# My Quest Continues...The Traynor



## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

OK, my quest is takking me now on the TRAYNOT territory, 3 models looks pretty cool so far.

Custom Valve 50BLUE 
Custom Valve 40WR
Custom Valve 40

anyone cares to share it's experience with those amps?.

Thanks


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Haven't played one, but I've read a fair bit on them. The blue is supposed to be more "British" sounding. The 40 more Fendery and the WR sort of in between. 

Do other agree with this simplified summary?


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

YCV50 - more marshall then the other YCV's.

YCV40WR - really smooth tones due to the V30

YCV40 - havent heard this amp.

i own the YCV80 and it does up to thrash tones well. I really enjoy using the clean channel on this amp, and the overdrive channel gets gritty enough for me.


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## PaulS (Feb 27, 2006)

I have tried the 50Blue and the 40WR and liked them both. My preference sides to the WR but the blue 50 is a cool amp. Depends on what base tone your looking for.


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## Woodster (Dec 7, 2006)

I've had the 50 blue for a year now and love it.Goes from super clean to blues to metal.Well at least I think so.I play a single coil strat and an Iommi equipped clone SG and both sound great.Bought the extension cab for it too,Great bottom end now.No problems so far and would highly recommend a Traynor.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

YCV50 here, and I love it. It likes effects but sounds great without. It likes both singlecoils and humbuckers. It's durable, loud, attractive, versatile, and pick sensitive. The only thing I'd change is to make the reverb footswitchable.

Peace, Mooh.


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

Have a YCVBlue with the ext cab too. Excellent amp if you are looking for the British sound.

Apart from the obvious difference in wattage, the YCV40/WR have 5881/6L6 tubes on them while the YCVBlue has EL34s. Which I believe accounts for why the 40's sound like Fenders and the Blues more like Marshalls. 

Both the YCV40WR and the YCVBlue have Celestion Vintage 30s while the YCV40 has the Celestion Seventy/80. If you buy the cabs, the cab for the Blue and the WR has Celestion Vintage 30's on them too but the cab for the YVC40 (Black) has the Seventy/80 on it. The only difference between the YCV40 and the YCV40WR is the speaker apart from the colour of the tolex.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

CHito, so far my tast is running toward the YCV40WR. i hope to make-up my mind SOON..ahahaha


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

If you don't need all that power, try the smaller wattage tube Traynors. I'm gassing for one now that I've tried one.

Peace, Mooh.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Mooh said:


> If you don't need all that power, try the smaller wattage tube Traynors. I'm gassing for one now that I've tried one.
> 
> Peace, Mooh.


is'nt there like only a 20watt one?


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

all the YCV20's are 15W i believe. i would love to try out a YCV20blue!


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## Telemark (Feb 9, 2006)

*Try a YCS50*

I have owned all three of the amps you mentioned I started with the YCV40- traded up to a YCV40WR looking for smoother mids, I loved the V30 speaker at first - probably should have kept this amp but...

I tried and loved the YCV50 BLue - for it's lead channel, which in time it turned out I never used. With this amp I still fought the mid range and especially could not handle it on Axis.

Today I own a brand new and very shiny Traynor YCS50. This amp does all the stuff I wanted my other amps to do, smooth mids or crunchy, dark and smoky or super bright.

I can make this sound pretty close to a YCV 40 if I want ( if my memory serves me!) , but in so many ways it is an improvement.

The reverb is lush and very useable, this amp has bias control and will take 5881/6L6 or EL34.

The preamp on the clean channel can be set in a Brit ( Vox/Marshall)
or USA ( Fender) mode - this is interesting from a techy view but also usefull, I prefer the Brit mode for the moment but have also dialed in some sweet sounds in the usa mode.

The feedback loop is defeatable - for smooth compressed class A or bright punchy , it's your choice.

15Watts Class A or 50 watts Class AB


Let's see the Reverb and effects loop are switchable with an optional footwsitch, The effects return had a send control and seperate return levels for each channel.


When you add in the price - Street price is about $850CDN this amp is a great deal.

YMMV

Mark.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

YCS50, wish one is that?..i can't seem to find that model anywhere?


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## noobcake (Mar 8, 2006)

Well I own a YCV40WR, and it's an excellent amp, the clean channel's very nice and warm, the drive channel sounds great at rehearsal level volumes, but at bedroom volumes, the drive channel is quite trebly and buzzy, so I just use an od pedal for distorted tones at bedroom level. Overall, the amp is quite loud and versatile, it takes pedals really well, and the reverb isn't half bad. The YCV line can really benefit from an extension cab, the cabs are pretty narrow and even with a nice speaker, it sort of sounds boxy, and the bass farts out pretty early, especially on the clean channel, but if you EQ things right, it's not really a problem, but don't expect massive low end, if that's what you're after, get an extension cab.


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## Telemark (Feb 9, 2006)

> YCS50, wish one is that?..i can't seem to find that model anywhere?



This one:

http://www.traynoramps.com/products.asp?type=3&cat=63&id=392

Mark


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Telemark said:


> This one:
> 
> http://www.traynoramps.com/products.asp?type=3&cat=63&id=392
> 
> Mark


AHHHHHHH...man..that looks wicked, now, compared to fender, how's the "clean" sound?...


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## Telemark (Feb 9, 2006)

*Compared to a Fender*

Well some Fenders are great and some not so great. I like this amp better than my Blues Deluxe and my Blues Deville. 

On the USA sound 50 watts it is incredibly chimey if you want or more compressed on the 15watts setting. The reverb is nice and rich.

Amps that sound like this one that I have tried include a Solid State 1-12Fender - built like a tank!, a Mesa-Boogie F50. both of these amps had great cleans.

I am finding the cleans very versatile so far, still early days although I don't recall being this happy with any of my other amps when they were new.

I haven't really owned any boutique or vintage amps so I can't comment from that point of view. At this point if I get a new amp it will likely be one that I build or "Need" from a specialty point of view. 

If you are condsidering a new amp in this price range play one!


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...deleted.

-dh


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## tonyg (Oct 30, 2007)

Telemark said:


> I have owned all three of the amps you mentioned I started with the YCV40- traded up to a YCV40WR looking for smoother mids, I loved the V30 speaker at first - probably should have kept this amp but...
> 
> I tried and loved the YCV50 BLue - for it's lead channel, which in time it turned out I never used. With this amp I still fought the mid range and especially could not handle it on Axis.
> 
> ...


I am a little ticked at Canadian Dealers and their pricing of this amp. They are about $160 dollars cheaper in the U.S. (assuming L&M is average street price) after the exchange is factored in. There is a lot of competition in this price bracket.The amp is made in Canada. This is baloney what they are charging.. Traynor is making a great amp but these guys are going to kill sales with their pricing. A Peavey ValveKing out the door in the U.S. is $400 dollars granted it isn't as nice an amp.

Tony...


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

Another 50BLUE owner checking in...BUY ONE! I love mine! I have used it for blues, rock, and even in a local stage band, and it just does it all. It sounds so good on its own that I have never even felt the need to hook any of my stompboxes up to it yet (I thought about getting out the Wah and Chorus for some colour, but once I plug it in and play, I just forget about the pedals and enjoy the great tones it puts out on its own). It likes all my guitars, single or double coils. And as far as the price goes, who gives a %^#&^ what they are selling for in the USA? I challenge anyone to find an amp that even comes close to it for $795 CDN. And I can't wait until I save a few more bux for the extension cab!
-Mikey


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Spikezone said:


> Another 50BLUE owner checking in...BUY ONE! I love mine! I have used it for blues, rock, and even in a local stage band, and it just does it all. It sounds so good on its own that I have never even felt the need to hook any of my stompboxes up to it yet (I thought about getting out the Wah and Chorus for some colour, but once I plug it in and play, I just forget about the pedals and enjoy the great tones it puts out on its own). It likes all my guitars, single or double coils. And as far as the price goes, who gives a %^#&^ what they are selling for in the USA? I challenge anyone to find an amp that even comes close to it for $795 CDN. And I can't wait until I save a few more bux for the extension cab!
> -Mikey


the 50 blues is selling for 599$ right now in my local shop.


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

OK, I didn't need to hear that! LOL! Is it a Long & McQuade, or somebody else?
-Mikey


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

Spikezone said:


> OK, I didn't need to hear that! LOL! Is it a Long & McQuade, or somebody else?
> -Mikey


we don't have those in Qc it's localy own small shop, but with realy nice gear.


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## Xanadu (Feb 3, 2006)

Out of the three I'd take either of the 40s over the YCV50.


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

I tried 'em all too, but I liked the extra control added by the master volume on the YCV50-it allows you to dial in a bit of extra grind on the clean channel if you need it, and I use the amp a lot at home, so the master is a plus in that way, too.
-Mikey


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

i like master volume because you can get preamp drive, poweramp drive, or both. with a non-MV amp, you either have both or none (for the most part)


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## gpower (May 12, 2006)

I've tried all 3 and really like the YCV-40WR. Cleans are almost as good as Fender (very clear and chimey with sc's). I liked the overdrive, once I got it dialed in to the guitar I was using with it. I was able to get everything from decent crunch to near rectifier drive from it. I didn't feel the need to have a pedal in front of it at all.

As someone else suggested, if you don't need the power (and it is loud) you might try the smaller one. I have a YCV-20 that I've owned for 3 years now. I bought the 20, retubed it with JJ's from eurotube and installed a custom voiced ceramic Weber Blue Dog. This is an awesome little amp with bags of tonal possibilities and enough power to play smaller venues with a band. The other guitar player I play with uses a Blues Deluxe and I have no problem being heard along side him.


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