Traynor Guitarmate 3

Late 60's - early 70s. Purchased it used in 1980. Same as others - a pair of EL-84 output tubes and a bunch of 12AX7s into a 1x12 speaker. One channel, two inputs - there used to be three, this ones been modded to allow either maxing out the preamp tubes with the outputs down or maxing the outputs with the preamps down (or any combination). Very cool. It has nice reverb and tremelo. Used for recording mostly, although I'd be glad to play out with it. Great for country, blues, pop. Only limitation is that it doesn't have the huge big bottom - not much of a metal amp. The amp was capped and tubed by Jeff Krumm at Savage Audio in 1994. I replaced the stock 12" Marsland speaker with a Weber 12F150 speaker and I have a 12" Weber Blue Dog ceramic speaker in an extension speaker I also use with this amp.

This amp is used with a Fender Thinline Tele, Schecter Tele, and Aria Pro II Les Paul all with humbuckers, and a Yamaha AEX-502 with P-90 single coils.

The overall sound of this amp improved 100% with the introduction of the Weber speakers. And it has sounded really good since Savage Audio tuned it up. It has awesome reverb. The clean sound is pristine. The distortion comes on gradually and smoothly, and the amp compresses beautifully when it's cranked up. The only limitation was that the old speaker tended to be a bit spikey, flubby and had weird overtones at high volumes (typical vintage Marsland, as I hear it). The Weber speakers have cured that and now the tone is really sweet. It sounds great played clean or with a touch of sizzle for country. The rock and blues distortion leans toward the Fendery/Voxy kind of tone. It's capable of Byrds/REM style chimey at about 30-50% and it makes great Rolling Stones styled tones at about 40-60%. I run it with a Blues Driver and a Tube Screamer for leads and more rockin stuff - it likes pedals. I've also used it with a Scholz Rockman and it can pull off kind of metallic but it doesn't really hit you in the gut. It's a little combo, for pete's sake. LOL

The reverb tube needed replacing in 1993, that's when I brought it in and had it tubed and capped. Otherwise, it is built like a tank and has been reliable.

Doesn't really apply in this case. Savage did a great job servicing the amp and based on their comments it was easy to work on.

If it were lost I'd buy another one. I also own a '62 Fender Concert a Cyber Twin, an Epiphone Blues Jr, and an old Solid State Jordan amp.

The only way I'd part with this would be as part of a trade for a Savage amp. I'm jonesin' for a Savage. But this is a great little amp. For $75 it was the deal of the century. I see them listed on eBay for ~$300-$400. That's a bargain, I think, for a good tube combo.

Controls/features are covered off in other reviews. Mine is a clean '72, with a reissue Celestian Greenback (instead of the stock speaker). It is a very robustly built for the 15W it produces (weighing in around 45 lbs); but won't win any prizes in the looks department. It would keep up in a small club setting (it is 15 tube watts) as long as your drummer isn't Keith Moon, but is not suitable for larger clubs unless mic'd.

I play mostly Blues/Rock through a Tokai Tele or Squier Strat and a Marshall Bluesbreaker II pedal. I traded in a tired '71 Silverface Champ in a moment of weakness for the Traynor, largely because of the Traynor's great Reverb (more on this below) and that I already have a Supro 1602 as a practise amp (a great small combo amp that uses the same circuit as the Silverface Champ but has a more versatile tone control -- it actually works -- and a 10" speaker which doesn't fart out).

After living with the Traynor for a little while, I find the amp to be overally bright and bass heavy: it takes some tweaking to get a warm distorted sound out of it. The "Bright" switch is useless given that it already is a bright sounding amp; the sound tends to muddy as the volume increases; and as the amp enters its "sweet spot" unless its at about 3 o'clock on the Volume control, its not a practise amp for people in apartments.

On a positive vein both Reverb and Tremolo are very versatile and sweet sounding with a wide range of adjustments available from subtle to way over the top (particularly the Tremolo).

I'm giving it a "6" because it being both bass heavy and overally bright, tempered by really great Reverb.

A 30+ year old amp, robustly built, cosmetically in great shape, all the controls work with no noise, its easily serviced, has a schematic glued inside for your tech, and as mine has new tubes I don't expect anything to break down soon. For jamin' with your friends or open mic nights I gave it a 9; however given its age, if you are full time musician this is not an amp for you.

Out of warranty and not supported by the new company owners.

Its a heavy amp for 15W, and requires some tweaking to get a nice warm distorted sound that's not overally bright or bass heavy. If it wasn't for the great reverb, I'd be tempted to use my Supro 1602 (a great little combo amp but has no Reverb), appropriately mic'd for gigs, all the time.

If it was lost/stolen I'd buy something like a Fender Pro Junior (at less than half the weight with the same output tubes), just so that I wouldn't have to lug the thing around.

Hi there! I just wanted to tell everybody that Peter Traynor is alive and well. He lives in Ontario Canada (of course) and he is my neighbour. He is married and enjoying the life of luxury with his wife and step daughter. By the way he sold the name Traynor Amps to Yorkville sound. They are going to be making some more Traynor Amps. So there you have it Peter is Still living!! November 13 2002 submitted.

Mine is a 72, and it's reliable as hell. Its got 3 channels, and the tremelo & reverb are great. 75 watts of all tube power. Its a great amp.

I use this amp with a 73 Yamaha Pacifica (if you want to call it that) and a new Gibson SG. It sounds great with both guitars. The only thing is when turn everything up on the amp, it gives off this really weird buzzing/beeping noise.

As much as I like this amp, I wouldn't use it in gigs. It's never broken down for me at least, but I've only had it for about 4 months.

They don't make this beast anymore.

It's a great, loud tube amp. I mean what more can you ask for? Especially since it was made in the early 70s.

Mine is a '72 and I must admit that it's the perfect little (though heavy)tube combo. The reverb is nice, tremolo is excellent. I prefer this over my bassman 10 or my deluxe as you can crank it up and really enjoy it's full tone.

I play mostly blues and old southern rock and this amp sounds big. Very warm tones, great bottom,sustains like crazy and really responds to your attack. I mainly use my tex-mex strat with a sd-1, cry-baby,chorus and accoustic simulator, and enjoy the great bluesy tones a la SRV. My Fender Tornado really digs in the bottoms with this amp really good for T.Hip style stuff.

It's a 72 with original everything (including tubes). My primary gig amp great for small clubs and then some(Miked obviously)

Don't need it even if it was still in place

If you can find one buy it as it's a quarter the price of anything similar. My 2 fenders (bassman 10, super reverb) sound great but are too big to haul. This amp would be the only amp you would ever need.I love mine nd so should you.

Mine was made in 1972. It's tubes, it's class A.
3 inputs, bass and treble controls, spring reverb and tremelo.

I own a Vox AC30, Fender Pro Jr as well as the Traynor.
Yhey all sound excellent and I wouldn't part with any of them.
The Traynor has a brighter, crisp sound compared to my other 2 amps. It has a very natural, earthy, clean sound
I recommend your favorite distortion pedal to get the overdrive tones
as the preamp doesn't cut it, at least for me.
Before, nothing could touch the tone of an AC30, not that the Traynor is better, but it defintely deserves to be used along side it.
This amp is HIGHLY under-rated for it's tone, it can get an amazing rock tone that the AC30 just can't get. Actually, this amp reminds me of an AC15 with more of an old Marshall edge. very Zeppelinish, and great for that Sone Temple Pilots sound, where you can hear ever note ringing in a distorted chord. I use a tube pedal called a Varidrive for distorted tones. I'm sure some distortion pedals won't be right for this amp, you'd have to experiment.

We've all heard about how reliable they are.

The maker is deceased

I'm looking for another one. It's a keeper. Perfect for studio work and clubs.

All you need if you like old fenders i.e.;reverb,tremelo,standby and the standard controls.

I have all the cool vintage toys plus PRS,G&L....try all the styles as the mood shifts...the amp gives as good as the big name vintage combos.Fender has cooler reverb but the reverb is good at moderate levels.Totaly acceptable too the jaded vintage pampered ear.

Peter Traynor built the toughest amps in the world,period.[they do weigh a ton though! but are a joy to service]

any body can fix one of these....are you kidding;this is basic!!these amps were built to be service friendly.

It generaly stays on 5-10 hours a day everyday...for years. But don't buy the next one you see in a pawn shop...I want it.

20 Watt tube amp with reverb and tremolo. Single volume, Treble, Bass.
Three inputs. Closed back 1x12 Cab. Great restaurant, small club amp. What more do you need?

I play blues, jazz, rootsy stuff etc. I play on the edge of overdriving the amp. It works very well with my style and guitars (64 strat, Guild Capri) This amp reacts like a old Vox AC-15 and you get REVERB TOO! Not a lot of overdrive here but plenty of bluesy grind. Great T-Bone! I found the stock alnico Marsland boring so I swapped it for a celestion which added dynamic range and warmer mids. Tremolo doesn't go slow enough but I will mod that easily.

It is bullet proof. Mr Traynor is a Canadian Hero in my books. Some of the best design work anywhere. I'm surprised other companies haven't copied his cabinet with the removeable top to access circuit. The fact that there are so many still around is testimony enough.

I think Mr Traynor has had nothing to do with Traynor amps since the seventies . The corporate monopolizing giant Long and McQuade owns the name.
Don't expect any help from them...

I own a guitar shop and have played nearly everything. I've been at it now about thirty years Ahhhh. I have old Fenders and Marshalls and Voxs at home but I take my Guitar mate out for working clubs. It's different but not that much... Some times the big names are just status symbles anyway. If you want fuzz and raunch look elsewhere. If you want a classic warm tube amp with lots of dynamic range, nice reverb, for my two cents, buy every one you can get while they're cheap cause the words out south of the border!