Jump to content

3a version help


DavidDru

Recommended Posts

Went and looked at a pair of 3a's available here locally. There is no paperwork on the back of either unfortunately so not sure on serial numbers. Here is a photo of what was under the hood. Any feel for what version these are? Looks like TT's 1968. The guy is thinking in the $600-700 range. That was before I found one of the mid range drivers non functional. Couldn't even find a spot on the pot that it would kick in at and the pots didn't feel too bad otherwise and worked on the other 3 drivers. acbs are good except on back top corner. Grilles fully in tact.

3a10.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Went and looked at a pair of 3a's available here locally. There is no paperwork on the back of either unfortunately so not sure on serial numbers. Here is a photo of what was under the hood. Any feel for what version these are? Looks like TT's 1968. The guy is thinking in the $600-700 range. That was before I found one of the mid range drivers non functional. Couldn't even find a spot on the pot that it would kick in at and the pots didn't feel too bad otherwise and worked on the other 3 drivers. acbs are good except on back top corner. Grilles fully in tact.

3a10.jpg

No expert on these but the plywood baffle, the hot melt glue and the woofer are probably an indication of the date ... I'd say early 70s ... again, no expert. The mid pots seem to go first and the wiper may have dissolved by corrosion so there is a good chance the driver is okay.

They look pretty nice to me but maybe you can get them for less. You don't have to worry about shippers trashing your cabs either :)

Roger

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The AR3a restoration guide has lots of pics of the drivers that may help you date the speaker. You can also try removing one of the woofers. There may be a date ink stamped on the back side that could take all the guess work out of this effort.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks like TT's 1968.

You're right: It does look like Tom's '68.

That's the AR-3 style woofer with cloth surround, 1967-69 (My favorite).

The mid is also 1967-69.

AND, so is the tweeter: '67-'69.

That is a nice example of the very first iteration of the 3a.

As Roger pointed out, the mid problem may just be a bad pot.

Are the brass logos present?

You could try negotiating a bit on the basis of the dead mid but they look pretty nice.

With new caps & L-pads, maybe some of Roy's surround sealant those should be pretty sweet.

-Kent

Link to comment
Share on other sites

shouldn't you be able to lift the tape up on the baffle board and put an ohm meter across the VC leads? if it shows continuity the driver should be OK.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Man as you are all probably thinking too, these are hard to pass up. I am thinking he would need to come down to $400 for me to even think about buying them. He should be able to get more and I am only being that way because I have the 3's to finish already and too many other speakers I am messing around with now. Lord knows I could get them, fix em up and sell for a decent profit. I was originally thinking to get them just so I could pass them on to one of you guys or similar. Kind a control thing.

A pair just sold the other day on EBay in Michigan for local pick up only for $900! I think those were restored.

Roy is that a difficult mid to get hands on if bad like mine was?

JKent, yes they have the badges too!

Not that I want to, but guys, I can ship cheaply. My wife has a UPS corporate account that we get to use. I just shipped 62.5 lb box to West Virginia for $30 which included 200 insurance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Roy is that a difficult mid to get hands on if bad like mine was?

David,

Mids are available for 3a's for around $100 each these days.

As Pat mentioned above, you can test the mids (and tweeters) at the solder connections under the tape on the front of the cabinet .

Roy

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Man as you are all probably thinking too, these are hard to pass up. I am thinking he would need to come down to $400 for me to even think about buying them. He should be able to get more and I am only being that way because I have the 3's to finish already and too many other speakers I am messing around with now. Lord knows I could get them, fix em up and sell for a decent profit....

Given their position in the AR-3 hierarchy I'd say just get them and put them in storage :) One of us will eventually take them off your hands if you run out of room.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is no paperwork on the back of either unfortunately so not sure on serial numbers

Maybe a member with AR-3a's could take a good photo of the label and post it, then someone could clean it up in PhotoShop. We did that for the 2ax. Here it is (see post 14):

http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/IP.Board/index.php?showtopic=8425#entry103141

PS: Just searched a bit. That clean 2ax label was courtesy of member Robert_S. See post 13 here: http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/IP.Board/index.php?showtopic=4466&page=1

-Kent

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe a member with AR-3a's could take a good photo of the label and post it, then someone could clean it up in PhotoShop. We did that for the 2ax. Here it is (see post 14):

http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/IP.Board/index.php?showtopic=8425#entry103141

PS: Just searched a bit. That clean 2ax label was courtesy of member Robert_S. See post 13 here: http://www.classicspeakerpages.net/IP.Board/index.php?showtopic=4466&page=1

-Kent

Not too bad ... should do that for all the classic era models.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can you either post or email a high resolution photo of the better label? I could try to clean it up or maybe someone more adept at PhotoShop (Robert_S?) would do it.

-Kent

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If there is ever a real good cleaned up version of the labels made maybe they should be made available in the library or something. Although would not want to make them too available.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anyone really good with PhotoShop or similar? Norman sent me some good photos but every time I try to clean up the 3a instructions the results are disappointing.

Photos are about 3.5MB each. I'll email them to anyone willing to give it a try.

-Kent

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If there is ever a real good cleaned up version of the labels made maybe they should be made available in the library or something. Although would not want to make them too available.

I think it will be fairly easy to spot a repo label as the originals use screen printing and the dots tend to block up on the copies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So the owner of these 3a's offred to sell them to me for $500. I told him i would pass but if he still has them in the future (if they dont sell otherwise) that might change. UGH! He has them listed on CList for more $.

Man, I don't know if I am being stupid or what on this. I have purchased enough stuff lately and really need to sell off some things.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...