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Ready For Candlestick - Advice Needed!

Started by zaphod01, June 23, 2013, 07:39:01 AM

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zaphod01

I bought way too much JUNK during my WE500 learning curve.  >:( I did better with 5302's and even better with 302's and 202's. 

Now I'm ready to buy my first WE candlestick.

What should I NOT do?  ???
"Things are never so bad they can't be made worse." - Humphrey Bogart

LarryInMichigan

The first thing is to be careful about fakes.  Check out the thread here: thread link and this page: http://www.oldphoneman.com/Fakes.htm.

Larry

Sargeguy

We can help you.  A couple questions to start you off:

Dial or Non-Dial?

Nickel or Black?

Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

Phonesrfun

Quote from: zaphod01 on June 23, 2013, 07:39:01 AM
I bought way too much JUNK during my WE500 learning curve.  >:( I did better with 5302's and even better with 302's and 202's. 

Now I'm ready to buy my first WE candlestick.

What should I NOT do?  ???

You should not expect a solid back transmitter to sound like a modern phone.  You should not get one without a subset.  Just to name a couple of things.
-Bill G

zaphod01

I think I should start simple with a non-dial. I just want it to be 'correct'.

I have a 'homemade' subset made out of an old WE500, It works fine on my 202's but the ring just doesn't sound right. I'm bidding on two phone/subset combinations right now. I'm hoping for a nice 634 at a reasonable price. One thing I learned with my pricey 500 learning curve is patience!

I'm worried that the nickel won't clean up nice. Can I snag one off eBay and have it re-nickeled? Can they be polished? Some of them appear discolored. The last thing I want to do is buy one that can't be made to work.

I guess I just need to pick a model and start looking. I saw a 'left-handed' version on eBay. Is this legit? If so, what's the model number?

Thanks!

"Things are never so bad they can't be made worse." - Humphrey Bogart

TelePlay

Quote from: zaphod01 on June 25, 2013, 06:02:52 AMI'm worried that the nickel won't clean up nice. Can I snag one off eBay and have it re-nickeled? Can they be polished? Some of them appear discolored.

Check out this plating service link:

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=4743.0

Phonesrfun

Any so-called "left-handed" version is most likely reassembled wrong.  I have never seen one with the hook on the right side.  Occasionally people put pictures up that have the image reversed.
-Bill G

Sargeguy

#7
Are you looking for a fixer-upper?

Make sure to avoid brassed-out phones.
Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

zaphod01

I'm looking for one with all the pieces there. Doesn't have to be pretty. Something to learn on without taking a beating.

I'm bidding on a brass, non-dial with a subset that closes tomorrow. It's a picker so I don't have any details other than it is brass. I figure I need a subset anyway and can pick up a candlestick in the process. I hope it closes at something reasonable.

I feel like a babe in the woods...
"Things are never so bad they can't be made worse." - Humphrey Bogart

AE_Collector

#9
Read this thead:

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=8578.0

Cindy67 blew through the forum like a huricane looking to get a candlestick. Actually I think she had already bought a 1970's reproduction thinking it was a real one and then resold it. Correction, I just took a quick look at the post again. She was bidding on a fake, then posted here and was advised it was a fake so she quickly withdrew her bid WHEW. Then she bid on and won.....another fake...

Looking back now it is hard to believe that she was here for only 12 days, first post to last post! :)

Terry

Russ Kirk

Quote from: AE_Collector on June 26, 2013, 04:52:48 PM
Read this thead:

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=8578.0

Cindy67 blew through the forum like a huricane looking to get a candlestick. Actually I think she had already bought a 1970's reproduction thinking it was a real one and then resold it. Correction, I just took a quick look at the post again. She was bidding on a fake, then posted here and was advised it was a fake so she quickly withdrew her bid WHEW. Then she bid on and won.....another fake...

Looking back now it is hard to believe that she was here for only 12 days, first post to last post! :)

Terry

I would not doubt that there are members that only post to get info on an item they are selling/buying and then disappear.  At first I think that is sad,  but then again,  they are looking for info and this is the best place to get accurate and honest answers.  So I change my mind, kudos to these people for trying to get honest facts on a phone.  

I just wish they stick around because some of them may turn out to be really nice, friendly and pleasure to have on the forum,  like a certain nice lady in the Chicago area.

Russ........
- Russ Kirk
ATCA & TCI

AE_Collector

Agreed Russ.

When I read Zaphod01's post it instantly reminded me of Cindy67 on a rampage for a candlestick. Zaphod01 didn't remind me of her, just that he is looking for his first candlestick as was Cindy. She was buying and selling before waiting for answers almost. Like she had heard that the very last candlestick had just been listed on ebaY and if she ever wanted on she had to buy it RIGHT NOW! Just seemed odd that she blew in here and then blew out again almost as fast.

Terry

Sargeguy

I'm bidding on a brass, non-dial with a subset that closes tomorrow

In my experience brass phones have usually been lampified or otherwise monkeyed with.

Also avoid phones that have notched transmitter cups, they are refurbs from the Depression or WWII.  They are often sloppily re-painted.  You want holes where the transmitter mounting screws go.
Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

Sargeguy

#13
Don't bid on this one-
http://www.ebay.com/itm/281127618085

Former lamp that needs work

Or this one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/early-candlestick-telephone-/271229466902

Maybe if it had a *229* and knurled thumbscrew, and that shaft looks pretty brassy.

This one is a frankenphone disaster:

http://www.ebay.com/231001453671

This one is a refurb: black painted 40-AL perch on a brass bottom, likely to disappoint: 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/130933477294
Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

poplar1

Quote from: Sargeguy on June 26, 2013, 08:06:52 PM
I'm bidding on a brass, non-dial with a subset that closes tomorrow

In my experience brass phones have usually been lampified or otherwise monkeyed with.

Also avoid phones that have notched transmitter cups, they are refurbs from the Depression or WWII.  They are often sloppily re-painted.  You want holes where the transmitter mounting screws go.

Yes, the WE brassed out phones have usually been "improved" by ye old lamp-maker....but even worse are the fakes being sold as originals; these are usually unpainted, but sometimes, these repros are black. (Phoneco charges extra for painting them.)

If you see an AE dial (finger stop at the 5 o'clock position), that is usually a red flag. However, even with a WE #5 dial, it can still be a repro. I haven't see a repro with a WE #2 dial, but I guess it could happen.)

When there are 1 or 2 holes, instead of 3, in the felt or suede baseplate covering, this is usually a red flag, although someone may have recovered the baseplate and used only 1 or 2 screws. (I still can't figure out why someone would skip the one screw that holds the phone together; without it, if you pick up the phone by the neck, it will come apart.)

If the rack looks shiny instead of parkerized, it is a repro part.

If the line cord is flat, then the cord (and possibly the whole phone) is not original. The cords on a Western Electric candlestick are round and have at least 3 conductors.





"C'est pas une restauration, c'est une rénovation."--François Martin.