Should I trade my Traynor YBA-1 for a Sunn Solarus?

laterallateral · Post by **laterallateral** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 12:41 am

Hey guys and gals. Some dude is offering an early seventies Sunn Solarus+matching cab for trade against a Traynor YBA-1.
I've been debating it for a while now and finally decided to send the guy an offer. I'm still pretty much undecided and before I do anything crazy, I'm turning to you for advice. My main concerns are toenz related. I can't seem to find any good quality demos of the Solarus online but from what I did manage to hear, they seem to put out a pretty good clean at pretty high volume. This is important to me because I depend strictly on pedals for my dirt. Anybody got any opinions about how these things sound?

Another thing, is the reason why I'm even considering this in the first place is because the Solarus has both trem and verb onboard. Since my bandmate brought his Super Reverb in the rehearsal space, I've been yearning for that kind of effect hard. I love the tone of the YBA to bits but if I could trade it and get something comparable with the addition of excellent trem and reverb effects I would be a happy man. Anybody can give me details about how these effects fare on the Solarus?

The documentation I've come across seems to indicate that there's a few different configurations of the Solarus. There's a 40W rated EL34 version, a 60W rated 6550 version, some are tube rectified and some are not. Should I be avoiding one configuration or another?

Anyway, here's a pic of the actual amp in question:

I would greatly and truly appreciate any input any of you might have on this.

-ltrl

Post by **dots** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 12:46 am

DEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEW EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET

laterallateral · Post by **laterallateral** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 12:58 am

Okay, yeah. So I should DEW DISS but nobody can tell me why?

CAMAAAHHNNNN!

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 1:01 am

Fuck no dude - trade it for my crisp five pound note. I'll pay shipping on top of course.

That didn't work did it? Farking hypnosis course. need a refund.

foofoo982 · Post by **foofoo982** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 1:27 am

I would say that if you want Super Reverb tone, that you should get one of those if it'd be in the same price range.

laterallateral · Post by **laterallateral** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 1:30 am

foofoo982 wrote:I would say that if you want Super Reverb tone, that you should get one of those if it'd be in the same price range.

Hahaha! Sadly, not in the same price range at all. Thanks for the input, though

pumpkin · Post by **pumpkin** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 1:34 am

YOU CAN ALWAYS GET ANOTHER TRAYNOR

but sunn)))))) is out of bidness

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 2:42 am

go play it?

laterallateral · Post by **laterallateral** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 2:45 am

Yeah I'm definitely going to do that before I trade but I was trying to see if you guys could give me an idea what I'm in for before any half stacks get trucked around, you know?

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 2:47 am

i would say do it. i have had a good experience on any sunn i've every played. worth a play.

laterallateral · Post by **laterallateral** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 2:58 am

Cool, man. Thanks for the opinion.
I basically want to be convinced to do this, really.

cobascis · Post by **cobascis** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 3:19 am

calling ends to thraed.

cobascis · Post by **cobascis** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 3:27 am

Personally, I don't know. I'm talking out of my arse here, I know nothing about either amp, but in terms portability and durability, I wouldn't do it. Assuming the Traynor is a combo, you are trading a new(ish) amp for an oldie (but a goodie?). I guess if you are happy with the tone of the traynor, I wouldn't do it in terms of practicality.

Again I really don't know what I'm talking about so disregard this.

laterallateral · Post by **laterallateral** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 7:57 am

Traynor is this:

It's a 1977. It's built like a Panzer.

endsjustifymeans · Post by **endsjustifymeans** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 8:17 am

I actually have some experience on a Solarus. I bonered.

Great clean headroom though the gain didn't really do it for me. It didn't get the heavy black sabbathy tones that the solid state Beta Lead I was used to did, but it does have a nice snarl to it. You'll like have to tone shape with pedals.
The reverb sounded pretty much exactly like the verb in my Beta Lead, i.e. BLISS. Sunn is known for fantastic reverb. Dialing ti in is sometimes a bit goofy, but when you hit the sweet spot, you can't do any better.
The trem was busted on the one I played, no input there. Dude wanted $800 just for the head.

So consensus is AMAZING bell like cleans with slightly underwhelming grit (granted I'm a gain fiend) but fantastic reverb.
And that looks to be a 2x15 cab in the pic. If you want to know how awesome that cab is, listen to some Melvins and then ask yourself if you've been convinced yet.

pumpkin · Post by **pumpkin** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 8:45 am

yeah I'd do it

endsjustifymeans · Post by **endsjustifymeans** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 8:59 am

I just actually read your post vs just reading the heading and throwing my two bits in like my original post was.

This amps is pretty much exactly what you're looking for. It's clean for days. I like to layer my pedal grit over natural tube distortion for nuttyer nuttyness, so it didn't exactly work for me. Guy wanted either $800 for the head or was willing to trade for my Mig 60 flat out. I like a filthy gritty amp so it wasn't meant to be between us.

Ankhanu · Post by **Ankhanu** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 9:44 pm

I dunno about the 1977 YBA-1, but the earlier versions were pretty darn sweet. If you're liking your tone, you could look into a decent reverb tank and trem pedal... though that might even run you more on the ol' budget.

I haven't played a Sunn, but I've heard nothing but good things about them... YBA-1s aren't exactly super easy to come by these days, but neither is the Solaris... It kinda sounds like maybe you should give the Sunn a go. I'd definitely suggest trying it out before committing though.

laterallateral · Post by **laterallateral** » Sat Jan 16, 2010 10:08 pm

endsjustifymeans wrote:So consensus is AMAZING bell like cleans with slightly underwhelming grit (granted I'm a gain fiend) but fantastic reverb.
And that looks to be a 2x15 cab in the pic. If you want to know how awesome that cab is, listen to some Melvins and then ask yourself if you've been convinced yet.

Thanks your input is actually quite encouraging of this trade. I know the kinds of guitar sounds that you dig, (like from the records you like) So your talking high praise about the verb on this thing is a big push for the YEA club.

Ankhanu wrote:I dunno about the 1977 YBA-1, but the earlier versions were pretty darn sweet. If you're liking your tone, you could look into a decent reverb tank and trem pedal... though that might even run you more on the ol' budget.

Yeah, the budget thing is kind of a concern, I'm looking at a straight trade here. I've got entirely too many band related purchases lined up that would take precedence over this. Also, I kind of want to avoid modifying the YBA because they're just starting to get pricey now. I don't think drilling a bunch of holes and fucking with the circuit would be wise.

Skip · Post by **Skip** » Sun Jan 17, 2010 5:14 am

grab the sunn----- traynors are like finding a used volkswagon-- they are everywhere

Should I trade my Traynor YBA-1 for a Sunn Solarus?

Should I?

Should I trade my Traynor YBA-1 for a Sunn Solarus?