Interesting AR-3as on ebay

[Guest John Faulkner]

An interesting pair of AR-3a speakers appeared on ebay in the past few days. Aside from the lack of grilles and entire matte black paint job, the driver complement is quite interesting. The speakers info sheets visible on the photos reveal serial numbers 03034 and 03035 (What year?). Both have cloth surround woofers as appeared on early AR-3a speakers, one has a replacement but original looking - except silver mesh grille - midrange, the other an original AR-3a mid. But both speakers have the old AR-3/AR-2a phenolic dome (fried egg) tweeter in what appears to be original condition. Did AR ever make an AR-3a with the 1 3/8" brown dome tweeter as original equipment? Comment?

John

[Guest winters860]

There were never any AR-3a produced with the phenolic dome tweeter.

Interestingly, the converse is not true. The last AR-3 to roll out of the factory had paper dome tweeters.

The AR-3a on eBay look to have be a real cob job. The non-original midrange is from an AR-11 or 10pi, though to be generous, we'll say that it could have been a factory service replacement. I doubt it. I think the seller is dreaming, even at his opening bid of $200.

[genek]

An interesting pair of AR-3a speakers appeared on ebay in the past few days. Aside from the lack of grilles and entire matte black paint job, the driver complement is quite interesting. The speakers info sheets visible on the photos reveal serial numbers 03034 and 03035 (What year?). Both have cloth surround woofers as appeared on early AR-3a speakers, one has a replacement but original looking - except silver mesh grille - midrange, the other an original AR-3a mid. But both speakers have the old AR-3/AR-2a phenolic dome (fried egg) tweeter in what appears to be original condition. Did AR ever make an AR-3a with the 1 3/8" brown dome tweeter as original equipment? Comment?

Based on the tool marks around the flanges of the MF and HF drivers, I wouldn't take it on faith that any of them are original to the boxes.