Bulgarian TAB-48

[LarryInMichigan]

I just received this: ebay link Bulgarian TAB-48 from 1956 today.  The total cost with shipping was about $25.  I have seen this model for sale many times, but they usually have noticeable cracks in the shells.  This was was in great (though dirty) condition until it reached my doorstep and the letter carrier dropped the box.  The shell broke a bit in the back next to the line cord opening, but I was able to glue back the two largest pieces.  These shells are extremely fragile.  I have a large backlog of restoration projects, so this phone will probably not be done for at least a few weeks, but I thought that I would post about it now to give me incentive to finish it so I can post "after" pictures.  Below is a picture from the ebay listing and a scan of the diagram which was tucked inside the phone.

Larry

[Matilo Telephones]

Very interesting telephone. German dial and handset.

Great pity it got damaged so near its destination.

[LarryInMichigan]

I reassembled the phone this morning.  I gave the bakelite a good cleaning and polishing and a rubbing with Greygate polishing paste, so the phone looks pretty good now.  Klim Voroshilov must be rolling in his grave knowing that a phone from the factory named for him is now part of the collection of an American capitalist

The phone works, but there is some static.  The original transmitter was not very good, like most of the European transmitters and nearly all of the eastern European ones.  I replaced the transmitter with one which has worked well in other phones, but there is still static, so I suspect that a contact somewhere else may still be dirty even thought I tried to clean them all.

Larry

[dsk]

I agree in your general evaluation of transmitters, still this are a circuit pretty close to the Kellogg's triad circuit. (or equal to Siemens w48) Transmitters for this circuit used finer carbon grains then the WE (++++) type circuits.
Could you please check out if the statics might come from another part in the circuit, e.g. dial or hook-sw??  You could probably just try with the transmitter removed.

dsk