Ever try a TRAYNOR ?

Steve Spitz · Post by **Steve Spitz** » 24 Sep 2005 5:49 pm

I saw a Traynor in a pawnshop, looks like it has a 15" speaker, with reverb, likely solid state. Sounds like a possible steel amp. Model is TS75. Anybody tried one ??

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 24 Sep 2005 10:00 pm

I have owned several TUBE Traynors.. They were among the VERY BEST steel amps I ever tried.. I am looking for one now If you don't buy it LET ME KNOW.. ok??? bob

Leslie Ehrlich · Post by **Leslie Ehrlich** » 24 Sep 2005 10:02 pm

In my opinion, the TS series were the worst guitar amps Traynor ever made. TS stands for 'TOTAL S**T'! The distortion sounds gross and the stock 12" speakers sound extremely thuddy. The 15" versions aren't much better. I don't know about using one as a steel amp, but for guitar the TS amps are garbage.

David Ip · Post by **David Ip** » 25 Sep 2005 6:51 am

The original all tube Traynors from the 60s and 70s are great amps. After Peter Traynor left the company (or got bought out or whatever) the "new" Traynor started pumping out lousy solid state amps. These days the Traynor name is back on all tube amps, which again are nothing like the old ones.

The old ones are built like brick s-houses, if you google around you may find some of the old history and stories about them. In a nutshell, Peter Traynor was the electronics tech at a music store in the '60s, and built a series of amps for the rental department. These rentals had to be tough, and in that era of low power (or non-existent) PAs, LOUD. Torture testing included throwing the amps off the roof of the store! The transformers inside them are almost always made by Hammond, very tough and conservatively rated. Steel chassis and eyelet boards inside make them easy to work with. Tonally most models are something like a Marshall and Hiwatt. Very big and clean sounding, typical of the era, like an old Musicman amp. A Traynor Mark III (Twin Reverb style, but with EL34 output tubes) pushing an 15" loaded extension cab is a thing of beauty with slide guitar or steel.

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 25 Sep 2005 9:43 am

We used a Traynor amp on the last Jon Wayne show, and it worked great for Zebracaster and steel.

Bob Carlucci · Post by **Bob Carlucci** » 25 Sep 2005 4:36 pm

Yeah Steve if its SS. I'd pass unless it REAL cheap.. The Traynor tube Amps sound like a Music Man but are sweeter and more musical due to the all tube preamp.. The EL 84 driven reverb is a thing of beauty... Better than some Fenders.. These amp are NO LONGER cheap.. a few years ago, you could find them for peanuts.. today, they are bringing vintage Fender type money.. many guys are getting them modded by amp gurus into fire breathing dragons... bob

Steve Spitz · Post by **Steve Spitz** » 25 Sep 2005 6:20 pm

I only assumed it was SS, I could easily be mistaken. I`ll try and get back to take a peek, and let you know.

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 26 Sep 2005 9:55 am

I had a Traynor 2-12 amp that I really miss! It had 4 of the EL-84 power tubes and only about 60 or 70 watts maybe, I don't remember. The front was like a Twin Reverb with that 1st channel with just volume, treble, and bass knobs. The 2nd (main) channel had reverb and tremolo just like a twin. I traded it for a resonator guitar that I don't have anymore either. The Traynor was a real workhorse and I never had any problems at all with the thing....JH in va.

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Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!!

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 26 Sep 2005 1:18 pm

I've had a couple of Traynors---I bought a YCV80Q, with 4-10's, a couple of years ago, to play steel through. Supposed to be 80 watts, but I think it may have run a little hotter than that---Real good amp, although I traded it for a Session 400. I also had one of those 40-watt, maroon, 1-12" jobs that Pete Traynor had signed. A BEAUTIFUL amp, but I could not get a good tone out of it. A friend came over, and we switched amps around---Fenders, MusicMan, Lab Series, Peavey---then we broke out that little Traynor, and it wouldn't hold a candle to my Deluxe Reverb.
Best warranty in the business, though!

Mike Ruffin · Post by **Mike Ruffin** » 29 Sep 2005 2:25 pm

Hi Steve

I have a Traynor YCV20WR that I play lap steel through. I don't play out, just at home. It has a great sound to my ears. They also have the YCV40 & 80. They are built real stout and have a geat warranty.

Good luck!
Mike