# NuAD: Traynor YBA-1 Mod1 and YBX212



## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

I've had these for a week now and I'm loving them. I found them on Kijiji and couldn't resist. As I'm sure many of you know, the YBA-1 was a classic Traynor amp that really rocked and this version incorporates some of the popular mods into this reissue. 

It has two channels and two volume controls which can be used in series with separate volume for each to blend them, or in parallel with a push-pull pot which makes the two controls into gain and master volume. It also comes with a built in attenuator that takes it from 40-20-5-1-0.1 watts. It sounds good even at TV volume when in parallel, with a decent crunch sound, while in series, it has some decent clean headroom, even at 0.1 Watts at home. 

Of course, the 212 with Vintage 30s is a loud cab, but it sounds good in the short amount of time I've had it. Perhaps overkill for the apartment, where my YGL-1 does well, but it sounds great and will be a lot of fun when we move into a house. Also, if I ever get to playing a gig, I'd imagine this thing would rock at 20 or 40 watts. 

Anyway, I snapped a quick shot of it set up in the corner.


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## b-nads (Apr 9, 2010)

Awesome! The Mod1 is probably the Traynor I'd love to own the most.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

Nice! I've wanted one of these since it came out. I love that vertical 2x12. Great for cramped stages!


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## isoneedacoffee (Oct 31, 2014)

Congrats! I have the same amp and cab. You said that in a gig, you'd want to crank it up to the 20-40 watts setting. The roof could cave in. This thing is loud! I play in a trio, and we play very loud when we rehearse. I haven't budged from the 5w setting. And it's between 2 and 3 on each volume knob!

I just switched the v30s for greenbacks, so we'll see how that goes.


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## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

isoneedacoffee said:


> Congrats! I have the same amp and cab. You said that in a gig, you'd want to crank it up to the 20-40 watts setting. The roof could cave in. This thing is loud! I play in a trio, and we play very loud when we rehearse. I haven't budged from the 5w setting. And it's between 2 and 3 on each volume knob!
> 
> I just switched the v30s for greenbacks, so we'll see how that goes.


Thanks. 

Seriously, eh? Traynor should change their slogan to "Traynor Amps, They're Loud as Sh*t". Well, at least I know I've got all the headroom I'll ever need for volume. 

I would be interested to hear how you find the Greenbacks, as I do like the sound of the one in my YGL-1. Did you just swap them, or did you get a new cab?


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## isoneedacoffee (Oct 31, 2014)

jdto said:


> I would be interested to hear how you find the Greenbacks, as I do like the sound of the one in my YGL-1. Did you just swap them, or did you get a new cab?


I just swapped them into the cab. I love the look of that cab!

I'll let you know how it goes with the greenbacks after tomorrow's jam.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

I've got one and like it a lot. I'm not much of a Marshall guy, although I've tried. This scratches that itch just fine for me. Loud as hell, if not attenuated.

In fact, if I have one bitch about the amp, it's that they incorrectly labeled the PPIMV as an 'attenuator' and I believe they know better - perhaps a nod to Leo Fender (vibrato/tremolo?). Strange, because as a master volume, it works very well. Why not call it what it is - no shame in that. In combination with the pull series control, it has a lot of gain range.

Into a real attenuator (in my case, a Powerstation) though, it really is glorious and doesn't sterilize smalls animals walking by.


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## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

isoneedacoffee said:


> I just swapped them into the cab. I love the look of that cab!
> 
> I'll let you know how it goes with the greenbacks after tomorrow's jam.


I forgot to ask, how was it with the Greenbacks?


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## isoneedacoffee (Oct 31, 2014)

jdto said:


> I forgot to ask, how was it with the Greenbacks?


I love them. Mind you I never hated the V30s. But there was something harsh going on with them in the upper mids that bothered me. The greenbacks are more mellow in that register, they also have a better crunch to my ears (aided by speaker distortion). But the negative is that I lose something in the bottom end that I liked about the V30s.

I like 70s influenced hard rock, so overall, I think the GBs suit me best. I'm also in a trio so I'm not competing with another guitarist. V30s really cut through. It's not so necessary for me.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

I also started using mine with a homemade vertical 212 with V30's. Didn't like it, but I found out after I'm not much of a fan of V30's in general - the V30's were out of my Mesa Roadster and were replaced with Eminence Legend Soldanos. When I sold the Roadster, I put the V30's back in it and put the Legends in the vert 212 and it was better. As you say @isoneedacoffee I find something harsh in the V30's. It obviously works for many people, just not for me. 

I've since replaced one of the 12s in my 212 with a Mesa C90 I had laying around. Not much difference but perhaps just a bit brighter. Either config is better than the V30 one though, for what I do.


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

Hmm. Maybe I should turn my 4x12 into a pair of vertical 2x12s


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## Rideski (Feb 25, 2009)

I was using the same amp and cab for a while till I went full on with my Orange TH30 and cabinets. The Traynor sounded great and I loved the ability to roll it down to 0.1 watt.


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