# Vintage Traynor Grill



## ccuwan (Jul 9, 2008)

Following is a picture of my YBA2A Bass Mate head and the lower cabinet which is the 15 inch cab from a YBA2 Bass Mate combo with the electronics removed. As you can see they make a pretty sweet mini half stack and believe me they sound as good as they look. Although the badges are modern, they did make this product with very similar badges in the day. I plan to add some vintage casters as well.

My problem is the head unit has had the grill cloth replaced and it is slightly different than the speaker cabinet. I think you can see the difference in the picture. I am confident that the speaker cab is the correct cloth. I'm hoping that someone has a small quantity of vintage Traynor cloth they would be willing to sell or share with me so I can make this pair perfect.

I hope this is an appropriate place to post this,

Thanks Ray


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## analogteletube (Jan 26, 2011)

ccuwan said:


> Following is a picture of my YBA2A Bass Mate head and the lower cabinet which is the 15 inch cab from a YBA2 Bass Mate combo with the electronics removed. As you can see they make a pretty sweet mini half stack and believe me they sound as good as they look. Although the badges are modern, they did make this product with very similar badges in the day. I plan to add some vintage casters as well.
> 
> My problem is the head unit has had the grill cloth replaced and it is slightly different than the speaker cabinet. I think you can see the difference in the picture. I am confident that the speaker cab is the correct cloth. I'm hoping that someone has a small quantity of vintage Traynor cloth they would be willing to sell or share with me so I can make this pair perfect.
> 
> ...


I actually just removed the grill cloth from my yba2b head(converted from combo) and replaced it with leather(looks awesome IMO) anyway i have the old grill cloth from the front of the whole combo, you could have it if you want it, im in halifax


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## ccuwan (Jul 9, 2008)

wow!! 
How about if I paypal you $10. That would at least cover the shipping.
Thank you so much
I think I really got lucky here.
Do you have a picture of your mode, it sounds awesome.
Send me your paypal name if you have one and I'll send the money
Ray


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## Jamrod (Dec 6, 2008)

Hi Ray,

The grill cloth on your YBA-2A looks period-correct to me. Are you sure it was changed?. The cab you're using is from the '60s and the head looks to be from the early '70s. The cloth from the '60s was slightly different than that from the '70s.

Nice equipment. I've been looking for a '60s YS-15 cab for a while but haven't had any luck.


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## ccuwan (Jul 9, 2008)

*Thanks for the "heads up"*

You clearly know of what you speak. I am no Traynor expert. Based on your information, I think when I get the cloth from analogteletube I will make a new face board for my YBA2A so I can keep the original intact and use the matching cloth on the new face board.

BTW analogteletube, I just read your handle fully and realized we have a lot in common. I have a couple of fender tube amps, the traynor and 2 teles. A 78 American and a 92 Japanese Jerry Donahue. I lucked out on the 15 cab as well. Bought it locally for $100. Jamrod.....If I ever come across another I will let you know. As for sound, I have not had either of my fenders turned on since I hooked up the 15 cab to my head.


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## analogteletube (Jan 26, 2011)

I had heard it said before but never really took it to heart untill i got my yba2b a couple of months ago (traded a MIM tele for it!!)" Vintage traynors are some of the most underrated amps of all time". Boy is it true, i've owned many, many amps over the years, and nothing even comes close, marshall, fender, vox, crate, blackheart, the new generation traynors, peavey, mesa, don't get me wrong, mostly all great amps in their own right but i can't even describe the pleasure i get when i crank that yba volume bass treble all on ten through that 15' marsland (which i've also heard is not the greatest speaker) the tone is amazing. I was in the studio on monday with my band and the engineer commented on how thick and rich my tone was!! Maybe im still a little in the "honey moon period" but WOW, just WOW!! ccuwan ill have the grille cloth in the mail asap.


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## kibby (Feb 8, 2011)

Your rig looks like 60's. Here is a pic of my rig that I sold last year but have owned since the 70's and is a completely original 1971 YBA-1 with YC-610 cab. My buddy has a head like yours but I can't remember if the cloth matched mine. I'm not positive about the date but that is what is stamped on the speakers. I've owned it since about 1978. Purchased at an auction sale for, well, it was thrown in with a 1972 Hagstrom bass that I paid $65.00 for. I still have the bass. I sold the Traynor for $800.00 about 8 months ago. Wasn't able to use it anymore but thought someone would get enjoyment out of it.


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## ccuwan (Jul 9, 2008)

Kibby
You cloth looks like the cloth on my head which I'm told as well is from the 70s. You certainly made out like a bandit on your investment.

Tube
I'm with you. Can't say enough about simply "the tone" Absolutely the best I have ever achieved. I have mine set up with a Weber power regulator. With the Weber, I can roll the volume back a bit to keep my Playstation playing 18 year old son in the next room form complaining. Geez I thought I got away from that drama with the divorce.....oh well. I like to dime the volume and the bass and hold the treble back to about 6. Then I fine tune the tone with the Weber........very very sweet.

Ray


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## ccuwan (Jul 9, 2008)

*back to square 1*

Well I received the cloth from analogteletube and unfortunately it is a match to my head and not the cab. In subsequent years the cab was smaller than the era that mine was made to the option of changing the cab grill will not work either....so I'm back to square one and asking again if: "someone has a small quantity of vintage Traynor cloth they would be willing to sell or share with me so I can make this pair perfect."

As per Jamrod, who was absolutely correct with regards to the cloth age, I guess I should add to my request that the cloth I'm looking for would be from an amp made in the 60s

Special thanks to analogteletube for their effort to help me out.....

Ray


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## Thornton Davis (Jul 25, 2008)

You can buy a piece of vintage 60's Traynor grill cloth from any L&M store. They will have to order it in but, Yorkville stock it so it won't take long to get. The piece is 36" x 36" and it's Yorkville part #GC1 cloth. It's currently used on the YGM-3 Reissue amp. Good luck.

TD


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## Jamrod (Dec 6, 2008)

The reissue grill cloth isn't an exact match to either the original '60s or '70s cloth. Close... but different. Personally, I'd just leave the original grill cloth on that head and cab because they look great as is.


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## ccuwan (Jul 9, 2008)

*still looking*

Thank you both....I was concerned that the match might not be correct, so much so that I was considering how 40 years of light and cigarette smoke may have influenced the colour etc. and had thought about hauling my speaker cab to L&M for comparison to a reissue. I guess that question has been answered. Thanks for the compliment regarding the 2 pieces and please appreciate that were i to find a piece of cloth to match the speaker cab, it would be my plan to create a brand new grille assembly for the head and put the original aside. I have full respect for the age and vintage correct characteristics of these 2 pieces.

Ray


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## ccuwan (Jul 9, 2008)

bumping as I'm still looking....thanks


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## Mr Yerp (Feb 24, 2006)

Hope I'm not derailing the thread, but couldn't help putting up a (cellphone) pic of my Bassmate (6v6 flavoured)head w/ Bassmate cab, electronics removed also. The Marsland 15" isn't the best speaker on the planet, but still a great combination! Great stereo setup w/ a Guitarmate!


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## ccuwan (Jul 9, 2008)

That certainly looks familiar.....I've never seen the bass mate logo on the cab before. I must keep my eyes open for one of those as well. My cab logo is modern. 

My Bass mate cab has an RSC (Radio Speakers of Canada) 15 inch in it. I'm no expert on 15 inch speakers but I can certainly confirm that the combination sounds excellent to my ears. I have other amps but I use this combo more than any other......Ray

PS still looking for cloth


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## Rakos (May 6, 2012)

Hello All,
I just acquired a Traynor Bass Mate head and speaker unit. The head unit is missing the ( I assume wood) insert and cloth and badge, and the speaker is also missing the badge.
Would anyone have this? I'm in Ottawa. Please reply to my email: [email protected].
Thanks,
John


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