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Here's me bragging...

Started by bingster, May 06, 2009, 07:29:02 PM

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BDM

Quote from: Dan on May 06, 2009, 11:47:37 PM
one thing about those P-U phones, they don't stink ::)

Where's the stage hook when you need it? ;D
--Brian--

St Clair Shores, MI

contraste

What a find.
Was it pure luck or do you scour the ebay listings every few hours?


bingster

I wouldn't rule out a good bit of luck, but I do check for newly listed phones every couple hours or so.  The counter of this one is stopped at "2" and I'm sure both those views are me.  So it looks like nobody else even looked at it.  I guarantee if the seller had known to put the word "mushroom" in the title, it would have been snapped up much sooner.
= DARRIN =



Sargeguy

Nice find.  I think I saw that phone and said to myself "$34.99 for a black 500? Hah!"  It just shows it pays to look at auctions that seem outside your price range, you may find that the price is actually a bargain.  I do it for 300 sets, I will start doing it with 500s.
Greg Sargeant
Providence, RI
TCI /ATCA #4409

JimH

Wow!  What a find!  Whenever I find something like that, I feel like I just won the Lotto.  I have one identical and I think I paid ten times that!
Jim H.

bingster

#20
The phone arrived today, and thankfully it arrived with no damage.  That was a huge weight off my shoulders.  I tore right into it, naturally, and was both pleased and disappointed.  Pleased because everything dates from January 1957 (and a receiver cap from 12/56).  Disappointed because I loosened the dial and found:



That's pretty bad, but I really can't complain too much for $35.  The mounting cord was also replaced, and normally I'd be disappointed that it's not the same age as the phone, but it's one of the thick ones with the chunky collar, and I really love those.

All in all, I'm very happy.  It's soft plastic, 6-hole receiver cap, all right except the dial, which I can live with.  And even though it's filthy, it's got no major scratching, so I think it'll clean up really well.

As an extra, I also wound up with a hardwire-to-modular adapter (which I didn't have, and which will come in REAL handy), and a run of six-conductor station wire.  I've never seen that many conductors in station wire before now.  I'll post a few more pics when I get it cleaned up and tested.  In the meantime, I'm seriously considering pulling the dial from my black 12/57 500 to put in here.  But do I want one incorrect phone or two?  Decisions... Decisions...
= DARRIN =



Dan/Panther

I think I would try to find a dial first, then change it after a reasonable search period like maybe an hour or two. You can always switch it bacl if your conscience gets the best of you. I would rather have the all matching 57 mushroom.
D/P

The More People I meet, The More I Love, and MISS My Dog.  Dan Robinson

bingster

Quote from: Dan/Panther on May 14, 2009, 02:43:27 PM
I think I would try to find a dial first, then change it after a reasonable search period like maybe an hour or two.
Hee hee... I already have. ;D
= DARRIN =



HobieSport

Does the mushroom light work yet? 8)

bingster

Not yet.  I have it all torn apart for cleaning.  I'll probably get it put back together later tonight for some testing.
= DARRIN =



Dennis Markham

Bingster, I'll bet I have a dial for you AND the proper black dial bezel.  If you're real lucky I'll find a dial marked -3 close to the date you need.  Do you need 1/57 or 12/56?

bingster

The base is dated 1/57, but I'd be grateful for anything close to that.  Thanks, Dennis, you're aces.
= DARRIN =



bingster

I've cleaned it and did a basic polish with Brasso, and it turned out really nice.  I'm sure with Novus, it would be much better, and I'll have to look into getting some. The light didn't work on the first try, but after a brief tussle with the very confusing U500 diagram, It's working fine now.  I haven't hooked it up to the phone system to see if the phone's working, but I double-checked that part of the wiring, and there's no reason for it not to work.  Anyhoo, here are some artsy pics:






= DARRIN =



HobieSport

#28
She's a beauty. Glad the dial didn't turn out to be a let down after all.

BDM

--Brian--

St Clair Shores, MI