# SVT vs. Traynor YBA-3A



## Jazzman (Dec 13, 2016)

Curious about views out there these days on which amp bass players prefer. The SVT's sales popularity speaks for itself; but there are many stories that it was designed through a reverse engineering of the YBA-3A Super Custom Special. Back in the day, I used an SVT in many venues and, truthfully, didn't understand at the time what all the fuss was about. But then, I was comparing to my YBA-3A, which I still own and which is still a beast.

These things are personal preferences, for sure. But now that we're several generations of solid state and hybrid amps later, what do bassists think about the two legends now? What experiences have you had that make you give one the nod over the other?


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## Frenchy99 (Oct 15, 2016)

I won't lie. I never played on an Svt but have played on lots and lots vintage amps. I have a yba3 and love it. I heard plenty of other guys with Svt and don't envy them in the least.... I personally love my sound with my Acoustic 470 solid state head in a 1520 cab. It's my main set up! Love the sound with that baby and I alo love my sound thru one of my Dynacord Gigant tube amp but that thing weights 2 ton. .. am getting older an my bass rigs aren't getting lighter. ..

I say. Find your sound and F... the name that is on the amp! Lots of great amps out there and with these 2 you know you can't lose. Any bass player would love one of both of these.


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

I've played SVTs (not vintage ones) and rented a YBA-3A for a weekend a few years back (played it thru a DIY 8x10 actually so very good comparison). I prefer the Traynor (but most bassists will say SVT - it really is the bass standard; like a Marshall half stack is for guitarists, and to me, that's the main thing it has going for it; any pro gig will have an SVT available if any backline at all). There is something about the Ampeg midrange voicing that I really don't like; can't be dialed out with the EQ. Also not such a huge fan of their cabs. And the Traynor is 1/2 the price or less.

The best tube amp for bass, IMHO, is Sunn - I now use a 1200s (guitar amp, but essentially the same as the 2000s bass amp + reverb and trem and mid boost vs bass boost switch which I'd never use anyway - I have the bass knob down ); before that I used a Garnet Sessionman PA head. All (tube) Sunns are very similar (identical power sections - 3 digit model # = 2 6550s for conservative 60watts and 4 digit model = 4 x 6550 for 120 on paper but in reality closer to 200). The larger Sunns are still cheaper than an SVT (new reissue or vintage); problem is near zero chance to find one locally.


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## Jazzman (Dec 13, 2016)

Granny Gremlin said:


> I've played SVTs (not a vintage ones) and a YBA-3A (into a DIY 8x10 actually so very good comparison). I prefer the Traynor (but most bassists will say SVT - it really is the bass standard; like a Marshall half stack is for guitarists, and to me, that's the main thing it has going for it; any pro gig will have an SVT available if any backline at all). There is something about the Ampeg midrange voicing that I really don't like; can't be dialed out with the EQ. Also not such a huge fan of their cabs. And the Traynor is 1/2 the price or less.
> 
> The best tube amp for bass, IMHO, is Sunn - I now use a 1200s (guitar amp, but essentially the same as the 2000s bass amp + reverb and trem and mid boost vs bass boost switch which I'd never use anyway - I have the bass knob down ); before that I used a Garnet Sessionman PA head. All (tube) Sunns are very similar (identical power sections - 3 digit model # = 2 6550s for conservative 60watts and 4 digit model = 4 x 6550 for 120 on paper but in reality closer to 200). The larger Sunns are still cheaper than an SVT (new reissue or vintage); problem is near zero chance to find one locally (there's a few fairly priced ones on reverb/ebay - the one local one, not to trash talk, just stay away).


I agree on the SVT mids Granny. My main issue was their SVT 8x10 cab. Huge bottom on stage, but no projection without PA support. In clubs, I'd be killing my drummer, but it still sounded thin 20 ft. off stage. Nice studio amp, but ... And prices were goofy. Still are.

I used a solid state Sunn + a slave unit - think they were around 300w apiece - back in the day, with two twin 15" JBL cabs, one front mount & one folded horn. Absolutely the sweetest rig I've ever owned. But it was HUGE and not well suited to smaller venues where you couldn't open it up. I've never used their tube amps.

But we digress . Anyone else on SVT vs. YBA-3 or 3A?


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I have watched too many YBA's die, and our SVT has only died once *knocks on wood*. SVT wins on reliability for me.

The fact that Traynor can fix your amp for you means nothing at all when you're in West Virginia


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## Jazzman (Dec 13, 2016)

Budda said:


> I have watched too many YBA's die, and our SVT has only died once *knocks on wood*. SVT wins on reliability for me.
> 
> The fact that Traynor can fix your amp for you means nothing at all when you're in West Virginia


Really? Wow. In addition to the Sunn mentioned above, I've owned Ampeg, Mesa, Gallien-Krueger, Marshall, Fender and others, plus several Traynors. The Traynors have been among the most bullet-proof of all. But I definitely hear ya. Crossed my fingers on more than one cross country tour . Great point. These days, my YBA-3A doesn't make it out of the studio.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

We were really hopeful as the amps themselves sound great, but it just didn't cut it for us. I can't speak to the vintage models.


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

There might also be something to be said for a) random bad luck b) Traynors (up until very recently) are/were dirt cheap (especially around southern Ontario) and therefore, heavily abused (not just kicked around, but also modded ) vs any expensive name-brand amp. ... or at least neglected; run into the ground, tubes and caps never changed etc. The last decade has shown itself to kinda be the limit on most components in tubes amps made in the early to mid 70s. Those carbon resistors get brittle with age and then the heat of a 4 tube power section will crack them in half. Nothing to do with build quality and common to all amps of this vintage (including old SVTs). Some makers (like Sunn) used wirewound (expensive, especially at the time vs carbon) resistors in critical areas for this reason.

Traynors are generaly damn solid. Only thing better in that regard is Hiwatt and any other Mil-Spec type stuff. You can't honestly compare the reliability of a 70s amp that's had an unknown number of previous owners to a new or newish SVT. Modern Ampegs aren't built particularly well (and the fact that it died on you once, despite not being half as old as any of the Traynors, which probably ran fine for a decade before even needing a tube change supports that), though they ain't the bottom of the heap either.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Oh the traynor was the new YBA-300, not the vintage stuff.


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## Jazzman (Dec 13, 2016)

Ah - that I can't speak to. The YBA-3A was introduced in 1968/69 (depending whether you're talking prototype or production) and went out of production about 45 years ago. Rarer than the YBA-3, I understand that only around 200 were ever made. A lot of them are still kicking. No question that Traynor, like a lot of 80's/90's amp lines, missed the mark in many respects. Seems like they've been getting it back in recent years, so comments like yours Budda are worth noting.


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## Granny Gremlin (Jun 3, 2016)

Budda said:


> Oh the traynor was the new YBA-300, not the vintage stuff.


Ah; that explains that. There was a known issue with the initial run of those. They have apparently fixed it in more recent versions, but yeah, damage to rep is done. Shameful, but a) as you imply, not indicative of vintage unit quality and b) unfortunately pretty much par for the course as regards modern mass produced amps ( see the Markbass debacle and current issue of the Fender Blues jr/Deluxe which has a power supply issue that could be fixed by changing a single resistor, a 20c part, but they don't because it tends not to fail in the warrantee period, and they have the parts in stock already so the cost is sunk... in fact they even prevent techs from fixing it by voiding the warrentee if they do).


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

I owned an early '70's SVT and 8x10 cab for a while ( plus an Ampeg V9 9x10 cab that sounded really good ), as well as a YBA3 and Big B 8x10

this was when I was playing bass

I sold the Ampeg gear and kept the Traynor; while the Ampeg sounded very good, I thought the Traynor sounded at least as good, for the sound I was going for. The SVT had more power, but I rarely got to open it up

the YBA3 gave me that big, fat, vintage sound with a P bass.

the SVT sounded really good for guitar, surprisingly. ( I think I read the steel string singer was based on the SVT? )

*in the Ampeg book, they state the SVT was designed for multiple applications, not just bass ( bass, guitar, keyboards ) so maybe that is not surprising

plus the Traynor 8x10 was easier to move around, as it fit through doorways better, sideways


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

well...sorry I misread the thread title

"YBA 3A" not "YBA3"


oops


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