Trimline ID

[MagicMo]

Hi,
I picked up this phone at a yard sale over the weekend. I normally wouldn't buy it but it looked a little different than the ones I have. It says Western electric on the faceplate with a dark background.
Any ideas?
Thanks
Mo

[LM Ericsson]

Early touchtone Trimlines had round buttons like yours. The plate around the buttons is  cardstock/ paper with a plastic cover over it. Later, they had the metal backplates.

[paul-f]

Studying the manufacturing changes that were introduced during a product's lifetime is one of the interesting challenges for collectors.

The Trimline hasn't been exhaustively studied yet.  Past Singing Wires articles have looked at the evolution of the Trimline cords - from hardwired prototypes to full modular - and variations in the bottom plate casting.  There is a hard copy version available from the author for a small charge.  If there's interest, I'll ask if we can post the contact info.

A study on the evolution of dials and dial mats is a good logical next step.  Any volunteers?

[poplar1]

The round button Trimline consists of a 2220B hand telephone set and either an AC1 (wall base) or AD1 (desk base).

When refurbished, they often have a metal dial face card. When originally manufactured, they had color coordinated dial face cards:

HAND TELEPHONE                                     DIAL FACE CARD

STANDARD COLOR       SUFFIX          COLOR                  PIECE PART NO.

Black...........................-03..............Slate.....................P-22F967
Ivory...........................-50..............Cinnamon Brown.... P-22F968
Green..........................-51..............Dark Jade Gray.......P-22F969
Red.............................-53..............Burgundy...............P-22F970
Yellow.........................-56..............Gold.......................P-22F971
White..........................-58..............Slate......................P-22F967
Rose Pink.....................-59..............Rose......................P-22F972
Lt. Beige......................-60..............Sandalwood............P-22F973
Lt. Gray.......................-61..............Slate......................P-22F967
Aqua Blue....................-62..............Peacock Blue...........P-22F974
Turquoise....................-64..............Turquoise Green......P-22F975

BSP: Section 502-305-101 Issue 1, April 1970
"Reference 2220B Hand Telephone Set AC1 and AD1 Telephone Bases
in Station Installation Handbook, New England Telephone, Sept. 1970, Second Edition
                                                             

[LM Ericsson]

I went to this antique store years ago and saw this whole booth of Trimlines. There was this Avocado Green hardwired one which was touch-tone with round buttons. Instead of the gray face plate for the number pad, there was a fake wood background in place of it which at the time I thought looked pretty cool. I assume that was a home-made sort of thing.

[jsowers]

Mo, the Bell logo in the insert above the keypad has the 1969 Bell logo, so this Trimline should date from 1969-about 1975 if it has the large modular cords.

Also, since the faceplate is paper in these phones, you should be careful cleaning the touchpad. Any liquid will seep in and stain the paper. A damp cloth is the best thing to use, followed by a dry one.

David (poplar1)--thanks for posting the faceplate color chart. I'd never seen that before.

[paul-f]

There are more details in the BSPs.  For example, 502-320-100 (in the TCI Library).

502-320-100

[MagicMo]

Thank You for all the helpful info!
You guys are the bestest ever! (yes, bestest is a word in Chicago).
Mo

[troydog]

These this type use the light bulb like the rotary ones? I got a case of them odd bulbs here and let me say there not easy to find.

[jsowers]

These this type use the light bulb like the rotary ones? I got a case of them odd bulbs here and let me say there not easy to find.

Yes, on Trimlines the round-button faceplates use the light bulbs that required a 6V transformer and the square-button faceplates have green LED lighting that was line-powered. I haven't lit very many incandescent Trimlines, but those I have done (rotary and TT) have all worked. I have yet to encounter a burned out lamp. They were odd looking lamps, for sure, but sturdy.