74 4122 Cloth / Cones

[slrstcs]

Looking at a neat 74 cab on Reverb- the Fanes look nice, but the grill cloth looks darker than the classic salt & pepper. Is that maybe just a combination of fading and lighting? Do the Fanes look all original?

Here's a link:
https://reverb.com/item/1760842-hiwatt- ... oove-tubes

[Dr.HI-TONE]

the cab looks OK.
not sure why the serial number tag is so crooked.
those stamped frame 122142's were fragile. They didn't hold up well.
its grossly overpriced.

[slrstcs]

I agree- I was looking at offering something like half of the total for the cab on its own- I guess we'll see!

[Dr.HI-TONE]

I wouldn't use anything over 50 watts with that cab. or you will blow the speakers.

[slrstcs]

8 ( ah man, I have a '72 dr103 I was hoping to use! Maybe this isn't the cab for me. Thanks for the advice. Would a 4123 be a better match? Or maybe I just need to pass...

[Dr.HI-TONE]

You don't want to use a DR103 with a single vintage 4x12.
if you play very loud at all, you will be blowing speakers.

Trust me, I've had it happen too many times.

[slrstcs]

Sad to hear - I figured the four 50 watt Fanes would be enough. Oh well.

[Dr.HI-TONE]

thats why its so hard to find decent vintage HIWATT speaker cabs.
Lots of people thought the same thing. including me back in the day.

[slrstcs]

I don't know that I have the patience or the cash to find another 4122 that could match this one for a full stack.

[slrstcs]

So when I see photos of people using a single 4x12 with a DR103, would they generally be using a 4123?

[Dr.HI-TONE]

no, the 4123 was only 100w. when new.
if you keep the master volume down you can get away with it for some time. But if you play loud, the speakers in a single vintage 4x12 will not last forever. Especially those in pictured in the cab above. They were really weak.

Hopefully Old School Dave will chime in.

Blowing old Fanes was a big part in why we started HI-TONE.

I sold almost all of my vintage cabs. as far as I am concerned the old speakers are like time bombs. I have had too many go off on me. They can die on someone else's hands.

[slrstcs]

I'm relieved and dismayed in equal measure. I've never heard an old set of Fanes- I have a very sturdy pair of Ampeg V4 cabs with various pairings of Celestions in them... one with Creambacks and the other with a v30/g12h30 mix. Until the DR103, they sounded really nice with my Traynors and Fenders. Really, the Creamback cab sounds pretty monstrous with the Hiwatt... but I've been wondering how I'd sound with a Hylight-era cab.

[Dr.HI-TONE]

it will sound way better with speakers voiced for it.

[slrstcs]

I bet- it'd be such a shame to blow out a beautiful vintage cab! Of course, I practically dime the master when I play, and roll up the preamp until I get enough gain for what I'm doing. of course, its absurdly loud!

[Dr.HI-TONE]

yes, it really, really, sucks to blow vintage speakers!
We blew at least one at every convention. I think they were all mine