypnotic trem and surf-deep reverb. Best to get some 6p14p-ev for reliability.
@@JohanSegeborn My understanding is they're the same amp, but different speaker configuration. I have a YGM-4 converted to a head. It's a fun amp to play!
I think this is some of the most 3 dimensional tone I’ve ever heard. I love vintage tube overdrive. not a fan of the modern stuff. This traynor sounds GREAT!
I’ve got one of these from ‘73 that I bought in Summer of 2020 for less than $400. Needed nothing and had a clean bill of health from a reputable tech in my area just before I bought it. He also added a mid control to the back panel where the ground switch was previously located and he added a grounded power cord. It came with the original Marsland speaker which I put into storage and replaced it with a Cannabis Rex. I removed all of the original screws from the back panel and put those into storage as well and I lined the edges of the panel and the back of the amp with Velcro so that I could play this amp as a closed back or open back cabinet whenever I like in a moments notice. Just a sweet, sweet amp, I love mine!
Another great demo Johan. These amps have always been good and dependable. Tonight I morn the loss of Mr. Beck. He didn't break the rules he played with no rules. There will never be another Guv'nor. Thank you Johan. Cheers to Jeff.
in Toronto and impressed with the Traynor and Yorkville gear value in the used market. it's like Peavey. $20 usually takes stuff home.. so far Peavey SIlverstripe Bandit, KBA50 and a microcube gx.. and a solo battery 10w i use with a UBass busking along the microcube. would love to score one of these. the washburn vga30 is also a killer bang for the buck amp in the $20 finds pile
I have many of these, they usually had Marsland Speakers in them, that were also made in Canada. The speaker is probably the weakest part of the amp. The Great Britain made Phillips tubes were fantastic. Most of the ones in my Traynors still test like new even after 50 years of use. Very underrated amplifiers. The video of the amp drop from the roof is on You Tube. It was part of a news clip promoting the amplifiers, and wasn't really part of the regular quality control. Thanks for making this video,
The screws are Robinson screws. Square holes. The speaker is probably a Marsland. Eventually if you get your hands on a yba1 bass master you'll love it. The original traynor. Basically a clone of a 59 bassman. Came out in 1963.
If you can find them and they are anything before the 90's they are likely handwired and very easy to both mod and bring back from the dead with a cap job and 3 prong plug.
Hey john speakers are blue label Marsland and they can take the punishment good quality made in canada speakers. They will hold their own against any jensen and celestion. I had an old 2x12 200w solid state traynor combo amp from the late 70s i believe. Anyways when I blew up the amp. i cut the head off of it and used it as an open back 2 12 for my 1984 2204 head for several years, for those nights when i didnt feel like lugging around the 4x12 1960 cab. The marslands sounded excellent with my 50w marshall head. I later purchased a marshall closed back 2x12 celestion 200w cab and sold the Marsland speakers. Thinking back I prefered the sound of the 2 Marslands over the marshall 2x12. Keep them they are good speakers you can't kill them and they sound great. Although the amp I had that they came in sounded horrible and harsh. (It wasn't the speakers)
Thank you for bringing so many great Amps into the spotlight! I agree with the post below. I have a "69 YGM3, a YBA-1 (EL34), and a mid 60's cube 6V6 YBA-2 15" combo. The best sounding to me is the older YBA-2 (perfect breakup and volume), followed by the YBA-1 (loud and instant Angus), and then the YGM-3. The YGM-3, YBA-1, YBA-2A and YBA-2B can be found for around $600 in Canada. Not sure about the older cube YBA-2s. I haven't seen a proper one for sale in a long time.
First off, great demo as always. Was extra excited to see this one since I have one of these. Bought mine at Ludvigs musik (really weird store) back in 99, still a favourite amp of mine. Also bought a great sounding traynor 2x15 bass cab there. It's also sealed by mystical screws and abnormal amounts of glue. Ha det bäst
These YGM-3’s are an insane value-for now. I gig with a late ‘60s model that I got for $400 and it’s absolutely stellar. I can’t imagine these will stay reasonable in price for too much longer-if you happen upon one, replace the stock speaker (which is garbage) and look up the Pat Furlan mods for it.
I had an earlier '69 model of this that I traded for a JBL loaded Ampeg VT-22. I love the VT, especially on bass plugged into a stack of bass cabs. But, man I probably should have kept the Traynor. Far more practical, more unique, simpler to service. These have a bandaxall tone stack that is REALLY drastic, especially the bass contro. Super versatile. Fortunately, I still have my Traynor YBA-4, which is basically a YBA-1 50w 2xEL34 amp in a closed back 1x15 combo form. I have an Eminence Big Ben in it and it's the best straight up crunchy rock and roll amp I own.
I’ve had one for a few years - didn’t pay a lot for it either! It’s like a Deluxe Reverb with EL-84s! I think my speaker is an EV Force 12. Thanks for the review Johan! Love it!
Traynors used to be slightly common in USA. Friend of mine had a head long ago, not sure what model anymore, but definitely had Tubes & I remember him saying it was a 'budget Hiwatt'. This Guitar Mate is especially cool to me, because: Closed-Back tube combo !! So rare, but why (??). Always wished my Mesa/Boogie MK III combo was closed-back.
I think it's great that you've dug up a couple of Traynors for the channel. They're a great value in a hand-wired vintage amp. But I can't help but notice that you haven't gotten to the 2 very best sounding models yet. A YBA-1 head is a very close hybrid between a JTM-45 and a '59 Bassman. The pre-1972 ones are the definitive versions. After that they have a different circuit, but are still worth checking out. It's combo version, the YBA-4 is the same amp with a smaller output transformer for both revisions. The other model, that is the real sweetheart of the line card, is the 6v6 version of the YBA-2. This design, as far as I know, is Traynor's take on the Fender Harvard. And it is my favorite Traynor model. Great natural overdrive and clean. Simple 2 or 3 knob interface. And it's one of those amps that just feels great to play.
I had the same exact amp but a 73. Paired with a proper g12-80 it paired very well because of the rolled off high end on the speaker. I foolishly sold that amp and have regreted it since. The prices for these have sky rocketed from couple hundred to close to 7-800$ here in Canada. The only pitfall of these amps is the output transformer as it tends to heat up quite a bit.
These are great. Two things - it looked like it may have had the Pat Furlen tone stack mods (some minor cap and resistor swaps) = huge difference! Also I wonder if the speaker has been replaced as the stock Marsland units are fantastically average - so average that I sent mine to the recycling depot. I sympathize with Johan not removing the rear panel though as there are so many screws! But if you get a moment take a look and see what is in it. Great video and playing.
Great sounds Johan! I put a celestion g12-80 in mine and I thought it really improved the sound compared to the stock Marsland that was in it. I would love to hear you play through a YBA-1 if you ever get the opportunity! Those have a lot more plexi flavour in my opinion....especially through a 4x12. They are shockingly loud for a supposed 40 watt amp though.
I still own of these. You forgot to mention that it has a bias tremolo (at the power amp like some Vox not like in some fender in the preamp). But you showcase it well (the tremolo). You sound amazing as usual. I would be interested to know if yours is still stock around the EQ circuit. I mod mine many year ago (some coupling cap... maybe just C1 and C2 to be less bass and the make the boost more suble) and I saw other Reverb Mate that were mod on the market. Those were great platform for modders. Good parts + No collectable value + close to classic circuit.
My 91 Re Issue is still eyelet board Construction, Sounds more Marshall than Fender, EL84's and Punch's threw any mix...18-20watts of Goodness. Paired with a COOKING HOT 5E3 WET/WET
Robertson screws, very common in Canada because they're awesome. Would be happy to send you a free screwdriver. 😎 Was hoping you would plug it in the Marshall Cab. Pleeeeeeeeese!
I’ll see if we can do that. It’s for sale at Simon’s store Musikbörsen so maybe I can catch one more session before it goes. Simon usually has a large number of Marshall cabs we can use.
Marshland I think they were. Mine says DWA3 and 7372 stamped on the back of the small horseshoe magnet. They are very light but low efficiency so not as loud as a G12M
I used to have one of these but before I knew what treasure I had I sold it way too cheap to buy a home amp with a headphone jack. So stupid ... I still miss it.
You'll regret buying a 3k or more boutique amp when you plug your guitar in a late 60's YBA-1 that cost 500$ on marketplace (or maybe a lil bit more nowadays but still ).
The YBA1 are actually the plexi ones, pretty much an exact copy of one. This YYM3 is not plexi in schematic or sound. Johan makes all amps sound great tho.
The original Traynors had circuits which openly emulated the Fenders of the period; a cursory comparison will demonstrate this. However, they used tubes more in line with British amps of the time (i.e., EL 34s and 84s), and the transformers were substantially larger than most of their contemporaries. Additionally, in the EL34 amps, the screen grids were fed raw bias current rather than being fed through resistors to the power supply (as Mullard had designed them to work), and so it's very uncommon to see these amps blowing power tubes like Marshalls. Traynor cabs were built with an incredibly durable construction that holds up to time and abuse far better than most.
That is not true, on those EL34 traynors the screens had a shared screen grid resistor. And even If it didn't have screen grids resistors, it would blow tubes easier so you have it backwards anyways. The reason for screen grid resistors is to protect the screens from drawing too much current at higher levels which can blow tubes. I worked on a few of those EL34 traynors over the years. The rest you say is true in that most of those traynors (besides this one) are basically fender blackface copies with EL34's. There are many amps including even some marshalls that dont have screen grid resistors (some 60s one, and some early 80s ones) and those are the ones that eat tubes more often, so it is recommened to add screen grid resistors to those (1K 5W). You can read about those on the marshallforum and other places.
Doesnt sound like plexi either. The traynor that IS a plexi copy is the YBA1...or shall I say a Bassman copy really, as we know the plexi was a copy of the bassman. The YBA1 is called the Bassmaster even.
ha ha weird screw! These are Robertson screw. Only use in Canada. More torque than a Philips head (but less than a Allen key). You need a Canadian screw driver. And if your amp is like mine you'll discover that we not only insulated or home in Canada.
Hi, Johan! Something wrong with my comments, its a third one, I am sending you. Amazing amp, nothing to argue! I tried to send you a screenshot of the scam, but easy way is to look on your previous video comments. Check it out, maximum I can send you by email, if you can give me the address. But sure its not you. See you! Siegfried
@@DMSProduktions I did my best! Yesterday we found with Johan, who is standing behind this. By email it wasn't too much hard. I am on Johan's channel 4 years - of course I can't be out of this. We will chase those guys from our community!
To people watching, Pete Traynor was a Bass player and tech for a local music store in Toronto (yorkville) He got tired of repairing all the rental amps and created a more robust amp. He mostly used fender circuits with some tweaks. YBA-1 is a Bassman, YBA-2A/B are built around the Harvard, YGM3 is similar to a deluxe, and the YGL3 that Johan has in his other vids is similar to a twin. They have mustard caps and Phillips tubes (our brit heritage and where we got many imports in the 60's).
The rumour is, and can be seen on you tube, that pete would throw the amp off the second story of his building. The purpose was to simulate what would happen to the amp falling off a fullstack and the stage and hit the ground. 5 meters or so. In most cases the handwiring was so robust and the HUGE Hammond transformers would be fine even after this large fall. Change your tubes and bobs your uncle. I am sure this wasn't a regular occurrence, but perhaps as a once in a while quality check and maybe for promotion.
Lennon and Clapton can be found playing them in 69(I believe) during a festeval that slips my mind at the moment.
The biggest weak point in the amp was the switch to Marsland speakers. The original Jensen P12Q (or Radio Speaker Canada license version) are great alnico american sounding speakers. However the Marsland tend to be a more neutral coloured speaker-which makes sense for a bass player. Many of their most renown products are big bass amps like the monster YBA-3(think marshall major). Bass amps generally don't want for too much colouring of your tone. So with the speaker factory just a short ride from the yorkville amp facility they sourced their bass styled speakers locally.
The Marslands aren't bad speakers, many of us like them, but they are bit lifeless compared to some Jensen or Celestions. Think of the 70/80 as your stock speaker. Its an OK speaker, but lacks character. I have an older model and it had a Jensen. Great speaker with loads of tone that allows you to get the goods with this amp. Its almost half as loud(100dB vs 92-94 dB) as a Vin30 so you can actually use the volume on the amp and get a nice breakup.
This year marks Traynors 60th anniversary. 1963-2023. Hoping the do another reissue like the did for the 50th anniversary. They are great amps even the newer ones no longer linked to Pete Traynor himself. The YGM series, the Darkhorse, the YCV series and my personal favourite YCS50-H no longer in production with only smaller amps being made. Not Vintage but has many great tone options on it. Their YCV20WR(wine red) may be one of the few amps we actually took a shine to. Lots of options on it and it comes with a Greenback in a nice small format.
Check around for some tone samples on youtube. Some are pretty good. Hopefully Johan gets a chance to plug this small amp into a big 412 loaded with greenbacks. It really shines with some nice British speakers. The volume control and single vs HB can really effect how much drive and sparkle you get out of the vintage versions.
Thanks I really appreciate the info!
You could also say some old Traynors are basically Canadian Hiwatts too. Very rad and vastly overlooked and under-appreciated amps.
Yeah, strange that they’re partly still sleepers
Which ones? I've heard that said about the YBA-1A but I've never been able to compare mine to a hiwatt
@@ProSimex84 The YGL Mark III is the only one I can comment on. Very robust and clear at high volume. Easier to get it to break up compared to a Hiwatt but still very close. My friend had one that was similar in many ways to my ‘76 DR103, that he used to own as well.
@@ProSimex84 Johan has some videos on the ygl mkIII and even one where it's played alongside a hiwatt if you want to judge for yourself
@@peterchumpis8188 Oh sweet I'm gonna have to check that out too!
I have one from 1973. Really the only difference to the later one you have is that my reverb tank is down in the bottom of the speaker cab instead of under the chassis. The screws are a great Canadian invention! The ROBERTSON head. These screws never slip!
These are the best amps I've ever heard.
NOOOO people can’t find out how great these amps sound, they’ll only get more expensive!
They should! :-)
Cats out of the bag when Johan demo's an amp.
It's amazing how many Canadians still don't know what they are. I just looked at one of these for 400 bucks. A freind of mine has a basement full of traynor amps. Must be 50 or more.. love my yba1!
@@soapboxearth2 mine is super super early, 60s
@@sonor72 cool. I've had a bunch. All from the early 70s. Right jow I have a 73 yba1 with a bunch of mods. More plexi like..
Up until very recently you could grab these things for like 200$ CAD. Even with prices going up they are still some of the best value vintage amps you can find (especially here in Canada where you you're pretty much tripping over them they're so plentiful).
Fun old story, they used to test the build quality of these amps by throwing them out of the 2nd story window at the factory, cleaning up the glass and replacing the tubes, and seeing if they still worked afterwards.
Lots of love for Traynor amps!
Yeah I heard that too. I love that attitude
They did that once for a CBC doc or something. People think they tossed every amp out a window.
Oh you folks mean this video. th-cam.com/video/YjPfsOfFxXQ/w-d-xo.html
Peter Traynor was the amp repair guy at the original Long & McQuade store in Toronto. He was tired of fixing blown up amps and thought he could build his own more durable amps. That is the story anyway.
The prices for the new ones have gone through the roof as well . In 2018 a YCV 50 was 900 dollars plus tax and now in 2023 they are 1500 plus tax Canadian . A 600 dollar increase in 4 and half years. I also seem a Joe Bonamassa Epiphone 62 ES 335 for 1800 dollars plus tax which means it's over 2000 dollars after tax for an eipiphone . 2000+ dollars for an Epiphone and what really makes not sense is that last year when they did the Lazarus Joe B Epi 59 it was 50 dollars cheaper then the regular 59 . I seen a used Epi 59 in a shop for 1150 dollars plus tax . Used epipohones for 1300 and not even a rare rk signature model. Gibson is pricing them selves out of existence. 58 reissue gibson les Paul's have gone up 1200 dollars I one year on Canada. I had decided a few months back I would just by Epiphomes and spend a few hundred on upgrades but even that is becoming challenging. I bought a single gibson custombucker to put in the bridge of one of my epi 59s and it cost me 412 dollars Canadian for a single pickups. It sounds better then the BB3 that was on there but not by much. More clarity and less bright as the BB3 was a touch brighter then I like on that guitar. A little more touch sensitive and more PAF sounding and is am happy with the sound but the improvements does not match the price
Finally. Great amp! They reissued it a few years ago, handwired. With a jensen p12q. Approx 1100 Cdn or 800 USD/euro
The screws are robertson screws. Canadian square screw that predates philips star pattern. Great crunch at 8 gets flubby above that.
Thanks yeah those screws drove me insane
@@JohanSegeborn They are a great screw with lots of torque and less prone to 'round' out like a Phillips. Best part is because of a slight taper on them they can even stick on your drill or screwdriver when held towards the floor(not always) and horizontal it will sit in line no problem. Lot less struggling that with a 'star'. The only reason they aren't known world wide was because Henry Ford didn't want to license them for his cars, he wanted them without paying for the intellectual property. Might have been a mistake by Robertson, but its a great shape. Otherwise we might all be using them. Sorry something canucks are proud of though. I would have thought they had went overseas, but perhaps not. For building decks, before torq bits, you couldn't find a better alternative.
@@thorinbanenice history on these. Up here that is the default wood screw, and there are 3 sizes and the screwdrivers have either a red handle, green, or yellow from largest to smallest square.
Just picked up a YGM-4 for $400cad, same circuit but in a 4x8 cab. Beautiful amp.
Hi John great vid I own two of these the screws you refer to are a roberts bit Canadian invention. the speakers in almost all Traynors are Marsland brand
thanks
Wlll
I love the image of this video. Hey, I'm a little Traynor and standing up here with all these big ol' Marshalls doesn't faze me a bit. I belong here! Not only do I belong here, I'm takin' over, eh?
Ah this takes me back! These were everywhere when I was a kid on the east coast of Canada. Johan if you can find a Traynor YBA1 bass master you should feature it. Very similar to a 5F6 or JTM45 type of circuit. Traynors are our silver face Fenders. They're everywhere, still affordable and built like tanks.
Yeah I definitely looking for an YBA1
Affordable? Not in years now... unless you consider $1000 "affordable"
Yes, if you go back 20 or 25 years they were affordable. You could get an old Traynor for a couple hundred bucks used. But then, you can say that about Marshalls and HIWATTS then as well.
All of that was ruined by the advent of the internet and specifically - ebay.
$1000 is affordable in the vintage amp world and I bought one last year fully serviced for $550CAD. Look local. Don't buy on reverb. @@snowyrain5730
Great video Johan. What a cool amp! Fits the SG well. My first guitar amp - in about 1979 - was a solid state Traynor. Weighed a ton.
Thanks Eddie! Yeah they have killer solid state amps too, I played the TS-15 a while back
Towards the end Johan sounded like every Canadian band I grew up with.
This is the same as my amp! Thanks for the circuit diagram at 4 min!
Both the YGM-3 (1x12) and YGM-4 (4x8) are beasts. Like a gritty Deluxe Reverb with a hypnotic trem and surf-deep reverb. Best to get some 6p14p-ev for reliability.
Cool! I’ve never played 4x8 actually
@@JohanSegeborn My understanding is they're the same amp, but different speaker configuration. I have a YGM-4 converted to a head. It's a fun amp to play!
Yeah guys, got a ygm-4 a couple years ago, i got to fix a loose output tube pin😢 but ill probably convert it to 210 or something
So very good Johan! Once again, a killer review with a great vintage amp and excellent testing of its features......superb!
Thanks Keith! I’m glad to hear that
I think this is some of the most 3 dimensional tone I’ve ever heard.
I love vintage tube overdrive. not a fan of the modern stuff. This traynor sounds GREAT!
Thanks Glenn! Great to hear that!
I’ve got one of these from ‘73 that I bought in Summer of 2020 for less than $400. Needed nothing and had a clean bill of health from a reputable tech in my area just before I bought it. He also added a mid control to the back panel where the ground switch was previously located and he added a grounded power cord. It came with the original Marsland speaker which I put into storage and replaced it with a Cannabis Rex. I removed all of the original screws from the back panel and put those into storage as well and I lined the edges of the panel and the back of the amp with Velcro so that I could play this amp as a closed back or open back cabinet whenever I like in a moments notice. Just a sweet, sweet amp, I love mine!
any details on the mid control would be greatly appreciated!
Another great demo Johan. These amps have always been good and dependable. Tonight I morn the loss of Mr. Beck. He didn't break the rules he played with no rules. There will never be another Guv'nor. Thank you Johan. Cheers to Jeff.
Cheers to Jeff
Nicely done. Traynors are highly underrated. Buddy has a YGL-3 212 combo that sounds killer.
Cheers!
Cheers!
Got one of these from 1967 with a mojotone bv-30h in it. Absolutely love it
Yeah I bet that sounds great
Excellent playing + excellent amp. 👍💕🙂☘️
in Toronto and impressed with the Traynor and Yorkville gear value in the used market. it's like Peavey. $20 usually takes stuff home.. so far Peavey SIlverstripe Bandit, KBA50 and a microcube gx.. and a solo battery 10w i use with a UBass busking along the microcube. would love to score one of these. the washburn vga30 is also a killer bang for the buck amp in the $20 finds pile
Shhhhhh! They’re still affordable!
Thanks for including the close-ups ^^ I think Glenn Fricker has a Traynor, too.
Thanks man! ;-)
I have many of these, they usually had Marsland Speakers in them, that were also made in Canada. The speaker is probably the weakest part of the amp. The Great Britain made Phillips tubes were fantastic. Most of the ones in my Traynors still test like new even after 50 years of use. Very underrated amplifiers. The video of the amp drop from the roof is on You Tube. It was part of a news clip promoting the amplifiers, and wasn't really part of the regular quality control. Thanks for making this video,
Thanks, I’ll look for the roof video!
Completely agree. I have never heard a Marsland guitar speaker I've been crazy about.
@@JohanSegeborn I think this is the link. Watch the end of the video. th-cam.com/video/YjPfsOfFxXQ/w-d-xo.html
The screws are Robinson screws. Square holes. The speaker is probably a Marsland.
Eventually if you get your hands on a yba1 bass master you'll love it. The original traynor. Basically a clone of a 59 bassman. Came out in 1963.
Was hard to tell for sure, but I’m guessing those are Robertson screws. It’s a square slot. Very common wood screw here in Canada.
When are you putting out a classic rock album “Ok, Let’s Go!” I think the world need it! Amazing demo of an amazing sounding amp
Very nice sound! Noticed that there are a couple of Traynors for sale around here. Interesting. Thanks Johan!
If you can find them and they are anything before the 90's they are likely handwired and very easy to both mod and bring back from the dead with a cap job and 3 prong plug.
Thanks Bengt! Yeah this one’s for sale at Musikbörsen in Göteborg
Hey john speakers are blue label Marsland and they can take the punishment good quality made in canada speakers. They will hold their own against any jensen and celestion.
I had an old 2x12 200w solid state traynor combo amp from the late 70s i believe. Anyways when I blew up the amp. i cut the head off of it and used it as an open back 2 12 for my 1984 2204 head for several years, for those nights when i didnt feel like lugging around the 4x12 1960 cab.
The marslands sounded excellent with my 50w marshall head. I later purchased a marshall closed back 2x12 celestion 200w cab and sold the Marsland speakers. Thinking back I prefered the sound of the 2 Marslands over the marshall 2x12.
Keep them they are good speakers you can't kill them and they sound great. Although the amp I had that they came in sounded horrible and harsh.
(It wasn't the speakers)
Thank you for bringing so many great Amps into the spotlight! I agree with the post below. I have a "69 YGM3, a YBA-1 (EL34), and a mid 60's cube 6V6 YBA-2 15" combo. The best sounding to me is the older YBA-2 (perfect breakup and volume), followed by the YBA-1 (loud and instant Angus), and then the YGM-3. The YGM-3, YBA-1, YBA-2A and YBA-2B can be found for around $600 in Canada. Not sure about the older cube YBA-2s. I haven't seen a proper one for sale in a long time.
First off, great demo as always. Was extra excited to see this one since I have one of these. Bought mine at Ludvigs musik (really weird store) back in 99, still a favourite amp of mine. Also bought a great sounding traynor 2x15 bass cab there. It's also sealed by mystical screws and abnormal amounts of glue.
Ha det bäst
Tackar så mycket!
These YGM-3’s are an insane value-for now. I gig with a late ‘60s model that I got for $400 and it’s absolutely stellar. I can’t imagine these will stay reasonable in price for too much longer-if you happen upon one, replace the stock speaker (which is garbage) and look up the Pat Furlan mods for it.
I had an earlier '69 model of this that I traded for a JBL loaded Ampeg VT-22. I love the VT, especially on bass plugged into a stack of bass cabs. But, man I probably should have kept the Traynor. Far more practical, more unique, simpler to service. These have a bandaxall tone stack that is REALLY drastic, especially the bass contro. Super versatile. Fortunately, I still have my Traynor YBA-4, which is basically a YBA-1 50w 2xEL34 amp in a closed back 1x15 combo form. I have an Eminence Big Ben in it and it's the best straight up crunchy rock and roll amp I own.
Yeah, the EQ controls were really sensitive. You can sculpt many sounds by just combining different bass and treble settings
Johan - great tone and very cool licks from you 😜🎸
Thanks Jonas! Great to hear that
@@JohanSegeborn Pleasure Johan!
I’m digging all the Traynor love, but I’m really looking forward to seeing you plug into a Garnet BTO.
Patfurlan channel has a couple of nice tweaks that move the treble in the circuit and fixes the flubby bass
Cool, I’ll check it out
If ya like this model you will absolutley love the custom special YBA3!!
That is a great sounding amp.
Sounds awesome Johan!! "Let's Go!"
Thanks! I’m glad you like it
I have a late 60’s ygm3, number 211 off the assembly line. Thing sounds amazing.
I have an original traynor YGM-1 player mate reverb. It sounds amazing, then I throw a clean boost Infront of it and it’s flawless
I love Traynor amp's I own a YRM-1sc 45 watt 4x10 and it is fantastic sounding. Nice sounding little amp Johan.....
I’ve had one for a few years - didn’t pay a lot for it either! It’s like a Deluxe Reverb with EL-84s! I think my speaker is an EV Force 12. Thanks for the review Johan! Love it!
Thanks Richard! Glad to hear it
Traynors used to be slightly common in USA. Friend of mine had a head long ago, not sure what model anymore, but definitely had Tubes & I remember him saying it was a 'budget Hiwatt'. This Guitar Mate is especially cool to me, because: Closed-Back tube combo !! So rare, but why (??). Always wished my Mesa/Boogie MK III combo was closed-back.
Hi Byron! Since the tubes need to be placed outside the cab the volume that can be closed up is restricted. Cheers
I think it's great that you've dug up a couple of Traynors for the channel. They're a great value in a hand-wired vintage amp.
But I can't help but notice that you haven't gotten to the 2 very best sounding models yet.
A YBA-1 head is a very close hybrid between a JTM-45 and a '59 Bassman. The pre-1972 ones are the definitive versions. After that they have a different circuit, but are still worth checking out. It's combo version, the YBA-4 is the same amp with a smaller output transformer for both revisions.
The other model, that is the real sweetheart of the line card, is the 6v6 version of the YBA-2. This design, as far as I know, is Traynor's take on the Fender Harvard. And it is my favorite Traynor model. Great natural overdrive and clean. Simple 2 or 3 knob interface. And it's one of those amps that just feels great to play.
I had the same exact amp but a 73. Paired with a proper g12-80 it paired very well because of the rolled off high end on the speaker. I foolishly sold that amp and have regreted it since. The prices for these have sky rocketed from couple hundred to close to 7-800$ here in Canada. The only pitfall of these amps is the output transformer as it tends to heat up quite a bit.
Yeah someone else here told me they run the tubes at really high voltages
@@JohanSegeborn probably 400 volts on the plates of those el84s
@@JohanSegeborn my 73 yba1 runs at 440 volts. Around 43 watts.. I know you're looking out for one. You'll love it...
RIP Jeff Beck :(
Very sad to hear.
Finally a guitar reviewer who can actually play. What a relief. I also agree that Traynor's are incredible amps and you should not advertise them. LOL
These are great. Two things - it looked like it may have had the Pat Furlen tone stack mods (some minor cap and resistor swaps) = huge difference! Also I wonder if the speaker has been replaced as the stock Marsland units are fantastically average - so average that I sent mine to the recycling depot. I sympathize with Johan not removing the rear panel though as there are so many screws! But if you get a moment take a look and see what is in it. Great video and playing.
Wow - with the SG, that tone's seriously beefy!
If only shipping was cheap, I would send you my YBA-1 for you to demo.
Thanks! I’ve heard great things about those. I’ll find one around here eventually
Even a YBA-2 head or combo. The 15 inch marsland is fine.
Weird screws: Canadian Robertson screws , square socket 😁
Goodness that sounds great!
Thanks, glad to hear it!
Sounds great! No pedals all amp on the demo? ❤
Weird screws lol. Robertson head screws my friend, Canada's gift to the world that's been pushed out by the inferior American Phillips head screws.
Yeah industry standards are often not the best solution. Like VHS back in the day..
Great sounds Johan! I put a celestion g12-80 in mine and I thought it really improved the sound compared to the stock Marsland that was in it. I would love to hear you play through a YBA-1 if you ever get the opportunity! Those have a lot more plexi flavour in my opinion....especially through a 4x12. They are shockingly loud for a supposed 40 watt amp though.
Thanks, yeah I played an YGL3 with late 70s G12-80. Great and super punchy
i been rockin a 1969 whiteface model made for schools. I use it in most my videos. Excellent with pedals! Great vid!
I still own of these. You forgot to mention that it has a bias tremolo (at the power amp like some Vox not like in some fender in the preamp). But you showcase it well (the tremolo). You sound amazing as usual. I would be interested to know if yours is still stock around the EQ circuit. I mod mine many year ago (some coupling cap... maybe just C1 and C2 to be less bass and the make the boost more suble) and I saw other Reverb Mate that were mod on the market. Those were great platform for modders. Good parts + No collectable value + close to classic circuit.
"A wonderful day for Canada. And therefore the world."
My 91 Re Issue is still eyelet board Construction, Sounds more Marshall than Fender, EL84's and Punch's threw any mix...18-20watts of Goodness. Paired with a COOKING HOT 5E3 WET/WET
Robertson screws, very common in Canada because they're awesome. Would be happy to send you a free screwdriver. 😎
Was hoping you would plug it in the Marshall Cab. Pleeeeeeeeese!
I’ll see if we can do that. It’s for sale at Simon’s store Musikbörsen so maybe I can catch one more session before it goes. Simon usually has a large number of Marshall cabs we can use.
I would never have considered a Robertson to be exotic lol. Sounding sick!
Cheers Johan 👍
Cheers Leif!
Mustards!
👍
The mediocre house brand speakers really held back those old Traynors. That one sounds great though.
Thanks!
Marshland I think they were. Mine says DWA3 and 7372 stamped on the back of the small horseshoe magnet. They are very light but low efficiency so not as loud as a G12M
I just bought a ygm-3 today for $120.00. It’s a good sounding amp but I sure wish it was the model with 4-10’s!
I bet smacking the front end of that with a big fat boost would sound gnarly.
Yeah, a Rangemaster or Tubescreamer would be cool
Only amps on the planet that are more overbuilt than a Peavey.
Those “wierd” screws are Robertsons. common in Canada. In the States they have Phillipsons
Great demo, could you compare the marshall origin 50 combo vs the bluesbteaker, they both seem to have a jtm style tone to them
Thanks! I will if I have both available
@@JohanSegeborn thanks
J’adore
Thanks! :-)
I used to have one of these but before I knew what treasure I had I sold it way too cheap to buy a home amp with a headphone jack. So stupid ... I still miss it.
Great demo Johan Have you ever come across a Traynor YGL2 combo or YGL1 I would love to hear your opinion on them
Quite 70s and Keith Richards like tones
Thanks! Nice compliment
@@JohanSegeborn you're welcome and thank you. I truly enjoy your channel.
😎cool, mine is a '69.
Cool, first year!
You'll regret buying a 3k or more boutique amp when you plug your guitar in a late 60's YBA-1 that cost 500$ on marketplace (or maybe a lil bit more nowadays but still ).
Yeah Ive heard so many good things about the YBA1
The YBA1 are actually the plexi ones, pretty much an exact copy of one. This YYM3 is not plexi in schematic or sound. Johan makes all amps sound great tho.
My 1972 Traynor Guitar Mate Reverb won’t turn on. From what I remember it sounded amazing though
No Robertson screwdrivers there??
Weird screws? I've run into a few of those in my time!
The ygm3 is an original design and not a copy of anything… the screwdriver you seek is called Robertson
Not sure if it's just the recording but it sounds like this amp has a LOT of bass.
A ton of bass on tap yes
What are you using for a boost? Sounds awesome!
I have a Morris VXB-75B bass from your store. There is no serial number on it. Do you know what year it could be?
The original Traynors had circuits which openly emulated the Fenders of the period; a cursory comparison will demonstrate this. However, they used tubes more in line with British amps of the time (i.e., EL 34s and 84s), and the transformers were substantially larger than most of their contemporaries. Additionally, in the EL34 amps, the screen grids were fed raw bias current rather than being fed through resistors to the power supply (as Mullard had designed them to work), and so it's very uncommon to see these amps blowing power tubes like Marshalls. Traynor cabs were built with an incredibly durable construction that holds up to time and abuse far better than most.
Thanks, interesting feedback
That is not true, on those EL34 traynors the screens had a shared screen grid resistor. And even If it didn't have screen grids resistors, it would blow tubes easier so you have it backwards anyways. The reason for screen grid resistors is to protect the screens from drawing too much current at higher levels which can blow tubes. I worked on a few of those EL34 traynors over the years. The rest you say is true in that most of those traynors (besides this one) are basically fender blackface copies with EL34's. There are many amps including even some marshalls that dont have screen grid resistors (some 60s one, and some early 80s ones) and those are the ones that eat tubes more often, so it is recommened to add screen grid resistors to those (1K 5W). You can read about those on the marshallforum and other places.
I put a greenback in mine and it is a lot closer to marshall. You can still get yhem for 600 cdn...lol not after this video though.
They certainly deserve a lot more
correction Robertson
How loud did you have it set to get breakup/distortion?
I had one of these when I was 17yrs old living in Edinburgh and it was stolen.
Damn hope it’s not this one 😁
Schematic looks nothing like a Plexi. Tone stack after the first gain stage, no cathode follower, no presence, ... the Plexi is in Johan's fingers!
Hahaha! That’s kind of you.
Doesnt sound like plexi either. The traynor that IS a plexi copy is the YBA1...or shall I say a Bassman copy really, as we know the plexi was a copy of the bassman. The YBA1 is called the Bassmaster even.
That isn't the Canadian Plexi, the YBA1 was the Canadian Plexi.
Major 2112 vibe at about 5:45.
Well, I only missed it by 10 minutes.! ........ Wahhhh
See you on Friday instead! Cheers
ha ha weird screw! These are Robertson screw. Only use in Canada. More torque than a Philips head (but less than a Allen key). You need a Canadian screw driver. And if your amp is like mine you'll discover that we not only insulated or home in Canada.
oh snap, Johan is gonna inflate used Traynor prices on the market...
The amps certainly deserve it
Erna Lodge
I wouldn't call it a plexi at all, very different transformers and vibe, imo....
Hi, Johan! Something wrong with my comments, its a third one, I am sending you. Amazing amp, nothing to argue! I tried to send you a screenshot of the scam, but easy way is to look on your previous video comments. Check it out, maximum I can send you by email, if you can give me the address. But sure its not you. See you! Siegfried
Thanks man, I thought you had my address. It’s johan.segeborn@gmail.com
Cheers!
GET those scammers Siggy!
@@DMSProduktions I did my best! Yesterday we found with Johan, who is standing behind this. By email it wasn't too much hard. I am on Johan's channel 4 years - of course I can't be out of this. We will chase those guys from our community!
@@siegfriedwashburn3484 GOOD! I bloody HATE those scammer dolbyob!
It's all about the bass! (NO treble!)
These have plenty of both actually:-)
They have a very responsive treble and bass. Bandaxell if i remember correctly.
@@JohanSegeborn WHOOSSSHHHH!
@@thorinbane WHOOSSSHHHH!