I'm doing some research and would like to know the earliest date standard-production Touchtone phone (or Touchtone dial) that has been found. Anybody have any from 1963? If so, please post a picture of the date code from the dial/phone.
Thanks,
DF
The earliest I've seen is this pink 1500 from 10-64. It belongs to a friend. I posted a couple pics. Also an announcement in Southern Bell Magazine from 11-63 for the 1554.
I have a 10 button WE multiline from 2-64 with a 1967 TT pad and replacement parts from the '70s. I got it really cheap on ebay not long ago:
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=12685
I have a white 1500 dated 1-64 with plastics dated '63.
Quote from: JimH on February 05, 2015, 03:00:42 PM
I have a white 1500 dated 1-64 with plastics dated '63.
Talk about a nice 1500 example! Plain (but perfect) white, January 1964, 1963 plastics...
Quote from: JimH on February 05, 2015, 03:00:42 PM
I have a white 1500 dated 1-64 with plastics dated '63.
Nice one JimH. When you have some free time, let us know what date is shown on the 25A3 dial.
DF
The dial pad is dated 12-63, the ringer is dated IV-63, but the network and base are dated 1-64.
Here is a better picture after I swapped out the faceplate for an identical one that was not cracked, plus a couple pics of the inside. It doesn't have the clear plastic cover for the back of the keypad...maybe this came later? I just noticed the little round silver component at lower left in the keypad picture appears to be dated 11-63.
Jim
Jim,
Congratulations, you have a really special dial there. 1963 TT dials are very rare. Some details that distinguish them from later production units are:
1) Date shown on rear, rather than on face near the 25A3 designation.
2) No "Western Electric" logo molded into the front plastic gray bezel.
3) Early PC board material with silkscreened info on component side.
4) "Western Electric" logo on white common-switch cover.
5) Slots, rather than triangular holes, for tuning the coils.
I have one from even earlier in 1963, and yours confirms that it is indeed a production unit and not a test prototype. Mine is from an early Touchtone Card Dialer. I will show it in a future post.
DF
Edit: Yes, the clear plastic rear covers came later.
To everyone else: Check all your old TT sets. Let's see if we can find some even earlier.
DF
Quote from: Dave F on February 06, 2015, 12:58:42 PM
Check all your old TT sets. Let's see if we can find some even earlier.
...and later, too.
I looked at several 25A-type dials and found:
10-65 - date on rear, WE logo on front (gray plastic), silkscreen info, (common switch cover missing), triangles.
3-66 - date on front, WE logo, no silkscreen info, common switch cover, triangles.
So, apparently the various characteristics were phased out on different dates. We may have to look at a lot of dials to nail them all down.
It was also interesting to note the dates on the coil covers. Several dials that had been refurbed had the original date on one cover and a refurb date on the other one.
Thanks, I knew I had a "keeper" with this one. I paid $16+shipping. It was in the "Notable Refurbs" thread back in May. Here's the thread and how it looked:
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=11814.msg126478#msg126478
Jim
You guys have me beat by a longshot! My earliest one is a red 2500 made in 1977. I even entered it in the January 2015 Find of the Month contest. It only got two votes, mine and probably one from a guy who just likes red phones.
I have a Pink 1500D all parts dated 10-67, that's as old as my TT phones get.
My neighbor as a kid remembers having a TT phone in 1962, his dad worked for Illinois Bell and was a field tester I guess. He also had a Picturephone, never hooked up though. I asked him where it is and he said his dad threw all that stuff out... >:(
The first TT dials in production were the 22-type dials in 1961 or so!
Does anyone have a 568HT telephone?
This set was a key set with a No. 22 touch-tone dial, and it had 12 buttons, the positions of the * and # were used for Priority and Special Grade.
My 1500D was originally dated in 1965 and refurbed in 1969. I cannot find any replaced parts. The dial is stamped on the back with the 65 date and on the front the "R" date is 69. Other parts date 65, the handset and elements are all 62 and the case is 66. The handset cord must have been replaced by the previous owner as it is from 72. I purchased this Black Beauty from Ralph Meyer, it is pictured in his book. Only $20.00. While checking it tonight I noticed something I missed before, in the case by the clock imprint is a Vermillion stamp of "K8". Any ideas on what that may be, I have never seen it before. Some pics attached.
Quote from: unbeldi on February 06, 2015, 08:28:24 PM
The first TT dials in production were the 22-type dials in 1961 or so!
Does anyone have a 568HT telephone?
This set was a key set with a No. 22 touch-tone dial, and it had 12 buttons, the positions of the * and # were used for Priority and Special Grade.
The 568HT was an early ancestor of the later AUTOVON military sets. I believe there is a picture on Paul F's website. The type 22 dial is very neat: The tuning coils are mounted end-to-end and parallel to the circuit board, unlike all the later production TT dial types. Also, the SG button had an additional switch contact on the back side for auxiliary signaling. Several years ago I missed out on a 22 dial at a phone show by about 5 minutes!
DF
Quote from: andre_janew on February 06, 2015, 07:30:11 PM
You guys have me beat by a longshot! My earliest one is a red 2500 made in 1977. I even entered it in the January 2015 Find of the Month contest. It only got two votes, mine and probably one from a guy who just likes red phones.
Any early TT set is going to have a 10-button dial. I guess you should add a red 1500 to your wish-list!
DF
Quote from: paul-f on February 06, 2015, 02:31:27 PM
Quote from: Dave F on February 06, 2015, 12:58:42 PM
Check all your old TT sets. Let's see if we can find some even earlier.
...and later, too.
I looked at several 25A-type dials and found:
10-65 - date on rear, WE logo on front (gray plastic), silkscreen info, (common switch cover missing), triangles.
3-66 - date on front, WE logo, no silkscreen info, common switch cover, triangles.
So, apparently the various characteristics were phased out on different dates. We may have to look at a lot of dials to nail them all down.
It was also interesting to note the dates on the coil covers. Several dials that had been refurbed had the original date on one cover and a refurb date on the other one.
Paul, all the TT dials I have seen with slotted coils and no molded logo on the front have been dated 1963. I would be interested to learn of a later dial with those attributes. It appears that very early on they determined that the triangular tuning holes were a superior way to go.
DF
Edit: Also, the ferrite coil covers are actually two pieces glued together during manufacture and before the coil is tuned. The early type 25 dials had problems with the glue, and it is not particularly rare to find a 1500 set with half a ferrite shell rattling around inside the phone. This might explain the need to replace just one coil during refurb, and would account for the different dates on each of the two coils.
DF
Quote from: unbeldi on February 06, 2015, 08:28:24 PM
The first TT dials in production were the 22-type dials in 1961 or so!
Does anyone have a 568HT telephone?
This set was a key set with a No. 22 touch-tone dial, and it had 12 buttons, the positions of the * and # were used for Priority and Special Grade.
Yes. And it qualifies as an earlier production touch tone set. ;D
http://www.paul-f.com/we500typ.htm#568HT (http://www.paul-f.com/we500typ.htm#568HT)
http://www.paul-f.com/we568.html (http://www.paul-f.com/we568.html)
Quote from: paul-f on February 06, 2015, 11:10:44 PM
Quote from: unbeldi on February 06, 2015, 08:28:24 PM
The first TT dials in production were the 22-type dials in 1961 or so!
Does anyone have a 568HT telephone?
This set was a key set with a No. 22 touch-tone dial, and it had 12 buttons, the positions of the * and # were used for Priority and Special Grade.
Yes. And it qualifies as an earlier production touch tone set. ;D
http://www.paul-f.com/we500typ.htm#568HT (http://www.paul-f.com/we500typ.htm#568HT)
http://www.paul-f.com/we568.html (http://www.paul-f.com/we568.html)
Nice, Paul!! (Got a spare?)
The earliest touchtone telephone I have is a 1967 yellow.
This is the only touchtone I have.
The earliest I have is a '70 2500. Not that it's old, but it's the only 12 button I've seen with the curved "operator" instead of a straight "oper" on the 0 button. Is there any documentation on when that changed?
Quote from: persido on February 06, 2015, 11:48:25 PM
The earliest touchtone telephone I have is a 1967 yellow.
This is the only touchtone I have.
I have always thought that the colors on a yellow 1500/2500 remind me of a banana! The faceplate looks like the inside and the rest of the plastic looks like the skin!
That being said, I have always wanted a yellow 1500 with the lighter-colored faceplate!