Who do you think made the best telephones?

[WEBellSystemChristian]

I did like the AE 86/87 phones. took the light bar out of the 86 and put it in the 87, then took the spare wiring and hooked up the busy station lights.... had to switch out the switch hook too..... the 87 switch hook didn't have enough wires for the lamp circuit.

Are you talking about the A.E. Multiline phones?


I found one of each at an estate sale a while back that didn't even advertise that they had phones!

Paid $10 each.

One wall hanger, and one Desk sitter.

I had an issue with the wall hanger's dial. Turned out to be a cracked connection on the transistor that makes the whole thing work! That took a while to find!

I love to use the wall version while sitting at my desk.

I have a 1952 WE 500 as my bedside companion, with a USA Magnavox caller ID so I don't catch those scam calls...

Those are some nice phones!!

From my understanding, the AE TT pads were either horribly complicated or embarrassingly simple, and they were constantly breaking or dialling the wrong number. That's the reason you see far more rotary AE models (even well into the late '80s) than Touch Tone.

[Partyline4]

I did like the AE 86/87 phones. took the light bar out of the 86 and put it in the 87, then took the spare wiring and hooked up the busy station lights.... had to switch out the switch hook too..... the 87 switch hook didn't have enough wires for the lamp circuit.

Are you talking about the A.E. Multiline phones?


I found one of each at an estate sale a while back that didn't even advertise that they had phones!

Paid $10 each.

One wall hanger, and one Desk sitter.

I had an issue with the wall hanger's dial. Turned out to be a cracked connection on the transistor that makes the whole thing work! That took a while to find!

I love to use the wall version while sitting at my desk.

I have a 1952 WE 500 as my bedside companion, with a USA Magnavox caller ID so I don't catch those scam calls...

Those are some nice phones!!

From my understanding, the AE TT pads were either horribly complicated or embarrassingly simple, and they were constantly breaking or dialling the wrong number. That's the reason you see far more rotary AE models (even well into the late '80s) than Touch Tone.

Thanks. Yeah, I really don't have many A.E. models that are TT. They seem to work great when properly serviced. The wall 86's dial had to be taken apart initially to be cleaned due to those little rails being corroded and stuck. It wasn't until I put it back together that I realized it didn't work properly!

I used an old erector set motor box to spin a jar with baking soda and a little water in it. Drop the rails in, and leave em for an hour. It removed most, if not all of the corrosion.

[Doug Rose]

I have been thinking about this question since it was posted and not sure how to take it. Best Quality? Best Looking? Not sure what "best"means.

I know there are a lot of collectors who only collect WE phones. If WE is all you collect, you sure are missing out on some wonderful phones. AE, Kellogg, SC, North, NE made some really different designed phones. Very attractive phones. Federal and Connecticut also had some nice phones.

That's just a small sample of North American manufacturers.

I collect them to sit on a shelf and look at them. If it was only WE phones, I'd be missing some great phones. Great art!

WE made some beauties, but I only collect up to the color 302s, so if it was only a WE collection I am missing a lot! No 500s, no Princess'  no trimlines etc.

What is the "best Phone"?

The next phone I get for my collection....Doug

[JorgeAmely]

Western Electric. Most of them now located in the state of Michigan.

[dsk]

I guess Doug came with the true answer.
A lot of phones has impressed me during the years, but As I stated earlier; the AE40 stays on my desk!
The Telegrafverket telephone served some places for more than 60 years! Maybe I should add inn the German desktop phone from 1933 serving on 3 systems LB with CB signalling! CB, and CB with grounding of dial.  AND it worked as a field trunk for the manual field exchange! "Amtsanschliesser 33"  here together with ea WE 500 to compare the size.

dsk