# who does hot rod mods to traynor yb3 custom amp & marshalls ?



## Pstar (Jan 28, 2011)

who does hot rod mods to traynor yb3 custom amp heads and to marshall? can high gain mods (diezel gain maybe?) be done to these amps? and turn into 2-3 channels switchers? but still have good tone


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## traynor_garnet (Feb 22, 2006)

Why butcher an amp into something it is not? While some slight adjustments and tweaks are cool, why attempt to transform an apple into a banana? Just start with something that is close to what you want.

I hope I don't sound condescending here. I just think you would be much better off starting with a different amp OR grabbing some hi-gain pedals and running them into that YBA3 (look out world, you are going to be LOUD!)

TG


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

traynor_garnet said:


> Why butcher an amp into something it is not? While some slight adjustments and tweaks are cool, why attempt to transform an apple into a banana? Just start with something that is close to what you want.


Agreed. You can definitely add more gain to the YBA circuit, but for what you're looking for, you'd be way better off starting with a different amp (or getting a Diezel )

If you're in TO, PM me and I'll send you the contact info for my amp tech. He does great work. He's in the West End of TO.


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## gtone (Nov 1, 2009)

Randy Faye of PHAEZ amps in Sarnia does all kinds of custom work and could tell you fairly easily if what you're seeking is feasible. A great guy to talk to and his rates are reasonable. Just pm me if you need his contact info. Good luck with your tonequest!


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## washburned (Oct 13, 2006)

Pstar said:


> who does hot rod mods to traynor yb3 custom amp heads and to marshall? can high gain mods (diezel gain maybe?) be done to these amps? and turn into 2-3 channels switchers? but still have good tone


Fuchs audio technology will turn the Traynor into an ODS for about $1000...that's about 1/3 of the cost of a new Fuchs.


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## Pstar (Jan 28, 2011)

*anyone hear of friedman or fortin ?*

any hear any mod work/conversion work of friedman or fortin ? any thoughts?


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## Pstar (Jan 28, 2011)

what do you think of the fuchs tones?


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## Pstar (Jan 28, 2011)

hollowbody, that tech you referred me too, did a bad job, my jcm800 now makes hum/buzzing noise, the traynor he could not fix, not sure what it will need, over charged me for a stand-by- switch and un able to bias the amp charged $170. for nothing. I still have a broken amp.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

Pstar said:


> hollowbody, that tech you referred me too, did a bad job, my jcm800 now makes hum/buzzing noise, the traynor he could not fix, not sure what it will need, over charged me for a stand-by- switch and un able to bias the amp charged $170. for nothing. I still have a broken amp.


Wow, that's so strange! He's always done excellent work for me and made sure I got exactly what I wanted. Have you spoken with him about your concerns? Did you try your amp there before you left with it? 

There must have been some reason he couldn't work on the Traynor or bias it. Did he give you one?

Also, just to be clear, I thought you wanted to mod an amp, but you're saying you still have a broken amp. What was wrong with your amp before?


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## Pstar (Jan 28, 2011)

the traynor did not work had broken stand by swtich, he replace that and 1 resistor (charged me $170., this is outrages, i did pay him , but he rip me off), than proceed to do bias, but unable to bias the voltages should be aorund 530, only getting a reading of 400 , says there is issue with power section, could be caps, some resistors, power transformers, etc, etc, he did not confirm any specific areas, and suggested he could spent a few hours trying to figure it out costing $400-500 just diagosning than changing out parts as he proceeds sounds like he is guessing and doing trial and error till he gets it right, running the bill up to $800-1,000. he thinks it will cost. I get the impressions he does not really know what he is doing. The marshal now has a constant hum/buzzing sound, he says its the cheap wiring that marshall uses, and he could shield some of the wires, again it would be a few hundred $. I have heard many marshall's before, and have never heard that they need shielding. I checked online with some other techs and they don't shield them. He suggested to bring back the marshall and he will have a look, but if he has to fix it , there will be a charge. Am so dissappointed, now I have to take the amps to another tech, and i have little faith in these techs now.
Paid $170. to change the stand by switch and 1 resistor. Charged$100. to bias the marshall 2 power tubes only. I supplied the tubes under his recommendation, but now find out that they are not the brand to use in this amp.


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

Pstar said:


> the traynor did not work had broken stand by swtich, he replace that and 1 resistor (charged me $170., this is outrages, i did pay him , but he rip me off), than proceed to do bias, but unable to bias the voltages should be aorund 530, only getting a reading of 400 , says there is issue with power section, could be caps, some resistors, power transformers, etc, etc, he did not confirm any specific areas, and suggested he could spent a few hours trying to figure it out costing $400-500 just diagosning than changing out parts as he proceeds sounds like he is guessing and doing trial and error till he gets it right, running the bill up to $800-1,000. he thinks it will cost. I get the impressions he does not really know what he is doing. The marshal now has a constant hum/buzzing sound, he says its the cheap wiring that marshall uses, and he could shield some of the wires, again it would be a few hundred $. I have heard many marshall's before, and have never heard that they need shielding. I checked online with some other techs and they don't shield them. He suggested to bring back the marshall and he will have a look, but if he has to fix it , there will be a charge. Am so dissappointed, now I have to take the amps to another tech, and i have little faith in these techs now.
> Paid $170. to change the stand by switch and 1 resistor. Charged$100. to bias the marshall 2 power tubes only. I supplied the tubes under his recommendation, but now find out that they are not the brand to use in this amp.


With vintage amps, it's always buyer beware. There could be a LOT that needs work under the hood. You posted here asking for someone to do some mods, that's not the same as repair. If the amp doesn't work to begin with, then it's going to take some money to get it working in the first place and then to mod it. I had a Traynor YGL3 that took about $500 worth of repairs to get working again (including new tubes). That's the nature of old amps.

I don't think any tech will just look at an amp and say "this is the problem, nothing else can be wrong" because you're dealing with an entire circuit. It _could_ be just one thing, but it also _might_ be something else entirely. And no tech is going to look around your amp for free.

The tech I referred you to does work for some of the major stores in Toronto as well, so his work is legit. Sorry you had a bad experience.

Also, for what it's worth, there's no "wrong" brand of tube for a Marshall. There's a wrong _type_ sometimes, but the brand if your choice entirely. Someone on the internet may like one brand over the other, but that doesn't mean that that brand is what HAS to go in there.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

J-C Maillet has a deep and profound understanding of Traynor, Fender and Marshall amps. You can find out more here: Welcome to "viva Analog" scroll down a bit.
The drawback is that he is out on Gabriola Island.


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## Pstar (Jan 28, 2011)

$170 to change a stand by switch and 1 resistor? way over price called another tech today, he said about $50 and this was Yorkville Traynor, another tech said $30. I would expect a tech to give me an idea what needs to be done, its called a quote !
He does not know what to do but says he will start changing out parts and that it could cost $800 - 1,000. that is outrages, these amps are the easiest to work on, quoted by 2 other tech's i spoke with today, and they can not believe what he was saying. What major stores does he do work for ? He did not have anything there to repair besides 1 amp his own amps, i visited him twice. The marshall now has this noise, and the other tech's laughed at the excuse he gave. Am not picking on you, just the bad experience I had. Brought in 2 amps and 1 not working as before $170 charge and not fixed, the other amp now has constant noise/buzzing tubes were installed and bias done $100. labor + tubes. Talked to a few other techs online , they all said get your amps out of there.
I asked to fix the traynor I wanted it working! than i would preceed to have it modded. As to the marshall, certain brands of tubes sound better in certain amps, if the amp is spec for el34's, yes all el34's will work, but MAY sound different, again other techs say that the tubes selected would not be there first choice at all for that amp.


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## Pstar (Jan 28, 2011)

Hollowbody, he did not give reason, but said its in the power section, that is so general. Than he offers to buy the amp from me!


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## Pstar (Jan 28, 2011)

amp gone back to yorkville, and it will cost $280 for caps. resistors , 2 power tubes and 3 pre tubes and wired 3 prong plug, ahahaha and that jack ass tech wanted $800-1,000. boonngg, helloo lesson learned, go to the pros, not to a wanna be.... beware of this guy


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