[torndownunit]

I just thought I'd start a central thread for discussion of Traynor and Garnet amps.

I have owned a YBA-1, a YGM-3 and now a YBA-2A. I have loved them all.

I was just watching a couple of auctions on eBay and a 6V6 YBA-2A is already up to $404 USD with 3 days left in the bidding! ANd there is a 1965 YBA-1 that is at $415 USD with 5 days left and 11 bids already. I know these are both sought after models/years, but I think these 2 auctions are going to break some eBay Traynor price records.

But anyway, post your experience with vintage Traynor/Garnet amps!

 

[ed2000]

I remember buying a YBA 1 and 2 x12 cab in the early 70's for $100 and selling for the same unit for $200 5 years later. In 2002 I bought a YBA -1A and 4 x12 cab for $280 and sold it a couple of years later for $320...just too much power.
1) 1966 Traynor YBA-1 BassMaster
2) 1968 Traynor YBA-1 BassMaster
3) Garnet Lil Rock head
4) Traynor 2 x 12 bumper cab
...and....
6) Yorkville Bloc100GT

Coupla years later only #3 remains with a VibroChanp and Vox Pathfinder 15r

 

[Scottone]

I've owned quite a few Traynors and Garnets over the years and they used to be incredible bargins when you could get them for 50 - 100 bucks.

I'd say that the best of the lot were a tube-rectified Bassmaster and an early Guitarmate Reverb III with the transformer in the reverb circuit (a la Fender). Those were my go-to amps for a few years.

To be honest, none were in the same league as my Stephenson LJ-15, although with mods they could have certainly been improved.

I've never owned one, but the Garnet Mini-Bass is a very cool little amp. I used to jam with a guy who had one, and used it every chance I got. Also there is a Garnet (and related Stensil models) that has cathode biased 6L6's and a 2x12 spearker config. I repaired one of those for a friend of mine and it was a killer sounding amp.

Certainly not the bargins that they were before, but still a lot of amp for the money.

 

[Jeff Flowerday]

She's stuck at the top now.

 

[Ripper]

Out here where I am you see Garnets fairly often at reasonable prices. I just grabbed a mint Sessionmaster 2x12 for $175.00. It was sold by a local church that had bought it new. I own four garnets and love them all.

 

[torndownunit]

I got my YBA-1 in about 1995 for $75. I sold it last year when I was moving for $600 believe it or not. It was an early one, so it was pretty desirable.

 

[Telemark]

Thanks to this forum I recovered an old YBA1 that I had given away because it was too heavy!


I have made a project of it and ended up with 6L6 ouptut stage.

It finally sounds and works like ?I think it should after lots of experiementing, only slight mods to the input coupling and tone stack and 1 Meg volume puts. Otherwise it's all Stock and LOUD.

I need a good 2-12 Cab to go with this Head.

I just spoke with a local collecter that has a Y(?)R , a Garnet and another YBA along with a some fenders -a Vibrolux and a twin.

I am heading over to see what's up and how I can help him out. THe garnett is in pieces!

 

[guitarzan]

i have a round cornered Traynor custom reverb YSR1 head and matching 2x12 cab. i am in the process of looking for someone in N.S to tweak it a bit and get it all cleaned up.
it works now but it needs TLC.
the sucker is loud and the channel bridging trick is great for getting crunch.
50 watts is enough.

 

[ed2000]

Advice: should I sell my working well Dyna Bass?

blank space

 

[Gibson Guy]

Reading this is making me all nostalgic. In the late 70's I picked up a used Bassmaster with a twin 15 cab for $100. I used it for guitar. Incredible amp. At the time, I think it weighed about as much as I did. I used to heave it into the trunk of my '69 Polara and blow the windows out of places. A friend had a Garnet head with a home-made 4-12 cab, and it was a bit of a monster too. Ahh, the good old days. That'd be wayyyy too much amp for me now.

 

[ssdeluxe]

love em.
had tonnes of these over the years now:
have a
yba-2a (base mate head, 2x 84's)
ygl-3a (mark111 head 4x 34's)

great to work on:

my overall experience is: they are super well built, and take well to "tweaking" to get them a little more "juicy" sounding, out of the box I would describe them as really good, but a little "hard" sounding, for lack of a better descriptor.

 

[bluecoyote]

I had a Traynor Guitar Amp and PA in the late 70s/early 80s I cannot remember the model number of the amp. It was just a great amp. Sold it to get cash to move away after University.

However, I still have the two 15" Traynor Speakers in my studio. They work and sound as well today as they did 30 years ago!

 

[radapaw]

Sniff, just sold my Traynor YBA-1a on Saturday...That was a hard one to see go. Luckily I've got a Garnet Pro bass in the basement waiting for some work.

 

[gerald guerrero]

I'd trade my left Knut for a Garnet.

 

[Yerffej]

I'd trade my left Knut for a Garnet.

some deals are still available, you just need to get lucky

 

[Hagar]

A little birdy told me there may be some interesting news on the Garnet front coming out over the next while. Before Gar passed away he made a deal to pass on the designs, rights and assets of Garnet Amplifiers. They went to the perfect person to hold them. That's all I know for now. Just keep your eyes and ears open for "new" Garnet news. :smilie_flagge17:

 

[radapaw]

[GLOAT] ya the Garnet was a great deal too.... free! [/GLOAT]

I'm not sure if it's technically public knowledge yet, but if anyones interested there is also a little birdy in the yahoo garnet group who's revealing some future plans! http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/garnet-amps/

I think that deserves a dancing banana
:banana:

 

[Ripper]

The Garnet group is a great group and Garnet amps is still going, it has been taken over by a fellow that has been working with Gar for years. He has just announced that he now has repro Garnet amp logos for sale, both in chrome and in brass.

 

[allthumbs56]

I still remember the day I took my Garnet Pro to the dump 20 years ago because the shop said it would cost too much to retube and that I was better off with solid state.

I could cry right now.

 

[sesroh]

please see my thread "advice needed!!"