# YGM-3 Just another handsome bulletproof Traynor.



## tribi9 (Sep 19, 2006)

So I got this Traynor YGM3 on trade for my 50's Strat. I've been wanting one of these for a while, never had one before but had heard nothing but good things. The guy that sold it to me said it crackled a bit... but not til we got to the meeting/trading place.

So I plugged it in and noticed some crackling after playing for a few minutes, and also some loud squealing when turning the volume up higher than 2.

So I decided to swap the tubes V1 and V2. The loud squealing went away but now the squealing would happen on the reverb. Turning it past half way resulted in that awful sound. So i tapped the back of the tube and indeed sounded a little "microphonic" (is that the proper word?) I swapped for one of my 12AX7's stash and the squealing went away. 

Plan 2 is to recap it ASAP. 

In the meantime tho' I found 3 spragues I had populated on a different tagboard just sitting around. I saw that 3 of the caps over on the input side were not looking too hot (6th pic down) and the values were close enough but over so I swapped them. (5th pic down) The ones on the amp were 25 uF @ 25V and the spragues were 50 uF @ 50 V. Now I learned a really important lesson last time I recapped an amp. Always double check your polarity against the schematic. The side with the black plug on the cap is the positive side. I'm lucky I didn't blow the caps out last time but I wrecked like $30 something worth of caps, 2 were those can caps and two other caps. So yeah, never again. Anyway the crackling went away and I played for about a 1/2with no crackling wher as before it would start within 5 minutes.)

Now there is a little bit of hum and I suspect it could be the old filter caps and the two little blue ****ers you see in the 4th pic down. (I also learned the last time that those are called the bias supply caps and those always have the positive to ground as the bias is a negative current applied to the tube) . :-[ 

I'm going to recap it and see what's up. For the can caps I'll get two JJ's and desolder the old caps and put the JJ's in it's place.

Now the pots were a little dirty they didn't really crackle but they just didn't sound smooth so a little contact cleaner got rid of that.

The 3 prong cord had already been installed so I ust checked to make sure the solder joint was tight and it was so I'm good there.

The speaker is a Celestion 70/80 it sounds nice but it is a little too bright for my taste. I'll probably swap the speaker for maybe some sort of eminence or I don't know, haven't decided but yes it will be swapped.

So besides the speaker and the cord and caps (Both necessary maintenance) the only other change is one of the tube sockets is not original. The tube doesn't go in as tight as the others but it isn't a problem yet.

So as of now the amp is playing fairly good with some very minor hum but I'm sure I can get it to be as quiet as the last YBA I had. Really nice reverb and tremolo. Really happy with this amp for whatever long I keep it. I think I might actually hang onto it for a change.

Now some pics....


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## tribi9 (Sep 19, 2006)




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## tribi9 (Sep 19, 2006)




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## tribi9 (Sep 19, 2006)

Damn, all that typing and pictures. Should have posted a Hot Rod Deville I guess to get some replies, or maybe just have like a one liner like "Traynor FTW"... 

Hopefully at least one person learned something from my long post. :smile:


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

tribi9 said:


> Damn, all that typing and pictures. Should have posted a Hot Rod Deville I guess to get some replies, or maybe just have like a one liner like "Traynor FTW"...
> 
> Hopefully at least one person learned something from my long post. :smile:


You should have put something about Eddie Van Halen in the title - that guarantees lots of response. Something like

"Eddie Van Halen would love my re-capped Traynor" sdsre


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

tribi9 said:


> Damn, all that typing and pictures. Should have posted a Hot Rod Deville I guess to get some replies, or maybe just have like a one liner like "Traynor FTW"...
> 
> Hopefully at least one person learned something from my long post. :smile:


I (also) enjoyed your post and the pics...just didn't get around to posting this response until now.

Cheers

Dave


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

What do you mean when you say "50's Strat"?


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## sliberty (May 17, 2008)

Sweet. The circuit and chassis are so clean. Do you know the year of manufacture?


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

Rugburn said:


> What do you mean when you say "50's Strat"?


I'm guessing (hoping??) it's a 50's Classic Player's Strat.


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

Nice post, great amp.

I don't think there are enough screws holding the back panel on. :smile:


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## tribi9 (Sep 19, 2006)

sliberty said:


> Sweet. The circuit and chassis are so clean. Do you know the year of manufacture?


Thx guys, I thought the amp subforum had died for a minute. :smile:

Im not sure. The guy I bought it said 72' I haven't really checked but I will. 

Rugburn, I meant a Mexican 50's Classic Player. I had it listed here that's why I mentioned but I guess Im not that regular of a poster so most wouldn't pay attention.

Davetcan, I agree WTF was Traynor doing with all those screws. There are like 20 I believe. Can you say Tendonitis? kkjuw


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## CocoTone (Jan 22, 2006)

Click the link in my signature. Most of those tracks were done with my Guitarmate. Great recording amp with the right pedals up front.

CT.


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

tribi9 said:


> Davetcan, I agree WTF was Traynor doing with all those screws. There are like 20 I believe. Can you say Tendonitis? kkjuw


Not own a drill and screw bit?? Cheaper to put screws in than repair rattling cabinets on your $$.


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## wayne (Apr 8, 2009)

I bought mine with nearly half the screws intact - Maybe Pete was just looking for a way to include some spares for the unforseen!

Great little amps. They sound good on their own until nearly hi-gain land, and take pedals well too. Easily modifiable if you're so inclined. Speaking of which - enough reverb for you???? They tell me the re-issues have this problem too - there's a simple mod to fix it.

W


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## foghorn99 (Apr 28, 2008)

I like the fact that someone (you?) yanked the Marsland POS speaker that used to come in these wonderful amps and replaced it with something decent.

Cool amp...and MUCH easier to cart around than the YGL-3 Mark III that I used to own when I was a teenager. And they take pedals fairly well up front, if I recall.

Have fun.


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## Hammertone (Feb 3, 2006)

These are great amps. 

Mine is a Guitar Mate Reverb III, with Channel 1 modded a bit, and some old Celestion g12-something (way too may screws for me to ever bother checking) that is rated way above the amp's output - the amps sounds like a mini-Marshall to me. And it's easy to carry.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Why are we getting more and more threads about how the stuff is SO GREATH to only see the member selling it the same day!....hidden advertising?!!!


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## starjag (Jan 30, 2008)

al3d said:


> Why are we getting more and more threads about how the stuff is SO GREATH to only see the member selling it the same day!....hidden advertising?!!!


... and what is the problem? I have sold many guitars and amps that were great, including Gadow and McInturff. The fact that I decided to sell them does not degrade them in any way.


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## tribi9 (Sep 19, 2006)

al3d said:


> Why are we getting more and more threads about how the stuff is SO GREATH to only see the member selling it the same day!....hidden advertising?!!!


Funny that you sent me a PM about how I should sell it cheaper. Yeah, I sold it so what? It was a great amp. I just decided to move it. I can move any of my gear at any time I please. I did not need to advertise, this amps sell themselves dude. 

Trolls everywhere....


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

wow wow..take it easy kido...just saying we are seeing more and more of this type of thing happening lately. by your reply i seem to have hit a nerve or what!. seriously mate, don't take everything so personnaly. As for trolling..you might wanna check the defenition!!!


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