I_cant_play said:
I tried the ycv 50 once but I didn't get a chance to really turn it up so maybe that's why it didn't drive me nuts. I also noticed that the eq controls don't have much of a range on that amp and it's not very focused sounding (possibly because of the VERY open back cabinet). the ycv40wr seems very tempting but it doesn't seem to have the character to do hard rock when needed. I'm still considering the ycv50 though so we'll see..
thanks
There are a few problems trying the YCV50 in the store. First is the problem you mentioned...it's one powerfull amp. While they can sound decent at lower volumes using the Global Master Volume, they sound their best live. Second, the tubes in the Traynor YCV amps are garbage IMO. I owned a 50blue and when I retubed it with JJ's the difference in the gain, and how smooth the amp broke up was like night and day. The third thing is I don't know if the Celestion V30 is really the best speaker for this amp...but even at that trying one out when the speaker isn't broken in doesn't give you the bext perspective.
But for the needs you mentioned, I really think it's a great amp. And you can get them used for a killing. I know because I took a beating selling ones used. The Traynor YCV amp are fantastic, but their resale value is not very good. There aren't very many EL34 based tube combos in that price range around though. The gain channel on them is incredible.
I normally always recommend shopping locally on sites like Craigslist and Kijiji before buying on eBay. But if you are set on a Carvin amp, that odds are very slim that you will find one used locally. But you might want to look in to options.
It really doesn't matter how good a sellers feedback is, shipping damage on something like an amp is a real possibility. I have had 4 amps shipped to me, and 2 of them have had shipping damage. One was because of bad packing, but the other was packed incredibly well and still recieved damage. I still buy amps online (just bought a reverend Goblin), but I do get nervous and would prefer to buy locally when I can.
Another thing I forgot to mention is a lot of sellers will only ship UPS from the States. I can't verify this, but from what I have been told UPS covers insurance claims a lot easier than USPS. UPS also has better online tracking. So a lot of times you get stuck with UPS whether you like it or not.