Fane 125113?

[BillJ]

I bought 2 Fane speakers in around 1978 or 79. I put them in an old 2 x 12 cabinet and used them for a while, then I got sick of carrying big amps around and started using combos. Consequently the box with the Fane speakers sat covered up in the shed for many years.

I was never all that happy with the sound of the various combos I had, Fender, Laney, Music Man, Marshall. I tried various speakers in them, but they didn't sound good. After moving house 2 years ago the Fane box appeared, and I tried it out with my current Marshall combo and the sound is great, I love it. I now use it all the time.

But for practising I would like to use a 1 x 12 box, which is a lot easier to get down the steep ramp to the cellar we practise in. I put one of the Fanes in the 1 x 12 box and it still sounds good. I did that just to compare, as I want to leave the 2 Fanes in the 2 x 12 box, and have tried Celestion Greenback, Goldback, Vintage 30 and a Weber Legacy in the 1 x 12 but none of those sounds like the Fane, they all sound rubbish.

There are photos attached of the numbers on each speaker. They are a bit hard to read, but the model looks like 125113, the cone 276 and the date 35/78.

Does anyone have any information on these? I think I was told they are 75W when I bought them, would that be correct? Can anyone recommend a modern speaker that will sound like these old Fanes? What about the Fane Medusa?

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[OldSchoolDave]

Can't tell you much about that particular model, other than it wasn't made for Hiwatt. Fane did build some excellent guitar speakers around that time.

Pretty safe to assume they were originally designed for 75 watts. Given the age, it'd be wise to not push that limit.

Dave

[BillJ]

Thanks Dave. I use them with a 15W or 40W head. Even though they are old, they haven't had a lot of use.

I've read that a Tayden Retro 55 is similar to a Fane, and they advertise that you can use them instead of a Fane. Other people say the Eminence Tonker and the Fane Medusa 150 have a similar sound to old Fanes. But listening to the Watford Valve Sound Factory, the Eminence sounds more like it to me. But listening to things like that or demos on Youtube isn't much use, I've relied on that before and been disappointed when I test the speaker in my own cabinet. The only answer I suppose is to buy something and see how it sounds in real life.

[OldSchoolDave]

I've read that a Tayden Retro 55 is similar to a Fane, and they advertise that you can use them instead of a Fane.

A lot of speaker providers make that claim . We don't see Taydens on this side of the pond, so I can't speak to how accurate their particular claim might be.

Other people say the Eminence Tonker and the Fane Medusa 150 have a similar sound to old Fanes.

Yeah, so, the question is really; "similar to which old Fane"? There were variations even in the Hylight Hiwatt Fane models and the quintessential sound is in the ear of the beholder .

But listening to things like that or demos on Youtube isn't much use, I've relied on that before and been disappointed when I test the speaker in my own cabinet. The only answer I suppose is to buy something and see how it sounds in real life.

You're probably right. I don't usually listen via headphones, so any clips are filtered through my cr@ppy laptop speakers. As you say, not very helpful.

Another consideration is speaker break-in, which is critical (and the reason why HI-TONE pre-exercises speakers before they're shipped). Passing judgement right out of the box (for most speakers) is premature.

Dave

[BillJ]

I bought an Eminence Delta 12B to use in my 1 x 12 cabinet. I won't say it sounds just like the Fane, but is has a similar sort of sound, a nice rounded tone and not too harsh and trebly like the other speakers I mentioned. It is very similar and I am very pleased with it.