Some questions about older AR2s

[Horswispr]

I'm helping a friend refinish some old AR2s he came up with. First question: What's inside these guys? I know (or think) the AR2x has a crown woofer and a tweeter that's a lot like the midrange of the AR2ax. But what's inside the earlier AR2? Also, these have screen slots like AR3s, but am I correct in assuming the the screens are also stapled in? Our first attempts to get the screens off were not successful. Finally, did AR use SHELLAC on some of their earlier speakers? When I sanded down a top and wiped the surface down with warm water, some dripped on an unsanded surface and the areas the water touched turned white, as is supposed to happen with shellac. If AR used shellac, then I'll go for authenticity and use shellac once I've sanded and oiled these up. An interesting note: these are finished in veneer on three surfaces but plywood on what we commonly call a side. Obviously they were designed to be used on their sides as bookshelf speakers. The trend toward using bookshelf speakers "standing up" must not have been in full swing when these were made. Thanks for any words of wisdom.

[JKent]

Those ARE early. How 'bout a photo? I knew the early ones were veneered on 3 sides but never saw one.

I have some 2a's that may be similar as far as the grilles go. There were some staples as I recall, and glue. Also the speaker's frame has a groove around the perimeter and the thin masonite boards are inserted in those grooves on the short sides but not on the long sides. See this page

http://www.mbzponton...n2awa/ar2a.html

Early AR speakers were oiled or lacquered, depending on the wood. I don't "think" they used shellac.

Good luck

Kent

[dynaco_dan]

I'm helping a friend refinish some old AR2s he came up with. First question: What's inside these guys? I know (or think) the AR2x has a crown woofer and a tweeter that's a lot like the midrange of the AR2ax. But what's inside the earlier AR2? Also, these have screen slots like AR3s, but am I correct in assuming the the screens are also stapled in? Our first attempts to get the screens off were not successful. Finally, did AR use SHELLAC on some of their earlier speakers? When I sanded down a top and wiped the surface down with warm water, some dripped on an unsanded surface and the areas the water touched turned white, as is supposed to happen with shellac. If AR used shellac, then I'll go for authenticity and use shellac once I've sanded and oiled these up. An interesting note: these are finished in veneer on three surfaces but plywood on what we commonly call a side. Obviously they were designed to be used on their sides as bookshelf speakers. The trend toward using bookshelf speakers "standing up" must not have been in full swing when these were made. Thanks for any words of wisdom.

Hi there

AR-2's were a 10" Alnico magnet woofer and dual cone angled tweeters, bought by AR, from Carbonneu (spel) and modified for their use in a separate sub-enclosure.

The first sub-enclosures were cast aluminum and next came ABS.

AR came out with a DIY mod as well as used it in current production, a cone kit and for AR-2's a wooden adapter plate

which would take the place of the dual cones drivers.

I believe they cost AR customers about $15.00 for the kit.

I have a few photos to post here in the next few days regarding the adapter plate/driver/resistor combination.

The early AR-2X's used the same driver as well as AR-1X, AR-4, and later the AR-2AX mid-range driver.

All in all, a very versatile and successful driver for AR.

Later on they used their own in house designed and manufactured 2 1/2" cone tweeter.

The AR-2AX's were the only updated speakers system that did not convert to the newer and better 2 1/2" driver.

AR also made this 2 1/2" tweeter kit available for around $10.00 to it's customers.

The cabinets were finished on the ends and one long side as they were initially designed for shelf placement.

The dual cones would have been on a horizontal dispersion path and less so if the cabinets were vertical.

Some of the ones I've seen have marine plywood under the 3 finished sides and regular plywood under the one unfinished side.

Check out the AR factory speaker refinish sheet I posted here a few years ago for the exact finish you may have.

Shellac was not on their list.

If you are going to lacquer them, do not sand and then oil them, the oil will make any other finish difficult to apply.

Updated 20110830 2:00 PM

Hi there

"The AR-2AX's were the only updated speakers system that did not convert to the newer and better 2 1/2" driver."

A thought just occurred to me.

I wonder if they had used this 2 1/2" tweeter in the AR-2AX, would it have been as successful as using the larger driver?

Has anyone tried or heard of this modification?

It might be interesting to hear some results of this comparison.

[dxho]

Those ARE early. How 'bout a photo? I knew the early ones were veneered on 3 sides but never saw one.

...

Kent

Here's a picture of one, serial 27427. Not only is it finished on 3 sides, it also looks like solid wood for those 3 sides (unless they veneered the back edge, too).

[JKent]

Cool! That does look like solid wood. Maybe veneer over cheaper solid wood? I seem to recall that AR used 7-layer (?) marine grade plywood for some cabinets, but was not aware of solid. What is the wood & finish on yours?

Kent

[tysontom]

Cool! That does look like solid wood. Maybe veneer over cheaper solid wood? I seem to recall that AR used 7-layer (?) marine grade plywood for some cabinets, but was not aware of solid. What is the wood & finish on yours?

Kent

Kent,

The "solid" wood you see is actually a Nova Ply MDF-like material that was used with veneered-wood panels. The bottom plywood panel was a standard Ponderosa Pine plywood, and that bottom panel was usually always supplied with the AR-2 series -- regardless of finish -- because the speaker could only be properly used with the tweeters facing horizontally, not vertically, for best horizontal dispersion. Thus it was assumed that owners would always place them horizontally for best sound. They actually don't sound terrible in the vertical position, but dispersion is poor in that position.

--Tom Tyson

[genek]

Finally, did AR use SHELLAC on some of their earlier speakers? When I sanded down a top and wiped the surface down with warm water, some dripped on an unsanded surface and the areas the water touched turned white, as is supposed to happen with shellac. If AR used shellac, then I'll go for authenticity and use shellac once I've sanded and oiled these up.

The original finish for these was lacquer, most likely nitrocellulose. If you don't have the necessary equipment to spray nitrocellulose without blowing up your house or poisoning yourself, a clear shellac should be an acceptable substitute. Avoid polyurethane!

[dxho]

Cool! That does look like solid wood. Maybe veneer over cheaper solid wood? I seem to recall that AR used 7-layer (?) marine grade plywood for some cabinets, but was not aware of solid. What is the wood & finish on yours?

Kent

Old and scratched :-)

[michiganpat]

looks like mahogany or teak? IIRC those finishes were lacquered, vs. oiled for the walnut

[dxho]

Very high gloss, one reason I've been reluctant to tinker with it.

[JKent]

Ken,

AR offered several different veneers early on: Mahogany, Birch, Walnut, Cherry, Teak, Pine & Korina. Some were oiled, others lacquered. Tom Tyson posted a picture of the samples somewhere in these pages. Here's a link where he lists them all but I can't find the picture

http://www.classicsp...h=1

I have a pair of 2a's in lacquered Mahogany. Very attractive. To take care of minor scratches etc. wipe the cabinet with Howard Restor-a-Finish. It comes in Mahogany and that's what I used. Don't use steel wool--just wipe on with a cloth then wipe off. Buff with a soft cloth and if desired wax it with something like Howard Feed-n-Wax or whatever your favorite furniture wax is.

Kent

Looks like that photo was here http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/IP.Board/index.php?showtopic=4377&st=0&p=73497&hl=+tysontom%20+finishes&fromsearch=1entry73497 but it's been removed.

[Horswispr]

Thanks for the responses--very informative!