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My first trimline, kind of... (Saisho Telcom 250 Trimline clone)

Started by twocvbloke, January 28, 2014, 11:15:07 AM

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twocvbloke

Saw this the other day, don't know anything about it other than it looks pretty close to a proper DTMF Trimline, wouldn't surprise me if they sold that model after the bell breakup dressed up as a Trimline, but, I just bought it cos it was there, no real interest in it's vintage, though it wouldn't surprise me if it was as old as I am (so could be a Birthday phone for all I know!!)... ;D

The price was right too at 99p... :D

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/141171536653

Just need to wait for it's arrival, but for now, pictures, and no, the beans are not included... ;D

HarrySmith

Sure does look like a Trimline to me! Got a picture of the bottom?
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

twocvbloke

Not got any more pictures than what I pulled from the auction, it'll probably be here by the weekend hopefully, and as always I'll post pictures... :)

I'm kind of expecting it to be like most of the other Trimline clones, but shall have to wait and see, could be a virtual photocopy of the WE (or ITT, or Stromberg!!) versions as far as I know... ;D

HarrySmith

It does appear to be an exact copy. Looking forward to the pictures to see for sure!
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

twocvbloke

I've been tempted to buy other lookalikes, they only really share the shape, but not much else, but this one, it had me looking at trimlines on the forum comparing the appearance of it versus the real thing, and it just looks "right", obviously the name's wrong, but, it looks right, I can't wait to get it and dismantle it... ;D

HarrySmith

Agreed, everything! The hookswitch, the buttons, even the number plate cover.
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

twocvbloke

Yep, and at 99p (plus £5.50 postage), it's worth a punt, even if it's only the looks that are the same, it's all part of the learning process, and it documents another phone based upon a WE design... :)

twocvbloke

Well, it's arrived, and it's only copied the looks of a Trimline, internally it's an all-electronic phone, it has a fairly high-pitched tone ringer, it has weight, but it's lead-weight as it has two small lead ingots in the base as without them it's very light, it's wired for BT line use (so no internal ringing capacitor), and it's not even DTMF, it's Pulse-dial only despite having * and # buttons, they only work as Mute and Redial respectively... :-\

Ah well, it was 99p, and the seller knocked £2.50 off the postage so only a total of £3.99 spent... ;D

It does however use a couple of parts that aren't unfamiliar in an american phone, the handset RJ10 sockets in the base and handset are the same as in a modular G-type handset, and under the BT approval sticker feels like there's a space for a sliding plug to use on a wall-mount jack, but isn't used, and of course, it "looks like" a trimline, but ultimately, it isn't one... :)

Anyway, pictures as promised:

Matilo Telephones

That is interesting. Is it in exact copy on the outside? Exact same shape and dimensions? Or is it more of an approximation?
Groeten,

Arwin

Check out my telephone website: http://www.matilo.eu/?lang=en

And I am on facebook too: www.facebook.com/matilosvintagetelephones

Contempra

Quote from: Matilo Telephones on February 01, 2014, 03:45:24 PM
That is interesting. Is it in exact copy on the outside? Exact same shape and dimensions? Or is it more of an approximation?

seems to be an exact copy from a trimline at my sens..

WesternElectricBen

If it was worth it, I would send you a box with 2 or 3 knock off trimlines, that have gong ringers.

Ben

HarrySmith

Oh Well :(
At least the outsides look like the real thing. Could be an interesting display with a few clones for comparison. Those are some hunks of lead in there!
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

twocvbloke

Quote from: Matilo Telephones on February 01, 2014, 03:45:24 PM
That is interesting. Is it in exact copy on the outside? Exact same shape and dimensions? Or is it more of an approximation?

I'm not really sure as I've not seen a real Trimline in person, so haven't much of a basis to go on, but it looks the part, though there are some rough edges where they got a bit lazy with the casting, so it's not perfect, but it works... :)

Quote from: WesternElectricBen on February 01, 2014, 03:52:16 PM
If it was worth it, I would send you a box with 2 or 3 knock off trimlines, that have gong ringers.

Ben

Thanks, but I think one is enough, it's one thing having a copy, but it's better to have the real thing, someday, not today though cos I just spent £270 on a dishwasher so I'm poor for the next month... ;D

Quote from: HarrySmith on February 01, 2014, 07:32:31 PM
Oh Well :(
At least the outsides look like the real thing. Could be an interesting display with a few clones for comparison. Those are some hunks of lead in there!

Yeah, but it's not the worst clone-o-phone I've had, though the lead is a bit interesting (and it is indeed lead, unlike the chinese phones I've had which used lumps of cast iron), gives the phone a bit more value as scrap thieves love lead, so must be worth something... ;D

Matilo Telephones

#13
Quote from: twocvbloke on February 01, 2014, 08:00:01 PM
Quote from: Matilo Telephones on February 01, 2014, 03:45:24 PM
That is interesting. Is it in exact copy on the outside? Exact same shape and dimensions? Or is it more of an approximation?

I'm not really sure as I've not seen a real Trimline in person, so haven't much of a basis to go on, but it looks the part, though there are some rough edges where they got a bit lazy with the casting, so it's not perfect, but it works... :)



I wonder how that works. Would they have a licence to use that design?

I remember seeing a very cheap exact copy of the PTT Montreux, see pic. Possibly this model is called by a different name in the rest of the world, but the PTT version is called Montreux. I know it very well, cause I used to have one as my regular Phone for years. It is very wel made.

The one I saw was in Eastern Turkey, red, made in China. On the outside it was exactly the same shape. But is was made of a much cheaper plastic. It was almost translucent. And the inside must have been very different, as it was much lighter too. So I wonder if its design was illegally copied.
Groeten,

Arwin

Check out my telephone website: http://www.matilo.eu/?lang=en

And I am on facebook too: www.facebook.com/matilosvintagetelephones

twocvbloke

Quote from: Matilo Telephones on February 02, 2014, 03:05:30 AMI wonder how that works. Would they have a licence to use that design?

Given that it was made after the breakup of Bell, the design was probably sold off to the cheapest bidder, so someone else abroad could manufacture lookalikes and then the remnants of the Bell companies could buy them to use on their networks...

I did notice another of these phones on ebay sold under the Dialatron name:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121267246752

So it probably wasn't Saisho specifically making them, it was probably just what they do these days and mass produced in a factory and just badged according to whoever bought them... :)