$7 for a G1 handset 5302!

[pricetveyron]

It was this phone that kick-started my interest in rotary phones. One day I was browsing a shabby antique shop and found this looking like a brown phone. It was covered in dust and dirt, and the spring-style cord had been partially cut off. I asked the price and was told it cost $28. I bargained them down to the ridiculous price of $7! I then brought it home and cleaned it and discovered that it was in a reasonable, restorable and probably still working condition! Sadly, though, I do not get home phone service (cell phones came in and exterminated it). I can't try it out, nor would it make much sense to, given the strange connections at the end of the cord.

[Dennis Markham]

Welcome to the Forum.  It looks like you have a mounting cord attached to the handset.  With that G-series handset it should have a 4 conductor handset cord.  It looks like a nice 5302.  I'd say you got your $7 worth!

[Greg G.]

I was wondering what that line cord/mounting cord was doing there.  That beats my $11.25 5302. 

No land line?  Not even cable phone service?  What you need then is one of these gizmos: http://tinyurl.com/ycpxa86.  I'm thinking of getting one and trying it out.  If it works ok, I'll dump my cable phone service.  (I won't say the name of the cable company because it upsets Donna).

[Dan]

Welcome to the forum!! Nice buy.

Brinybay, could you please eleborate how those "x-links" work because although I will never replace my landline anytime soon, I think a future option like this is always good to know about, especially if I plan to give any gift rotary phones out to friends who don't have land-line service.

[pricetveyron]

The mounting cord is stuck in the handset because the phone was used for a play and the handset cord was ruined.

[Greg G.]

Welcome to the forum!! Nice buy.

Brinybay, could you please eleborate how those "x-links" work because although I will never replace my landline anytime soon, I think a future option like this is always good to know about, especially if I plan to give any gift rotary phones out to friends who don't have land-line service.

Here is the thread where I first heard about them.  Apparently they work like a bluetooth.  http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=1976.msg26741#msg26741

[Dan]

Thank you!

[McHeath]

Gee, what a good buy.  I'd bet my eye-teeth that the phone works, they almost always do.  A black 4 conductor spring cord can be found pretty cheaply, advertise for one in the forum's classified section and you will probably score one.  It also needs the dial card holder in the middle of the dial, then you are good to go.

I keep AT and T landline service on a measured rate, I think it costs about 5 dollars a month plus all the tax and whatnot. 

[LarryInMichigan]

pricetveyron,

You got a great deal.  Even $28 would not have been totally unreasonable.  The old WE phones are nearly indestructible, so unless a former owner has done some unspeakable to the phone, is will almost certainly work.

Larry

[bellsystemproperty]

Since you don't have a landline there is still a way to get this phone working. Does your cell phone have Bluetooth? If so, there is a device called the Xlink that connects landline phones to the cell phone. You can then make and receive calls with the rotary phone like you would a normal landline, but the calls are actually going through the cell connection. Other companies sell products that are the same idea, but they don't support pulse dialing. (what rotary phones use, those devices would only work with touch-tone.) It is simple to make the strange connector have a modular cord like a normal phone, I can show you if you want. I have the Xlink BT and it is a lot of fun, and they can be found on eBay for cheap. Mine was $60. The BTTN is the newer model, but it is unnecessary for most people and would just be a waste of money when the BT does what you need. Let me know if I wasn't clear, and when I find my camcorder I am going to make a video demonstrating the device.
http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=xlink&_sacat=0&_trksid=p3286.m270.l1313&_odkw=rotary+phone&_osacat=0

edit- sorry I didn't even see your posts mentioning the Xlink when I posted mine, but I guess more info can't hurt.