Traynor YCV40

Fender, Marshall, Crate and Peavey had better hurry and catch up. Nothing else at this price sounds as good. This is not a 10 in the absolute sense, it's just the best sounding at it's price. Can't decide on a Fender or Marshall......or want both? This covers most of their tones fairly well, and you can stick some cash back in your pocket.

Birch plywood cab, and what do you get in some others......Particle board usually. Steel speaker grill also. Figure on keeping this one a long time.

If you figure in price, you can't give it less than a 10 because it's the best at its price I have ever seen or heard. Compare it to the Fender vintage reissues ot their other tube amps, you'll buy the Traynor. That goes even more for the new Marshalls.

what can i say,ive been searching for this amp for 20 years,ive owend ,a 65 super reverb, a twin,boogie, a rivera,ect.the thing blows away the clean and dirty sounds of any of those amps,and i dont want any more features ,i got simpicity and if iwant to run some pedals fine i start with just this great sounding amp,im very afraid to change tubes and speaker like everyone says,cause i cant imagine it sounding better.i play funk jazz ,solo guitar and rock,blues ect its great for all styles

About everything you could want except vibrato. Fairly full featured.

Everybody who has used my amp, from rockers to country pickers (sorry, don't know any jazzers), has been able to find a sound they like. From amplified acoustic, to electric semi-hollow, to solid body with humbuckers or single coils. This is the best all-around used buy in the under $600, or best new buy in the under $1000 price category. Sure, you can do equal or better in one particular area for the same amount of money, but nothing else for under a grand retail touches this amp as an all-around combo amp. It's only real sonic weakness is that it's too loud as a home practice amp, but for doing live club gigs and group practice, it's a tone monster. If you apply lots of money, you can do marginally better. My rating is after I modded it to my taste with premium Celestion speaker and NOS 5881 tubes. After tuning it to your taste, you will find that it probably sounds better to you than all but a few stock boutique amps. The tone stack is quite good and versatile. Did I mention it is LOUD for a 40 watt combo now that I have a top line Celestion in the cab? While there have been cost cutting measures to keep the price low, the basic circuit design is obviously one of the best out there, and absolutely the best overall for the price. Surprisingly, it doubles as a bass practice amp for home use, which seemed impossible due to the open backed cabinet. This became evident after the upgrade to a much better speaker. The Seventy 80 speaker can't play bass worth a flip. My rating is after I modded it to my taste.

The birch plywood cabinet is obviously made to take a beating and keep on working. Love that steel mesh behind the grille cloth. The electrical construction uses cost cutting features, like soldering the pots and jacks to the circuit boards. There seem to be plenty of standoffs for mounting the circuit board, but the glass epoxy board could have been thicker. Still, it's a lot better construction than the Marshall AVT series with cheap phenolic circuit boards and particle board cabinets. For less than $100 extra over the price of an AVT50 in Musician's Friend, you move up into another class of amp, equal in my opinion to the top end Fender tube amps, but of course more versatile in tone. I would rate the AVT50 about a 6 in reliability, for comparison. I would always take a backup to ANY tube amp. For me that is my SansAmp RBI preamp that I can play through the PA system. Taking a whole extra guitar/bass amp is overkill. The RBI doubles as the bass or guitar amp backup, so only one is taken. If you take a backup amp, make sure it's the PA amp.

You can pay three times as much and get much worse factory support. Schematics are available online, for you tweakers out there.

My upgrades cost $200, so the amp really cost me $600, minus what I can get for the old speaker and tubes. You'll never find another amp this good for $600 unless you run across somebody really desperate to sell their boutique amp. It get's a 10 because there isn't anything better for the price, but in an all-out sense it rates a 7 or 8 depending on how spoiled you are when you run across it. I really don't know how Yorkville Sound manages to build these in Canada for the price they charge. It must be the manufacturing economies due to the fact they are a big pro sound company, and they don't depend on guitar amp sales as much as their main line. They did most of the cost savings in the speaker and tubes departments, so figure on upgrading those first. The improvement in sound is definite, although the stock components will get you by until better parts are acquired. Look at what Vox gets for their reissue crap with limited tonal range that often fails, then go and try one of these for less than half the price. As far as all that vintage stuff goes, musicians used that stuff because they didn't have something like the YCV40 when they were making musical history.

This is a brand new traynor with red tolex. It has the features listed below but with an upgraded speaker. Information on that to follow. It is loud enugh to play live.

I play teles, les pauls and rickenbacker guitars through this amp. I think it favours single coil pickups ( to my ears) but perhaps 20 years of rock and roll is catching up with me. I like the distortion, it is warm and not unlike my marshall jcm 800 at lower volumes, and a whole lot more portable.The clean is chimey, like a fender only with a bit more of a rounded sound.say the difference between a 6 string and a 12 string. The ric loves it and it is a match made in tone heaven..
I used to use a 60 something fender bassmaster until a goof spilled a beer on the transformer and cooked it. I have played ( and owned) about 15 amps since then and this one is in the same league. It is ( was ) light and red. Who could ask for more.

It has a couple of minor problems
1) the overdrive light stays on even when the overdrive is disengaged,. Not a big enough problem to take it back as my ears tell me when I'm in overdrive. However it is a nuisance.
2) The red tolex is not glued tightle around the handle. Picky? Yup. It is tough as a traynor and well built. I love the speaker guard, very smart. However I do not love the speaker.At this price i think they wanted to " add a celestion". They are to be commended for that, but the bugdet celestion is a poor choice. I see they offer upgrades on their higher priced amps. So with what I read here and what I saw them do I decided to try it for myself( momma didnt raise no dummys, just guys who can't type). I contacted celestion and asked them how a G12 H 100 would change the amp. They responded ( the next DAY!!) and told me the characteristics were similair but that the g12 h 100 was more efficient ( louder) with a tighter bass. ( I'm paraphrasing here). I installed it and wow, no more 40 watts! It is louder and the better bass capacity adds a new dimension to the clean , but the distorted takes off. that is why I think it no sounds like a small Marshall JCM 800 at lowere volume levels. I do not know enough about tubes to change them, but will likely upgrade when these kick the bucket. I agree this is a great starting point. The amp is now heavier, but worth the extra grunt.

Yorkville sound makes traynor. They have the best warranty in the business. ( Perhaps that is why I'm not worried about the problem listed above.) The respond to emails in 2 days max, are helpful and obvious gearheads who love what they do, and good because they are amongst the best in the world at what they do. I have dealt with them for 30 years and they are the BEST. If you do not have this amp and you arer a player who needs to cover every sound and do not want someother tone deaf guy ( modeller) to do that for you, then this is your amp. Buy this amp and you'll still have beer money if the odd owner stiffs you.

30 years professionally. I'd replace it in a second. There are no competitors in this price category. People ask me how i get my sound all of the time. ( It is usually just how i hold my pick but oh well.....This is the most versatile amp I've ever owned and fender better scurry to catch up!

2003 Model with the metal logo

I play (and it covers) anything from blues to all out rock n roll!
I just wish it came with the tubes I use in it now.. more on that later

It autobiases any tubes you put in, this saves cash!
It also has a circuit that pushes the power tubes even at low volumes.. I believe it, it sounds good at any volume.

I could theoretically play a show without any pedals at all! I may just do this to say I have. I know no other amp that I would try this with. The reverb is accutronic and very good. Also, both drive and overdrive are very very usable.

For the volume this thing pumps out, it is lightweight too..

I changed the tubes to:
2 JJ 6l6 Power Tubes
3 Electro-Harmonix Preamp Tubes

Now I get pretty much any sound I want!!
I use a guitar with Seymour Duncan Jazz in neck, and Duncan Custom-custom in the bridge. This of adds to my versatility.

I like the speaker cuz I play in a rock band, so the bit of grit from the 70/80 speaker is really really good. A Vintage 30 would probably be too loud anyway.

I never turn this amp past 6 on stage (its mic'd of course!)

This is my sound, so I gotta rate it at 10.

I'd depend on it for sure. In time, we won't see the sagging grille cloth like a lot of Fenders because the Traynor has a steel grill behind the cloth. Great for those accidental kicks while playing with the band.

2 year unlimited warranty

Been playing for 12 years.

This is my amp for the band and I use an AA Godin LG Signature, which helps to overdrive the amp. I can get any sound I want with these two components. I also use a Marshall Shredmaster for leads and heavier tunes, plus a Zoom 303 for delays and echos and eq.

I'd have to buy a Fender with a really nice clean channel and a couple more pedals to get the same thing. No thanks! Especially when the Traynor does it all in one tight package.

By now, this is a famous amp and should need no introduction from me. Has lots of features except no vibrato, which most people don't use anyway. The amp is retro cool looking, and it seems to put out at least those 40 rated watts, if not more.

Once you upgrade the tubes and find what speaker works best in it for you, it starts giving the high priced boutique amps some really stiff competetion. The sound is very versatile, only the most extreme sound oriented musicians will fail to find the sounds they want after it's tweaked to taste. For the price, this is the standand against which all others near its price should be judged. VERY LOUD when something like a Celestion premium line speaker is installed. You MUST upgrade the tubes and speaker if you want to hear what this amp can really do. I totally agree with past reviewers who upgraded the tubes and speaker. Anyone who rates this amp on abused Russian output tubes or a speaker that hasn't been broken in is really short changing themself. It can really wail if given a proper chance. Those who say it can't do Metal need to get a proper Metal guitar and spend some money on tubes and a decent speaker instead of tattoos and whatever, and accept the fact that differentiating between notes is OK in Metal instead of letting everything go to sonic grit and sludge.

You can find tougher amps out there, but not at this price with all the features and tube power. Reliability goes up a notch when better tubes and speakers are installed. The birch plywood cabinet will probably outlast me. If you know how to repair/modify an amp, this can be the last amp you ever buy.

If you are tired of how slow Marshall and a few others have gotten, give a Yorkville Sound a try. Who could ask for a better warranty on reasonably priced gear?

I bought mine used and upgraded it. I tried several different brands of tubes in it. Tung-Sol, Philips, Amperex, JJ, Ei, Electro-Harmonix. Really, you just try several and see what you like the best. A tube amp junkie should keep plenty of tubes around for checking out what works best. I like NOS Amperex in the preamp and NOS Tung-Sol in the output, but switched to new JJ in the preamp because they sound almost as good and cost a fraction of the price, Ei was almost as good for me. Nothing beat the Tung-Sol 5881 in the output, unless you have some NOS RCA 6L6GC and like a later break up. My ears couldn't handle that, however. Home practice use might be better served by the stock Seventy 80 speaker due to its lower sensitivity, but to really make the amp roar a Celestion G12H80, Classic Lead, or Vintage 30 will do the trick. The supplied Seventy 80 speaker may take the place of a Greenback if you're not too picky. I think the Celestion line with 50 oz. magnets are the way to go in this amp, however. The G12H80 is my fave in this amp, and it's LOUD and will serve about any classic rock or hard rock style you can name. My Marshall AVT50 is sitting around doing next to nothing these days, and stays around mainly as a backup to this amp. It can't compete in volume or classic tube tone, and I once thought it was really good. A Vintage 30 or Eminence Legend in this amp may have your old Fender tube amp sitting around and gathering some dust as well. You can play a fairly large size venue if you install a top end Celestion in the amp. Wish I had this amp 30 years ago. Yeah, you can get a Mesa-Boogie or even costlier amp and exceed the sound in various ways, but few of them will be only a bit more versatile, and most of them will be less versatile. The bottom line is that this is a very good sounding amp with EXTREME versatility. I think by changing out tubes and speakers you can make it do almost anything, because the basic tone circuitry is extremely well done. Think of the tubes and speaker in there from the factory as only something to use for a while until you decide what really makes the amp rock for you. I can see the logic of not charging the owner for a premium speaker and tubes that might not suit the owner anyway. Put some time, money, and effort into finding the right formula for you, and the amp WILL perform for you. This is the gold standard combo amp at this price point. I didn't take this amp too seriously at first, because of the reasonable price. It cost me a couple hundred more than what I paid to get it upgraded, but it was the best $200 I ever spent on an amp modification. If I was Yorkville Sound, I would market this amp in a premium model with top end tubes and speaker to wannabe boutique amp owners. It killed my urge for a Mesa-Boogie, and the best Fenders and Marshalls can go take a hike as far as I'm concerned. Cheaper tube amps like Peavey Classics do not compare when talking versatility, they are more like one trick ponies next to this amp. This is built in Canada, so I don't even consider it an import in the normal sense. None of the Brit amps give the same value for your money. My Marshall is shoddy build quality next to this amp. Traynor is King at the under $1000 price point.

2003 model with metal logo.
This amp covers all my musical tastes from all out rock to country
I wish it had motorized knobs and presets, but hey, i guess that's pushing it!
This is my main amp for gigs in venues anywhere from 25 to 200 people

If you put good quality new tubes in it, this amp is fit for a king. I prefer it over a new marshall JCM, and new Fender Twin.
Of course its going to sound crappy with the crappy Sovtek tubes from the store that have been mishandled and abused by leaving it on all day.

I rented one of these Traynors that was clearly abused and looked ratty and it sounded like crap. Then I changed the power tubes (JJ's) and it blew away my friend's Fender Twin with stock tubes. Unbelievable!

2 year unlimited warranty...

This amp along with my pedals DEFINES my band's sound. Every single guitarist who hears it asks me about it and can't believe its not a Fender. I really honestly believe its much better than any Fender you can buy at a music store. SO much more versatile.

2 Channels is all I need. Reverb is excellent. Tone controls on both channels, shared presence. Footswitch INCLUDED. Perfect for what my needs are.

These amps sound great, and have multitudes of usable gig tones.
Ok, Ok ... I wrote this because there are some guitar players out there who cannot tell their elbow from their butt when it comes to tube amps. If you get an amp that sounds bad, and have read great reviews about it, maybe, just maybe, the tubes are worn out and need replacing. The amps in stores are left on all day by customers, and abused by others. The tubes also can be bad from the getgo. Either way, do not be foolish enough to think everyone else is the idiot, and you are the only one who knows tone. Try another amp. Most of the amps at Sam Ash have been blown or squeal like a pig when you turn them on. This is from people running them all day until they fry. Unless you do 5 straight 12 hour gigs without a break you cannot simulate this punishment at home. This amp wails, but if you cannot wail on your axe, this will not do it for you. Leesons might help.

Who knows. I don't know anybody who had to fix one yet, including me.

2 year complete warranty. They answer Emails.

Played for 30 years, gigged for 28 of those, and have owned the classic amps when they were first made. I need channel switching and a boost for leads. Others like the same basic sound all night (oh boy!! More Fender amp clean sounds!! I just cannot get enough of THAT!!). I personally will take this amp over any low watt Fender or Marshall. This is sooo much better than a Deluxe. And it is twice the wattage, has a clean and gain channel, included footswitch, and a speaker that beats the snot out of anything Fender/Emminence has put in an amp in the last 20 years. Oh, and $300 cheaper. This amp is an outstanding, I repeat, OUSTANDING value.

it's essentially a 3 channel tube amp. you have clean, old school crunch and a modern sounding overdrive with the boost on. the footswitch is built like a tank. effects loop & an accutronics spring reverb, which i don't use at all. i would have liked a closed back, but i can fix that myself with plywood and screws

i only own two guitars (an epiphone les paul standard and a godin exit 22 rosewood), but they cover most sounds aside from jazz and death metal. also, i've used a ton of different guitars with this amp, ranging from ernie ball music mans to ESP's to american telecasters. the ernie ball was great for a smooth modern sound, like incubus or dream theater. the ESP's did the same, but with more of a raw edge. and the telecaster was great for punk rock, and i was channeling tom morello with the neck pickup on. it also works well with my own guitars. my only real problem is that, while the base tone is great, it does make your guitars flaws stand out. for instance, i used to use an ibanez gio, and it's pickups were very muddy in the low end and harsh in the high end. this amp made sure i knew that. so if you're using a good guitar (or at least good pickups), you'll get a good sound. it also helps if you EQ the amp right. this amp NEEDS a good dose of midrange for it to sound right. thrash type folks should stick to their marshalls and mesas, they do the scooped mids thing much better. in a word, this amp sounds big, even with the stock tubes and speaker

i got mine used, and the previous owner wasn;t too kind to it. there were tears in the tolex and the speaker grille. but it doesn't look like it has anything other than cosmetic problems. another cool feature it has is the metal grille behind the grille cloth, protecting the speaker from whatever may come it's way, at least from the front. the preamp tubes are hidden away in such a way that you;d probably have tpo break the amp to break the tubes. the power tubes aren't quite as protected, but i'm not too worried about them, as they're secured with springs and what not

yorkville treats their customers like royalty

perhaps one of the best values today. it can do modern sounds, vintage sounds and it reacts well to pedals. add a 4x12 and it can probably do metal. upgrade the speaker and tubes and you have an amp that outperforms all other amps in it's price/spec range (marshall DSL401, fender hot rod deluxe etc)

The features are all well reported and they all work well Really good price performance. The reviews on this site are accurate. The difference with mine is that it has the vintage 30 speaker and stock tubes. OH yeah and Pete's signature.

I use a hollowbody archtop Vantage with humbuckers. The tone is fat and meaty and has balls when you want it to. Goes into the typical 12ax7 distortion (which is quite good) and cleans up nicely al Fender tone. Very rich sounds with tons of sparkle and texture. The clean channel is clean but it does break up when hammered on (which may or may not be intended)I think the vintage 30 and the fat guitar are more responsible for this though- a solid guitar may not provide the push. So if you want the headroom on clean you might want a 2x12 or 4x12 cabinet to run it through. The only problem was that the tubes do have some microphonic noise and generate some rather annoying frequencies. I can see why the other reviewers have noted this. You definitely DO NOT want to take this amp stock to a gig or studio without burning it in...so beware. Doesn't quite have that mystical feel of a Marshall or a Fender super... but still very good.

Unknown yet

Excellent.

Amp gets a nine because it hauls ass. The stock tubes suck and jury is out on the speaker. But for the dough, you can't go wrong. The circuitry has the tones, sounds, features blahh balh and it is an inexpensive amp. The only problem was the tubes, but for $100, hey!
I had a marshall and my buddy had a Fender super. Both amps rocked but were limited. This amp comes close to the tones of both but is way more versatile and is cheaper AND is made in CANADA. The warranty is great and the thing won't bust your balls carrying it around. You can turn it on, plug it in and sound good. End of story.