500's - Maker Quality ?

[Drew]

Looking for opinions on the different brand quality on the model 500. I know most collectors prefer the Western Electric models....how do the others stack up - Stromberg Carlson, ITT, Northern, etc.  I know there are a few brands which are close in apperance to the 500, but not the same.  I'm intersted in the brands that are a dead on look-a-likes to WE 500's.

Also - what years did WE license production to these other brands ?

I recall a thread on ITT & Stromberg's being compared on quality, but couldn't find it.

Drew

[Dan/Panther]

Obviously the WE500 is best in my opinion. Early Strombergs etc, I can not speak for, but as far as later model SC, and ITT, I much prefer the ITT, they are closer to original WE design, are heftier feeling and seem to have more quality.
JMHO

Dan

[Craig T]

Hi Drew, here is a thread I started and the second one is a side by side from D/P. Couple good resources for what you are talking about. The bottom of the first page on mine is where D/P starts talking about the comparison.


http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=2102.0


http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=1142.0

I am right with D/P.

WE, ITT, SC

I have wall phones from each company and my SC has a noticeably thinner shell and overall is lighter (mostly due to the difference in networks).

[gpo706]

I have 2 x 500's and a 554 all WE, 1 x ITT/Palco 500, no discerenable difference in case thickness/weight etc, the only difference is the ITT, hasn't the plunger base screwed in but glued, though still has the screwhole.

My 2 cents worth the IT sets near as much a match for build quality.

[Dennis Markham]

GPO are your W.E. sets early ones or later than the 1960's?  In my experience (however limited) I think Western Electric sets are much better quality than the other mentioned.  But I usually deal with sets from the 1950's up to maybe 1965.

[gpo706]

The ITT has a 1960 network, think the case and handset from 1984ish.

The black 550 is network 10/59, red is 7/53, they are all Frankenphones!

[gpo706]

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=2064.0

there's the thread for my lovely ivory ITT set.

[McHeath]

My observations are pretty similar to what has gone before here.  Clearly WE set the bar and I don't think any of the clone 500 makers ever surpassed it.  ITT seemed to come close, and I still think the current day Cortelco versions are not too bad in terms of quality.  The SC's seem to be much cheaper, especially once the 70's hit.

The late model WE 500's are still a lot better made than the others, though everything started getting cheaper in the final years.  My 1984 WE 500 is decently made, and works fine, but the vitals are all filled with more plastic, less metal, thinner metal, and quicker made parts.

[Kenny C]

i have notised some thing about SC 500 sets every one I have seen has a melted place around the dial