https://bugs.gentoo.org/468176

--- a/configure.in
+++ b/configure.in
@@ -167,6 +167,7 @@ AC_PROG_CC
 AC_PROG_GCC_TRADITIONAL
 AC_PROG_INSTALL
 AC_PROG_AWK
+AC_CHECK_TOOL([AR], [ar], :)
 AC_PROG_RANLIB
 AC_PROG_LN_S
 CHECK_COMPILER_OPTION(rdynamic)
--- a/timidity/Makefile.am
+++ b/timidity/Makefile.am
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ calcnewt$(EXEEXT): $(calcnewt_OBJECTS) $(calcnewt_DEPENDENCIES)
 	$(LINK) $(calcnewt_LDFLAGS) $(calcnewt_OBJECTS) $(calcnewt_LDADD) $(LIBS)
 timidity$(EXEEXT): $(timidity_OBJECTS) $(timidity_DEPENDENCIES) 
 	@rm -f timidity$(EXEEXT)
-	ar -cru timidity.exe $(timidity_LDFLAGS) $(timidity_OBJECTS) $(timidity_LDADD) 
+	$(AR) -cru timidity.exe $(timidity_LDFLAGS) $(timidity_OBJECTS) $(timidity_LDADD) 
 else
 calcnewt$(EXEEXT): $(calcnewt_OBJECTS) $(calcnewt_DEPENDENCIES) 
 	@rm -f calcnewt$(EXEEXT)