Thoughts on the quality of the independent Tel Co's

[BDM]

I have several different models and manufacture telephones spread out on my bench. An AE40, AE80, SC1543, SC1243, and of course several WE 302 and 500 models.

Here's my take on these sets. After searching the TCI list server archives, and reading many many post from some very knowledgeable individuals for the last several hours. I would say over all the WE instruments are generally superior in many ways, as far as construction. I say "generally". The AE40 suffers cracking of the main shells quite often, probably more so than the thermoplastic 302 housings.

I would say the SC 1243 is probably the closest in actual build quality to the 302. It uses a metal body and a network circuit that is identical to the 101A network used by W.E. W.E. thought so also, as they bought large quantities of this model after WWII to use in service of their own system. That says plenty. The 1543 is an update to the 1243 mainly in the housing and handset to look like a 500 set. There are network differences also, but very slight. It's build quality seems to be close to the 500 set.

The AE80 is in my opinion, the equal to the 500 set, if not better. Better in build quality that is. That AE80 is one tough well built set. Thick housing, rock solid chassis, well sealed network(no better than that 500 network). Good strong functioning dial, solid handset, the same or thicker build than later G3 handsets. Plus, I think it's a good jump ahead of the AE40 it replaced. The AE40 strikes me as cheap, when compared to their 80 model.

Now, I did a little comparing tonight with a friend on the phone. Interesting results, but by no means scientific. Just "seat time" with the phones.

The 302 & 500 sets all seemed about the same in transmit and receive audio. Both in loudness and tonal quality. Very slight differences noted. The 302 sets seemed to have slightly reduced receive audio compared to the 500 sets. I say slight, nothing major.

The SC 1243 was the same to the W.E. sets, but my bud kept saying it has a higher tone to it. A little more "peaky".

The SC 1543 had the loudest transmit audio out of any of them.

The AE80 was equal to the W.E. sets, but my bud stated it had a "fuller" sound quality to it. Nothing big, but he noticed it.

On all these phones, I was swapping out receivers and transmit cartridges, just to be as sure as possible that none of them were weak. I would be interested in hearing the results from others.

[benhutcherson]

I've worked a little bit with AE phones(AE 40 and AE80).

My impression is that the interior fit and finish isn't as nice on the AE phones. On a Western Electric phone, all of the wires are logically routed, and the terminals laid out very well. The AE telephones just seem to be a huge jumble of wires with seemingly randomly oriented terminals.

I find WE phones far, far easier to work on for that reason.

Also, my AE80 is a relatively late model one, as far as I can tell(since there aren't any dates anywhere). The network is a printed circuit board, not unlike what I've seen in '80s on ITT 500 sets. I assume, from what you're saying, that they're not all this way.

[BDM]

I've worked a little bit with AE phones(AE 40 and AE80).

My impression is that the interior fit and finish isn't as nice on the AE phones. On a Western Electric phone, all of the wires are logically routed, and the terminals laid out very well. The AE telephones just seem to be a huge jumble of wires with seemingly randomly oriented terminals.

I find WE phones far, far easier to work on for that reason.

Also, my AE80 is a relatively late model one, as far as I can tell(since there aren't any dates anywhere). The network is a printed circuit board, not unlike what I've seen in '80s on ITT 500 sets. I assume, from what you're saying, that they're not all this way.

Ok, gotta agree there. The 80 is packed, but doesn't strike me as that much tougher to work on. Yes, the later circuit board is from the mid 70s, and later. BTW, most of the independents did this later on from what I was reading(even W.E.). Roger Conklin(long time collector and TCI member) did quite a nice write up about that. They even went to cheapened plastic dials and such. You brought up a good point that's worth mentioning. Mine are early build with the sealed network. Late 50s through the late 60s.

Speaking of ITT phones, I've never liked them. I do have a few, and I didn't even bother pulling them out. The ones I have just seem very cheap. I see the TCI club members agree with many past postings about ITT telephones.

[McHeath]

I only have WE, Comdial and Cortelco phones to compare.  The Comdial and Cortelco are late models, late 80s and early 2000s, and thus the WE phones are far better made.  However I've wondered about how the phones of the competitors of the past compare, this is an interesting post.

[BDM]

More on this AE80, here are a few pics. Sorry about the high quality, but my wife took my other camera earlier today...grrrrr! The dial is missing on this particular set. I need to find one It detaches rather easily.

The base is a thick pan


The network