Boutique Belgian cabinet builder Cathedral Cabs has selected Fane Acoustics Crescendo AE and Ascension A60 loudspeakers for its acclaimed Holy Grail cabinets, following extensive testing against a range of established guitar speakers.
For boutique amplifier and cabinet builders, choosing the right loudspeaker is every bit as important as the cabinet itself. The speaker has a fundamental influence on the character, response and feel of a guitar rig — and for Cathedral Cabs, the search for distinctive, inspiring tones has led to Fane.
After spending considerable time testing the Crescendo AE and A60 in the Cathedral Cabs showroom, owner Dries Greeve was impressed by the character and versatility of both models and shares some of his thoughts below.
Ascension A60 – Vintage character without the power limitations
(12 inch, alnico magnet, 60W)
"The Alnico 60 immediately stood out as more open and noticeably more “old school” sounding compared to the Celestion Gold I tested in another cab in the showroom. It sits tonally somewhere closer to a classic Blue-style character, but with less speaker breakup, which honestly feels like an advantage."
"It keeps that chime, warmth, and vintage compression you expect from an alnico speaker, yet remains controlled and usable at higher volumes, never too harsh! The 60-watt rating makes it far more practical than a traditional 15-watt option, which many players hesitate to choose because of the limitations. For that reason, I’ll be swapping the Celestion Gold in the showroom with the Fane Alnico as a stronger alternative for players looking for a Blue-inspired tone without the power restriction. The balance between vintage feel and usability is simply spot on."
"Both speakers surprised me in the best way, but the Crescendo especially feels like a hidden gem for me as a boutique cabinet builder." – Dries Greeve, Catherdral Cabs.
Crescendo AE – Vintage soul with exceptional headroom
(12 inch, cermic magnet, 100W)
"I’m an even bigger fan of the Crescendo. This speaker has a powerful vintage identity, but with some very pleasing characteristics reminiscent of classic high-headroom speakers. There’s very little speaker breakup, yet it never feels sterile or overly clinical like for example the Celestion G12K100."
"What impressed me most is how it avoids the stiffness that some high-power speakers can have. Compared to many well-known Celestion and Jensen models I tested it against in the showroom, the Crescendo sounds genuinely unique — not just another variation on a familiar theme."
"This speaker could make my “holy grail” cab even more distinctive in character. I expect customers who come in to test amps and cabs to react very enthusiastically to it, because it delivers something different: clarity, headroom, and vintage soul without sacrificing warmth. Its a heavy speaker, but perfect to give a 112 a bigger sound."
Discover The Holy Grail
Cathedral Cab's Holy Grail is built without compromise, combining premium materials, meticulous craftsmanship and a carefully designed cabinet construction to create a versatile 1x12 guitar cabinet for jazz, blues, rock and everything in between.
The cabinet is constructed from solid walnut, with an 18mm marine-grade Baltic birch baffle using dado-joint construction. A separate frame supports the vintage-style grille cloth, while the open-back design combines the response and projection characteristics of open and closed-back cabinets.
Finished with a natural satin varnish to bring out the beauty of the walnut, each Holy Grail is completed with sturdy rubber feet, an ergonomic leather handle and high-quality internal wiring.
Now available with the Fane Acoustics Ascension A60 or Crescendo AE, the Holy Grail brings together Cathedral Cabs’ craftsmanship with two of Fane’s most distinctive guitar loudspeakers.
For players looking to make their tube amplifier shine, the search for the Holy Grail may just be over...
A Boutique Partnership
Cathedral Cabs is known for its focus on carefully developed, characterful guitar cabinets, making it a natural partner for Fane. We are delighted to be working with Dries and look forward to seeing and hearing more of the Holy Grail cabinets equipped with Fane loudspeakers.
For boutique amp and cabinet builders, manufacturers, retailers and guitarists, Fane offers a range of guitar loudspeakers designed to bring character, originality and performance to your next project.
Discover more about Cathedral Cabs on their website www.cathedralcabs.com
If you’re looking to create something that sounds different, we’d love to hear from you.
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