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AR-2ax Speaker - what kind of wood veneer? Pine?

redpackman

redpackman

Active Member
I picked up a pair of AR-2ax speakers I hope to restore over the next weeks. I've done AR's before so I think I know the basics of the drill. These speakers were one owner and purchased in the early 70's. By the date on one tweeter, they were manufactured around March '70.

I know AR had speakers with a variety of veneer, probably the most common being beautiful walnut. These are not walnut. They are in need of a cleaning, so I'm still not sure, but I think they're either pine or birch because even "well used," the wood is lighter than the walnut or mahogany ones. I communicated with the original owner and he said after 50 years he wasn't sure what they were all he knows is "they were unfinished to save a few bucks." Hey, if we purchased AR's in 1970 at that stage of life, we all had to cut corners, didn't we? If not we still be original owners of AR-3a's right?

So, my basic question is: I'm assuming that the ONLY speaker AR sold that was unfinished was the pine model. Is that accurate?
 
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I believe birch was an option (it was for the 3s) along with pine plywood (intended for painting). I could be wrong. AR2ax are nice speakers when properly restored.
 
If they were unfinished, then most likely pine. Unfinished cabs tend to be very collectible these days as less we’re produced, and best to leave them unfinished for originality and value if that’s your thing. Many also refinish them, stain etc… but pine isn’t the best surface for this.
 
To the OP your assumption is likely incorrect. Attached are two pics of my ARs. The lighter colored one is an AR2x in unfinished Baltic Birch. The darker one is an AR3 in unfinished pine (much more prominent wood grain). Hope this helps. FE0F64F4-1FB8-4E21-92DB-970E6150D802.jpeg90DBD68E-C913-4490-8E1A-679AF68EB47A.jpeg
 
Thank you to both of you for the replies. The pictures are particularly helpful. I believe what I have is the Baltic birch judging by the grain pattern I see.

Any suggestions on how to strip/clean the ones I have as they are darker and have accumulated more dirt in the last 50 years than the beautiful picture of the AR 2ax you posted.
 
Before offering any further advice, please post some pictures of your speakers so we can see what challenges you face.
 
My understanding is that the pine/unfinished option was available to those who wanted to build the speakers into a bookcase, or paint them
 
macyjrm said:
Before offering any further advice, please post some pictures of your speakers so we can see what challenges you face.
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It appears that they have been stained. If possible I'd like to restore them as much as one can to the original raw finish, or lack thereof. Please confirm what wood you believe this to be. I'm not sure what grain I'm looking at. Some looks wider like the Baltic Birch, and some looks like pine to me. I'm no wood expert.
 

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Those are pine for sure. To return them to original condition you’re gonna need to get out the sander and carefully/gently remove the existing finish while not burning through the veneer. Then apply a clear wood oil to nourish the wood and get the grain to “pop”. Perhaps others with more experience will chime in soon with more detailed instructions.
 
Just got these AR 2ax in yesterday. Unpacked them this morning.

Look to be cherry veneer. Linen grill cloth. Single owner, estate sale. Both are missing the AR badges, so they didn’t set me back much. Still have the staples in the grill covers.

My first listen to them was disappointing. Boxy, chesty, and not much high end, and not much detail. Turning the pots, the loudness of the mid and tweeter drivers responded, but not enough to make much difference.

I’m hoping the drivers are in good shape. And I’m hoping that replacing the XO caps will make a “huge” difference.

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Be interested to see them with grill cloths off. Probably cloth doped surrounds if they are 1970s. Mine are 74s with foam surrounds. Clean or replace the pots as Glen says in addition to caps. Properly restored they will sound great. They go pretty low for their size. They need to be up on stands for sure.
 
I've always assumed these were pine, I've had them for a few years and they've bee in cabinets since new. I haven't done anything other than checking to see if they work, sooner or later I'll get to recapping them and seeing if they have foam surrounds that I'd need to replace.

AR-5.jpg
 
While I’ve ordered parts to repair my 2ax speakers, I’m going to do what few people do (and IMO should do), and that is to repair only one speaker. After the repairs, parts replacement, I’m going to play them and compare the sound using a mono music source. So many people do drastic, or minor repairs to both, and talk about how great they sound afterward. But they don’t do a comparison of the before and after. I’ll make recordings at the speakers, before and after. I want to know, and for others to know, and have an idea, of the differences before and after changes to the woofer surrounds and XO components. Only after I’ve completed these repairs/replacements will I turn attention to the cabinet cosmetics.
 
I have been very curious about these. I did the very same thing with some Large Advents. Rebuilt X-overs in one and compared to the untouched other one . My Wife and I didn't hear any difference. So I didn't bother rebuilding the other one.
 
HamboneF18 said:
Just got these AR 2ax in yesterday. Unpacked them this morning.

Look to be cherry veneer. Linen grill cloth. Single owner, estate sale. Both are missing the AR badges, so they didn’t set me back much. Still have the staples in the grill covers.

My first listen to them was disappointing. Boxy, chesty, and not much high end, and not much detail. Turning the pots, the loudness of the mid and tweeter drivers responded, but not enough to make much difference.

I’m hoping the drivers are in good shape. And I’m hoping that replacing the XO caps will make a “huge” difference.

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Yours look like walnut. Put some Howard's Feed N Wax on them and you'll see.
 
They’re most definitely not walnut. Walnut is much darker with a courser grain. They’re cherry, with an orange-red satin finish.
AF9DD0A7-02F6-4FD3-B12D-660848B667A9.jpeg
 
Morgan D said:
I have been very curious about these. I did the very same thing with some Large Advents. Rebuilt X-overs in one and compared to the untouched other one . My Wife and I didn't hear any difference. So I didn't bother rebuilding the other one.
Click to expand...

The tweeters don’t make a sound on either speaker. So there’s definitely a malfunction, likely in the XO, or potentiometer.
 
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