Newbie, help with AR-2 and AS-2 birch refurbish questions

[Wrongdog]

Hi All you wonderful folks!  Scott here and I have a "mismatched" pair of First Gen AR-2 and AS-2 speakers in okay shape and working condition.  Before I wreck these by doing any hack work I thought I'd humbly and thankfully ask for some advice.  Having never posted please pardon me if I am not abiding by this great sites protocol!!

Tweeters work after massaging pots, AS-2's have the pad pucker, both woofers work great and I treated the surrounds  and dust covers with a proper clear rubber surround solution ( I have it from KLH restorations I have done). AR-2 has oil caps and honkin' wire wound L-Pad and AS-2 has the foil type caps and "normal" pot type. Both had different grill material and were ragged. Cabs are 3/4 Birch in okay shape.  One front banding missing and one damaged (I am pretty good with wood work and veneers),  AR-2 has pine bottom and rear panel AS-2 has one pine bottom and MDF rear panel.

Questions are:  Strip finish carefully and ??  Watco natural?  Satin Nitro lacquer? Can I replace caps in just the AS-2??  It is definitely suffering High roll off compared to other.

FYI - these will be sold after I play with them a while as they are too big for my listening area.  I am a Dynaco A-25 addict and listen, using a stacked quad. I like 50's - 70's country, Jazz and 60's- present Rock, alt country, Americana etc, use 70's medium power SS receivers (Sherwood, Sony, RS STA-90's etc)

 

Thanks so much for reading and any advice