WECo "Telstar" - how to get it repaired...?

[Doug Houston]

I had forgotten about this until just now. A few years ago, I bought a real neat phone, It's Western Electric, and is in a plastic cylindrical housing. The top half of the cylinder rolls back to reveal the handset and the instrument. The cordset from the body of the phone to the handset has a cordreel, that reels in the cord when you hang up. The cord is fairly frail, and I understand that breaks in the cord are common (as with this one).

I seem to recall that it has touch-tone on it. (I still have Mech. Dial).

It's a pretty attractive thing, and I'd like to (find it, first), get a new cord for it.  

Does this sound familiar to any one?

[bingster]

Yup, that's the "Telstar" from the Bell System's Design Line.  Those cords are a special super thin type that I've never seen for sale anywhere, so I'm afraid I can't help you out on that aspect.  Here's the catalogue sheet for it, though:

http://www.porticus.org/bell/images/dl/tt-a.jpg
http://www.porticus.org/bell/images/dl/tt-b.jpg
( dead links 05-02-21 )

[Dennis Markham]

Doug, you might try contacting Steve Hilsz.  If he doesn't have something like that cord he may know where to get one.  He can be reached at jydsk@tds.net.  If you're not familiar with Steve he is a great guy and very helpful to collectors.  He has a web site too.  It's www.navysalvage.com/

[HobieSport]

That looks very cool, Doug.  Very "space age" indeed.  Hope you can find it and get it fixed up.

[Doug Houston]

Yep, that's the little gem. It's actually so unusual that, when it was working for a short time, visitors were reluctant to believe that it was for real! I actually had to tell one person how to answer it. How simple could something be, but the "way-out" appearance of it actually confused him!

When the handset cord finally gave up, I had to put it away, and forgot about it. I really do want to get it back in operation if, for no other reason, to confound newcomers here.

I'll look into the leads shown above. I've since pulled it out of storage, and find that there is no  model number on it. So, at least, I now have a name for it. I seem to recall that it was about $5.00 in a flea market.

[HarrySmith]

Hi Doug,

I don't know if you are still looking but I saw these and I think they are what you need! Even a spare!

http://cgi.ebay.com/Two-Western-Electric-telephone-receive-cord-retractors-/110534971481?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19bc65d059
( dead link 05-02-21 )

Harry

[gpo706]

Never seen anything like it, its timeless design, I want one now!

Like a linesman phone from a cryogenic chamber.

[AE_Collector]

I've got one that I should sell if anyone wants one. I bought it a couple of years ago on ebaY since I thought it was cool as well. Since then I've decided that I can't collect phones from every manufacturer out there and decided to collect only Automatic Electric.

I don't think that I've even tried it to see if it works.

Terry

[gpo706]

I'll have it if you P&P isn't bad, and you can wait till the 10th.

[AE_Collector]

I'll have it if you P&P isn't bad, and you can wait till the 10th.

I'll check it out to see if it works, send you pictures etc. However, I can't imagine that postage is going to be inexpensive. I can ship from Canada or USA so sometimes one is much better than the other.

Terry

[gpo706]

Terry,

Will PM you, thanks.

Scot

[Jim Stettler]

I think the telstar is the only WE phone with a black Touchpad with white letteres.
I have 2 of the cord reels somewhere. Mine are HW and I think from panel phones. My understanding is the reels are the same.

Jim

[AE_Collector]

I was going to ask on here if anyone knew if the cord/reels were the same as the panel phones.

Jim: You think they are except for the ends being spade tip vs modular? Good to know.

Terry

[Jim Stettler]

I was told they used the same cord reel. I have never tried to verify it. Telstar came out in 1978 so They should be modular.

Rotary Telstars were made, but are very scarce, I have only heard of 1 ever being for sale.

The Telstar tt pad was the only tt pad that was black w/ white letters.

Jim

It might be possible to crimp a (round cable) handset mod to the end of the HW cords.

I don't know how easy it would be to find a round cable mod handset plug