Adding an extra gain stage to my Traynor YBA-1 BassMaster?

[Humbucker]

I have a 1970 Traynor YBA-1 50W BassMaster head with a solidstate rectifier. It has a pair of 6CA7/EL34 power tubes in it.

I was looking at various schematics lately and I noticed that you can quite easily add an extra gain stage to this type of amp by using one half of the first preamp tube from one of the channels that you're not using. By wiring in a DPDT toggle switch or relay, you can switch this extra gain stage in and out of the circuit.

BTW, this perticular Traynor YBA-1 isn't completely stock right now and is really close to the early Fender Bassman/early Marshall Plexi family of amps. How much extra crunch do you suppose would be added with this extra gain stage?

Without the extra gain stage, this amp is basically wired like a Marshall 1959 Plexi, but with this extra gain stage added, it would basically be like the Marshall 2203 Master Volume amp except that the master volume control on my amp is located after the phase inverter. ( I installed a Ken Fisher type post phase-inverter master volume with the dual-gang pot).

I was just curious as to what some of you guys that are knowlegeable with these types of amps would have to say about this idea of adding an extra gain stage by robbing one half of the first preamp tube? Would I be better off just using a good overdrive pedal rather then get into adding tube gain stages?

[Odd I/O]

Maybe test drive some pedals

"...... Would I be better off just using a good overdrive pedal rather then get into adding tube gain stages?"

...Possibly; Before ripping into your amp, take these two for a test drive:
---Seymour Duncan Pickup Booster (about 70 dollars)
---Seymour Duncan Twin Tube (about 200 dollars and worth EVERY PENNY)

[gtrboy]

wow

i totally modded a traynor to those specs and sold it on eby a couple few years ago. i wonder if its my old amp. does it have red spray paint on the side?