Stromberg Carlson 500

[Stephen Furley]

Two boxes arrived today; one was the box of parts from Old Phone Works including some cords, transmitter elements, a water transfer, cord restraints and a red bar for my Kellogg 1000 so I can change between the red and clear versions whenever I feel like it. The other was the Stromberg Carlson brown 500 from Ebay.  It's dated 2 83, while my red WE one is 11 70.  It's generally in very good condition, there was some sticky muck on it which may have come off the tape, but that's cleaned off.   A quick going over with Greygate Plastic Polish has brought it up nicely.  The quality doesn't seem quite as good as the WE one; whether this is due to the later date, or the different manufacturer, I don't know.  There's no dial card; can somebody remind me how to get the finger wheel off these things?  I seem to remember that a paper clip pushed into a small hole was involved.

The handset cord is badly tangled, but I might be able to re-set it; if not I've got a spare one, but I'd rather keep the original as it's a slightly different type.  What would be the correct line cord for 1983, modular plug, or four prong?

[LarryInMichigan]

Stephen,

Any phone from 1983 is going to much of much cheaper quality than one from the early 1970s or earlier.  Any phone made at that time would have had a line cord with a modular connector at the far end, but not necessarily on both ends.  You might be aware that, at the time that your SC phone was made, Stromberg Carlson was owned by the UK company Plessey. 

To remove the finger wheel, rotate it fully clockwise, then insert a small stiff wire into the hole between the 9 and 0, push down and turn gently further clockwise.

Larry

[Stephen Furley]

I'm beginning to wonder if the the line cord is original.  It's the thin flat stuff like modern 'phones have over there; I think they call it 'silver satin'.  The telephone end has the correct type of restraint rather than just being tied in a knot inside which seems to be the standard method when somebody makes a new cord.  It looks odd to see this type of cord on a traditional telephone, other than as a conversion. but maybe they were using it in 1983.  Most telephones here were still hard-wired then, but the new BT plug system was gradually starting to become more common.  The ringer is quire different to the 1970 version.

Were any 500s made with modular sockets on the telephone itself, or were these only conversions done at a later date.  The ones which were 'notched' afterwards look a bit odd.  I don't have an ITT 500; maybe I'll get one someday.

I wasn't aware of SC being owned by Plessey; I think they became GPT at some point.

I now have four SC 'phones, 1212, 1243 1543 and 500 and the 500 is the only one which will ring, all of the others have frequency ringers, but none of my telephones of other makes have them.

[LarryInMichigan]

For a while, some 500s (at least the non-WE ones) did come with a flat grey line cord with spade connectors on one end and an RJ11 modular connector on the other.  I bought a SC 500 in 1978 for my grandparents' apartment, and it came with such a cord.  I do not know when SC and ITT started including modular connectors on the phone.

If you're going to start a 500 collection, you can also look for ITT Kellogg 500s which were made after Kellogg was bought by ITT but before the Kellogg name was dropped. 

Larry

[Stephen Furley]

For a while, some 500s (at least the non-WE ones) did come with a flat grey line cord with spade connectors on one end and an RJ11 modular connector on the other.  I bought a SC 500 in 1978 for my grandparents' apartment, and it came with such a cord.  I do not know when SC and ITT started including modular connectors on the phone.

If you're going to start a 500 collection, you can also look for ITT Kellogg 500s which were made after Kellogg was bought by ITT but before the Kellogg name was dropped. 

Larry

What sort of date would that have been?  I've seen ITT ones, but not ITT Kellogg.  I believe there are also Northern Electric and AT&T ones; did all of these actually make them, or were any of these actually made for them by WE?

I've opened up my 1970 WE and 1983 SC ones today, and there's hardly anything inside them that's the same.  The 1983 one contains just a small circuit board in place of the network, and will actually get a dial tone without a transmitter element fitted.

[Adam]

To my knowledge, all 500 style sets will still be able to receive with no transmitter connected.

[Stephen Furley]

To my knowledge, all 500 style sets will still be able to receive with no transmitter connected.

Goes downstairs to try the 1970 red WE 500 ...

... You're right; I've never noticed that before.  So much for getting dial tone being an indication of a transmitter being ok.

[Stephen Furley]

If you're going to start a 500 collection, you can also look for ITT Kellogg 500s which were made after Kellogg was bought by ITT but before the Kellogg name was dropped. 

Larry

One of these has just turned up, in a colour that I don't already have anything in, and with reasonable lookig cords and plug, so I've bought it.  ?The 'phone wasn't terribly expensive, but the postage from over there is the killer.