Western Electric Model 500The Western Electric model 302 was hugely successful, but even its stellar track record pales in comparison to that of the 500. Given the more than adequate performance and reliability of the 302, what did the 500 bring to the table? Internally the ringer was the big story, with an easily adjusted volume control and a new sound, producing a tone that was described as lower pitched and more resonant. Subtle improvements abounded elsewhere, but what the public responded to was the new look, clearly a step towards modernism. As was the fashion at W.E., further changes were made over the years of production, some being performance improvements, while others facilitated more efficient, and cost-effective, manufacture. Still others were implemented with an eye towards marketing, as the decorative aspect of the telephone was exploited more than ever before. Two or more telephones were becoming commonplace in the home, and W.E. added colors to suit most any decor.
As with the 302, charting the changes on the Model 500 can be challenging. Supplies of older parts were typically exhausted before the new ones were used, and odd combinations of components found today could be as originally assembled, or could be the product of later repairs or mods… there’s seldom any way of telling. Very general, utterly unreliable and subject to change, I’ve compiled some changes, sorted by component. This information has come from numerous sources, and I’d appreciate hearing from anyone that sees errors in the text. (C’mon Dennis, I can take it!)
Here we go:

Handset - Bakelite G1 handsets used on black phones from ‘49 until sometime in the early/mid-’60s. Those were replaced by plastic G3’s, but both were used simultaneously for several years. Color sets had plastic G3 handsets when introduced in ‘53. Both black and color sets went to modular G15’s in 1972.

Fingerwheel - Black phones had painted metal fingerwheels from ‘49 until 1965, at which time clear plastic came into use. All color sets had clear plastic fingerwheels for the duration.

Base Finish - The bottom of model 500 was painted black until 1965(?) when replaced by a yellow cadmium-plated finish.

Handset Cord - Originally, black phones had straight black cords standard. Coiled cords seem to have been made optional early on, and became standard equipment sometime in the ’50s. Color sets used straight gray cords until the mid-’50s, when some colors had straight cords in matching colors. Sometime prior to 1960, color phones all came with coiled cords in matching colors.

Dial - Model 7A dials were used until sometime in the mid-’50s, when color sets were fitted with 7D dials and black phones with 7C’s. (At least one source indicates color with 7C and black with 7D) In the middle ’60s the 7-series dials were changed on all phones to 9C dials.