Trying again - Is this an AR-1? See pictures

[Guest shogold]

Hello! I've looked again at the speaker I asked for help with last week, and now I'm almost positive I see an AR-1 on the back label, even though it's partly torn. I'm sending pictures -- can you help me ID it for sure? I'm not sure I've posted them right so I may have to repost this. Thanks!!

Shoshanna

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[tysontom]

>Hello! I've looked again at the speaker I asked for help with

>last week, and now I'm almost positive I see an AR-1 on the

>back label, even though it's partly torn. I'm sending

>pictures -- can you help me ID it for sure? I'm not sure I've

>posted them right so I may have to repost this. Thanks!!

>Shoshanna

Shoshanna,

You have probably determined by now that this is definitely an AR-1, most likely was built around 1957 or 1958, judging by the serial-number range. It has the newer-style ivory grill, but has the early gold thread, and the cabinet is a NovaPly Lacquered Walnut (long-since refinished by someone) -- possibly Lacquered Mahogany. It also has the newer level-control arrangement vs. the earlier binding-post setup. These changes occurred somewhat after the initial production of the AR-1.

The cabinet in which it was placed was almost ideal for the proper placement of this old speaker (someone knew what he/she was doing), and I suspect that for years it sounded great! Was it in your family?

--Tom Tyson

[Guest shogold]

Tom,

Thanks for responding to my post. I guess it did seem like a dumb question but I really wasn't sure. As you may have guessed I don't know much about these speakers and I'm trying to do my research so I can list them accurately on ebay.

Yes, this speaker was in my family for a long time. There is another one also, an earlier one, and I was confused because they don't look alike but now I know they're both AR-1s. I grew up with them but I think I was too young to appreciate the great sound. I just thought that's what music is supposed to sound like. When I got a little older my parents didn't want to hear my music so I had to listen to everything through headphones! Sometime in the late 80's the family got a whole new stereo system and the AR-1's have just been gathering dust. Would you believe I was about to haul them to the curb? But they were too heavy for me to lift so I figured I'd look them up on the internet first..

.

Thanks for the comment on my father's placement. Yes, he did know what he was doing. He was a big audiophile in the 50's and 60's and he had that bookcase and another one custom made to his specifications so those speakers went just where he wanted them.

Tom, I've read your description of how to pack AR speakers from a previous thread and I hope to follow your suggestions when I sell mine. Thanks for the step-by-step instructions. I have some questions about packing but I'll start another thread when I get up to that.

I'm curious why you say the speaker's been refinished. I don't remember that ever being done but they were bought before I was born so I guess it's possible. How can you tell that?

Thanks again for your comments

[tysontom]

>Tom,

>Thanks for responding to my post. I guess it did seem like a

>dumb question but I really wasn't sure. As you may have

>guessed I don't know much about these speakers and I'm trying

>to do my research so I can list them accurately on ebay.

>

>Yes, this speaker was in my family for a long time. There is

>another one also, an earlier one, and I was confused because

>they don't look alike but now I know they're both AR-1s. I

>grew up with them but I think I was too young to appreciate

>the great sound. I just thought that's what music is supposed

>to sound like. When I got a little older my parents didn't

>want to hear my music so I had to listen to everything through

>headphones! Sometime in the late 80's the family got a whole

>new stereo system and the AR-1's have just been gathering

>dust. Would you believe I was about to haul them to the curb?

> But they were too heavy for me to lift so I figured I'd look

>them up on the internet first..

>.

>Thanks for the comment on my father's placement. Yes, he did

>know what he was doing. He was a big audiophile in the 50's

>and 60's and he had that bookcase and another one custom made

>to his specifications so those speakers went just where he

>wanted them.

>Tom, I've read your description of how to pack AR speakers

>from a previous thread and I hope to follow your suggestions

>when I sell mine. Thanks for the step-by-step instructions.

>I have some questions about packing but I'll start another

>thread when I get up to that.

>

>I'm curious why you say the speaker's been refinished. I

>don't remember that ever being done but they were bought

>before I was born so I guess it's possible. How can you tell

>that?

>

>Thanks again for your comments

>

>

Regarding the refinishing: I went back and looked again at the image of the front of the speaker, and I'm probably wrong about that. I believe that the way the light was shining on the molding, it looked too shiny, but after a second look, the speakers are probably not what they seemed from that shot. I am fairly confident, however, that the finish was either Lacquered Walnut or Lacquered Mahogany, and since the color is more brownish than reddish, I'm inclined to think it is Walnut. Can you take a picture of the side of the speaker cabinet and post it? This would help me to confirm the cabinet finish much better than by looking at the front molding itself.

Incidentally, when you get ready to prepare the speakers to be listed on eBay or whatever, do not attempt to remove the grill cloth. It is very difficult to get it back on without problems: some (including me) have removed and replaced AR-1 and AR-3 grill panels more or less successfully, but it is just about impossible to get the grill back on without it being slightly wavy in the middle, unparallel with the panel sides or frayed away from the edges. Even Acoustic Research never attempted to replace an original grill during a factory-repair visit. They cut and removed the old one and started all over again with a new grill panel and grill, re-attaching with their mechanized glue guns. Also, look around behind your father's cabinet and you'll probably find the "AR" logo grill emblem. Having the original AR emblem will be helpful in selling the speaker.

Let us know if we can help you with your listing for eBay or with the packing details.

--Tom Tyson