YCS50 Combo
Reviewed by:
unregistered, on february 15, 2012 0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Price paid: C$ 930
Purchased from: Long and McQuade
Features: This amp has pretty much every feature you could need. So much versatility. From almost acoustic to "St. Anger" style distortion. Two separate FX loops, line out, footswitch, 15 and 50 watt switchable. The only thing it's missing in my opinion is a proper headphone jack, but there is an option if you have the right equipment. // 9
Sound: The sound of this thing is pretty incredible. I've been a pod user for a couple years, before that various digital boxes including a Tonelab ST, Zoom G2 etc. This is my first proper tube amp, before this it was spiders and such. I'm using it with an Ibanez RG 7 string for rhythm and a bit of lead for prog metal, prog rock etc. Ayreon, Avantasia, Falconer, Dreamtale etc. It does everything I need it to very well. Nice tight response to palm muting, beautiful clean tones and everything in between. The best part, it barely gets noisy even with the modern switch on, volume up full and the boost enabled. You won't be doing crazy death metal on this, but anything up to "St. Anger", the new Star One stuff it handles awesomely. // 10
Reliability & Durability: I'd use it on a gig happily. I haven't owned it that long but it looks and feels very durable. The warranty can't be beat either, so even if it does break you're covered. I wouldn't be at all surprised if this amp was still just as playable in 10 years. I have every intention of finding out, I can't see myself purchasing anything else. // 10
Impression: I've been playing for about 7 years now. I love it for my style of music. It handles my BOSS DS-1 perfectly fine (not like it's really needed) and using my Pod HD in the FX loop I can get my delays and reverbs easily. The only thing I wish it had would be a headphone jack for practicing at night, but if one has a mixing console as I do, the XLR line out gives you the full sound while allowing you to keep the amp in standby, thus bypassing the speaker. I spent about an hour in L&M playing it and the Line 6 DT50, and the Traynor won as soon as I heard that sweet, sweet clean sound. The incredible tightness of the response when I dropped it into modern mode and cranked it up just sealed the deal. You will not find a tube amp with so many features, such good tone, and one of the best warranties I've seen for this cheap anywhere else.
If it were stolen or lost, I'd be back to L&M in a heartbeat. Only after I had another one would I go find the guy who jacked it. It's a bit of work to find a good tone, but if you spend an hour listening and playing with the switches, I'm confident pretty much any guitarist would want to get their hands on one of these. // 9
YCS50 Combo
Reviewed by:
unregistered, on august 31, 2011 0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Price paid: C$ 500
Purchased from: private
Features: Features as told in other review... There are many! And they are all good. The USA/Brit switch is a interesting change for sounds, my preference being the usa mode. Line out, pre out-line in etc. Effex loop, 15-50 watt switching. Standby switch on front panel. // 9
Sound: Using a PRS SE Custom 24 this amp sounds awesome! The USA clean is very Fenderish but not too much, sweet and full. The gain channel #1 is great for Blues, Rock and early metal. But... With the addition of the "Boost" it takes you into tone heaven. I have a Mesa Rectoverb (I use it in Vintage Mode full gain) and I can and do get basically the same tone and sound/feel out of the Boost channel on the YCS50. This is that liquid tone that I look for. I play in 2 bands at different locations, so I was looking for an alternative to lugging around the rectoverb, and the YCS50 is it.
I think you could get just about any tone your looking for from this amp. // 10
Reliability & Durability: No worries for reliability, its a Traynor. I had a MonoBlock (Traynor) in the early 80's as a backup, I did 100's of loadouts in
-30 degree weather at 3am in the morning, Traynor is tough. This amp appears of the same quality, time will tell, but I would bet it will hold up very well.
Also, Traynor is not afraid to freely publish there schematics and engineering drawings! This alone is a valid consideration for my purchase. And best of all? Its North American made! Actually Canadian made! **Not Made in China! ** // 10
Impression: I play everything from Cult, Blue Rodeo, Metallica, CCR, Hip, Clapton etc... For about 32 yrs. I have a MB Rectoverb, Line 6 Flextone, Line 6 POD Live for amps and effects. Guitars are PRS, Kramer, Hamer, Fender, MusicMann.
If it were lost or stolen I would replace asap, I have absolutely no regrets in this purchase, I take my hat off to Traynor for this great/well thought out amp.
I can't think of anything it is missing? It does everything I need it to do! It is really closer to a 3 channel amp than a 2 channel (when using the boost feature). // 10
YCS50 Combo
Reviewed by:
the69gemini, on june 18, 2009 0 of 0 people found this review helpful
Purchased from: Long & McQuade
Features: Features
Selectable 50-watt Class-AB / 15-watt Class-A output
1x12-inch Celestion Vintage30 Speaker
Footswitchable full Two Channel Configuration
Brit / USA Voicing Switch on Clean Channel
Modern & Scoop Voicing Switches on Lead Channel
Parallel and Loop-thru Effects Sends and Returns
Vintage style Accutronics Long-Spring Reverb
Master Volume, Defeatable Presence and Resonance Controls
Solid Plywood Cabinet Construction
Aluminum chassis
Specifications
Type Tube Guitar Combo Amplifier
Cabinet Impedance (Ohms) 8
Power @ min. impedance (Watts) 50
Minimum Impedance (Ohms) 4
Burst Power - 2 cycle 60
Speaker Configuration - LF (Size / Power) 1x12-inch 60 watts
Channel 1 - inputs 1/4-inch shared with channel 2
Channel 1 - controls Gain, Boost, Vol, Treble/Mid/Bass, Reverb, EFX Rtn
Channel 1 - switches Boost, Modern, Scoop
Channel 2 - controls Gain, Vol, Treble/Mid/Bass, Reverb, EFX Rtn
Channel 2 - switches Bright, USA/Brit, Expander
Channel Switching 2 Footswitchable Channels with Boost on Ch. 1
Master Volume Control Yes
Main Tone Controls Presence, Resonance, Voice
Line Out (type / configuration) Pre Out (TRS), DI Out (XLR) EFX Send Level
Line Out Sensitivity (Vrms) 300mV
Effects Volume Master Send, Dual Returns
Effects Loop / Location Rear
Effects Footswitch / Function Reverb and Effects Return
Effects Return Sensitivity (Vrms) 300mV
Internal Reverb / Effects Accutronics Dual Spring Long Tank
LED Indicators Ch. 1, Ch. 2, Boost, Power/Standby
Protection Mains Fuse
External speaker output / location 1 Rear Panel
Other Features 15 watt Class A low power mode Switch
Dimensions (DWH, inches) 10.5 x 25 x 21.5
Dimensions (DWH, cm) 27 x 64 x 55
Weight (lbs / kg) 48 / 22 // 9
Sound: Ok, so in fairness I've only had this amp for about 2 days now so this is more of an "initial impression" point of view. I'm using this amp with an Epi Les Paul with stock pick-ups. As I'm still tweaking the sound, I started by just plugging straight into the amp with no effects whatsoever, starting in the 15w mode (class A). Wow, what a sound! Compared to other pure tube amps I've been lucky to play with, (Fenders and Vox's), this sound is to die for. So full and round, not hugely loud either but I was easily overpowering my brothers Fender Blues Junior with a huge wall of sound without even getting the Traynor breathing hard. I was easily able to get tones from Joe Walsh to Tony Iommi and everywhere in between. The presence and resonance circuit also adds a boominess that makes the sound sound like it's coming from a wall of cabinets even though it's just a single 12" speaker. I can't wait until the Celestion speaker is fully broken in! As I said I just plugged straight into the amp so I haven't integrated any effects yet but here's the list of effects I have to play around with:
Reliability & Durability: Obviously since I've only had it about 2 days it's hard to answer this question however although Traynor certainly doesn't have the mysticism in it's name of say Marshall or Fender, they are known for extremely well built products and I'm sure that other than regular maintenance, my YCS50 will give me no issues. Of course, I would never play Live without a full set of back-up tubes... Just in case. The added bonus is that I just happen to Live 10 minutes away from Traynors world headquarters so there's noooo problem getting it serviced in a hurry should I need to! As far as the tubes go... It came with Sovteks but these will probably get replaced with Tung-sols in short order. // 9
Impression: My musical influences include Hendrix, Iommi, Clapton, Buddy Guy, Billy Gibbons, Joe Perry, Rhoads, Kirk Hammett, Wylde, etc. Most blues based styles form pure blues to metal. I certainly don't want to limit myself in my musical wanderings. I did a lot of research for over a year before I finally decided on this make and model, well worth the effort! (As a side note, all my research was based on comparing amps to my ideal amp, the Marshall JTM45 half stack, but who can afford one of these with a family and a mortgage?!) I've been playing as a hobby for about 4 years since I picked up the guitar again. A few of us get together and have Jam sessions which might turn into something but mostly it's just for fun. If somebody stole it, look out! I'm coming for you! Ha Ha!
On a final note, I just turned 40 and this amp was a present from my angelic wife and my brother-in-law so I paid $0 which is super cool. Thanks again you two! // 9
happy birthday and it's nice that someone actually laughs at the stole thingie some people really want to show that they are the most twisted minded people on this earth in that section :S
Can someone explain the pictures? The "angle view" looks like there's twin speakers, but the "front view" shows just a single speaker...?
you're right, they did post a picture of the YCS50 and the second pic was the YCS90 which is the big brother of the 50. It is a 90/20 twin speaker version. Check Traynors website for more details. BTW, loving the YCS50 more and more every day!
This amp is one of those little known best kept secrets! I have the big brother version of it, the ycs90, which is essentially the 50 on steroids. These amps rock, and are extremely versatile compared to the competition, and very well priced head to head/feature to feature - without compromising on TONE. Tone from this thing is comparable to any Fender/Marshall/Vox, as long as you play around with the channel EQ's, voicing switches and master volume. Definitely worth a test drive to see this is the case!
...to yojimbo9999, to this day i don't understand why people just don't give this thing a listen before dismissing it...i wouldn't trade it in against anything else out there. traynor's will go toe to toe with anything else out there on the market, and, because of their versatility, probably beat most of them...M.
Hahaha, I just realized how creeper that was. I just commented, because it seemed familiar when I was reading, like I had read it before. I then realized...I did.
