Liangshan Marsh Posted March 23, 2019 Report Share Posted March 23, 2019 Hi Folks! I had heard the discussions about the rare of the AR-3 with korina finished cabinets veneer over on this Forum before and never seen one with korina veneer over the NET. Today I just saw one AR3s pair appeared on the eBay ( Serial # C 4057 & C 4031) that look likes Korina veneer but not sure, Thanks in advance for any opinions.. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Early-AR3-Acoustic-Suspension-Loudspeaker-Pair-Vintage-Sound-Great/153426112247?hash=item23b8e8aef7:g:NbQAAOSw-6Bcljk5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tysontom Posted March 23, 2019 Report Share Posted March 23, 2019 You've got a sharp eye, but I think this AR-3 pair you show is in Birch, usually a bit more yellowish, but I am not completely sure. Korina is slightly darker and has a more stripey texture, and I think that most of the Korina cabinets were marked as such, too, but perhaps not all. Here is an example, images taken from eBay: Korina Finish AR-2ax in round-cut Birch: Birch Finish AR-2ax, above. Birch veneer (as with all veneers) can be purchased "cut" in several different flitch configuration, such as round-cut, quarter-cut and so forth, depending on how the cabinet-maker bought the veneer. This will determine the grain, the texture and figure, etc. --Tom Tyson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genek Posted March 23, 2019 Report Share Posted March 23, 2019 The long face that's in shadow in photo #2 looks stripey enough to be korina, but the tops don't. Could be that the photos are washed out or the tops have been sun bleached. The face frames just look like generic "blonde." Do we know if the korina cabinets had solid wood korina face frames, or did they use birch the same way they did for the pine cabs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tysontom Posted March 23, 2019 Report Share Posted March 23, 2019 It looks as though the wood grill molding is solid-stock Korina in the image I sent earlier. Here is a close-up image of the Korina AR-2ax molding. Not all of the AR-2 series cabinets had cabinet molding, but most of the early models -- especially in exotic woods -- did have the molding. Unfinished-pine cabinets also had moldings out of birch. Solid-stock Korina molding (I think). The edge line is clearly visible. --Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lARrybody Posted March 24, 2019 Report Share Posted March 24, 2019 When I saw Liangshan Marsh's post I was excited to hear about another example of some Korina venere classic AR's. Those AR2a's Tom pictured are mine. Picked them up from a guy in Dayton exactly three years ago. They have never been on ebay. Two years ago I got some 3a's in April. Last year a set of 12's in April. Maybe these 3's are my April surprise this year. They sure look good, but I tend to agree that they are probably birch. The 2a's have been put back to original dual mids. They are currently boxed up in storage. I have one original grill, still looking for its mate. Anyway I would like to see another Korina venere example out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tysontom Posted March 24, 2019 Report Share Posted March 24, 2019 IARrybody: You are fortunate to have that pair, as Korina is quite rare to find. I thought that these pictures were off eBay; sorry about that! Thanks for your permission to use that picture, after the fact! This pair looks like a pair of AR-2as that were factory-converted to the first version of the AR-2ax; i.e., updated with the $15.00 midrange upgrade to the CTS 3-1/2-inch midrange. I personally wouldn't change them unless you have the original woven grills and logos, etc. The grill that is shown is the the AR-2ax-type 1965-and-later beige-linen grill. The CTS midrange is much better than the original two 5-inch Carbonneau drivers. In other words, you have a rare pair. Period! Korina was available for only a few years, as I think most of the Korina wood was used by guitar-makers and so forth. The wood is really beautiful, but most of the blond-appearing finishes are birch, not Korina! I think that "Korina" is printed on the label of most of the AR speakers in that finish. That grill molding is also solid-stock Korina. I have yet to see a pair of AR-3s in actual Korina. I once had a pair of KLH Fours in Korina, but never an AR speaker. If anyone else has Korina ARs, share the pictures with this forum! --Tom Tyson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tysontom Posted March 24, 2019 Report Share Posted March 24, 2019 By the way, you would need the beige-linen grill and the "AR" logo and the "a" brass stick pin to make the grills correct. Don't use the "AR-2ax" single logo. This picture is of a pre-1965 AR-2 in Birch with the two 5-inch Carbonneau midrange units. Notice the grill material and logos. This is the type grill your speakers came with originally, but when the new 3 1/2-inch CTS midrange was added in the upgrade, new beige grills were also added, but the logos and so forth stayed the same. The AR-2x and 2ax Mid-Adapter panel and speaker with crossover mod included. --Tom Tyson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lARrybody Posted March 25, 2019 Report Share Posted March 25, 2019 Thanks Tom, You are not the first person who has told me the 2ax mids are better. I saved them and may eventually put them back. Like I said I have one original grill and am looking for another. I may have found a lead to a couple grills tonight from someone that has Franken 2a's listed on Detroit Metro CL. Interesting looking modded 2a's. I have very nice reproduction square badges and "a's" thanks to JKent. I have three sets of these now and although the Korina examples are rare, they may not be my rarest. Thanks to Owlsplace post these now reside in my basement. I have not yet looked at them but plan to soon and post my observations. Thanks everybody at CSP for all the great information I find here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liangshan Marsh Posted March 25, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2019 On 3/23/2019 at 6:06 PM, lARrybody said: Two years ago I got some 3a's in April. Last year a set of 12's in April. Maybe these 3's are my April surprise this year. Thanks Mr Tom, Admin, IARrybody for all the valuable inputs, @ IARrybody, If you want to get these 3's, I think you must compete against the Oversea bidders that they are very serious interested in collected the AR3's with low serial numbers and ready to pay very high price for them, predicting the winner of this pair will pay up to 3.5$K ( Recently ,the two AR3's pairs with low serial sold on fleabay over 3 grands) 1.https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Pair-Acoustic-Research-AR-3-Loudspeakers-Alnico-Magnet-AR3-Low-Serial/123688070541?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT 2.https://www.ebay.com/itm/Acoustic-Research-AR-3-Loudspeakers-PLUG-PLAY-Early-Alnico-AR3-AR1-Worldwide/183719466339?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Look back at the #1 picture of my 1st post , that the stripey texture on the side of the right speaker look likes to be the korina veneer,( because the missing a piece of paper on both of the speakers , so not sure if the KORINA stamped on both of the missing pieces paper...?) I just checked on 9 speaker with Birch finished and none of them has the stripey texture likes the pair above. As I see all of the 9 Birch finished speaker that has the kind of small spiral texture.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liangshan Marsh Posted March 25, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2019 Continue PIC..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ra.ra Posted March 25, 2019 Report Share Posted March 25, 2019 15 hours ago, tysontom said: This picture is of a pre-1965 AR-2 in Birch.... Ooh-la-la.....lots of lovely blondes in this thread , but am just curious why those AR-2's include the "a" stick pin? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tysontom Posted March 28, 2019 Report Share Posted March 28, 2019 Yes, I forgot to mention that in that picture, someone had put AR-2a grills on a pair of AR-2s. The grills are the same, but the "a" pin belongs to AR-2as. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio AR Posted March 28, 2019 Report Share Posted March 28, 2019 On 3/28/2019 at 3:28 AM, tysontom said: Yes, I forgot to mention that in that picture, someone had put AR-2a grills on a pair of AR-2s. The grills are the same, but the "a" pin belongs to AR-2as. Hi Tom, after the AR2, I'll show you my AR2 with the grille of the Heathkit As-2a (the fabric is identical to the original AR), then you see my original AR2a with still the grille never removed, the details of the same speakers, the construction of the cabinet, and even the 3.5 mm thick veneer. (the inner frame above the grill is also veneer! You see the differences in the thickness of the frames between AR2 and AR2a ) of a wood I don't know. Certainly it is not Korina, not even walnut in my opinion ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GD70 Posted March 29, 2019 Report Share Posted March 29, 2019 Great, and interesting info as always gents! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonT Posted March 21, 2020 Report Share Posted March 21, 2020 What kind if wood do you guys think is on these? Here is a couple close up's. Sorry I meant to post this in my thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
genek Posted March 21, 2020 Report Share Posted March 21, 2020 Can you pull back and show the full surface? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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