Traynor YCV80 212 Combo

this is a follow-up to the review below...well, I've got a few gigs under my belt with this amp....I must say this amp performs well..it has the power I've been wanting and the tonal nuances I like..my telecaster sounds punchier and more aggressive than it did with the Fender tube amps I've used previously...the low end isn't quite as pronounced than with the Fender gear...but I really like the mid and upper emphasis the Traynor has....I kicked in the OD (channel #1) a few times..but I'm gonna have to play around with it some to adjust settings for a usable sound...the clean channel, as stated below is my main interest...I did have some problems with the effects loop(s)....I doubt if theres anything wrong with the amp...more than likely the fault is mine...I like my delay and chorus effects in the loop....the main loop features trim pots...had a hard time getting these set right....I tried patching into the series loop with a stereo to monox2 patch cord...couldn't get any sound at all with it...these are small issues I'll get worked out in due time...I will offer I don't care much for the expander button...to me its to much tonal variation from the normal clean sound...on the other hand, I'm just starting to use this as a gig amp...maybe in time I'll find a use for it...personally, I've always liked Sovtek WXT/5881s...lotta tube amp makers use 'em...even the boutique boys...I gotta kick fom one reviewer that mentioned he changed out his WXTs for Groove tubes....I wonder if he realizes he put the same tube back in his amp.....anyway, the Traynor is a tremndous muscle amp that covers about all the bases...I'm pretty much satisfied with it...I'm not saying I'll never do any mods down the road...but right now its floatin' my boat right out of the box...

already been beaten to death...lots of inputs, outputs and stuff

nice and warm on the clean channel, OD channel is ..well, overdriven...clean sounding reverb...I haven't gigged with this amp yet, but I've got a bunch of *dates* coming up...I'm a clean country telecaster player, I normally put a amp thru its paces...loud and clean, fast and furious, lotta open string stuff, lotta single and doubled\ tripled stops....all I want from this amp is to give me extreme loudness and stay clean while givin' it...if it can't perform I'm packin' it up and sendin' it back where it came from...I'll buy what I really wanted in the first place ...a Fender Twin with a 15" driver...I reckon the next couple weekends will form my opinion on this question...

good warranty...must be reliable I reckon..

sounds good where its sittin' right now...I wanna know how it does as a performer...if it can't do Fender Twin...its outta here

I bought mine about 9 months ago. I've always loved the sounds I got from it, but for the past two months I've noticed if I have the amp turned up halfway or some decent amount of gain, the speakers crap out and start to crackle. If you keep playing, the volume will suddenly drop about 3 times of what you had it at. I have to let the amp sit for about 15 minutes for this to stop. I emailed Yorkville and a tech emailed me back the next day telling me that the amp should be fully functional within 30 seconds. He said that maybe not enough voltage is getting through the amp b/c of a malfunctioning standby. If any more theories are available, email me b/c I live far away from the nearest Yorkville dealer to have it looked at. Otherwise I'll take it in (and, if needed, send it back) when I get the time.

This is a brand amp. I'm a classic rock and blues guitarist and this amp fits the bill nicely with 2 channels (3 in a way), solid construction and good layout.

I play a good mix through this amp. A bone-stock 66 Tele, 82 Les Paul Custom, homemade Les Paul Junior style with a sweet Warmoth neck, a purple Silvertone (original but missing the amp/case) for slide work and a Schulte (local luthier) Explorer. In it's stock configuration, I could not get ANY low end response from this amp. Now I'm used to playing through a 50 watt Marshall head and sealed 2x12 Marshall cab with 35 watt Celestions. I had all the low end I could ever need from that setup. The Traynor was really thin and shrill on the lead channel. The overdrive really sounded shitty. The clean channel was really nice BUT lacking in low end. I was beginning to get bummed but I figured they had to cheap out somewhere on this amp so it might as well be the speakers. I swapped in a pair of Celstion g12-75's. Improved bass response but still not enough. Headroom increased a bit on the clean channel. I plugged in my Marshall 2x12 cab in the extension jack and thought I was going to soil myself. It sounded fucking AWESOME. So I thought I will need to get a pair of 35 watt Celestions and seal the cab. I didn't want to seal the cab though. That's how my drummer hears me. Out the back of the cab. When I play my Marshall, he can't hear my axe unless I'm miked and through the monitors. So I did some research here and around the web and decided to throw in a pair of Greenbacks. This combo gave me the best of both worlds. It also improved the sound 300%!!!! This is an entirely different amp now. What a phenomenal sound from the clean and lead channels. I whipped it out at rehearsal today and it damn near blew everybody away. They heard this amp in it's old configuration and they didn't like it. They are on board now big time. I don't understand why Traynor doesn't offer this as an option like they do on the 20 watt model. It is VERY Marshall-like now in it's lead tone. Clean channel is very Fenderish with nice twang and still good headroom. I thought with 25 watt speakers I could kiss my clean channel good bye but that's not the case thankfully. I will probably play with tubes next to sweeten the sound a little further. I would characterize the sound of the amp now as very "brown" with the Greenbacks. I think I can put EL34's in this bad boy. If so, that will be the next mod. With the mod's the amp is rated a 9. As purchased though I would have to rate it a 6.

It had a tear in the Tolex when I got it but it wasn't Traynor's fault. The numbnuts at UPS did that. Haven't had a hardware issue yet.

I've been playing for 25+ years. I'v had and still have some really nice equipment. I really wanted a reasonably priced workhorse to gig with. Fenders are always good but the ones I like (Twin Reverb, Bassman) are out of my price range. I've heard only mediocre reviews of the Hot Rod Series. I thought about a Carvin, but been there done that. Peavey? Nah! Crate? Please....The Traynor seemed to have everything I was looking for plus a great rating from Guitar Player. Now that I've made the mods, I'm in love with this amp. It's a joy to play. It's very sensitive to touch. Almost Class A-like response. I wish there were more options to choose from when buying the amp (speakers, tubes, etc) other than that, I would buy another one if it was stolen. It's that nice. Out of the box it IS usable. Don't get me wrong. I just prefer more low end than this amp could give. With a speaker swap, this is a better sounding amp though. Hands down. I wouldn't be surprised if Traynor started using the Greenback or Vintage 30 going forward on future models. The sound is THAT MUCH BETTER!

Won't discuss features...good clean channel...good saturation channel.

I just wanted to touch on one point that I think is really important to the players who are considering buying this amp. First and foremost, it's a good value. Well built and plenty of power. To say the "amp" is versatile is kind of a tough one. If the player is versitle then the amp will prove to be.

This brings me to the point of writing this "review". Simple, if you are playing at basement volume levels (yes, this includes driving the pets and neighbors a bit crazy) than this amp is just fine right out of the box. If you really plan on playing out with it you'll have to buy an extension cap or swap out the speakers. Again, this doesn't make the Celestion 70/80 a bad product, it just means that it's not a function "professional" product.

I don't play out and have not in many years but I do play with people (woundn't exactly call is a band situation) and yes, we do use acoustic instruments so I need to compete with other guitarists and a drummer. The 70/80 just couldn't hang in there. It ALWAYS wound up sounding like a wounded toad at high volume levels. I eventually bit the bullet and swapped out the 70/80's with a Greenback and a Vintage 30 (Celestion Products). I actually borrowed the idea from a Framus amp that comes with the mismatched 2 x 12's. The improvement is truly remarkable as now all of the low end is projecting nicely and the truth is even with the speaker swap it's still a great value. You can get the speakers on ebay for $70-$80 per speaker...the modification is easy (pop off the face swap out the speakers...just that simple) and the results are profound!

I play mostly "Blues/Rock" for lack of a better term, a nice fist full of Jazz standards, and several holiday favorites and I've recently re-discovered the pure bliss of old school metal! This amp covers all of the bases nicely (especially with the speaker swap).

So far so good...I've got the 40 1 X 12 as well and both have been great.

Have not dealt with them as of yet but I will say that I called and left a message and e-mailed and never got a reply.

With a speaker swap...this amp sounds as good as any. I really don't believe that anyone can manage to get a "bad" sound out of it as is and certainly not with a speaker swap. An excellent value and I would buy another in a heartbeat.

80 watts Tube amp
2 - Channels - (1) Dirty and (2) Clean
The amp is very versatile and one of the greatest deals I've come across in the price range. I play with a Strat for the most part so I'm not too sure how well the extreme metal distortion holds up AKA the scoop function on the amp.
The speaker defeat switch on the back is very useful when you want a silent headphone jam or to record something straight to the computer through the XLR output. <-- Very handy to have around.

I use a Peavey Raptor Strat knockoff (commence laughing) which I installed electronics, pickups, and tuners in, making it a halfway decent Strat. I play mostly rock and blues tunes, with the occaisonal dabbling in metal territory, and this amp suits this situation perfectly. It is a rock amp, made to be dimed. Here's a tip: to get the best distortion (especially on the dirty side), turn up the master volume and turn down the channel volume. I figured this out about a week into owning it and it made it come alive. Past about 5 for clean channel volume it gets a little muddy, so I'd recommend amplifying it with the master volume. If you follow these steps the amp is actually very quiet. There is still only a tiny bit of noise when everything is on 10.

The amp basically goes from the a very sparkly Fender clean to balls-to-the-wall disortion with the gain settings all the way (and this is with my Strat). The distortion is killer, and the price makes it that much better!

If the bass is turned up on the EQs (8-10), it does get muddy sounding. I've read the other reviews and it seems this is because of the Celestion 70/80 speaker. If you plan on playing songs that require a tight bottom end you should consider buying Vintage 30 replacement speakers.

This thing was built like a rock. At first, since I'm fairly new to spring reverb, I thought there was something loose in the back, but it turns it's just a side effect of the reverb box. I would gig this thing without a backup; if anything I would bring another guitar.

Traynor's customer support is very likely the best you'll ever find for a tube amp, or any guitar amp for that matter. They have a 2 year "Even if you break it" warranty and 10 regular warranty, which is all the more reason to get the amp. I haven't personally talked to the company, however.

I've been playing for about 2 years now, and I also play a bit of bass. Of all the amps I've had my hands on, I enjoy the Traynor the most. It is the most reactive amp I've owned; a very 3 dimensional sound. If it was stolen or lost, I think I may buy the YCV40 instead so I could crank it up without having to hide in the next room. The only thing I wish it had was a tremolo, but I suppose that's asking for a little much.

80 watts tube 2X12 Celestions
2 Channels with Boost
Headphone jack
Direct out
Brightness and Expander switches
I wish it had:
foot switchable reverb, expander and scoop

I use American standards: Tele's, Strats and Les Pauls
I play everything from Country to Blues/Rock to Heavy Metal
This amp handles it all very nicely!
Only problem - The crunch channel with Boost on squeals a little.
Real nice Clean sounds!

I have had this amp for 2 years with absolutely no problems.
I drag it everywhere I play and don't really baby it.
One Tough Machine! 10 year warranty is hard to beat! Hope I never have to use it.

Haven't used it.

I've played Marshall's, Fenders, Boogies and for the money, This Amp is up there with the Big Boys. I would definitely Buy another if I had to.

I posted earlier. This is just an update to say I replaced the Power tubes with Groove Tube 6L6GC and Whoa! What a difference. I'm going to replace the power tubes as well cause as far as I'm concerned this thing sounds like a $2000 Class A already.
I'm discovering the amp all over again! Change the tubes and Hold On Tight!!

Due to the above, the clear is clearer, smoother, creamier, not as harsh. The clean totally reacts to you playing style, dig in and the sound bites back, gently stroke the strings and it's smooth, roll off the volume and avoid a bit of the gain when digging in.
The gain stages, with the new tubes, sound like a $2000 boutique amp - no question.

Nothing wrong here. Just don't like the crappy tubes it comes with. There were fine to hack with but my recent tube replacement was well worth the small additional $.

Havent' needed them.

change the tubes!!! Even with the added $$ the amp is well worth it!

This ia a follow up to an earlier review I posted. I didn't comment on the lead channel at the time but having spent a few more months with it I can say the distortion is great. It's very controllable from the guitar's volume nob. It's a "vintage" sound, so no triple rectified chompy chomp but those sounds are probably on the way out anyway. If used with a fuzz a wah and the boost on you can get utra-kill-death-industreal-slaughter. ;)

This amp was shipped directly to my house from Traynor's US facility in Niagra Falls due to a dealer inventory mishap. Brand-spanking new, in original box. See the Yorkiville website for details, but here are the main features:

2 channels (lead and clean)
Separate 3-band EQ for each channel
Master Volume and Reverb
Lead channel has a boost switch and scoop switch
Clean channel has a brightness switch and expander switch
2-button footswitch controls channel select and boost on/off
Back panel: extension cab, headphone and XLR out (both "Dynasound" compensated for "mic'd" cabinet sound), parallel effects loop with send/return trim controls (very useful), speaker defeat switch for headphone playing and direct recording, series loop-through effects.

Guts: 4 Sovtek 5881 power tubes, 3 Sovtek 12AX7A preamp tubes, Accutronics reverb, 2 12" Celestion 70-80 speakers.

What I wish it had:
4-button footswitch with the additional two buttons being for reverb on/off and scoop on/off.

Other than that, the amp controls are extremely well thought-out and a broad range of sounds are possible (see below). This amp will be used at home for recording and worship band at church. I considered the YCV20 and YCV40 (I was originally drawn to the YCV40 due to Guitar Player's Editor's Pick award), but the added features of the YCV80 (scoop, master volume, rear panel features) and the modest increase in cost are what made me go for it instead. I was looking for something that could give me a sparkling clean sound but had the capability to go from bluesy overdrive to all-out metal-distortion.

I think "10's" should only go to the "perfect" amp. This amp isn't perfect in features, but close. So I'll give it a 9.

I play a 91 Fender Strat Plus Deluxe with Blue/Silver/Red Lace Sensors and a Fender/Wilkinson Tremolo. Swamp Ash body with Maple Neck and Rosewood fingerboard. Effects: I have been using a Boss ME-5 (ancient), but have not used it much with this amp except to try the chorus through the effects loop.
As advertised, the amp is incredibly quiet. I mean mouse-like quiet. The YCV40 I tried at the local music store was very noisy..I was playing it through an American Strat in a practice room with fluorescent lights..had to keep pointing the guitar to find the "quiet angle". Not so with this amp. I play in my basement with multiple fluorescent lights, a furnace, and a dehumidifier all within 10 feet. Even with the master volume at 10, full gain, boost on, and lead channel volume at 3-4 there is virtually no noise.

"Sound"
Clean Channel: Unbeleivable! The amount of headroom on this amp is excellent. With my guitar (Lace Sensors), the neck pickup with the brightness switch on and expander off and Bass at ~6, Treble at ~5.5, and Middle at ~4.5, gives a great mellow, jazzy sound. Small changes in the EQ controls really do make big changes in sound, so take your time "dialing it in". Regarding the reverb, unlike other reviewers' comments saying it wasn't evident until around 5-6, I hear it from ~2 and upward. Maybe Yorkville actually read these reviews and made changes. The long-spring accutronics review is excellent, although you will get a "springy" sound when muting the springs at louder volumes. Obviously, that's what you get with a true spring reverb. The clean channel breaks up around 5-6. I tried the clean channel at around 6 with master volume around 3.5, bridge pickup (Red Sensor..very "hot"), brightness off, expander on, EQ as above, erverb ~4. Very "tele" like bark with excellent responsiveness and a slight edge. Turning the guitar's volume to around 6-7 cleans up the sound very nicely. One slight "negative" aspect with the clean is that, at loud volumes, the low-end gets a little muddy. This cleans up when the bass is rolled -off a little to around 4. Not a problem for me, but in a live setting, this may pose a problem if you bring up your volume and don't make an EQ adjustment.

Lead Channel: Like other reviewers, I think the "boost" switch makes this behave like a 3-channel amp. I have dialed in everything from hardly noticeable overdrive, to "Little Wing", to AC/DC, to early Van Halen. I'm not into metal, but gave it my best shot with the scoop and boost switches on, full gain, full master volume, channel volume around 3-4, Bass ~6, Treble ~6, Middle ~2, bridge pickup. I thought it sounded pretty scary. With the gain around 5, channel volume at 10, and master around 3, with boost off and scoop off, Bass ~6, Treble ~6, Middle ~4, it gave a pretty authentic SRV sound, especially when activating the boost. EVH "Panama" is full gain, full master, channel volume ~3, EQ as above for SRV with maybe a little more off the middle, boost on and scoop off. What I really like about this amp is that you still hear the definition of each string come through. It really seems this amp brought out the character of my pickups and volume/tone controls on my guitar. I am very pleased with both channels. Again, not a "perfect" sound, but pretty close, so I'll give it a 9.

I don't do alot of gigging, unless every few Sundays counts. The amp appears to be very well made, cab is solid, the speaker wiring is nicely harnessed, and the grill cover and detail on the front was flawless. If I were to regularly gig with it, I would probably not use a backup. I don't feel qualified to rate this category, so I'll give it an no opinion.

While waiting for my dealer to ship the amp (purchased new off E-bay), I e-mailed customer service to ask about the warranty info since I was buying from a dealer about 700 miles away. I had a response in about 3 hours. After finding out that my amp was being shipped from the factory, I called and had no wait time and got all the answers I needed in about 5 minutes. Excellent job so far...10.

I've been playing for about 20 years. I own the equipment described above and also a Taylor 814 Brazilian with a Fishman Rare Earth soundhole pickup (have not tried this through the amp yet). I have owned an older (80's) Carvin 100w tube 2x12, a Carvin SX100 1x12 (MOSFET), and an older Peavy Classic 2x12 (80's). I tried several amps, including the Fender Hot Rod, several twins (too expesnive) the YCV 40, a Tech 21 Trademark-10. This amp blew all the others away in sound and features/price. Please note..I did not actually play this amp before purchasing. I tried the YCV40, liked the sound although it was noisy but I attributed that to the lights, and also a YCV20. I wanted the extra features the YCV80 had to offer, and I'm very happy with my selection. If stolen, I'd get another.