Traynor Mark III 212 Combo

Mine's a 1973 model. Two 12" speakers. Seemingly indestrucatable construction. Heavy as fuck. Two channels. Two inputs per channel. Normal and boost switch. Reverb. Tremolo (w/speed and intensity controls). Master gain. Lots of tubes in the back. Looks awesome. Missing channel switching & effects loop. With four different inputs, one could aways use an A/B box though...

I play a Gibson SG thru it. If you're looking to get distorted sounds out of this amp, I suggest an SG thru this. It'll give you a great slicing distortion sound, especially with the boost switch on - think of a rougher/ballsier early-AC/DC sound. Bizkit and Korn-heads need not apply. I love a two-ton crunch as much as the next person, but this is the sound I want my amp to make on its own. I can always put a pedal in front of it for more sustain or overdrive. Lots of high and low end. Not much depth to the lower-mids though. This amp is also capable of sparkling clean sounds. Good sounds on tap just by cranking the amp and playing with the guitar volume and tone. Top two inputs are much cleaner than the bottom two. I've played other guitars thru the Mk III - not nearly as much break-up. All the tone you'll need before splurging on a Fender. Actually, I'll go ahead and say this amp has a more substantial clean (and far dirtier distortion capability) than most Fenders available. In my humble opinion, of course.

I've only had it half a year so far, but I'll bet my bottom dollar this will outlast me, my children, their children, and their children's children, and maybe a nuclear holocaust after that. My score is mearly a projection.

I'll never know.

I've been playing for about ten years. I've got a Gibson Gospel acoustic (another unkown jem) and play an SG through the Mk III. I love guitars, but am always weary of paying huge bucks for stuff. That's why the Mk III is perfect. Real-deal vintage tube amp vibe and sound for much less than comparable 'big-name' amps. The reliability is legendary. Why follow the herds? Does your amp really have to say Fender or Marshall on it? Fuck no. On the grand scheme, an 8, for the money, an 11.

From the wiring and layout, this looks like a 1976 model. When people ask me if I play guitar, I say, "Nah, I just play with it>" so I play around with everything, Rock, Country, Classical, Alternative, (ever hear Acid Bluegrass?). The amp has two channels with independant inputs. One channel is dry, the other has footswitchable reverb and tremolo. If you have one of these amps and no switches, you can make your own with a push on/push off footswitch, and a shielded single conductor cable (an old guitar cord with one plug cut off works fine). build one for each effect. Too bad there's no channel switching or effects loop, easy to fix if you know what you're doing though. The gain on the effects channel is sufficient for some mild crunch with the channel volume set to max, but when I bought this one, one of the output tubes was shot so I pulled out the matching tube and re-biased. It still blows stuff off the wall with the master at 4 with only two output tubes, and overdrives a little easier. I'm thinking about rodding it up a little with channel switching, an effects loop, running both channels through the onboard effects with additional gain on the second channel, adding a presence control to the power amp, as well as a variable control to the power amp feedback circuit. The addition of castors is mandatory.

I'm using a Yamaha RGX612S which give me a pretty broad tonal range. Usually I go direct into the bottom jack on the effects channel. I can get an acceptable amount of distortion, with unlimited harmonics and feedback on demand. The only noise I get is the hum from the single coil pickups and only a hiss at higher volumes in humbucker mode. Forget about distortion on the dry channel, but on the effects channel, with the channel volume to max, treble at mid, mid at max, and bass at mid, there's enough to crank out some good old fashioned ZZ-Top back when they were playing Texas Boogie style suff,(The good stuff). I do have an effects settup I use ocassionally. I plug it in to the top jacks and set the channel volume to 5.

When I bought this amp, a solder connection was broken in the reverb circuit, the neon lamp in the modulator for the tremolo was burned out, and one of the output tubes was shot. The solder joint took about five minutes to fix. The modulator involved a trip to Radio Shack for an NE-2 bulb and a packaged assortment of photoresistors. It took some trial and error experimentation to pick out the right photoresistor, but a lot of that is personal preference to what it shoud sound like. Instead of buying new tubes, I cut the output down to two tubes. Instructions for setting bias are on the schematic in the cover. Just set the voltage the same as if you had four tubes in.
I've been playing this amp for 12 years now and that's all I've had to mess with.

Learn some basic electronics. Anyone that works on tube amps should be able to fix it.

I started playing when I was 8 (first formal guitar lesson) Actually, I'd been try to play since I could first pick up a guitar. If this amp were ever lost or stolen, I'd probably cry because I couldn't afford another at any price. When you can find these they are an excellant buy. The most I've personally seen asked for one was $175.00 in a pawn shop for a YGL-3A (head only). They are easy to fix if you don't blow a tranformer.

This one appears to be late 60's, it has cloth wiring throughout.Fender should have done similar.

The reverb is not quite the same as a Fender, but is better than a crate. The amp, although appears to be a Fender clone, sounds more like a Marshall. After a new set of speakers and maybe a full retube, I am sure this amp could hold its own. I like the circuit breaker power supply.

The only items I ever changed on it in the 6 years I have owned it were the bright switches. Although I did recently fry a speaker (my own fault). This thing is built like a tank.

Traynoy is long gone. But any Fender/Marshall tech could service it.

I am thinking of unloading this beast in the near future for my body has been bashed up a bit in recent years. Not only as strong, but as heavy as a tank. I need something lighter, but may keep this around.

I won't add anything as they're well listed above

I play an American Strat plus(gold lacesensor pickups):Fender Tele Plus(noisless pickups) and an Aria Pro FA70 (Dual humbucker big hollow body blues guitar). I try to play everything from blues , Country, to ACDC and have had the Mark 3 since I was 15 (I'm now 40).
It has a super bit in the clean channel and settings,(have to turn the treble way down cause it hurts my ears!). In the reverb chanell,the sound can be anything to super clean and brite to warm and bluesy. The tremolo doesn't get used much anymore, but I've yet to hear an amp with more reverb to offer then my Mark 3!
As stated before,it offers a grungy overdrive but you need an overdrive pedal to get the Marshall overdriven sounds out of it. You won't be dissapointed for any style of music .(tons of bottom end)espescially when I add in the 4-12 Traynor extention cab to it.
Bought a Marshall TSL 100 (Jcm 2000) series not too long ago,with a 4-12 vintage cab,housing two greenbacks and two celestion,s . Sounds real sweet but I keep going back to the old one. Also have a Peavey Classic 50. The Traynor has nothing to be ashamed about when put up against these two amps. It always has had a little more hum to it than the Marshall or Peavey ,nothing to worry about, the fan on the Peavey is louder!
I would never part with this amp.It sounds great and is better sounding than a lot of Fender or other Tube amps on the market today for $1000 + ... once you add a DOD or MXR overdrive stomp box to it!
Everything on this amp is original, except for two pre amp tubes that were getting a little noisy and were replaced just this year!
Mr Traynor ... thks

I've dragged this thing around for 25 years and haven't had a problem.Yeah I sure can depend on it. The only problem with this amp is that I have to get help now days to haul it around (man is it heavy) or else I'm just getting too old!

Your on your own now!!

Summed up my thoughts already,except if it was stolen or lost. I would have to let it go, getting too old to haul one that heavy around.
I know of a few guys that have "hot rodded " this amp for more overdrive and made the channells switchable. They have made it into a real killer.

I bought this amp new in 1973. 100 watts of all tube power, two channels one dry, one reverb and tremalo, two twelve inch speakers. Heavy, I put castors on the day I got it. Nice and clean sound for country, jazz or roots rock. No channel switching. Has a master volume. One very nice feature--the top of the traynor cabinet lifts off by loosening four bolts and there is a scematic stapled on the underside. I don't need alot of features. Just want to plug in and go.

Over the years I've played a 335, a les paul, a strat and currently a tele. All stock pickups. I replaced the speakers with two altecs in 1974. It really cuts through. I turn the channel volume to ten and use the master to adjust maximum loudness. Then I ride the guitar volume as needed. I can usually get some break up with the guitar all the way up. An overdrive pedal really helps to push the amp into some sustain and crunch. I currently use a daddy-o and a rat. One gripe I have is the tone controls don/t seem to be very sensitive. Cranking the bass to ten doesn't give much bottom end. I must say though that these days I prefer to play at lower volumes and unless I'm playing outside I use my old fender deluxe with a weber speaker.

I played the bejeezus out of this amp from 1972 to 1984. Retubed when necessary. It only went down a couple of times. A broken solder conection after being dropped. Had to replace a couple of capicitors. I never used a back up. I guess I'm just a lucky!

What?

Been playing since 1965. Have a335 and a tele now. Fender deluxe, princeton and twin reverb. Still want someting else. Baciclly I think of my traynor as a real workhorse. You can find them in a pawn shop real cheap so if you got no dough and yearn to blow then check one out. Or I'll even sell you mine.

ps--great site Harmony--thanks

This amp does not have alot of features, it does not have any effects loops, headphone jacks or line out. It does have 2 clean channels, one of which has not reverb. But for it's limited features, it does have enough power to play anywhere. Personally I've never had to push the level higher than 7. The only effect it has besides reverb is tremelo, which I can't use for alot of songs, but when I do it adds alot of flavor to whatever I'm playing. This amp may be very versatile, but if you plan on getting one for yourself I would suggest castors or a dolly.

This amp is equipped with 2x12 eminence speakers, which helps give it such a clean, full and rich tones at even high levels, which is perfect for any styles you wish to play at anywhere you wish to play them. It does have a slight hum but I think that once I get a few new power tubes popped in and it cleaned out it should sound as good or better than any Fender, Marshall etc. It may not look the best, but as long as it sounds as good as it does I'll never part with it!

Never once does the amp give me any problems, it is the most reliable and toughest amp I've ever had. I definately trust it enough to play with it out on a gig without a backup.

I've have been playing for about 5 years, and my father has been playing for over 30 years. Weve had this amp for about 5 years now and in 5 years of playing around, weve determined that it plays just as good or better than any Fender, Marshall etc
This is the best deal my father and I have come across. We found the Mark III in the corner of a pawn shop. It had dust all over it and just looked like it died, but when we plugged it we knew we had to have it.

My amp was made in 1972. It is still going strong, and it probably always will. I live in Truro, where Mr. Traynor himself lived. He has a really good name around here. So did his amps until he sold them to Yorkville sound. I've put a new set of Scorpion speakers in it, and a set of Groove Tubes EL-34's. The sound ROCKS. I wish it had a channel changer on it though.

The amp can be very bluesy and I guess countryish. The amp is very hard to distort naturally though, so you'll have to go with a pedal. It is a very versatile amp, and although maybe ideal for blues, play it for anything. It sounds great! You can find them relatively cheap now to. I got mine for $250. Great deal!

More reliable than any other amp out there!

Don't bother. You won't get far.

I hope I never lose this baby, Right up there with any other amp. I've been playing for 4 years. I just wish it had a channel changer.

was made ca 1970 's . in canda
this is good country blues/rock amp good old tube amps are the best
it has two channels but chanell 2 is the most used since that is where
the reverb is, just like a twin reverb with master volume
has good clean chanell & spacey reverb,,,what more could u want
but the tubes are pretty beat..mullards ??? i guess they could be changed
does anyone know about mullards tubes

when i change the tubes will probally sound a whole lot better
but right know it's okay.
with my strat & tube screamer does the trick
2 twelves & 80 watts is more than enough,,,
i might just keep these weak tubes in there
perfect club amp. i happen to be an old amp freak
so it don't compare to knew amps made today
EXCEPT THE TECH 21,which i purchased 4 months ago
the best new amp on the market...tube or solid state

this thing is built like fort knox
i've already had it fall off the stage no problem
this is without doubt the most well constructed amp made...period
i've tried many & none compare to the rock solid traynor
only one drawback IT'S REALLY HEAVY...put some coasters on it

long gone
are you kidding

this is one of old tube amps best secret.
i mean as far as tone,versatility & reliabe,it measures up to a fender
any day.
this amp is by far better than any amp fender is making today
but i do own a blues deville

-two-channel 100w tube amp manufactured some time in the Sixties; equipped with reverb and this really neat tremolo effect. Effects are footswitchable; I can't find the footswitch anywhere though. Anyone know where I can find one?

I would've given it a ten, because I love it, but what do I know? Lots of punch in the bottom and middle, if you're into that sort of thing. Being an old tube amp, the only way to get this thing to distort naturally is to crank it WAAAYYY up. So it's either use a pedal or move to the middle of nowhere.

I bought it used three years ago, and since then it has been dropped, knocked over, had beer spilt on it, etc. It's still going! I'm not the first owner either, and judging by the cabinet, this thing has been ROCKED. Apparently, the guy who built the Traynor amps engineered them so that you could drop one off a four storey building and it'd still work after. I haven't tried it, so I don't know if that's true or not.

hehehe, you're joking, right? Luckily I know someone who's worked on sick Traynors before...

I love the sounds it makes, I love how you can beat the crap out of it, but it's REALLY heavy. It can be a pain in the behind to lug up and down stairs. If it was ever lost or stolen, I don't know what I'd do... Traynors are pretty hard to find. Oh, BTW, this is the make of amp that launched a thousand Canadian rock bands in the Seventies.