# Anybody using a bass amp for guitar? (Traynor content)



## garrettdavis275 (May 30, 2014)

Just what the title says. Anyone else tried this outside of the classic stoner/drone setting? I pulled a couple tubes from my Traynor YBA200-2 to take it down to a "safer" 100 watts. Plugged my Sg Jr. into it and a Big Muff, playing it at low volumes thru a couple Jensen Blackbirds (thanks Moot!)... I won't be cranking anything until I get a couple more high wattage speakers into the cabinet. But it sounds absolutely MASSIVE and articulate. Predictably rolled off highs in a very pleasant way, thick thick thick but no mud! Sounds great clean(ish) as well. I think the YBA is designed for early breakup so anywhere past high noon on the gain knob and you're well out of proper headroom but it's not full-on overdriven. First impressions are it could really make a great pedal platform to throw a drive into. Figured I'd share. Also the YBA is cheeeeeap on the used market. I got mine for $500 off Kijiji in Kamloops. Lot of amp for that price.


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## gtone (Nov 1, 2009)

I have a '66 BF Bassman head I run through a Marshall "clone" Saxon cab and/or a Vox cab. No secret that those are great amps for both bass and guitar though...


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## garrettdavis275 (May 30, 2014)

Never played the BF. Never heard one sound bad tho. Great amps!


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## Steve_F (Feb 15, 2008)

yeah, a blackface bassman. That doesn't count though since they were never good bass amps.


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## zurn (Oct 21, 2009)

I have a Traynor Bassmaster and Bassmate, both classic guitar amps now.


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## GTmaker (Apr 24, 2006)

I played my Ampeg PortaBass 250 Bass head with my guitars and it worked just fine....
All clean all the time....

G.


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## ed2000 (Feb 16, 2007)

I found a satisfying guitar tone from a Traynor Bloc 40B(solid state 1980's.)


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## garrettdavis275 (May 30, 2014)

I had a chance to pick up a Traynor TS200 a couple summers ago. 200 watt solid state bass head, had a built in 8 inch speaker on the side for practice purposes. Really odd but in a cool way. After this latest tone experiment I wish I had. Had a really intensive midrange eq section, probably would've been a gem for guitar. Looked badass at the very least. I shall keep my eyes peeled for one now.


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## gtone (Nov 1, 2009)

Steve_F said:


> yeah, a blackface bassman. That doesn't count though since they were never good bass amps.


Dude - they effin' ROCK as bass amps! Ever try one through an Ampeg cab? Yowza magowza!!


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## Guest (Jun 26, 2015)

I played my guitar through a bassman and bassmaster (a coupla' decades back)
and I have to say, I loved the sound too. I have a BXR 300 at a friend's studio.
I'll have to plug into that to check it out now.


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

The mighty Traynor YBA-1 of course!

Also owned an Ampeg SVT for a while, that sounded fantastic with a guitar. 

They did design them to be all purpose...keys, bass, guitar. But most people only use them for bass

I thought I read that somewhere that Dumble's "steel string singer" was inspired/based on the SVT?


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

I have an early Traynor Bloc 80B that does the job quite well. Never tried it on keyboard yet.


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## garrettdavis275 (May 30, 2014)

Always wanted to wind up an SVT to see what that felt like. Other than being promptly arrested for cratering half a city I bet it'd sound killer. Not many around my area tho, I doubt anyone wants to put up with the weight. Can't really blame them. Maybe a YBA300 tho... hmmm :smile-new:


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## Steve_F (Feb 15, 2008)

gtone said:


> Dude - they effin' ROCK as bass amps! Ever try one through an Ampeg cab? Yowza magowza!!


Eh, to each his own! Mine sounds like a mud puddle with a bass.


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## sambonee (Dec 20, 2007)

Gordie Johnson was known to have been playing a tweed champ like a hertzog then through a 200 watt 8x10" cabinet traynor amp. He's known to have good tone. Hmmmm

With a small mod, my yba4 combo is a superb guitar amp. I've already posted a number of times recently recordings of thst combination. I think it's heavy. Lmk if you can't find the link elsewhere.


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## Steve_F (Feb 15, 2008)

Garnet Herzog into Ampeg SVT heads into Traynor 4x12 cabinets. I've met Gordie a few times, he's always been really friendly and has always indulged my being a fanboy and gear head. He basically uses the SVT as a monstrous power amp and gets the tone from his Herzog. I have a Herzog myself and it sounds amazing. I haven't tried it in that capacity because I don't want to get evicted!


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

When I was young and relatively poor I used a bass amp for guitar, bass, and keyboards. I usually don't nowadays but sometimes I'll use one in a two amp system along with a guitar amp. I like that 15" tone, even from a Yorkville solid state bass amp.

Peace, Mooh.


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## ed2000 (Feb 16, 2007)

In the late '60s the bass player used an Ampeg Portabass (flip top head - not sure if that's the name). The 15" speaker cab made my Tele give wonderful sustaining feedback and a huge guitar tone. We were surprised that a lowly bass amp could work for guitar. Of course we already knew the about the versatility of YBA 1! heads.


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

many years ago (in the 70's) when I was in a band, I went amp shopping. I picked out the head I wanted (Garnet pro 200) and then I played that head through every cab I could find in a few different stores. I came home with a Traynor YT15 (2 X 15" cab). That's clearly a bass cab, but it gave me the best of the sound I wanted. Thick, Full range sound. The guys in the group thought I had lost it when I rolled in with this thing. They couldn't figure out what I was doing with a bass cab. 
Never turn your nose up at a bass amp just because it's a bass amp. Give it a try, you might be pleasantly surprised.


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## garrettdavis275 (May 30, 2014)

It seems i need to get ahold of an old Traynor. And Gordie's tone is ridiculously good, I forgot he used SVT's.


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## gtone (Nov 1, 2009)

A lot of the old Garnets and Traynors could be used interchangeably as bass and guitar amps depending on the speakers/cab config they were run through. I'd even extend that to their PA and keyboard applications too, in many cases.


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## numb41 (Jul 13, 2009)

I currently have a 100 watt Marshall Superbass. I love it. Had a 6G6-B 63 Bassman too that was great. Bass amps for bass?! Pfft!


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## Ti-Ron (Mar 21, 2007)

Down tuned Les Paul + Big Muff + YBA-1 =


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## Guest (Jun 27, 2015)

Some amps work the other way around too. I'd guess.

A couple of years back, I traded my Hiwatt custom 100 with 412 fane cab.
The guy wanted it for his bass. I was concerned at first, but, he showed
me the AP (all purpose) markings on the plates. I never knew that at the time.


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## Steve_F (Feb 15, 2008)

I used to use my old Hiwatt for bass on occasion. Used a Fender super twin for bass too, that actually sounded pretty damn good.


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