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Traynor yba-1 60s era
- Thread starter jeff ward
- Start date
I had one in the late 60's to the early 70's. I liked it and played it a bunch. Had the matching 2-15 cab too. Only sold it for a more powerful rig.
As with early Marshall amps, Traynors are founded on the late 50's Fender Bassman amp.
Great guitar amp! Not so great for bass, unless you require a good tube amp for recording.
The 60s versions are definitely worth the price of admission (IMO, of course)!
Great guitar amp! Not so great for bass, unless you require a good tube amp for recording.
The 60s versions are definitely worth the price of admission (IMO, of course)!
As a bass amp it's not even worth lifting off the floor yet alone picking up! 
A YBA-1 will be a fun project. You can restore it or use it as a platform for a doing some modifications.
It has a typical Fender type preamp and tone stack. The power amp has a pair of 7027A's like you would see in some Ampeg amps that followed. Unlike the Ampeg's, the output transformer is relatively small. People sometimes install a heavier output transformer to give a cleaner low end. The power supply has a choke in it which can help increase the clean headroom.
It has a typical Fender type preamp and tone stack. The power amp has a pair of 7027A's like you would see in some Ampeg amps that followed. Unlike the Ampeg's, the output transformer is relatively small. People sometimes install a heavier output transformer to give a cleaner low end. The power supply has a choke in it which can help increase the clean headroom.
I played through one of these in the studio over the weekend. Glorious head! I want to buy it...and there's 1 locally for $400...
In a studio yes, on a stage forgetaboutit!
That last word gave my spell checker kniptions!!
As did that!
That last word gave my spell checker kniptions!!
As did that!
Great amps. Had one back in late 60s. Wish I still had it, along with many other things I had then.
They were loud enough back then, today, not so much unles you're being miked thru the PA.
But, they were and are one of the best lead guitar amps ever made.
They were loud enough back then, today, not so much unles you're being miked thru the PA.
But, they were and are one of the best lead guitar amps ever made.
In a studio yes, on a stage forgetaboutit!
That last word gave my spell checker kniptions!!
As did that!
Your spelling checker was working Paul, it is supposed to be spelled Fohgettaboutit or Fuhgettaboutit.
If you had your yiddish dictionary enabled, it might have had conniptions instead of kniptions.
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Power, Power, Power. There's three! 
In this day and age 50W is not going to take you too far. For the record: I do like old Traynor tube amps just not for bass. The Hammond iron Peter used are almost indestructible. I've used the amp as a vehicle for some of my own designs for a few guitar players that I know.
In this day and age 50W is not going to take you too far. For the record: I do like old Traynor tube amps just not for bass. The Hammond iron Peter used are almost indestructible. I've used the amp as a vehicle for some of my own designs for a few guitar players that I know.
Your spelling checker was working Paul, it is supposed to be spelled Fohgettaboutit or Fuhgettaboutit.
If you had your yiddish dictionary enabled, it might have had conniptions instead of kniptions.
WOW!!! I can almost speak Yiddish! Thanks David, I had no idea that I was so talented!!
Hmm aside from the 50 watts what about tone?
I'm sure 50 watts will be fine. I have a few all tube heads now my 200 watt tube fender studio bass, My 50 watt ALLEN, an old 50watt sun bass amp and my Ampeg SVPCL.
I use to use Warwick bass amps, I rocked the warwick Xtreme 10.1 for years with its 1000 watts I thought it was crazy till I got my 50watt all tube sun head. We where A/B testing the tones at band practice when my guitar players noticed the sun seemed louder. Sure enuff I ended up cranking the warwick to 10 and the sun drown it out on 5.
I have never played a show where I needed to turn my 1000 watt warwick past 4 much less 10!!! Same for amy of my all tube heads they never see past 3 and we practice loud. Both my guitarplayers use 100 watt Engl Powerball heads.
I'm just lost on the need for a 300watt all tube bass amp when I can't get my 50s over 3 before the sound guy ***** his pants.
I'm sure 50 watts will be fine. I have a few all tube heads now my 200 watt tube fender studio bass, My 50 watt ALLEN, an old 50watt sun bass amp and my Ampeg SVPCL.
I use to use Warwick bass amps, I rocked the warwick Xtreme 10.1 for years with its 1000 watts I thought it was crazy till I got my 50watt all tube sun head. We where A/B testing the tones at band practice when my guitar players noticed the sun seemed louder. Sure enuff I ended up cranking the warwick to 10 and the sun drown it out on 5.
I have never played a show where I needed to turn my 1000 watt warwick past 4 much less 10!!! Same for amy of my all tube heads they never see past 3 and we practice loud. Both my guitarplayers use 100 watt Engl Powerball heads.
I'm just lost on the need for a 300watt all tube bass amp when I can't get my 50s over 3 before the sound guy ***** his pants.
Hey Jeff, if you want the amp then go get it. If you're playing with a sound man constantly it probably will work for you. That's almost the same service as in a studio.
Make sure a tech or someone qualified takes a look see at the amp. You need to have the amplifier verified as safe for you to use. It may well need a recap and other "fixes".
Make sure a tech or someone qualified takes a look see at the amp. You need to have the amplifier verified as safe for you to use. It may well need a recap and other "fixes".
I had 2 Traynors in the early - mid 70s. I learned that those amps sounded fantastic, but the speakers they were packaged with weren't the best choices. The amps were rock solid, roadworthy and reliable. The lows were deep and solid, the mids were smooth and the highs were clean and glassy. I'd buy a Traynor amp again
The guy that has it builds and repairs tube amps for my friends music shop here in TX he is fixing the head cab for it but has allready worked it over and it sounds killer. It is my first experience with a Traynor amp though and wanted to know if there where any issues with the amp as far as bass goes. I know it was designed to be a bass amp but there are no videos on line that I could find of any bass players playing it lol only guitar players. Was mostly curious as to why.
I allways play with a sound man and PA support so the power is not a prob I just want great tone and the thing I love about the lower wattage tube bass heads is the grind and attack u can get with out blowing peoples eardrums with a 200 or 300 watt tube head.
I had an SVT but that was my prob it had to be cranked up before it was realy cooking and when playing live I like tohave a mic or di line so I can hear everything as I move around the stage singing. And with that I was never able to realy use the SVT to its full glory live.
I'm still up in the air on the Traynor just because I allready have great gear lol its just that never ending tone quest u know.
I must admit that I've had an early 70's YBA-1 for a few years and I've never tried the bass through it. Maybe tomorrow, eh? Ok, the early versions had tube rectifiers and 7027's then they soon switched to el34's and diode rectification which tightens it up for bass (ditched the choke too).
YBA-1 is rated at 45w but can and does put out more. The YBA-1a is rated 90w (also using two el34's/6ca7's)
YBA-1 is rated at 45w but can and does put out more. The YBA-1a is rated 90w (also using two el34's/6ca7's)
I think it's not so much that they sound bad for bass, it's a combination of the relatively low wattage and the fact that they can be outstanding guitar amps.
