New Traynor amps

[mjmclane]

I noticed that you've had pretty good things to say about the Hot Rod Deluxe and Classic 30 as being good workmanlike amps (when properly tweeked). How about the new Traynors, specifically the YCV-40 series. Any experience with them?

[miroslav]

I have a YCV40 WR w/extension cab.

 

It's a good amp...you can get a lot of different sounds out of it...but it's quite sensitive to minute knob settings...or in some cases, not.

 

On my old Mark 3 Traynor...I can put the knobs at one position...and try out a lot of different guitars, and they all will sound pretty darn good with those exact same settings.

With the YCV40...you really have to dial in each guitar.

But there are also a couple of knobs that seem to have little effect on the tone...like the Bass Knobs and the Presence knob.

Yeah...you can hear a difference as you turn them...but the way the electronics were chosen for each of the channels...the "Drive" channel is way too bright for my taste...and you have to have the Bass on full and really cut back on the Treble and Mid...

then when you switch to the "Clean" channel...the Bass is real strong, and you have to almost turn it off and turn up the Treble/Mid to get a balanced tone.

 

Now I know the mentality is that for leads you will want to use the "Drive" channel, so they set the overall EQ rather bright and cutting...and that for rhythm you will want to use mostly the "Clean" channel, so they set that EQ a lot fuller...

...but, thats not the way I like to set my tone all the time...so I really have to dial it in.

 

Lately...since I got my two Epi Valve Junior heads...I mostly use them for any lead work in my studio...and the YCV40 I'll use when I want a nice clean tone, as the "clean" channel" is quite nice on the YCV40.

But don't get me wrong, the "Drive" channel has some great tones too...BUT...you have to really dial it in...and then don't mess with the chicken head knobs...as it's easy to "un-dial" them.

 

Also...for the studio, the YCV40 is a bit more power than I need, as it's pretty damn loud for 40 watts...and that's also why I don't use my old 100 watt Mark 3 Traynor too much in the studio...unless I add the THD HotPlate to either one of them...

in which case I can get a whole slew of great tones.

But...the Epi VJ head is a lot quicker/easier to dial in as it only has a single Volume knob...and you can get great tone no matter where you put the knob.

And of course...it's only 5 watts...so "too loud" is not an issue.

 

If you are looking for a nice gigging combo amp...you will be happy with the YCV40....but I would recommend you also get the extension cab, as the combo alone is quite bright with its open-back cab...but the extension cab is closed...so the combination of the two works well.

Heck...when I use the YCV40 in the studio...I only use the extension cab, and I disconnect the speaker in the combo cab, as I prefer a fatter/chunkier tone.

[Dr. Ellwood]

What was that experience that FlagShipMile had with that new Traynor compo? Maybe he will come on here and discuss it, he actually bought it and used it with his band and the end results where NOT GOOD at all.

[miroslav]

The YCV40 is good amp...and it has nice tones...as you can go to the Reviews section at Harmony Central and read quite a lot of them...and about 90% of the reviews all give it a thumbs-up, high rating.

 

I just happen to prefer an amp that is truly "plug-n-play"...where all you need to do is throw the knobs somewhere towards their centers...and play...

...and the tone will be all good...without having to place knobs on VERY specific settings/positions.

 

That's how my old Traynor Mark 3 is...no bad tones...no real time required to "dial it in"...

...which is great for live gigging....as you can pretty much set-and-forget...and then just work the Volume as needed...

or maybe use the Tone control on the guitar along with PU switching.

 

And that's how the little Epi VJ head is..."plug-n-play".

 

The YCV40...

you just gotta' dial it in....BUT...it has a much broader tonal pallet if you want to spend the time dialing in all the different colors...and each different guitar will give you kind of a new pallet to dial in from.

[wangbar]

I have the YCV40 and think it's great. While everything that Miroslav wrote is true, it's not really that hard. You just spend a little time dialing in your sound then put some stickers or something on the control panel so you can return to that setting easy. This amp will sound different in different rooms, so you may have to adjust your settings to accomodate the room you are in. This isn't hard, usally a minor tweak.

[Dr. Ellwood]

Check out the extension for the 40 watt rig, very nice looking too! LINK: http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Traynor-YCX12WR-40W-Extension-Cab?sku=607106

[miroslav]

No...not hard, just a bit of a pain sometimes.

 

I wish they made the pots with just a bit more friction in them...

....becuase with the large chiken head knobs, if you even lightly brush them...they will move far enough to cause an obvious tone change.

 

Sometimes...just moving around with the guitar, the guitar chord has fallen on top of the knobs...and knocked them out of position.

[miroslav]

Originally posted by ellwood:

Check out the extension for the 40 watt rig, very nice looking too!

Yeah...I tend to play just through the closed-back extension cab more than I do through the open-back speaker.

And I don't think I ever use them both together in the studio.

 

The open back is somewhat too bright for my tastes...and I even keep it up against another cloth-covered cabinet to kill some of the edginess.

 

though 7-out-of-10 times...I'm using my 15" cabinet with any of my amps...as it has the best tone for what I like.

[Dr. Ellwood]

Pull those chicken heads off... stack smaller washers over the post..stack untill you get a slight friction with the chicken head back on..repeat on all chicken heads!!

[miroslav]

Originally posted by ellwood:

Pull those chicken heads off... stack smaller washers over the post..stack untill you get a slight friction with the chicken head back on...repeat on all chicken heads!!

I don't see why this will do anything to the friction inside the pot...

...other than to just raise the height of where the knob sits on the post and it wont have any effect on the pot internally

...but I can try it.

 

When I first got it I tried putting on small, chrome knobs...and it made minimal difference.

I think it's just the way the pots are constructed...they are pretty darn easy

and changing them out completely would be a PITA.

 

But having had it for almost a couple of years nowIve gotten a few of my preferred settings pretty nailed downso I can just glance at the knobs and know whats what.

Its only when they get moved accidentally and I dont see itthat things get a bit strangeuntil I realize the knobs are not set right

like when one of my cats, who likes to hang it the studio, walks across the amp and the knobs.

Her newest thing is to come in to my studio when Im sitting there working.jump up on the edge of my consolethen jump up on top of my two left-side monitorsthen back across the consoleand then up to the two right-side monitors where she lays down (Ive actually put down a small folded towel so that she doesnt scratch my monitors)

and she does all this while Im sitting there and while the music is playing.

Shes usually pretty good at walking along the edgebut every so often she engages/disengages some of the consoles buttonsand THAT sure can be a head-scratcher until I spot it!

 

Shes a real pisserI guess she likes the music!

 

Anywaythe whole amp/knob thing is another reason Ive fallen in love with my two Epiphone Valve Junior heads.

theres only ONE KNOB!!!

[Dr. Ellwood]

No Miro you are correct it won't change anyting inside the pot mehanically. I am trying to think of a way you can set up interference friction between the back of the chicken head and the chassis somehow..see what I'm after here? I's as though the base of the chicken head was extended down to the control bezel itself and rubbed agains the bezel with some tension, the washers where a way of transfering that tension without actually contacting the bezel.

[Gifthorse]

To each his own. I bought the one with el34's in it. It was blue. It sounded cool in the store with a very Marshally type pregain distortion.

 

Unfortunately with the band it was compressed and didn't cut. That was my experience. But I am not degrading anyone elses who likes it. I personally think the Peavey Classic 30 or the Blues Junior are both better choices but that is just me.

[Guitar Geezer]

I can count on one hand how many Traynor amps I've seen down here.

 

You guys must snatch them all up before they make it to Tejas.

 

Same thing with Godins. I'm gonna have to drive to Denton or the other side of Ft Worth to look at an Exit22

[wangbar]

Originally posted by Guitar Geezer:

I can count on one hand how many Traynor amps I've seen down here.

 

You guys must snatch them all up before they make it to Tejas.

 

Same thing with Godins. I'm gonna have to drive to Denton or the other side of Ft Worth to look at an Exit22

Dude, I'm in Austin and Rock 'N Roll Rentals carries the line. I got mine off the net. Cheaper that way.

[wangbar]

like when one of my cats, who likes to hang it the studio, walks across the amp and the knobs.

Oh, I know this one well! I have 3 cats and they all love music (and my amp!). what is a reall trip is when they change your settings while you are playing. It's like "WTF!!!!!!!!!".