Koto Veneer

[Jaws]

I've inherited a pair of 1974 vintage AR-7s and am in the process of re-foaming and restoring them. They have the standard light grey linen grilles but the wood veneer is very pale, almost as pale as the grille cloth. On the back, the instruction labels carry a sticker saying "EQ No 018750 (018751) AR-7 KOTO". Since Koto is a pale wood I assume this is the colour of the veneer. They do look a bit strange and not as good as the darker veneers, but I intend to keep the colour for authenticity.

I wonder if AR made many units in this veneer, as I've not seen it before?

[JKent]

Welcome to the CSP!

Based on your British spelling of "colour" and the koto veneer, I'm guessing you are in Europe and that you have European AR-7s. The ones made in Cambridge MA had walnut veneer cabinets and natural beige linen grilles. Later they switched to (yuck) "wood-grain vinyl" cabinets. Here is a brochure:

http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/library/acoustic_research/original_models_1954-1974/original_models_brochures/ar-7_brochure/

So if yours are Koto veneer with grey linen (or is it soiled beige linen?) my guess is they were made in the UK. How about posting some photos?

Kent

[Jaws]

Thanks for the welcome Kent, it's been a while but I'm back on the case.

I am indeed in the UK and the speakers are the UK version - they have both AR's US & UK addresses on the labels and the rear of the speakers have a 'sputtered' finish. I've attached some photos.

I've re-foamed the woofers (not as difficult as I expected), and checking inside the box found nothing needed replacing, surprisingly. The dates on the woofers was 1972, which would be about right (I actually bought these as a birthday present for my father in the late 70s, and they were second hand then). The veneer has come up OK apart from one end which had little foam pads stuck on which have left the wood paler when I removed them, plus the remnants of a stain from something spilled on it. That stain was also on the grille, and it had rotted the cloth and left loads of little dead bugs! I've remade the grilles and polished up the badges (nice), but the material isn't taut enough so I might have another go. My wife unexpectedly said she prefers the look of the speakers without the grilles!

I'm after a replacement knurled nut which is missing from one of the binding posts. The workshop where I work hasn't anything the right size, only new-fangled metric stuff - can anyone tell me what size I need?

The main thing though is that they sound terrific. My daughter is using them to play music off her laptop, and she's blown away by the sound. And I've got the bug now and have my eyes on some larger speakers - this could get expensive (and obsessive ) :-)

[JKent]

Hi

If you used a natural fabric like cotton, linen or wool for the grille cloth, just spritz them with some water then dry with a hair dryer and they will shrink nice and taut.

The knurled nuts are #8-32. I'd be happy to send you one for whatever the price of postage is, but you "should" be able to find one on your side of the pond. Originals are nickel=plated brass, but solid brass is more common and works nicely.

Kent

[dynaco_dan]

Thanks for the welcome Kent, it's been a while but I'm back on the case.

I am indeed in the UK and the speakers are the UK version - they have both AR's US & UK addresses on the labels and the rear of the speakers have a 'sputtered' finish. I've attached some photos.

I'm after a replacement knurled nut which is missing from one of the binding posts. The workshop where I work hasn't anything the right size, only new-fangled metric stuff - can anyone tell me what size I need?

The main thing though is that they sound terrific. My daughter is using them to play music off her laptop, and she's blown away by the sound. And I've got the bug now and have my eyes on some larger speakers - this could get expensive (and obsessive ) :-)

Hi there

Quite an attractive looking speaker in that finish and also the rear.