"walnut grained"?

[ra.ra]

My modest collection, as well as most classic AR speakers I have ever encountered, are clad in real walnut veneer, which was sold as "oiled walnut" (for my 4x's and 2ax's). I know that toward the end of production of this series, when manufacturing was moved out of Cambridge to Norwood, several of the models (notably AR-6, AR-7 and AR-8, I believe) were offered with a simulated walnut vinyl cladding.

Also, I think I read somewhere on CSP that some speakers during this period may have had a cladding that was indeed real wood with a walnut appearance, but was, in fact, not real walnut veneer. Methinks I read that it may have actually been birch veneer with a walnut stain that almost convincingly recreated the beloved oiled walnut appearance.

My question is this: when a speaker from this era has a tag that states "walnut grained", is it actually clad in wood veneer made to appear as if it is walnut, or is this an unfortunate moniker for the vinyl downgrade?

[Steve F]

I've heard that very early 7's were wood veneer (birch?), stained to look like walnut, but I believe that the great majority of 7's were vinyl. My sister bought 7's in summer '73 (well under a year after the 7's intro), and those were vinyl. I'm pretty sure that other ARs that were once walnut transitioned to vinyl at the end of their life. The AR-8 was always vinyl, to the best of my recollection.

My experience is that if a speaker is real wood--regardless of the actual wood involved--a company is pretty darned proud of it and touts it as a selling point.

"Genuine walnut veneer."

"Real wood veneer."

'Walnut-grained' is usually code-speak for Cheap Plastic covering.

If it's real wood, the company generally says so in no uncertain terms.

Steve F.

[ra.ra]

Thanks, Steve. Your take on this history, while far more informed than mine, is nonetheless consistent with my diminishing memory of this product line, in addition to what I've gleaned from knowledgeable CSP members on this site. I entered the AR realm of speakers on the modest end of the product line - - a pair of 4x's from '70 or '71 (still in my living room) - - and back then I wasn't paying much attention to marketing of the subsequent model entries - 6, 4xa, 7 and 8 respectively. I probably read the Hi-Fi mags, but I was just happy to have the 4x's that Consumer Reports helped lead me into.

I am still not altogether certain of the many varieties of AR-6's manufactured, though I tend to see a disproportionate number of the Euro version - - backwired tweet, speckled paint rear cabinet, sometimes the thin front profile at grille perimeter. Definitely have heard about several versions of x-o, but not sure about AR-6 options on cabinet finishes.

Your comments on the AR-7 seem spot-on ........ the real walnut versions are somewhat rare, but the majority seem to have the unfortunate plastic wrappers. The AR-8 holds little appeal to me but still I remain curious - - I've never actually seen one but hey, I like rock music, too!

The finest of the AR speaker classics become fine furniture and decor accoutrements, in my opinion, and it really seems to me that the company's move out of Cambridge coincided with a major shift in manufacturing and marketing strategies. The move from fabric to foam surround is one that I do not grasp from an engineering perspective, but the switch from real walnut to simulated vinyl merely smacks of an ill-informed penny-pinching marketing strategy gone wrong. Too bad so many excellent woof-mid-tweet drivers are enclosed in cheap clothing, but at least the linen remained good.

Thanks again for your thoughts - the 'walnut-grained' description has always been vague to me.

[genek]

"Walnut grained" on an AR speaker means it's plastic.

[ra.ra]

Steve F and genek harbor the same suspicion that I've had, but I have now located the CSP comment which notes the third finish that I mentioned in the OP - - this remark was made by none other than Tom Tyson in 2003

SteveF's reply on the AR-4x and AR-7 is simply great, and I think it is extremely accurate with just one tiny addendum: the AR-7 was originally offered in a wood finish, but it was not Walnut. It was a Walnut-finish Birch with an oil finish. Later AR-7s were vinyl.

--Tom Tyson

http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/IP.Board/index.php?showtopic=827

So, as far as the tags on the speaker backs (or shipping cartons), if the real walnut veneer was known as "oiled walnut" and the vinyl clad was known as "walnut grained", what language did AR use to designate this third "walnut" finish that Mr. Tyson refers to?

file:///Users/bby/Desktop/collections/speakers/AR%20speakers/walnut%20grained.jpg

[ra.ra]

I've seen this situation a number of times now, and just wanted to share this one finding to confirm my general suspicion about these labels. These pics are from a current online auction for a pair of AR-4xa speakers (s/n 003585 and 003788), which have tags clearly identifying the finish as "walnut grained". I've seen plenty of real walnut wood veneer and I've also seen more than enough simulated walnut vinyl to know that these are indeed the Real McCoy (Walter Brennan, below).

[tysontom]

Steve F and genek harbor the same suspicion that I've had, but I have now located the CSP comment which notes the third finish that I mentioned in the OP - - this remark was made my none other than Tom Tyson in 2003

SteveF's reply on the AR-4x and AR-7 is simply great, and I think it is extremely accurate with just one tiny addendum: the AR-7 was originally offered in a wood finish, but it was not Walnut. It was a Walnut-finish Birch with an oil finish. Later AR-7s were vinyl.

--Tom Tyson

http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/IP.Board/index.php?showtopic=827

I've attached some images of a pair of early AR-7s with wood-veneer finish. I do think the wood is Birch; however, it may actually be some form of Luan or Philippine Mahogany veneer. This pair of 7s is in poor condition, but the wood veneer -- with all of its scratches -- can easily be detected. I am not sure of the final finish that AR used on the AR-7.

--Tom Tyson