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scared of buying yba200

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A

a e i o u

Oct 25, 2003
413
2
38
palmer massachusetts
#1
Hey

I haven't played bass in a band for almost a year. When I was in a band it was in a really loud noisey hardcore band. I bought a new Traynor YBA200 head and used it with an old old Earth 2x15 cab. After about 1 practice the head died..something with the tubes glowing red hot then going out cold and not firing back up.. I sent it back and got a 2nd one, this time using a friends legion sound 4x10 cab. This time I made it through a practice and a show till it died half way into the 'set.' The same thing happend, it got extremely hot and then just went out dead. I sent it back and for the 3rd time I got a new one this time using an Acoustic 106 2x15 cab. And yea it died too. So after that I returned it for credit and bought a crappy solid state head and a crappy whatever cab because i was so fed up with not having something to rely on. I don't know how or why I had such bad luck but I am guessing that it could of been a mixture of me running a distortion pedal, cranking the pre gain to like 9 and having the post on like 8, and having a crappy speaker cable that may have been coming loose out of the speaker jack. However.. I am now really excited that I should be starting a indieish rock band soon where I'll be playing bass. We are going for a mellow shoegaze sad kind of sound with lots of guitar effects and lots of build ups and some intense parts. The other night I was in the store playing through a mesa 1x12 combo with tube pre and I cranked the pre till it started saturating and was playing with a highway 1 p bass with the tone rolled off to the fat side and it sounded soooooooooo good. I feel as though the only head I can afford that will do anything like that for me is the YBA.. i would get an ampeg v4 in a heart beat but they don't sell them new anymore and I would need to be buying this with a credit card via buy now pay later. I am also pretty sure I would be using it with either an avatar 2x12 cab or an ampeg 410hlf will a fuzz pedal and a bass synth pedal.. any ideas??
 
#3
I'm sorry to hear of your issues with the YBA-200. I've had mine for 5 months now without a single issue, and I love it. I play it through an Ampeg 410Hlf and its amazing. Big tone.

I use a Sansamp as an EQ to compensate for the passive EQ, but I'm pretty sure I'm going to replace it soon. Too much coloration. I'm probably going to Purcahse an Aguliar AGRO to replace it, hopefully just as much low gain tone on tap with the addition of a Mid control.

I'd reccomend an EQ if you want to use many effects, especially of the Fuzz nature. Even something like the Boss EQ-7 woul help the effect not end up sounding thin.
 
#6
I'm surprised you've had that much trouble. Yorkville/Traynor is well known for reliability. Tube heads are always a little finicky compared to solid state, but not that finicky. Sansamp into a solid state is a great idea, so is the walkabout. PayPal is your friend.
 
#8
I would buy a brand new speaker cable. You have a short happening. If you had a short in a speaker cable, I would expect your amp to meltdown just like you have described. I had this happen to me once. Once. Once. Just an idea.
 
#9
a e i o u said:
Hey

I don't know how or why I had such bad luck but I am guessing that it could of been a mixture of me running a distortion pedal, cranking the pre gain to like 9 and having the post on like 8, and having a crappy speaker cable that may have been coming loose out of the speaker jack. any ideas??
Click to expand...

If I was Traynor, I'd be afraid of you. :) Most people have no trouble with their Traynor gear, even the tube stuff. If you've seen the error of your ways and can reform you should be fine. Tube amps are very vulnerable to problems such as no load on the output so at least get some good speaker cables and make sure they are connected whenever the amp is turned on.

You might want more power than 200 watts though and multiple speaker cabinets to take the punishment because I'm sure you'll be playing very loud. How about the Traynor Dynabass 800 and a pair of 8x10 cabinets?
 
#10
Come on, three times you've blown this thing up and you're afraid of the head having problems? Heads don't blow up three times in a row like that without outside help.

a e i o u said:
me running a distortion pedal, cranking the pre gain to like 9 and having the post on like 8
Click to expand...
This almost certainly had nothing to do with it.

a e i o u said:
having a crappy speaker cable that may have been coming loose out of the speaker jack.
Click to expand...
This almost certainly did.

Don't be afraid of the Traynor. Be afraid of any all-tube amp heads until you get your crappy speaker cable replaced and you make sure your cab's jack is capable of holding a cable solidly. You're not supposed to run them without a speaker load attached or else they do exactly what you described.

This is where you call Traynor and thank them for having a "two years even if you break it" warranty. :)
 
#12
A short in the speaker cable would do it. Also, this isn't ment to sound condecending, but did you check every time that you were playing with the Ohm switch at the proper impedance?

Traynor has always been known for reliablity. Which is why they'll give out a two year 'even if you break it' deal, because most likely, its not going to be their fault if something does go wrong.
 
#13
You have to make sure your speaker cab is connected before you turn a tube amp on. Use a high quality speaker cable, not a guitar cable.

Why would you buy the same amp you fried for a 4th time? Give Traynor's warranty department a break and try something else.
 
#18
roflol said:
i wish i had your money and you've only been playing a year? i've been playing 4 and just got my first hybrid head i don't think i could justify having anything bigger unless i was playing bigger venues and that
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i've been playing for like 5 years pretty much, i said i wasn't in a band for about a year now. and i only paid for one head- i kept returning it under warrenty. i was also playing alot of big venues, touring across the country and down the country..
 
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