Help with my 4th-generation telephone history

[zuperdee]

Hello all,

I have created several pages of technical history on all the 4th-generation telephones here:
http://members.dslextreme.com/~zuperdee/telephones/

I am wondering if anyone would like to make any comments or help me eliminate question marks and fill in some of the missing pieces.

Yours Truly,
Daniel

[Dan]

Welcome! I have used your reference information many times! I will look to help fill in the blanks.

[bwanna]

welcome zuperdee! thanks for the heads up on your great web-site. 

[JorgeAmely]

Welcome to the madness Daniel. 

[Dan/Panther]

Dan;
Welcome to our forum. Please visit often.
If you would like some info on the the early 500 here is a forum link.
D/P

http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=2394.0

[Phonesrfun]

Dan:

Welcome to the forum!  I have also used your site for reference many times too.  In fact I was there when you were putting it together a few years ago.  I really think you will like this forum.

[AE_Collector]

Hi Daniel:

We haven't chatted for quite awhile now. Looking forward to some more phone discussions with you.

How is your collection coming along?

Terry Biddlecombe

[zuperdee]

Hey Terry,

You can see my phone collection here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/zuperdee/MyTelephoneCollection#

I am hoping to build a converted AE-80e with a metal AE-80 base sometime, but need parts. (I like the AE-80e style, but I HATE the garbage hookswitch they had.)

[zuperdee]

By the way, I am looking for a lighted Styleline--do you know where I can find one? I saw a lighted Styline DIAL being auctioned on Ebay the other day, but sans phone. :-(

[Jim Stettler]

Nice collection Daniel,
Welcome to the forum. It is good to see you have time to get back to telephones. Over the years, I have had to put telephones on the back burner for months at a time, It is always nice to get back to the hobby.

Regarding your collection. The clear Cortelco 2500 set is a nice vintage clear 2500 set to own.
WE didn't make any clear sets, theirs were transparent  .

I also like that 1972 SC 500 set and the AE speaker phones always look cool.


Good collecting,
Jim S.
Jim Stettler

[AE_Collector]

I am hoping to build a converted AE-80e with a metal AE-80 base sometime, but need parts. (I like the AE-80e style, but I HATE the garbage hookswitch they had.)

You have an 80 Touch Call set (not an 80E TC) so it would have the metal base, good switch hook and it looks like it might have the original one piece two tone ribbed back plastic face plate. SO what are you wanting to build? Or is it a rotary you want? There are quite a few metal based "80E like" rotary phones on ebaY as many Telco's upgraded their old 80 rotary's to "80E Like" sets.

By the way, I am looking for a lighted Styleline--do you know where I can find one? I saw a lighted Styline DIAL being auctioned on Ebay the other day, but sans phone. :-(

I do have a Styleline with the illuminating dial. I think it is the only one I have that is equipped with that dial (and I have a TON of Stylelines!). I have never tried to "light it up" as I am not absolutely certain if it too was designed for 120VAC or a lower voltage. I would assume it was the same as the Starlite phones. I guess I should get brave and go for it soon.

Your collection has grown quite a bit since we last chatted!

Terry

[zuperdee]

Hey Terry,

1) Yes, what I have is indeed an original metal-bottomed AE-80 Touch Call model, and yes, the face plate on this phone is the original fluted charcoal plastic, and it is held in place by the number card holder, unlike the later AE-80e's, which had paper inserts instead of plastic, and metal spring clips at the top instead of the number card holder acting as the clip. I am very proud of this phone, because I understand they are relatively rare compared to the more common later AE-80e's. I am afraid ever to use it though, because I also understand that the Touch Call units in these things wore out from normal use pretty quickly, and the Touch Call unit in this one is working perfectly, so I never use it, because I want to preserve it. Am I being silly on this?

2) I have yet to see a working lighted Styleline, although I have seen the wiring diagram, and it DOES indeed specify 115VAC. Look at Note 6 in this wiring diagram found here:
http://www.telephonecollectors.org/library/aeco/ae981-2r.pdf

For some reason, it seems like working examples of lighted Starlites and PARTICULARLY Stylelines are VERY rare today! In the case of the Styleline, could it have been because of concerns about sending 115VAC through the handset cord? I seem to recall hearing that in later years, A.E. also disabled many working lights in the Starlites out in the field over concerns about the 115VAC. I'm not sure why, because I would think the 5mA resistor plug would take care of safety concerns, and they did have U.L. approval... Could you enlighten me on this?

Yours Truly,
Daniel

[zuperdee]

Oh, and I forgot to mention: Yes, I am looking for a converted rotary AE-80e, to match my AE-80 TC.

[McHeath]

Welcome Daniel!  I've spent many visits to your phone information site, lots of good useful data there.  I like your collection, nicely rounded, and you even have a couple of Cortelco's which I'm fond of.  I have a July of 2003 made Cortelco 500, in ash, and another member has a couple with similar dates as well.  (he's got a nice cherry red one)

I've never seen a Starlite lit up, that's a great effect, very easy to read.

[zuperdee]

Yeah, I happen to like it. My mom commented that she did not like the green color of the A.E. light as well as the Princess phone though. :-(

Also, the Starlite light is not that bright. The Princess phone's light is certainly brighter, although the Starlite's light is more even around the dial.

Also, I know a lot of people think the Starlite is ugly compared to the Princess phone, but I also happen to think the design of the AE Starlite body feels more solid, and that the handset is a lot less likely to get knocked off the cradle--to me it looks almost like a Princess phone combined with the tail fins of a 1950's automobile!

On the other hand: I do think that the insides of the Princess phone are a bit more solid. In particular, I don't like the design of the switch hook in the Starlite.