# Last garage sale of the season find!



## buckaroobanzai (Feb 2, 2006)

So, thanks to the eagle-eyed capabilities of my wife, I managed to snag a new fix-it project from the back of a garage while we were out admiring the fall colours. It was hiding behind a big toolkit, and the vendor was not going to sell it at first. It belonged to his son who was planning to fix it up someday, but a quick call to the son turned out in my favour as he has lost interest and he was willing to let it go. I talked him down to $125 as that was all the cash we had on us. It looked to be in good enough shape to risk that amount on it. I have now taken it apart, here's the initial teardown pics - 

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It needs the power cord replaced ( no idea why that is cut off), the main AC switch replaced and cosmetic work. It has RCA preamp tubes and GE power amp tubes in it. The power tube sockets are really loose - not where the pins plug in, but the entire socket, even though the socket holder is tightly screwed to the base. Not sure what that is about. I will do the basic repairs and then see what I have. Suggestions from current owners welcome.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

I'm squinting as hard as I can, but I can't make out what it is exactly. I see 'Toronto, Canada', so guessing a Traynor of some sort? 2 @ EL84's?


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## buckaroobanzai (Feb 2, 2006)

Yeah, I guess I should have included that - 

Best guess ( from internet pictures and images) is a 70's Traynor Guitar Mate Reverb ( YGM3?) - 5 12AX7's and 2 EL84's. Various models of these put out 18 - 22 watts. No serial number plate so I cant get a confirmed date on it.


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## traynor_garnet (Feb 22, 2006)

You did better than you think. This is an _early_ YGM-1 when the YGM-1s still used a transformer for the reverb. It may also use a Fender tone stack (albeit with different values) instead of the Baxandall tone stack used in later ones. If I am correct, check out the mids value in the amp because in stock form it is ridiculously high and makes the amp sound boxy.

That speaker is not original, which may be a good thing.

I could be wrong. It happened once before when I thought I was perfect.

TG


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## TheRumRunner (Sep 29, 2011)

Suuuuuper deal you got there, an absolute Classic....make sure you buy the Mrs some flowers and a bottle of Rhum (or send the Rhum to me if she dislikes it).

DW


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## J-75 (Jul 29, 2010)

Ya, that's not 70's, it's late 60's.
Agreed - not original (=Marsland) speaker. Also, orig tubes would have been Philips.
Re: loose tube sockets - shock-resistant mounting? microphonic reduction?
Did very early YGM's have chicken heads? - don't know, maybe. Lose the death cap & ground switch when you do the power cord.
Wait 'til you hear it - nice!


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## washburned (Oct 13, 2006)

Can't tell for sure, but that speaker reminds me of something worse than a Marsland....old Radio Shack.


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

wow, very awesome score there, congrats!!

speaker might be decent, it is alnico...heck maybe it's a celestion gold with a different cover 

those are great amps though, and worth 3x what you paid for it


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## Scottone (Feb 10, 2006)

yep, thats a YGM-1. I have one of these and use it at our jam space.

If it's a really early one, there are a couple of circuit "mistakes" that can easily be corrected. Mine had a higher voltage on the power tube screens than on the plates due to a very low value power resistor between the 1st and 2nd power supply node (looks like that may have been fixed on yours with the newer greenish resistor). Also, the reverb tube is subjected to a very high current which can also be fixed with a resistor swap.

Great find...I paid considerably more for mine.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

I must go to the wrong garage sales...


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

Congrats on your find. My last garage sale find, yesterday, was a humidifier for $10....worked yesterday, smoked this morning and it's now in the back of the truck and heading for the dumpster tomorrow. Ya wins some and ya loses some I guess.


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## loudtubeamps (Feb 2, 2012)

washburned said:


> Can't tell for sure, but that speaker reminds me of something worse than a Marsland....old Radio Shack.


 Yup, pretty sure it's a Radio Shack. They were not too bad. Chassis looks clean, nice one!!


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