# Traynor amps and cabs????



## pat6969 (Feb 4, 2013)

I have the opportunity to buy a Traynor YCS50H and YCS412A2 for $650 in mint condition. Don't know much about Traynor, is this a decent deal? I listened to a couple clips on YouTube and it sounds good but there wasn't too many clips. I'm using a Kemper now and don't see myself going back to lugging a tube amp around but if it's a decent deal I'd just set it up in the music room and leave it.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

It sounds 'OK' but nothing spectacular. We know that, unfortunately, Traynors don't hold their value especially well and that it's a soft market on top of that. On the other hand, lots of guys like their YCS50s, and generally their gear is well built as to be rented out frequently and subjected to god knows what abuse.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Stick with the Kemper. You have a box that does it all.


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## pat6969 (Feb 4, 2013)

keto said:


> It sounds 'OK' but nothing spectacular. We know that, unfortunately, Traynors don't hold their value especially well and that it's a soft market on top of that. On the other hand, lots of guys like their YCS50s, and generally their gear is well built as to be rented out frequently and subjected to god knows what abuse.


I looked up the cab on their site and apparently it has 4 V30's, looks like it could be a nice cab.


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## pat6969 (Feb 4, 2013)

Budda said:


> Stick with the Kemper. You have a box that does it all.


Oh, the Kemper is going nowhere, I can't believe how good that box is. I thought my AxeII XL was good, the amps in the Kemper are spot on, IMO.


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## garrettdavis275 (May 30, 2014)

I know the listing you're talking about. The cab would be a gooder. Not top of the line but definitely good.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I'd just spend $600 on a cab I know is top of the line (Orange, Mesa, Marshall).


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## garrettdavis275 (May 30, 2014)

Budda said:


> I'd just spend $600 on a cab I know is top of the line (Orange, Mesa, Marshall).


yep I agree


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## garrettdavis275 (May 30, 2014)

Or buy some birch and build something amazing. When you look into most cabs they're pretty underwhelming as far as workmanship/design goes. It wouldn't take much to outdo 99% of what's readily available.


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## pat6969 (Feb 4, 2013)

I wouldn't include the Marshall cab in that list though. MDF back and plastic parts???? They can't hold a candle to the Mesa or Orange cab.

Anyway, I don't need an amp or cab, LOL! Just thought it was a decent deal. Maybe I'll pass and save up for another guitar.


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## garrettdavis275 (May 30, 2014)

That depends on the year of Marshall. It's easy to find a Marshall from the 90's on the 'Jij


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## garrettdavis275 (May 30, 2014)

EDIT: apparently Marshall went to MDF in the 70's. this requires further investigation since I know my 1960 has a ply back. I did buy it used tho. Maybe the previous owner fabbed a new one.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

garrettdavis275 said:


> Or buy some birch and build something amazing. When you look into most cabs they're pretty underwhelming as far as workmanship/design goes. It wouldn't take much to outdo 99% of what's readily available.


You can only go so far until the only thing you're changing is exotic woods as opposed to baltic birch...

I assure you my '83 marshall JCM800 cab has taken years of being loaded in and out and sounds killer. Can be had for $500.


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## garrettdavis275 (May 30, 2014)

Budda said:


> You can only go so far until the only thing you're changing is exotic woods as opposed to baltic birch...
> 
> I assure you my '83 marshall JCM800 cab has taken years of being loaded in and out and sounds killer. Can be had for $500.


Don't have to assure me broski, I totally agree with ya. I got a tube of silicone and a pack of weather stripping, sealed the baffle and gasketted the back of my Marshall. It didn't change the tone but it feels a good bit tighter. You can lose some air out of loose parts or poorly joined pieces. There was some decent sized gaps between the baffle and framing on mine in a few spots. Does that make it a piece of crap? No way, my favorite guitars still needed a bit of setting up when I got them home from the store. I think of that minor cabinet tlc as the same kinda thing. Plus it's fun to tinker


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

pat6969 said:


> I have the opportunity to buy a Traynor YCS50H and YCS412A2 for $650 in mint condition. Don't know much about Traynor, is this a decent deal? I listened to a couple clips on YouTube and it sounds good but there wasn't too many clips. I'm using a Kemper now and don't see myself going back to lugging a tube amp around but if it's a decent deal I'd just set it up in the music room and leave it.


I know of two YCS90's and a YCS50 (all combos) listed at $700 ea. Sounds like a fair deal to me, but I'm no pro. (I really do like the YCS's though....lots of features, nice cleans and a healthy dose of gain if that's up your alley...oh, and a 15/50 watt power selection


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

I have the combo. Great amp!!!


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## SG-Rocker (Dec 30, 2007)

Traynor cabs are every bit as solid as anything else out there.
The cabs have metal handles (not plastic like Marshall)
The cab that matches the YCS50 (wheat grille) is loaded with the exact same G12T75 speakers that come standard in Marshall cabs.
Lastly, Traynor cabs are made from 11/16 Birch plywood and not 5/8 like most others.

The YCS50 head does many things very well, it's definitely worth a spin.


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## bcmatt (Aug 25, 2007)

SG-Rocker said:


> Traynor cabs are every bit as solid as anything else out there.
> The cabs have metal handles (not plastic like Marshall)
> The cab that matches the YCS50 (wheat grille) is loaded with the exact same G12T75 speakers that come standard in Marshall cabs.
> Lastly, Traynor cabs are made from 11/16 Birch plywood and not 5/8 like most others.
> ...


I would have to agree. I would not turn up my nose at a Traynor Cab... in fact it's one of the few modern cabs I trust to be good quality construction with proper Birch ply and not some particle board. They are solid. The YCS50 is also a pretty decent amp, making $650 a pretty awesome deal for the pair.


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## Toogy (Apr 16, 2009)

I think it's a great deal! I'm still rocking my YCS50H and matching 4x12 cab. Love the amp! I've tried different amps, marshall, mesa etc.. but still come back to the traynor. It gets all the sounds I like, plus has some nice features like line out (which actually sounds pretty good) for recording, boost, american & british switches on the clean channel to give you different options. My main sound is actually on the clean channel with the british switch engaged and the gain cranked. 
And Traynor cabs are SOLID. As some one else has already said, they are made from birch ply, super solid. I compared it to my friends JCM900 cab that was made from what looked like MDF and my cab sounded way better (even though they both have the same speakers)


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## hollowbody (Jan 15, 2008)

That's a solid deal! Unfortunately, the Traynors don't get the recognition they deserve. I'd take that YCS50 head over any Marshall DSL or JVM series. The cab is also very nice, much better than a stock 1960A/B. For $650, you really can't go wrong.

I had the YCS50 combo for a long time and I really liked it. Cleans were very nice and the OD channel sounded awesome. Good set of controls on it, too.


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## Scotty (Jan 30, 2013)

Just grabbed a YCS myself. I'm loving it.


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

The only thing that lets this amp down, IMO, is the cosmetics. I'm just not digging the big front panel and the smaller valence above it. Love the features and sounds though.


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## fretzel (Aug 8, 2014)

I definitely prefer the logo other amps.


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## ezcomes (Jul 28, 2008)

so...i do a little recording at home...i set my YCS50H up last night so that i could record at lunch today...dunno what i was thinking...but as a testament to quality...

first it turned out, i had the speaker plugged into the footswitch jack...so, figured that one out pretty quick when i turned it on...but it was on for at least 2mins...after switching, still no sound...but i could hear sound thru the tubes, or maybe the tranny (i dunno, i admit it was weird, but there was sound coming out of the headshell)...turned out that the cable wasn't 'all the way' into the speaker cab...that was another 2-3 mins of trying to decide if i had another dead cable...

either way...fired up and sounded great...although, part of me still wants a 4x12 to go with it!


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

I'm a big fan of the Darkhorse cabs, I have a 2x12 and a 1x12.

I like that convertible aspect with the removable back panels.


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## dwagar (Mar 6, 2006)

I'm another YCS50H owner. I really like it.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Just ordered a YCV40WR. 

Will deal the YCV50blue that's been my main amp for years, and the YCV20 that's been my backup for almost as long. Great amps, both of them, but I need to update. Not sure what I'll buy as a backup, but until I decide I've still got a solid state Traynor DG30 that will do in a pinch.


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