rediscovery: Traynor YGM-3 Guitar Mate amp...

Tim Armstrong · February 2nd, 2008, 03:51 PM

I've owned the aforementioned amp for several years, and for the last few years it's sat neglected, partially because I bought a really fine Princeton Reverb, and partially because I've been primarily gigging as a bassist for the last five years.

About two years ago, I even arranged to sell it to a friend, but after playing it a little, I fell back in love with it, so I gave him a refund (after making sure he was cool with me backing out of the deal!). And promptly started neglecting it again...

Fast forward to today. Once again I find myself in the beach town winter slump, where my income is at its lowest point (a yearly occasion around here!), and I figured I'd sell a few things. One of which was the Traynor. Until I plugged it in again.

Damn!

This amp is a stone KILLER! Really great tones, and a really surprising variety of them. I've never had an amp with such dynamic tone controls (bass and treble, but each really does a lot between 1-10!). The reverb is drenching, and the tremelo is psychedelic. And the amp just plain roars if you want that, too. Kinda Deluxe Reverb meets Marshall (it's a 2xEL 84 amp with a single 12" speaker, upgraded by my with a Celestion G12H-80).

Sure, I could use some money, but I ain't selling this one!

Cheers, Tim

tdu · February 2nd, 2008, 04:04 PM

I had one for awhile and it was great. I sort of regret selling it, but it was a little bulky for my needs (they weigh quite a bit). I wish I had kept it and converted it to a head though. At the time I didn't know anyone to do it. It would be one killer head though.

I replaced it with a YBA-2A head though, which is equally as cool. Very similar sound, but without the reverb or tremolo. And in a nice compact head. The YBA-2A came in a 1x15 combo and head, and was either 2 6V6 or 2 EL84 depending on the year.

Both the YGM-3 and the YBA-2 overdrive sooooooo nicely when cranked.

People focus on the YBA-1, but there are some other amazing vintage Traynor amp models.

Tim Armstrong · February 2nd, 2008, 06:01 PM

Damn, that's a cool-looking head!!!

Cheers, Tim

tdu · February 2nd, 2008, 06:15 PM

I will post photos of my old YBA-1 and YGM-3 later too. Might as well make it a Traynor thread!

eryque · February 2nd, 2008, 06:28 PM

Tim, what year is your amp from? I don't know if I've ever seen a YGM-3 like that.

They are indeed very cool amps. I stupidly sold my first one, which was nearly mint, but the 2nd one sounds so good that I don't feel too bad anymore!

Tim Armstrong · February 2nd, 2008, 06:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eryque

Tim, what year is your amp from? I don't know if I've ever seen a YGM-3 like that.

They are indeed very cool amps. I stupidly sold my first one, which was nearly mint, but the 2nd one sounds so good that I don't feel too bad anymore!

I think it's a mid-70s one, based on the rubber bumpers. It's also open-backed, unlike most of the other ones I've seen.

Cheers, Tim

tdu · February 2nd, 2008, 07:56 PM

Most of the early to mid 70's Traynors have that "rubber" bumper design. I don't think it's looks the best, but it's very functional. The tops on all the amps with that design are 'flip tops' too for repairs. And they all have the schematic on the inside of the top. One of the many cool little things about Traynor amps.

jh45gun · February 2nd, 2008, 08:02 PM

Wish I had or could find a Traynor tube amp cheap. I have a Monoblock Bass amp from the mid 70's and for a SS amp it is awsome. Preamp is on a board the rest is PTP wireing so easy to work on and it runs at 325 watts at 2 ohms all day long and there is no doubt about wattage here this amp is kick butt loud and while a bass amp sounds darn good with guitar too. I use it for my Slave amp to get more power on stage running my 15 watt tube amps.

tdu · February 2nd, 2008, 08:23 PM

Here's the other Traynors I have owned.

I will probably regret selling them one day. The YBA1 was just overkill for any of my current playing situations. I paid $75 for in the 90's, and sold it for $600. If I ever get playing in a really rockin' band again, I will regret selling it big time.

And I already mentioned why I sold the YGM3.

The craziest thing about all 3 vintage Traynors I have owned was the condition of them though. I got really lucky. Each of them were pretty much mint as you can see by the photos.

tdu · February 2nd, 2008, 08:25 PM

p.s. in case you are wondering about the presense and middle controls, they are just labels over the original 'range expander' knobs. The amp was modded like that when I got it. Basically the JTM45 mods. I guess they were well known even back in the 90's.

Caper · February 3rd, 2008, 08:34 AM

Here's another guy who loves the sound of the old Traynors. I had a 71 YGM-3 and a 71 YBA-2A head. I did find the YGM-3 was too big for my small music room mind you when my son moves out with his drums I won't have that problem no more

And I had to sell the head to fund my recent Princeton purchase. The price on the Princeton was too good to pass on.

popthree · February 3rd, 2008, 09:19 AM

the prices on those old traynors have really gone up the last couple of years. i've recently tried to snipe a few of them on ebay but they keep getting bid beyond my max.

tdu · February 3rd, 2008, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by popthree

the prices on those old traynors have really gone up the last couple of years. i've recently tried to snipe a few of them on ebay but they keep getting bid beyond my max.

Ya you can still get lucky sometimes when it comes to private sales. Ebay prices are getting up there though.

I am sure that article on Traynor YBA-1's that was in Vintage Guitar added to that as well.

popthree · February 3rd, 2008, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdu

Ya you can still get lucky sometimes when it comes to private sales. Ebay prices are getting up there though.

I am sure that article on Traynor YBA-1's that was in Vintage Guitar added to that as well.

the prices were alread climbing prior to the article, but yeah, look out. they'll probably boom even more now.

Tonemaster · February 3rd, 2008, 11:27 AM

The Guitarmate is one of the true sleepers of the vintage market today. The speaker is the weak link on these. Replace with the 12 " er of your choice, and you got a great PTP amp, with lots of tone. If your lucky, the amp may still have the origional tubes, which were usually Phillips labeled Mullards. Here is a pic of mine. Celestion G12H30 Heritage. Most of the tracks on my Soundclick were done on the Guitarmate. The head in the picture is even more rare. A Bassmate 6V6 powered ,, bout 18 watts. SOrt of Marshally in tone, but with lots of bottom, and that sweet 6V6 midrange.

T.

ye olde fretmonkey · February 3rd, 2008, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdu

Ya you can still get lucky sometimes when it comes to private sales. Ebay prices are getting up there though.

I am sure that article on Traynor YBA-1's that was in Vintage Guitar added to that as well.

Qui-yett, y'all are gonna run up the prices just talkin about em.

tdu · February 3rd, 2008, 03:49 PM

I have some photos of the wiring of some of the Traynors I owned. I'll post em later.

64Strat · February 3rd, 2008, 04:52 PM

here's some pics of my late '68 (or early '69) YBA-1. and that is a mid '70s pair of Amperex EL34's that sound fabulous. Best $200 amp I've ever owned. You sharpies will prolly notice I've mod'ed the amp and those mods are really important if you want the absolute best tone out of these things. A must is to change out the 4megA volume pots to a 1megA. I went into a lot more altering though.

February 2nd, 2008, 03:51 PM	#1 (permalink)
Tim Armstrong Moderator Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Berlin, Maryland, USA Age: 49 Posts: 8,813	rediscovery: Traynor YGM-3 Guitar Mate amp... I've owned the aforementioned amp for several years, and for the last few years it's sat neglected, partially because I bought a really fine Princeton Reverb, and partially because I've been primarily gigging as a bassist for the last five years. About two years ago, I even arranged to sell it to a friend, but after playing it a little, I fell back in love with it, so I gave him a refund (after making sure he was cool with me backing out of the deal!). And promptly started neglecting it again... Fast forward to today. Once again I find myself in the beach town winter slump, where my income is at its lowest point (a yearly occasion around here!), and I figured I'd sell a few things. One of which was the Traynor. Until I plugged it in again. Damn! This amp is a stone KILLER! Really great tones, and a really surprising variety of them. I've never had an amp with such dynamic tone controls (bass and treble, but each really does a lot between 1-10!). The reverb is drenching, and the tremelo is psychedelic. And the amp just plain roars if you want that, too. Kinda Deluxe Reverb meets Marshall (it's a 2xEL 84 amp with a single 12" speaker, upgraded by my with a Celestion G12H-80). Sure, I could use some money, but I ain't selling this one! Cheers, Tim __________________ http://www.moodswingers.org

February 2nd, 2008, 04:04 PM	#2 (permalink)
tdu Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Age: 32 Posts: 2,399 9 Photos	I had one for awhile and it was great. I sort of regret selling it, but it was a little bulky for my needs (they weigh quite a bit). I wish I had kept it and converted it to a head though. At the time I didn't know anyone to do it. It would be one killer head though. I replaced it with a YBA-2A head though, which is equally as cool. Very similar sound, but without the reverb or tremolo. And in a nice compact head. The YBA-2A came in a 1x15 combo and head, and was either 2 6V6 or 2 EL84 depending on the year. Both the YGM-3 and the YBA-2 overdrive sooooooo nicely when cranked. People focus on the YBA-1, but there are some other amazing vintage Traynor amp models. __________________ Torn Down Units brand Rock n' Roll My Solo Stuff:

February 2nd, 2008, 06:01 PM	#3 (permalink)
Tim Armstrong Moderator Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Berlin, Maryland, USA Age: 49 Posts: 8,813	Damn, that's a cool-looking head!!! Cheers, Tim __________________ http://www.moodswingers.org

February 2nd, 2008, 06:15 PM	#4 (permalink)
tdu Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Age: 32 Posts: 2,399 9 Photos	I will post photos of my old YBA-1 and YGM-3 later too. Might as well make it a Traynor thread! __________________ Torn Down Units brand Rock n' Roll My Solo Stuff:

February 2nd, 2008, 06:28 PM	#5 (permalink)
eryque Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: albany, ny [not chicago] Posts: 6,973 44 Photos	Tim, what year is your amp from? I don't know if I've ever seen a YGM-3 like that. They are indeed very cool amps. I stupidly sold my first one, which was nearly mint, but the 2nd one sounds so good that I don't feel too bad anymore! __________________ my blog: eryque.blogspot.com Updated 9.17.08! Subscribe_____________________

February 2nd, 2008, 07:56 PM	#7 (permalink)
tdu Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Age: 32 Posts: 2,399 9 Photos	Most of the early to mid 70's Traynors have that "rubber" bumper design. I don't think it's looks the best, but it's very functional. The tops on all the amps with that design are 'flip tops' too for repairs. And they all have the schematic on the inside of the top. One of the many cool little things about Traynor amps. __________________ Torn Down Units brand Rock n' Roll My Solo Stuff:

February 2nd, 2008, 08:02 PM	#8 (permalink)
jh45gun Tele-Holic Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 980	Wish I had or could find a Traynor tube amp cheap. I have a Monoblock Bass amp from the mid 70's and for a SS amp it is awsome. Preamp is on a board the rest is PTP wireing so easy to work on and it runs at 325 watts at 2 ohms all day long and there is no doubt about wattage here this amp is kick butt loud and while a bass amp sounds darn good with guitar too. I use it for my Slave amp to get more power on stage running my 15 watt tube amps.

February 2nd, 2008, 08:23 PM	#9 (permalink)
tdu Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Age: 32 Posts: 2,399 9 Photos	Here's the other Traynors I have owned. I will probably regret selling them one day. The YBA1 was just overkill for any of my current playing situations. I paid $75 for in the 90's, and sold it for $600. If I ever get playing in a really rockin' band again, I will regret selling it big time. And I already mentioned why I sold the YGM3. The craziest thing about all 3 vintage Traynors I have owned was the condition of them though. I got really lucky. Each of them were pretty much mint as you can see by the photos. __________________ Torn Down Units brand Rock n' Roll My Solo Stuff:

February 2nd, 2008, 08:25 PM	#10 (permalink)
tdu Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Age: 32 Posts: 2,399 9 Photos	p.s. in case you are wondering about the presense and middle controls, they are just labels over the original 'range expander' knobs. The amp was modded like that when I got it. Basically the JTM45 mods. I guess they were well known even back in the 90's. __________________ Torn Down Units brand Rock n' Roll My Solo Stuff:

February 3rd, 2008, 08:34 AM	#11 (permalink)
Caper Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 2,168 7 Photos	Here's another guy who loves the sound of the old Traynors. I had a 71 YGM-3 and a 71 YBA-2A head. I did find the YGM-3 was too big for my small music room mind you when my son moves out with his drums I won't have that problem no more And I had to sell the head to fund my recent Princeton purchase. The price on the Princeton was too good to pass on.

February 3rd, 2008, 09:19 AM	#12 (permalink)
popthree Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Tulsa Age: 43 Posts: 2,665 44 Photos	the prices on those old traynors have really gone up the last couple of years. i've recently tried to snipe a few of them on ebay but they keep getting bid beyond my max. __________________ don't taze me bro !

February 3rd, 2008, 11:27 AM	#15 (permalink)
Tonemaster TDPRI Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Ontario Age: 54 Posts: 43	The Guitarmate is one of the true sleepers of the vintage market today. The speaker is the weak link on these. Replace with the 12 " er of your choice, and you got a great PTP amp, with lots of tone. If your lucky, the amp may still have the origional tubes, which were usually Phillips labeled Mullards. Here is a pic of mine. Celestion G12H30 Heritage. Most of the tracks on my Soundclick were done on the Guitarmate. The head in the picture is even more rare. A Bassmate 6V6 powered ,, bout 18 watts. SOrt of Marshally in tone, but with lots of bottom, and that sweet 6V6 midrange. T. __________________ http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...?bandID=700599 http://www.myspace.com/thefabuloustonemasters

February 3rd, 2008, 03:49 PM	#17 (permalink)
tdu Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Age: 32 Posts: 2,399 9 Photos	I have some photos of the wiring of some of the Traynors I owned. I'll post em later. __________________ Torn Down Units brand Rock n' Roll My Solo Stuff:

February 3rd, 2008, 04:52 PM	#18 (permalink)
64Strat Tele-Holic Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 635 43 Photos	here's some pics of my late '68 (or early '69) YBA-1. and that is a mid '70s pair of Amperex EL34's that sound fabulous. Best $200 amp I've ever owned. You sharpies will prolly notice I've mod'ed the amp and those mods are really important if you want the absolute best tone out of these things. A must is to change out the 4megA volume pots to a 1megA. I went into a lot more altering though.