Western Electric 334A Subset??

[Doug Rose]

I think this is a 334A subset, but it is not marked. Needs some TLC, but its solid and it RINGS LOUD. These are not an easy find....Doug

[Jester]

That's a nice subset, Doug!  I have one here that is marked 333a on the wiring diagram-- love those exposed gongs!  Mine are nickel plated, so they really stand out.

[Sargeguy]

I have a few of them including a copper plated one.

[Doug Rose]

Thanks guys.....Doug

[poplar1]

Wall set is 333, subset 334.

The subset is mounted with the gongs at the bottom.
Wall Phone has gongs at the top.
Note that there are holes for the hinge screws on both sides.

[Jester]

Thanks for the correction-- I dug mine out to confirm.  Unlike most of my metal subsets, the paper tags are in excellent condition.

[Doug Rose]

I have a few of them including a copper plated one.

Greg....I had one that was Copper plated but the Copper plate was not very good and a lot of the base metal showed through. Can you post a picture of yours, I never did see a good one Copper Plated....Doug

[Doug Rose]

That's a nice subset, Doug!  I have one here that is marked 333a on the wiring diagram-- love those exposed gongs!  Mine are nickel plated, so they really stand out.

Stephen...the diagram and the other paper is superb!  I an going refurb this Beauty and try to find some copies to finish it off with.

David, as always, thanks for your great insight. I am going to keep mine as I found it with the gongs on top even though it is not correct. You are always teaching me something new. Your knowledge is amazing. I do appreciate you taking the time.

Doug

[poplar1]

Doug, you don't have to change anything in the subset. Just rotate the photo 180 degrees and do the same when you mount the subset. Notice that otherwise the diagram and the terminal designations would be upside down.

[Doug Rose]

Thanks David. 

The 334A and the 495BP Jan found at Brimfield on the same day. She good!

I hope the 334A turns out as nice as the  495BP. Two tough finds....Doug

[Doug Rose]

I decided to strip the 334A. I put Citrix stripper on yesterday morning and went down to the dungeon this morning. I was truly disappointed when the pain had not bubbled off.

Put on the heavy rubber gloves and I took some fine steel wool and went to work on it. Nothing came of except a little white paint from a sloppy painter. After an hour, I gave up and started to wipe of the residue and noticed the metal was black and shining. Not perfect but it sure do shine. Metal reminds me when I stripped a B1 and it was still a dark metal, not black but a dark gray. This looks Black and matches the original gongs.

Rings loud and proudly sits in my phone....Doug

[Haf]

Doug,

very nice result indeed. And even if not planned, it is still the original paint! You can be proud of for sure.

Haf

[Doug Rose]

thanks Haf....I am thrilled with the way it turned out!....Doug

[Sargeguy]

These were often resprayed and the result is a tacky goopy mess that comes off with CItrustip.   It is fairly common on 151-Als and later 20-ALs.  I think they did this when they re-issued older phones during the Depression and WWII.