I just got a 2/53 501 and 7/54 500 - and all dates match!

[mr_a500]

I feel like such a lucky ducky. After my previous WE 500 sets arrived with a mish-mash of dates, I looked at my newly arrived phones, ready to be disappointed. Before opening the 2/53 501 - which had a case too shiny and perfect to look like soft plastic - I gave it a sniff for the distinctive soft-plastic smell, but could smell nothing! The 7/54 500 positively reeked in comparison. I said, "darn it! Hard plastic replacement case!"

Well, I was wrong. Not only was the case 2/53, but every single possible date stamped inside was also 2/53! The inside was so clean, it looked like it just rolled off the production line! (not restored) I then opened the 7/54 500 - which didn't look like it rolled off the production line (maybe rolled off a dump truck) - but every possible date inside that matched too! What are the odds?

[HarrySmith]

Very Cool! Congrats

[mr_a500]

Thanks.

When I said, "what are the odds?" I meant that literally. Is my find unusual or does this sort of thing happen all the time?

Is the lack of response just a general, "meh. so what?"... or is it burning jealousy and envy?

Maybe it's just because I didn't put a picture for people to gawk at. OK, see below. My "new" matching dates 2/53 501 is the one on the left. Notice how much shinier it is than my previous best 7/53 500 on the right.




And here's the inside, which I didn't even have to clean:

[HarrySmith]

It looks like it is brand new! Great score

[mr_a500]

One of the first things I noticed was the crispness of the logo. Usually, it's rubbed down a bit or at least has some small scratches, but this one has sharp, clean outlines. It's hard to get a good picture of it. (and some of those white spots are lint)



Edit: added smaller photo, to avoid the chunky auto resize.

[HarrySmith]

WOW, that is amazing, I dont think I have ever seen a logo that nice

[Dennis Markham]

That '53 is very nice and that was a good find.  I particularly like the straight handset cords on the early black sets.  Notice your ringer is an earlier C3A.  I believe they are wired a little differently than the C4A.  Looks like the red ringer wire is going to G?  Is it ringing as wired?  A second look and I'm seeing a 426A tube inside?  That explains the extra red wire on G.  Nice phone!

[mr_a500]

That '53 is very nice and that was a good find.  I particularly like the straight handset cords on the early black sets.  Notice your ringer is an earlier C3A.  I believe they are wired a little differently than the C4A.  Looks like the red ringer wire is going to G?  Is it ringing as wired?  A second look and I'm seeing a 426A tube inside?  That explains the extra red wire on G.  Nice phone!

Thanks. No, it's not ringing. I searched and found a thread here about wiring C3A with 426A tube, but with a 425A network - and mine is a 425B. I asked for wiring help, but nobody answered so far.

[Dennis Markham]

Jorge is our tube wiring expert.......Jorge?

[Jim Stettler]

I feel matching dates are a nice perk. A lot of new off the line phones didn't have matching dates. There are certain date ranges when it seems like most phones didn't match up date wise. I feel that if all the dates are within about 6 months or so, then it probably came that way from the factory.
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All Dates Match Great

all dates within 6 mo.  Still pretty good

1 part mis dated almost great

2-3 or mor mis-matched dates Pretty typical given the lifespan of thes phones.

I look at matching dates as a bonus, if only 1 is mis dated, There is a decent chance you can find the needed date.

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Matching dates happened when all the lines were running smoothly and production was steady.
If any machines broke down or were down for maintenance, then the date stamps start to get mis-matched.
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Your 2 phones were probably installed by the same installer on the same day.
The beat-up one was the main phone and the nice one was the extension that the installer talked them into.



JMO,
Jim

[JorgeAmely]

Jorge is our tube wiring expert.......Jorge?

Dennis:

It is a tube.  

Didn't D/P got one of those too? I think he published a wiring diagram ...

[Jim Stettler]

D/P's  is for the A network.
Basically aren't the letter designations of the terminals  the same? If you connect the wire to the proper screw letter. You could probably follow the A diagram.

I don't recall when curly cords became standard. The curly cord may of been an upgrade on the main phone.
Jim S.

[Kenny C]

i read some where that 1957 was the year they became stasndard but i had a straight cord from 1960

[JorgeAmely]

500:

Please, take a few close pictures of the network and tube wiring. I am sure it won't take long to make it ring.

[Greg G.]

Nice!  Where did you get them?