Changed the tubes in my "old faithful" Traynor a few weeks back

[Hoss]

I've played through a Traynor YCV40WR for the past 8 years or so, (that's a long time for me) and i've always put JJ 6L6 tubes in it. Actually, I've only put 1 retube kit in it, this whole time.

Anyways, a few weeks ago, i was having some power/volume loss, and decided to retube it. I actually should have did some more trouble shooting before I did that. It turned out to be a faulty patch cable in my pedal board...lol! Way to go dufus, an $80 fix vs a $10 dollar fix!

However, i'm glad i made the hasty diagnoses.

I chose to change things up a little bit, and get a JJ KT77 kit from Eurotubes. I was nervous about it, because that amps tone had been the baseline sound for my tone, for years and years. I LOVED the warm blooming low end that was always ever present. However, I always wanted a little more sparkle and chime, at the same time. I always tried to compensate for that with pedals.

The KT77s, took a very, very stellar amp to another level!!! It didn't lose any of the low-end, but now it has more sparkle and harmonic complexity than ever before. It sets better in the mix, and all the Transparent OD pedals on my board, just give me more of it. It kinda gives the amp a hybrid sound of Fender/Vox. I couldn't be happier with it!!! What an improvement in an already great amp voice!!!

NEW TUBES ROCK!!! :headbang: :headbang: :headbang:

 

[SongsForTheDeaf]

Re: Changed the tubes in my "old faithful" Traynor a few weeks back

Love that new tube smell too!

BTW nice Traynor.. They make beastly amps both vintage and new. I have owned a '66 YBA-1, YCV80 2x12, YGL2,YGL1,YGM3 and the YCV50 blue.. All killer amps and took my pedals like champs

EDIT- I never use the expander switch on the newer Traynors... makes them too fizzy/scooped with distortion and fuzz pedals. With it off and the bass up and mids and treble to taste you can get some beefy cranked tones out of them !

 

[Hoss]

Re: Changed the tubes in my "old faithful" Traynor a few weeks back

It does love pedals!

Mine also has a Master Volume mod in place of the presence knob. Makes it very versatile for any size venue.

 

[SongsForTheDeaf]

Re: Changed the tubes in my "old faithful" Traynor a few weeks back

Nice!! Yeah I love Traynor. Makes me proud to be Canadian !! lol

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Changed the tubes in my "old faithful" Traynor a few weeks back

I love the YCV-40WR, it's been my main amp for many years now. May have to check out these KT77s at some point in the future . . . Can you describe what the Master Volume mod entails?

 

[Hoss]

Re: Changed the tubes in my "old faithful" Traynor a few weeks back

I love the YCV-40WR, it's been my main amp for many years now. May have to check out these KT77s at some point in the future . . . Can you describe what the Master Volume mod entails?

I didn't do it myself, i bought it used with the mod already in place. I remember the previous owner said he thought the amp was a little noisy (probably bad power) and he sent it to Traynor, and they actually did the MV mod on it, and that the presence pot was still in there set at 5. I've found that it can be picky about where i plug it in at, but the MV helps compensate for it.

I HIGHLY recommend trying the KT77s in there bro...it really opens the amp up!

 

[Van Noord]

Re: Changed the tubes in my "old faithful" Traynor a few weeks back

Your amp can accommodate both 6L6 and EL34 tubes then? Or did the process include a resistor addition?

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Changed the tubes in my "old faithful" Traynor a few weeks back

There's a pretty simple mod to switch from 6l6 to el34 for these amps. I think it's just swapping one resistor on the board to adjust the bias.


EDIT (dug up the email) - It'll still work without swapping the resistor (Traynor used power transformers that can handle the extra filament current of el-34s), but you're supposed to change R78 from 39K to 22K to better bias the el34s. One of the techs at Traynor emailed that to me ages ago.

 

[Hoss]

Re: Changed the tubes in my "old faithful" Traynor a few weeks back

Your amp can accommodate both 6L6 and EL34 tubes then? Or did the process include a resistor addition?

These amps are fixed bias with a balanced circuit. You have to get really hot tubes as well.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Changed the tubes in my "old faithful" Traynor a few weeks back

It turned out to be a faulty patch cable in my pedal board...lol!

:lmao:

There is no one for whom this could be funnier!!!!!!

 

[gordon_39422]

Re: Changed the tubes in my "old faithful" Traynor a few weeks back

I can't comment on Traynors, but I just retubed the amp I built and it was like a blanket was pulled off my cabinet. Over time the tubes slowly aged and I abused them, so that made them wear out faster. When I flipped the standby switch to play, both high end chime and low end boom emanated from my 412!!! And I too love the cooking smell of fresh tubes!