Finally got a 5302

[McHeath]

Had my eye on getting a 5302 for a few years now and finally picked one up off the Bay.  It was probably too much money, paid 39 for the phone and with shipping it was 53, but hey I've never ever seen one for sale in any store, antique store, garage sale, swap meet, flea market, etc here so we pay more to get one on the coast.

That said it arrived and is very nice.  Super clean for a phone that was not owned by a phone phan like us.  It needs a little cleaning, and a wax, but it's shiny and everything is in good condition.  One of the reasons I was willing to pop so much for it is that it's chassis is dated 12/41, all the base components are dated the same.  Pearl Harbor, entry of the US into the war, then later updated into a faux model 500 for the post war boom, I like that kind of history.

Dates are:
Chassis, coil, ringer, 12/41.
Dial, 7/49
Cover, 2/14/1959
Receiver, 6/52
Transmitter, 12/47

No dates on the handset and caps.  Seem to have worn off.

Anyone know what's up wit the white dial plate?  It seems to be porcelain, I've not looked at the date yet.  Was this normal?

[Jester]

Anyone know what's up wit the white dial plate?  It seems to be porcelain, I've not looked at the date yet.  Was this normal?

No, Heath-- I don't think that was standard issue.  PM or email your address-- I have a dial plate that matches your phone much better. Nice find, by the way.  I don't think you over-paid at all.

Jester

[paul-f]

Here's the normal dial plate...

[McHeath]

Ah, that explains the white plate!  It's nicely made, I will have to see what the dates are on it when I get a chance. 

Thanks Jester, I sent you a PM.

[canuckphoneguy]

Very nice phone! I have just purchased a 5302 as well and can't wait for it to arrive.

[McHeath]

The ringer on mine needs some help, it's clang clang more than ring ring.  Are B ringers supposed to sound this way?

[poplar1]

If adjusting the ringer loudness with the lever on the bottom doesn't help, try rotating one or both gongs. There doesn't appear to be any clearance at all between the clapper and the gongs in the photo. The clapper should not touch either gong when at rest.

[rdelius]

That white plate came off a paystation
Robby

[poplar1]

probably a green or beige pay phone with clear finger wheel, most of the black pay phones kept the blank plate without dots even when they changed the metal finger wheel to plastic.

[Dennis Markham]

probably a green or beige pay phone with clear finger wheel, most of the black pay phones kept the blank plate without dots even when they changed the metal finger wheel to plastic.

Here's a Green 233G I picked up recently....to illustrate the dial plate.

[twocvbloke]

Maybe that's where Steepletone got the idea for a white dial plate from on their Rotarepo fake-500... 

[Jester]

The ringer on mine needs some help, it's clang clang more than ring ring.  Are B ringers supposed to sound this way?

The B types have a more mechanical sound than the C type.  Moving the gongs closer to the clapper might help some.  You can also experiment with bias spring tension, but it will always sound harsher than your 500 ringers.

[AE_Collector]

Maybe that's where Steepletone got the idea for a white dial plate from on their Rotarepo fake-500... 

That word "Rotarepo" still kills me! HOW IRONIC, a rotary reproduction phone (or unreasonable facsimile) with Operator spelled backwards on the number plate as "ROTAREPO"!

Terry

[McHeath]

Yeah maybe it is where the weird "rotarepo" phone got there inspiration for the white dial plate.  It certainly is striking with the white plate on the 5302.  How did that plate get there?  Would the Bell System have done that?

[McHeath]

Got a very nice black dial plate from Jester!  He can certainly pack an item well for shipment, I'll have to post some pics.

Odd thing about the phone, the volume in the receiver is very low.  Is this normal for a 302 type phone?  I've done all sorts of calls, local to my mom who's only a half mile away, and my son in Montana who's 1500 miles away, and it's very quiet for all.