Found a Vintage Traynor YBA-1 head

Re: Found a Vintage Traynor YBA-1 head

I guess I just don't see why these are called ugly looking amps.

It's ugly to people because it isn't a Marshall/Fender/Vox/Orange. It's a fantastic amp, looks fine (who TF cares how an amp looks anyways? Teenage boys that want to impress the one guitar nerd at the backyard gigs that they don't even play?), and I'm jealous that he got it for ~$325 US. I'd jump on it for even $450 US, because these amps used to be hidden gems that weren't that valuable until the word got out that you could get a loud, handwired, vintage, unique Bassman style amp that kills for older metal/doom/downtuned stuff/clean stuff/clean platform for virtually nothing. There's also some completely reversible mods that can be done on these amps, depending on what a user wants/finds lacking.

TDS76, have a blast with that amp. **** the naysayers.
 
Re: Found a Vintage Traynor YBA-1 head

^ that amp doesnt look bad at all from what I can see, wel, besides the hideous blue grillcloth.
Priority one would be to loace a reasonable facsimile of the original grillcloth . I think you can tack it on with a staple gun but I don't know.
 
Re: Found a Vintage Traynor YBA-1 head

It's ugly to people because it isn't a Marshall/Fender/Vox/Orange. It's a fantastic amp, looks fine (who TF cares how an amp looks anyways? Teenage boys that want to impress the one guitar nerd at the backyard gigs that they don't even play?), and I'm jealous that he got it for ~$325 US. I'd jump on it for even $450 US, because these amps used to be hidden gems that weren't that valuable until the word got out that you could get a loud, handwired, vintage, unique Bassman style amp that kills for older metal/doom/downtuned stuff/clean stuff/clean platform for virtually nothing. There's also some completely reversible mods that can be done on these amps, depending on what a user wants/finds lacking.

TDS76, have a blast with that amp. **** the naysayers.

what do you mean? They are still hidden gems that aren't that valuable( although yeah, if you wanna go back 10 -15 years agho when you were still sucking your thumb, then you could find then at 250 bucks.).if I was going for Doom on a budget , id'd probably opt for an old Peavey like a Butcher which holds together w/o btreakup more and louder, and has a more neutral tonality. - the reason these YBA-1's things don't make great bass amps is that they will break up when when pushed loud, and of course the have the Plexi tonality thing going on,which isn't really what you want ( and why the big big Sunns and thier hi-fi'ish super loud cleans are so coveted for Stoner/doom).
 
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Re: Found a Vintage Traynor YBA-1 head

^ that amp doesnt look bad at all from what I can see, wel, besides the hideous blue grillcloth.
Priority one would be to loace a reasonable facsimile of the original grillcloth . I think you can tack it on with a staple gun but I don't know.

The hideous blue isn't even grill cloth... It's bare wood that got spray painted. I assume it's part of the reason I got it so cheap. I'm thinking of locating the grill cloth eventually. Apparently you can still get it through traynor for restoring speaker cabs.
 
Re: Found a Vintage Traynor YBA-1 head

well ehers mine Bubbadog. Traynor fully reconditioned wiht brand new filter caps.Cabinet is an old JCM800 cabinet with new casters, upgraded metal handles and a new Baltic Birch cabinet back .. with Celestion Heritage Greenbacks,and an old a blackback.

Th sound really deosn't excite me, compared to my old Marshalls and Hiwatts and the only reason I keep it around is to get it modded inot a hot rod Plexi .

(went to post pics on photobucket- and I have a paid subscription- it really is rape now- unable to post)



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Re: Found a Vintage Traynor YBA-1 head

You have the Mk II version. If I remember right those are 90 watts instead of 45 or 50 or whatever the Mk I. Amazing they could double the wattage without adding 2 extra tubes. Does it burn through tubes quickly?
 
Re: Found a Vintage Traynor YBA-1 head

You have the Mk II version. If I remember right those are 90 watts instead of 45 or 50 or whatever the Mk I. Amazing they could double the wattage without adding 2 extra tubes. Does it burn through tubes quickly?

Actually, the MKII can either be around 60w or 90w, it really depends if its an YBA-1 (around 60w) or an YBA-1A (around 90w). And it had to do with the output transformer IIRC. I own one, probably from the same year range by the look of its headshell.

And yes, those are amazing mod platforms, not only because the circuit is very close to an actual Marshall, but because the circuit is accessible from the top of the amp (no need to remove the chassis from the headshell), they are a dream to play inside with that much space and when you're lucky, the schematic is stappled on the back of the cover.

Easiest "mod" to try is to use a cable jumper between channel 1 and channel 2 for a little gain boost, but cascading both channel internally and changing a couple of caps really is the nicest mod to do. Also adding an actual Master Volume is no luxury as those are some frigging loud amp.

HNAD!
 
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Re: Found a Vintage Traynor YBA-1 head

evidently the earlier ones sound much better than my later MKII. No way in hell mine sounds this good;

 
Re: Found a Vintage Traynor YBA-1 head

evidently the earlier ones sound much better than my later MKII. No way in hell mine sounds this good;


This is one of the reissue ones. I wonder how close to the original they stayed with the YBA-1 Mod 1 compared to the YBA-1 Reissue?
 
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Re: Found a Vintage Traynor YBA-1 head

Got a Dr. Z Brake Lite SA this weekend. I'm hoping this gets me a volume that's usable in a jam situation if not usable in my home.

I find it funny when I read about attenuators, how many people blame the attenuator for shortening the life of tubes and blowing transformers... It's not the attenuator that's to blame. It's the fact you're pushing the amp hard.

If you have an attenuator that is designed to handle the power of the amp it's used with and were able to crank the amp as much without the attenuator as you would with it, I'm sure those components will blow just as fast either way
 
Re: Found a Vintage Traynor YBA-1 head

When I use an attenuator with my YBA-1, it blows fuses in seconds. Without an attenuator, it's the loudest amp I've ever owned or played. Sounds excellent, but it's practically unusable.
 
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