Here I Go Again - Yet another Red Bar

[LarryInMichigan]

I saw this (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=110510345484) sitting at a low bid, so I gave it a shot.  I am very surprised that it did not go for more.  The last time I won a red bar for cheap ($16.50) on ebay, the seller refunded my money and gave me a story about dropping and breaking the phone.  Perhaps this seller will actually ship the phone to me.  It obviously could use a different handset cord, but I am hoping that it will look nice after some cleaning and polishing.

Larry

[McHeath]

Wow, what a great price!!  I never seem to find such deals.

The redbar is a very interesting design, I've never seen one in person but like the look.  Oh yeah, I remember that fish tale you got handed about the previous redbar.  Surreeeee you "dropped" it Mr. Seller, uh, sureeee.   

[AET]

You know, I was just thinking about your last redbar story today at work.  I have no idea why.  Maybe I just subconciously knew you were winning this time

[baldopeacock]

Looks like a fine project.   These Redbars are a cool design and look even better restored - have fun with it!

[dsk]

Could you please tell me (an unlighted foreigner) what is so special with the Red Bar? Of course I see the moving part on the cradle is red, and it is possibly rare. But had it a special function, or special use. Do we have other "color" Bar  telephones?

dsk

[LarryInMichigan]

dsk,

I think you mean "unenlightened".  The red bar phone is not really so special.  The bar is just the hook switch plunger which, for whatever reason, the people at Kellogg decided to make out of red plastic.  I believe that I have read that Kellogg made some phones using clear plastic instead of red for the plunger.

The two things which make the phone special to me are the design of the shell, which is very classic late 1930s style and unlike any other phone, and the modular design of the internal components.  You can look at: http://www.telephonearchive.com/phones/kg/kg1000.html for a very good description of the phone.

Finding a red bar phone in very good condition is a bit difficult.  Like other phones with bakelite shells, these phones also break easily, so many, if not most, of the red bar phones on ebay have cracks and/or chips.  Many have chunks of the shell missing near the feet.


Larry

[Jim Stettler]

dsk,

I think you mean "unenlightened".  The red bar phone is not really so special.  The bar is just the hook switch plunger which, for whatever reason, the people at Kellogg decided to make out of red plastic.  I believe that I have read that Kellogg made some phones using clear plastic instead of red for the plunger.

The two things which make the phone special to me are the design of the shell, which is very classic late 1930s style and unlike any other phone, and the modular design of the internal components.  You can look at: http://www.telephonearchive.com/phones/kg/kg1000.html for a very good description of the phone.

Finding a red bar phone in very good condition is a bit difficult.  Like other phones with bakelite shells, these phones also break easily, so many, if not most, of the red bar phones on ebay have cracks and/or chips.  Many have chunks of the shell missing near the feet.


Larry

They did make a clear bar and I have heard a rumour of a green bar.
Jim

[dsk]

dsk,

I think you mean "unenlightened".  The red bar phone is not really so special.  The bar is just the hook switch plunger which, for whatever reason, the people at Kellogg decided to make out of red plastic.  I believe that I have read that Kellogg made some phones using clear plastic instead of red for the plunger.

The two things which make the phone special to me are the design of the shell, which is very classic late 1930s style and unlike any other phone, and the modular design of the internal components.  You can look at: http://www.telephonearchive.com/phones/kg/kg1000.html for a very good description of the phone.

Finding a red bar phone in very good condition is a bit difficult.  Like other phones with bakelite shells, these phones also break easily, so many, if not most, of the red bar phones on ebay have cracks and/or chips.  Many have chunks of the shell missing near the feet.


Larry

Yes, thank you, unenlightened is the right word.
And , again. Thank you for the info about the Red Bar.  I can see some light in the other end of the tunnel, I hope its not a meeting train

And to all of you, I would like to get feedback making my English better. It tends to be Norwegian  translated.

dsk

[Phonesrfun]

Sometimes it is the English language itself that gets in the way.  We seem to have an abundance of colloquial phrases and oddities in the language.

I tried learning German for the longest time.  I guess my brain is just not cut out to speak more than one language.  I tried very hard, but because I had no practical way of practicing German, I never did learn the language.... only a few phrases.  About 25 years ago I spent a week in Germany and in the German speaking part of Switzerland.  I think if I could have stayed longer I would have caught on.

So, to anyone who is here and English is not your native language, I really admire you!

[JorgeAmely]

Muchas gracias Bill. 

[McHeath]

Yah dsk you are doing great with English!  Way better than my Norwegian!  I can piddle along in some Spanish, it's not pretty but I can at least figure out when the kid at school is cussing at me and questioning my parenthood.  Folks who are truly fluent in multiple languages are fortunate in my book, and impressive. 

Seems like one of our members in England has a Redbar with a clear bar, but I don't recall who.

[Jim Stettler]

Yah dsk you are doing great with English!  Way better than my Norwegian!  I can piddle along in some Spanish, it's not pretty but I can at least figure out when the kid at school is cussing at me and questioning my parenthood.  Folks who are truly fluent in multiple languages are fortunate in my book, and impressive. 

Seems like one of our members in England has a Redbar with a clear bar, but I don't recall who.

I have seen 2 different Bar styles on Redbars.
I was going to swap a red bar to a clear bar and they were different. I red bar was from a desk model and I don't know about the clear bar.
The difference could be early/late or desk/ wall.
Jim

[JorgeAmely]

dsk:

The Kellogg red bar is a highly modularized phone when you look under the hood.  In fact, the outside resembles an Automatic Electric model 80 a lot (in my opinion). I have one that came with an Automatic Electric dial. I like them a lot because the handset microphone has a caption that reads "Kellogg Switchboard and Supply Company - Chicago USA" and has a low profile spit cup.

I have attached some pictures. In the last one, you will see that all components are pretty much Plug and Play. To the bottom is the ringing capacitor and on the top the network coil. The upper housing is plugged with a connector to the switch hook box, located towards the rear of the phone. Under the ringer they stored a circuit diagram of the phone with many variations in circuitry to support the various wiring schemes of years ago. There are a couple of straps to adjust certain characteristics of the network.

The ringer bells seem nickel plated. The inside of the base is coated with a strong durable coat of varnish or clear coat of paint to prevent rust. All base feet are plastic.

[dsk]

I really like that modular setup, this were those days the telephone should last for ever.
I work as a teacher on a technical college, and the students expects their new telephone to last at least 1/2 a year, and after 2 it is to old anyway.

How shall I teach them to make things to last?  I'm probably out of date myselves.

I do not accept this way to be the right, it is a waste of resources, and probably not friendly to the environment. We have probably been quite little friendly to the environment in the past, but now we know better.

Back to the redbar, the wall mount model could look fine in my living room

dsk

[Dan/Panther]

Jorge;

I too was amazed at the under the hood view of the Red bar. I still feel that is part and partial of what sank kellogg, their phones were way over engineered and too well built. I bet they cost twice what 302 did. The first Red Bar I bought, had the wrong handset, so I bought another with the proper handset, but the case was cracked. Then I found a metal bodied Red Bar, So Now I have one of each, and one in case I need spare parts. All three are in decent shape, except for the cracked case, which is hardly noticeable, all for under $100.00.

D/P