I am going to post a classic here:

I am thinking of getting a YBA-1A or V4 for MAINLY bass use. I have owned both these amps, but only used them as a guitar player. If I was going to mainly use them for bass what would you go with?

Owen wrote: Mon Jun 16, 2025 10:22 am I am going to post a classic here:

I am thinking of getting a YBA-1A or V4 for MAINLY bass use. I have owned both these amps, but only used them as a guitar player. If I was going to mainly use them for bass what would you go with?

The Traynor but I wouldnt specifically seek that model out. Its a 50W plexi-type amp and about any iteration of such a thing would do the job well. So would the O-50 you have.

Dr Tony Balls wrote: Mon Jun 16, 2025 10:31 am

Owen wrote: Mon Jun 16, 2025 10:22 am I am going to post a classic here:

I am thinking of getting a YBA-1A or V4 for MAINLY bass use. I have owned both these amps, but only used them as a guitar player. If I was going to mainly use them for bass what would you go with?

The Traynor but I wouldnt specifically seek that model out. Its a 50W plexi-type amp and about any iteration of such a thing would do the job well. So would the O-50 you have.

You know, I should actually experiment with the O-50 and a bass. Truth is I have a couple amps sitting around collecting dust, and a dude has both a V4 and Traynor YBA-1A and was offering a trade.

Owen wrote: Mon Jun 16, 2025 10:22 am I am going to post a classic here:

I am thinking of getting a YBA-1A or V4 for MAINLY bass use. I have owned both these amps, but only used them as a guitar player. If I was going to mainly use them for bass what would you go with?

For recording or live use? I can't really speak to the YBA-1A, but power wise at 90 watts it's probably on par with a V4 with 6L6s. FM Eliya used a 1A when he played bass in Hungry Man and it was always more than loud enough!

tallchris wrote: Mon Jun 16, 2025 10:39 am

Owen wrote: Mon Jun 16, 2025 10:22 am I am going to post a classic here:

I am thinking of getting a YBA-1A or V4 for MAINLY bass use. I have owned both these amps, but only used them as a guitar player. If I was going to mainly use them for bass what would you go with?

For recording or live use? I can't really speak to the YBA-1A, but power wise at 90 watts it's probably on par with a V4 with 6L6s. FM Eliya used a 1A when he played bass in Hungry Man and it was always more than loud enough!

Probably for live use more. I mean, I have the big 400+ if needed, but I thought adding a more "low" wattage YBA or V4 would offer something a little different in sound.

Owen wrote: Mon Jun 16, 2025 10:22 am I am going to post a classic here:

I am thinking of getting a YBA-1A or V4 for MAINLY bass use. I have owned both these amps, but only used them as a guitar player. If I was going to mainly use them for bass what would you go with?

V4, but I’d go with a YBA3 if mostly bass over the YBA1A.

To complicate things further, the YBA1 is better for bass than you might think. Same with V2.

Dr Tony Balls wrote: Mon Jun 16, 2025 10:31 am

Owen wrote: Mon Jun 16, 2025 10:22 am I am going to post a classic here:

I am thinking of getting a YBA-1A or V4 for MAINLY bass use. I have owned both these amps, but only used them as a guitar player. If I was going to mainly use them for bass what would you go with?

The Traynor but I wouldnt specifically seek that model out. Its a 50W plexi-type amp and about any iteration of such a thing would do the job well. So would the O-50 you have.

You're thinking of the YBA-1. The YBA-1A is about 90 (loud) Watts. I used one for bass for a bit and it was able to keep up with a loud guitarist and drummer. It was definitely riding on the edge of breakup most of the time though.

The Traynor is going to be more bulletproof than the V4, generally speaking. V4s are kind-of a bear to service in comparison to nearly any Traynor of that era.

The band Lemuria, a very good live band, would play with a YBA-1 and as a loud(ish) indie rock trio, the YBA-1 was imo often slightly not enough. Venues with full sound, sure, great.
Anywhere, here's clear example tonality

Nate Dort wrote: Mon Jun 16, 2025 1:32 pm

Dr Tony Balls wrote: Mon Jun 16, 2025 10:31 am

Owen wrote: Mon Jun 16, 2025 10:22 am I am going to post a classic here:

I am thinking of getting a YBA-1A or V4 for MAINLY bass use. I have owned both these amps, but only used them as a guitar player. If I was going to mainly use them for bass what would you go with?

The Traynor but I wouldnt specifically seek that model out. Its a 50W plexi-type amp and about any iteration of such a thing would do the job well. So would the O-50 you have.

You're thinking of the YBA-1. The YBA-1A is about 90 (loud) Watts. I used one for bass for a bit and it was able to keep up with a loud guitarist and drummer. It was definitely riding on the edge of breakup most of the time though.

The Traynor is going to be more bulletproof than the V4, generally speaking. V4s are kind-of a bear to service in comparison to nearly any Traynor of that era.

I dragged my YBA-1A to practice to play pbass > traynor > ampeg 8x10 in a two guitar + synth + loud drummer. Had to dial in the lows on the range expander to avoid running away on a lot of notes, but completely good times and kept up volume wise there wasn’t any clean volume left.
the band likes my other amp (aims vtb) or just an svt more.
In a three piece would be pretty solid

Dr Tony Balls wrote: Mon Jun 16, 2025 9:04 am Sweetwater, for example, has measurements for their cases online. So you could measure your guitar and compare to a bunch of options and see what will fit. Example: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... case-jumbo

Yeah, I guess that's the plan. When I checked about a year ago I think I was a little disappointed to not find that many options with published measurements. I guess I could also take measurements again (lost my notes) and try to see if any more common or in-production models match the dimensions and look for compatible cases.

This guitar is a shit ton of fun though. I like how you switch between pickups with a blend pot. Unfortunately, the tone knob is practically useless, though the neck pickup has a massive cap permanently wired. Makes a deep growling sound and you just blend it with the bridge pickup to get brightness. If I only still had the patience for the tedium involved in pulling the wires from those little f-holes, I'd put that cap on the tone control, maybe leaving the bridge pickup with no rolloff. That way I could get the neck pickup stock and without the cap.