# I saw a nice Traynor deal this morning !



## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

I saw an ad this morning for a great deal ! It`s a 1967 YBA-1 head and a YC-810 cab. Have these but the price was really good.... so... sent the seller a lower offer since really dont need it But.... 

He accepted !!! 

The amp came with a drum machine also... 

Here are the add pic:


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

This thing is really dirty !!!  



























The clean up will have to wait till next weekend...


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

What do you use to clean up the amps? How do you glue the tolex back down?


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

Warm water, dish soap and a brush. Fabric cleaner for the grill cloth. Contact cement to glue the tolex down. Lots of elbow grease…


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## tomee2 (Feb 27, 2017)

Nice! Looking forward to seeing another YBA get cleaned up.


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

Here are some pics of it coming in... these thing really need a good cleaning !


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

Love the 810 cab, its my favorite !




























All the speakers are original.


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## Rollin Hand (Jul 12, 2012)

Frenchy99 said:


> Warm water, dish soap and a brush. Fabric cleaner for the grill cloth. Contact cement to glue the tolex down. Lots of elbow grease…


Microfibre cloths will reduce the elbow grease a bit....


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Frenchy99 said:


> Warm water, dish soap and a brush. Fabric cleaner for the grill cloth. Contact cement to glue the tolex down. Lots of elbow grease…


How do you clean grill cloth without damaging it?


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## tomee2 (Feb 27, 2017)

So I guess chicken head knobs were on 65 and earlier YBA1s?


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

player99 said:


> How do you clean grill cloth without damaging it?


Fabric stain remover (shout, La Parisienne) apply abundantly , brush the grill cloth with a soft brush, rince and repeat ! The water will be brown! I kid you not !...


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

tomee2 said:


> So I guess chicken head knobs were on 65 and earlier YBA1s?


Chicken head knobs were from 1964 to 1967... The number circle is wider for the chicken head knob, the circle got smaller around 1969.

This amp should have chicken heads on it, the current knobs are just generic replacements... they are not Traynor knobs.

Check the difference, 1967:










1969:









Also, the 1969 and forward model says Traynor Bass Master on the front. The 1968 and prior sz Bass Master only....

And different logo also...


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## tomee2 (Feb 27, 2017)

Ok, more differences then I ever noticed! Seeing them did by side, I might've spotted something else, "Range Expander" on the top after 68 vs the bottom.


I guess pre 68 is script logo?


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Frenchy99 said:


> Fabric stain remover (shout, La Parisienne) apply abundantly , brush the grill cloth with a soft brush, rince and repeat ! The water will be brown! I kid you not !...


Do you do this in the bathtub or are you more subtle when you clean?

I appreciate your help and experience. I have to clean up a few amps, but not being sure I won't wreck them holds me back.


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

tomee2 said:


> I guess pre 68 is script logo?


Pre 67


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

player99 said:


> Do you do this in the bathtub or are you more subtle when you clean?
> 
> I appreciate your help and experience. I have to clean up a few amps, but not being sure I won't wreck them holds me back.


I do smaller ones in the shower but the wife doesn't like it. Its mostly outside with the hose... Faster drying time outside in the sun plus it kills bad smell. 

I will most likely do the cab tomorrow since have no jobs to do. will take pictures.

This amp belonged to a working country musician. He passed several years ago and his daughter just sold it to me. He was a smoker and it shows on the amp.


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

I can't wait to see the "after" pictures! 😎


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## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

That’s really cool.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Frenchy99 said:


> I do smaller ones in the shower but the wife doesn't like it. Its mostly outside with the hose... Faster drying time outside in the sun plus it kills bad smell.
> 
> I will most likely do the cab tomorrow since have no jobs to do. will take pictures.
> 
> This amp belonged to a working country musician. He passed several years ago and his daughter just sold it to me. He was a smoker and it shows on the amp.


Video would be nice too... but whatever you will share is great.


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## Latole (Aug 11, 2020)

Frenchy99 said:


> Warm water, dish soap and a brush. Fabric cleaner for the grill cloth. Contact cement to glue the tolex down. Lots of elbow grease…


You have a good deal

I glue Tolex with carpenter glue. I put paint tape ( or clamp ) to hold Tolex until it come dry. Slower than contact ciment , but easier to work.
To cleanTolex ; use top convertible car cleaner


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

I took the time to do some cleaning today. Here is the grill before cleaning:










Here is my cleaning kit:










So I hose down the entire grill cloth, spray a ton of shout on the entire grill cloth and use my brush very lightly to scrub the material...

Here you see the extra water running down from the brushing:










I then wait 10 minutes, rince with the hose and repeat the entire process a second time.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)




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## Latole (Aug 11, 2020)

Frenchy99 said:


> I took the time to do some cleaning today. Here is the grill before cleaning:
> 
> View attachment 376974
> 
> ...



Très très beau travail , bravo !


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## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)

Frenchy99 said:


> I took the time to do some cleaning today. Here is the grill before cleaning:
> 
> View attachment 376974
> 
> ...


Any thoughts of opening a detailing business? You appear to possess a fine work ethic for it...I believe that people would endorse your services...good work man.


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## Latole (Aug 11, 2020)

Fixing amps is a good hobby. To have a bussiness, not IMO.
A technician friend I introduced to repairing amps and who became very competent and started a business.
The success was not there

Amps owners don't want to pay what is worth.


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

Paul Running said:


> Any thoughts of opening a detailing business? You appear to possess a fine work ethic for it...I believe that people would endorse your services...good work man.


just doing my own amps keeps me quite busy but if someone would ask me to do his would not say no!


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

Latole said:


> Fixing amps is a good hobby. To have a bussiness, not IMO.
> 
> Amps owners don't want to pay what is worth.


I agree, people don’t like to pay. I spent 4 hrs cleaning the amp yesterday, it’s a big ass cab mind you and it was very , very dirty. I cleaned to exterior only, will be breaking the head apart today.


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

Here are a few pics after the clean up yesterday.


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

Some more...


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

This is one hell of a nice set up !


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## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

That is pretty sweet!


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Is the exact grill cloth still available?


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

player99 said:


> Is the exact grill cloth still available?


Yes, from L&M.


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

Its so humid today that I decided to stay inside in the AC. Broke the YBA-1 apart to document everything.

Huge transformers.










Can caps are dated Jan 1967, wonder what the 10:50 means on the ide of the chassis?










Very large OT but its not the first version of the OT which should have BT2 on it.










The PT is the very first version still with BT1 on it and also has the amp serial number stamped on it.


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

I was expecting the chassis to be more nicotine trained but its not that bad.

Pre amp tubes.










Dont know what the power tubes are ?










General gut shot !










1483 ?... will eventually figure all these numbers out.


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## Latole (Aug 11, 2020)

Nice amp.
Best is to put new power supply filter caps.

YBA1 I fix few weeks ago. It realy need those parts


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

I dont recall these stamps in my other Traynors ...

Tested.










Inspected.










Inside cap is dated March 1967










Everything looks stock


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

Lots of nice mustards in here.










Rect.










The great thing about having the very first power transformer (BT1) is that you will have the leads for installing a tube rectifier on it ! Here you see both leads cut but still present.










I could make this amp tube rectified.

same goes for the output transformer, it has a cut lead. I would imagine its for a 4ohm tap.


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

Latole said:


> Nice amp.
> Best is to put new power supply filter caps.
> 
> YBA1 I fix few weeks ago. It realy need those parts
> View attachment 377222


Trust me, the amp will get a tune up !

Nice job on the amp !

Caps are leaking inside allready:










Broke it open the make a list of things to get !

Not a fan of making holes to install clamps mind you... Not on my amps that is...


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## Latole (Aug 11, 2020)

Frenchy99 said:


> Trust me, the amp will get a tune up !
> 
> Nice job on the amp !
> 
> ...


Unless you bough metal can capacitor ( picture ) and solder them to the amp's chassis like originals and pay 3-4 times more each how will you fix other can capacitor ?

I always tell my clients the possible options because I want to respect the integrity of the amps I work on. The customer has the last word.







Search | Antique Electronic Supply







www.tubesandmore.com





Price are in US money


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

Latole said:


> Unless you bough metal can capacitor ( picture ) and solder them to the amp's chassis like originals and pay 3-4 times more each how will you fix other can capacitor ?
> 
> I always tell my clients the possible options because I want to respect the integrity of the amps I work on. The customer has the last word.
> 
> ...


I know these are pricey, I used the CE caps on my Garnet`s and they have 5 of these in each amps !  Very, very expensive cap jobs on Garnet amps.

I might just add can caps inside and leave the original for esthetic. 

I have to go and pick up some of the smaller valued ones (bias and bypass cap).

This early 67 amp has the same layout as the original tube rectified YBA-1, has to be a transition model. This is basically a Marshall Jtm 45 1985, 1986 and tweed bassman 5f6a circuit. The early 67 Traynor are very desirable sound wise.


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## tomee2 (Feb 27, 2017)

Frenchy99 said:


> I know these are pricey, I used the CE caps on my Garnet`s and they have 5 of these in each amps !  Very, very expensive cap jobs on Garnet amps.
> 
> I might just add can caps inside and leave the original for esthetic.
> 
> ...


I think you should write a book about these, or on Traynor amps in general. seriously. You have enough of them and know all the details.


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

tomee2 said:


> I think you should write a book about these, or on Traynor amps in general. seriously. You have enough of them and know all the details.


I wish Pete Traynor had made a book like Gar Gillies made for Garnet. We are lucky to have had two great visionaries in Canada with these 2 brands.


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## Latole (Aug 11, 2020)

It would be a book written in French that would be necessary because in English everything has been written about amps. Marshall, Fender Garnet, Traynor amps, to name a few, are all similar. 
And except for Traynor, they have their books.


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## Patrice Brousseau (Aug 12, 2020)

Frenchy99 said:


> I know these are pricey, I used the CE caps on my Garnet`s and they have 5 of these in each amps !  Very, very expensive cap jobs on Garnet amps.
> 
> I might just add can caps inside and leave the original for esthetic.
> 
> ...


I sometimes do exactly this ´cause I’m lazy and it’s an hassle to remove the soldered cans. A couple of terminals strips and axial caps under the hood…

I guess the previous owner was really using it for bass with the 8x10?

As for the 4 ohms tap, I also have one (cut) on my YBA-3.

Congrats and long live to these excellent and sturdy amps.


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## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)

Frenchy99 said:


> wonder what the 10:50 means on the ide of the chassis?
> 
> View attachment 377209


That's 4:20 in Australia.


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## Latole (Aug 11, 2020)

Patrice Brousseau said:


> I sometimes do exactly this ´cause I’m lazy and it’s an hassle to remove the soldered cans. A couple of terminals strips and axial caps under the hood…



To remove solder cans it is easier than it look. You just have to pry them ( with screwdriver) from the chassis and solder tabs break easier. Desoldering them is too much work and time consuming.


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## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

As some would say in la
Belle province: dat ting will move som hair!!


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

sambonee said:


> As some would say in la
> Belle province: dat ting will move som hair!!


Hell yaa !!!

Going to pick up some caps today to change those 2 small leaking ones and will be jamming on it. Major heat wave here at the moment so all widows closed and AC going. Neighbor's wont complain as much !  

Still impressed at how loud this little head is with a proper cab.


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## Patrice Brousseau (Aug 12, 2020)

Latole said:


> To remove solder cans it is easier than it look. You just have to pry them ( with screwdriver) from the chassis and solder tabs break easier. Desoldering them is too much work and time consuming.


Ah, good To know for the next time (probably not as there are really no more room for another amp in my home studio!).


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

Stayed in the AC again today so decided to pull a cap job on the amp.

Very quick and easy cap job and installed a 3 prong power cord while I was at it.


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

Patrice Brousseau said:


> (probably not as there are really no more room for another amp in my home studio!).


Always room for one more...


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

Finished the clean up and adjustment after the cap job. Tubes are GE 7027A power tubes still testing good and balanced. Managed to get 95% of the nicotine stain off the metal chassis.


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

The amp is ready to gig for the next 25 years !

Wonder if I should replace the grill cloth ?


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## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)

Photo touched-up to provide a view of lightly relic'd grill:


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## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

given how many you have in original state (I assume) why not do a different cloth. something out of this world, gold flake, paisley, basketweave. who knows??


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

sambonee said:


> given how many you have in original state (I assume) why not do a different cloth. something out of this world, gold flake, paisley, basketweave. who knows??


I did that with this one, I call it Purple Haze...


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