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Finally got an AE90

Started by mdodds, May 28, 2015, 08:17:01 PM

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mdodds

Finally found an AE90 that wasn't ridiculously priced. Shipping is almost 3 times the purchase price, but still cheap enough. When I was growing up the next town over was serviced by the AuSable Valley Telephone Company and they used these in the 60's. We were a boring old Western Electric New York Telephone town :)

AE_Collector

#1
Now you need one in each of the other 11 colors!

Terry

19and41

Good looking phone!  I grew up in a W. E. town also and we had a summer place in southern Michigan.  I knew when the phones changed from W. E. to  A. E. we were getting closer.
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
— Arthur C. Clarke

mdodds

Did people look at you askance when you noticed the type of phone changing? :) I've always like the styling on the AE phones and noticed them, but I guess most people didn't care one way or the other. Of course, that allows us to pick up neat old phones cheap!
BTW, I assume from your avatar that you are about 40 miles north of me in GA?

mdodds

Quote from: AE_Collector on May 28, 2015, 11:21:26 PM
Now you need one in each of the other 11 colors!

Terry

And manage to stay married in the process :) I'm not sure about getting that many, but I would like to find a red and green one.
I'm trying to figure out how to display multiple wall phones so they can be shown off and work, since I seem to gravitate to the wall models. Top of my wishlist is now an AE50!

19and41

Quote from: mdodds on May 30, 2015, 09:01:06 AM
Did people look at you askance when you noticed the type of phone changing? :) I've always like the styling on the AE phones and noticed them, but I guess most people didn't care one way or the other. Of course, that allows us to pick up neat old phones cheap!
BTW, I assume from your avatar that you are about 40 miles north of me in GA?

That was one of the wonders of travel I kept to myself as a child.  I agree about the styling.  their forms hold close to their function.  It is not an easy task to design something that people will all accept into their homes, whatever their appearance.  And if you guessed anywhere near Jonesboro, you are correct.   :)
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
— Arthur C. Clarke

mdodds

I was guessing Griffin, so I was close :) Macon here.

19and41

Actually, the sign in the picture is about 3 miles outside Griffin.  You did well.
"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
— Arthur C. Clarke

mdodds

It finally arrived today!  The phone is in excellent condition overall, with one glaring (literally) exception: Someone painted the body. As you can see in the original pics it's VERY shiny. I can't really tell if the handset was painted or just needs to be cleaned up with some soapy water and polished out.
The interior is virtually spotless, and it has that silky smooth AE dial.
Now I would like some opinions....should I remove that paint or leave it?

WEBellSystemChristian

Quote from: mdodds on June 03, 2015, 07:31:51 PM
It finally arrived today!  The phone is in excellent condition overall, with one glaring (literally) exception: Someone painted the body. As you can see in the original pics it's VERY shiny. I can't really tell if the handset was painted or just needs to be cleaned up with some soapy water and polished out.
The interior is virtually spotless, and it has that silky smooth AE dial.
Now I would like some opinions....should I remove that paint or leave it?
It all depends. If it looks factory and is in good shape, definitely keep it! I have a light gray 554 that was 'refurb shop' painted over the original light gray, and it looks great! If it seems spray painted, I would try removing it if I were you. Use some EasyOff, it'll take it off like nothing if it's spray paint.
Christian Petterson

"Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right" -Henry Ford

mdodds

Thanks! It definitely looks like a rattle-can job, not a refurb shop. The cover screw is painted too :) It has a slightly rough feel to it also. Ill try the EasyOff method.