looking for info on lime green trimline/slimline

[slim_and_trimline]

Hello all!
I'm new to the fourms.  I'm a 70's kid who has some interest in phones from that era.  I have the "olympic statue" phone and a red trimline I found at thrift stores.  I also like the Accent series and the AT&T glow phone.

Anyway, I'd appreciate your expertise with some questions about the trimline/slimline series.  I just got a landline (hate my cell) and would like to track down my fav model phone in my fav color, so these questions only apply to the color lime green of this model when applicable.

I emailed Paul F. who was very helpful and let me know that SC and ITT both made this model in lime, and he thinks WE did later on.  The questions I have apply to whatever versions were manufactured and they may be obvious to anyone who knows about the trimline/slimline models in general so kindly bear with me  

Ringer types (difference in bells?  Were any made that didn't even have a bell ringer?)
Which were offered with the "lamp", which were with the led light, and which had no light?
Did all brands offer both desk and wall mount versions, and did all brands offer rotary?
Any differences in durability of plastic between brands?
Also, I read something about how some trimline/slimline colors that
were offered were created by painting over another color plastic at the factory, as opposed to the plastic mold itself being made in that color.  
So I'd be very interested in knowing which brands were lime green painted over another color plastic, and which (if any) were actually made of lime green plastic.

Any other info on variations would be much appreciated.

I'm going to post a formal "wanted" post in the proper forum after I gather whatever info I can, but if you have one you'd part with please keep me in mind.

thanks for reading!!
-David

[AE_Collector]

Any interest in the comparible AE version, the Styleline?

They were made in wall or desk, touch call (AE terminology) and rotary. The lime green is called "Tropic Green".

As for painted versions of any of these types of phones )Styleline, trimline etc) I would think that would have been limited to refurbishers rather than new production. There were so many colors that some would go out of favor so they would be turned into other colors and put back into service. SOmetimes this might have been done with paint rather than new plastics.

Terry

[slim_and_trimline]

Any interest in the comparible AE version, the Styleline?

Hi Terry,
Thanks for your reply!  You know I hadn't heard of AE until you posted, but I had heard of GTE...a search seems to indicate they're the same?  That's great to know because I was wondering if GTE did lime.

They were made in wall or desk, touch call (AE terminology) and rotary. The lime green is called "Tropic Green".

don't know if it's the photo (great collection by the way), but the color looks a little less "radioactive" than the lime color on other brands, so I'll probably pass.  However, that aqua-looking shade is nice.
Do the stylelines have an led or lamp?

As for painted versions of any of these types of phones )Styleline, trimline etc) I would think that would have been limited to refurbishers rather than new production. There were so many colors that some would go out of favor so they would be turned into other colors and put back into service. SOmetimes this might have been done with paint rather than new plastics.

That sounds like good news then in one sense, seems unlikely that there would be a refurbished one in lime color.
-David

[AE_Collector]

Welcome to the forum by the way!

AE was GTE's equipment manufacturer just like Western Elctric was the Bell systems equipment manufacturer.

Tropic Green is pretty bright but it might not be quite the same as some of the other lime green phones. Here are some pictures of AE colors:
http://s21.photobucket.com/albums/b273/AE_Collector/Automatic%20Electric%20Phone%20Colours/#!cpZZ1QQtppZZ20

For the most part Stylelines didn't have illuminated dials but they seem to have played with it a little bit in the early Styleline days (1969 ish). AE already had illuminating dials in the Starlite phones (similar to Princess) so it wasn't a big stretch to have illumination in Stylelines. I have a couple of Stylelines that have the illuminated type dial but I so far never attempted to get them to light up.

I agree that it would not seem very likely to have a painted Lime green phone. I have at least one Tropic Green styleline that has been painted a more neutral color.

Terry

[slim_and_trimline]

Welcome to the forum by the way!

AE was GTE's equipment manufacturer just like Western Elctric was the Bell systems equipment manufacturer.

Tropic Green is pretty bright but it might not be quite the same as some of the other lime green phones. Here are some pictures of AE colors:
http://s21.photobucket.com/albums/b273/AE_Collector/Automatic%20Electric%20Phone%20Colours/#!cpZZ1QQtppZZ20

For the most part Stylelines didn't have illuminated dials but they seem to have played with it a little bit in the early Styleline days (1969 ish). AE already had illuminating dials in the Starlite phones (similar to Princess) so it wasn't a big stretch to have illumination in Stylelines. I have a couple of Stylelines that have the illuminated type dial but I so far never attempted to get them to light up.

Hey thanks for the welcome and the info.  The "clear80" pic at the link you sent was cool, like the jade speaker too.  Looking for the trimline to have a lit dial of some kind, and I'll probably hold out for wall mount unless I find a really great deal and/or condition desk version.  Also probably go for rotary unless I see a round button touchtone with the cardboard backing and it wins me over with its snazzy color coordination goodness.
-David

[jsowers]

I can only speak for the WE Trimlines since I have so few of the others.

The incandescent lighted dial/keypad was from the introduction of the Trimline, about 1965, to when the square-button models came about. That was sometime around 1978 or 79. Both the square-button and its rotary counterpart used green LED lighting powered by the phone line around that time. I was in college then and Southern Bell replaced my landlady's AE SpaceMaker and AE80 with two LED-lit modular WE ivory rotary Trimlines. I was the one who got to pick them out. I wish I had asked for the old phones! This was a rare example of Southern Bell buying an independent telco that used AE phones and then replacing them.

I haven't seen any painted WE Trimlines. Many of them were refurbished, though. Oftentimes you will find the round button Trimlines with metal inserts over the paper insert. This usually means it was refurbed since that went in at the refurb house. I can imagine a painted Trimline wouldn't be very good since half the phone is held in "the palm of your hand" as the old ads said. That would wear the paint away in no time and not feel too comfortable. The bases, though, may have been painted. Sometimes it's very hard to tell.

If you found a lime green Bell Trimline, it would be from the AT&T days more than likely. That would be a color from the 1980s and not the 70s at Bell, I don't think. Your best bet would be the SC Slenderet and ITT Trendline versions. They were big into lime green and screamin' orange during the late 70s and 1980s. I have some phone books that show those two colors as available in the early 1980s on the back cover.

I think they all came with bells. Sometimes they have been removed, but I think they all came with a ringer and it was that single-gong type that sat underneath the connecting block area, where the wires had to be just so.

I know the bells could be modified so the ringer adjuster could silence them. That's what the installer did to the desk model Trimline he put in my landlady's bedroom. Her AE80 in there didn't have a ringer on purpose. She didn't want to be awakened by the phone. The only ringer was in the kitchen, which was one of those heavy duty external AE ivory ringer boxes that came with the SpaceMaker and sat right above her kitchen counter. The Trimline didn't ring nearly as loud, so she had some adjusting to do. She did like the lighted dial.

About the durability of the plastic, it was all about the same. The places to double-check are the top overhanging edge of the handset and the sides. The handsets were susceptible to damage because they were often dropped. The bases hardly ever have damage--just a lot of wear from the handset being plopped down. Also, sometimes the screw threads inside the handset can break from dropping or overtightening. Be very careful not to overtighten those screws to the housing.

I think rotary was always offered. Touch-tone really didn't catch on until maybe the late 1980s in my area. Here is a lot of info I found on Wikipedia that has a good "Trimline Timeline."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trimline_telephone

I hope that answers some of your questions. There isn't a lot out there about Trimlines, so I can see why you were asking. And welcome to the Forum!

[Jim Stettler]

This one is stromberg carlson slenderette.
Slenderettes were avaliable in Lime Green, Bright Orange and 4 official swirl colors
Green/White
Red/White
Yellow/White
Brown/White
I bet I have spares of all the above.

Jim

Trimline tidbit:
The WE 1-in-1,000,000,000 telephone was a trimline (It was a dull gold color and had a medallion proclaming it 1 in 1,000,000,000, it also named the WE employee who it was given to and the date.
Years ago this phone was offered at an ATCA show for trade for a Blake Transmitter ($500 at the time).
I didn't get a chance to talk to the seller before it sold. I did handle it.

[Jim Stettler]

Here are some clear and swirlees. The clear are trimlines and the swirlees are slenderettes.
Jim

[Jim Stettler]

Here is a swirlee you will like.

I will pay well for matching parts for this phone. I do have green cords for it.
Jim

[Kenny C]

where did yu get that banjo in the last picture?

[slim_and_trimline]

I can only speak for the WE Trimlines since I have so few of the others.

The incandescent lighted dial/keypad was from the introduction of the Trimline, about 1965, to when the square-button models came about. That was sometime around 1978 or 79. Both the square-button and its rotary counterpart used green LED lighting powered by the phone line around that time.

Hey thank you for the info, I have read the wiki at some point but probably forgot stuff.  Thanks very much for the welcome!  You guys are friendly, must be the analog vibes.
Did the switch to LED (so no seperate power cord) also coincide with the switch from the "4 plug" line to modular? 
I'm also wondering if a phone with the 4 plug connector requires manual re-wiring or if you just connect to an adaptor to use with current modular jack?
I'm starting to really like older incandescent lamps, I have an old amplifier that is sick right now but has 6 lamps not including the tuner light.
On the other hand I feel like I'm battling led's lately, finally broke down and started using electrical tape on some of the brightest offenders.

If you found a lime green Bell Trimline, it would be from the AT&T days more than likely. That would be a color from the 1980s and not the 70s at Bell, I don't think. Your best bet would be the SC Slenderet and ITT Trendline versions. They were big into lime green and screamin' orange during the late 70s and 1980s. I have some phone books that show those two colors as available in the early 1980s on the back cover.

screamin' orange lol sounds like a Funny Face drink mix.
One thing I hadn't considered is the same color could be different depending on who made the phone...

I know the bells could be modified so the ringer adjuster could silence them. That's what the installer did to the desk model Trimline he put in my landlady's bedroom. Her AE80 in there didn't have a ringer on purpose. She didn't want to be awakened by the phone. The only ringer was in the kitchen, which was one of those heavy duty external AE ivory ringer boxes that came with the SpaceMaker and sat right above her kitchen counter. The Trimline didn't ring nearly as loud, so she had some adjusting to do. She did like the lighted dial.

I'm going to have to experiment with that if I can find out how.  I recall being able to slide the ringer volume until the bell just rattled but if it can be completely silenced that could come in handy.
-David

[slim_and_trimline]

snip...

I bet I have spares of all the above.

Jim

Jim,
That collection is great, I sent you a pm!
I assume you removed any AC lines for the phones that have lamps instead of leds, i.e. were any slenderettes sold without a lit dial of some kind?
Looks like the ones in pic are all desk models, is that right?

Wish I had matches for your green swirlie but advanced collector I'm not
thanks for the reply,
-David

[Jim Stettler]

snip...

I bet I have spares of all the above.

Jim

Jim,
That collection is great, I sent you a pm!
I assume you removed any AC lines for the phones that have lamps instead of leds, i.e. were any slenderettes sold without a lit dial of some kind?
Looks like the ones in pic are all desk models, is that right?

Wish I had matches for your green swirlie but advanced collector I'm not
thanks for the reply,
-David

Thjank you David,
On incandescent Trimlines (and Princess), the power for the lamp came from a transformer. The transformer input to the phone was thru the line cord. I think all the dial trimline type phones had a lamp, not all of them were engerized.

You can find later fat mod trimline sets with LED dials. They never stoped making the fat mod trimlines, they just added the mini mod adaptor. They continued w/ tone generators for the TT , but the also made Tone generating IC sets.

Those are all desk phones, I do have some wall stuff and TT tho.

It is hard to tell in the photo, The green swirlee base and handset do not match, they are different shades of green
Jim

[Jim Stettler]

where did yu get that banjo in the last picture?

That one was from ebay. It needs cleaning up.
The one I got from you is  on a shelf.
Jim

[jsowers]

Hey thank you for the info, I have read the wiki at some point but probably forgot stuff.  Thanks very much for the welcome!  You guys are friendly, must be the analog vibes.
Did the switch to LED (so no seperate power cord) also coincide with the switch from the "4 plug" line to modular? 
I'm also wondering if a phone with the 4 plug connector requires manual re-wiring or if you just connect to an adaptor to use with current modular jack?

I would say yes that was when the 4-prong plug died. The modular 4-wire mounting cord spelled the end for the 4-prong 505A connector you see on early Trimlines. Yes, you can use a modular adapter on those early models. Connect the transformer to the yellow and black wires and the lamp will light.

There are some Trimlines, probably refurbs, retrofitted to use modular mounting cords in their bases, but they still have the fat modular handset cords. Also sometimes you have to monkey around with the wiring to get the lamp to light. Like Jim said, not all of them were energized. Sometimes it's the white wire and sometimes the yellow wire to the mounting cord. But you truly need only the four wires to make the phone work.

screamin' orange lol sounds like a Funny Face drink mix.
One thing I hadn't considered is the same color could be different depending on who made the phone...

Oh, that would be Jolly Olly Orange! Along with Goofy Grape, Rootin' Tootin' Raspberry, Lefty Lemon and I could go on and on. I remember those Funny Face commercials and magazine ads well from childhood. I once pasted a picture of Goofy Grape on a co-worker's ID picture in our media circulation system at work. She loved it. It fit.   

Seriously, though, they didn't call it Screamin' Orange. That was my term. It's probably just Orange, but it seems brighter than that Rust color that Trimlines came in. I'll see if I can scan the 1980s phone book back covers I have and you can see the entire color spectrum for the SC Slenderet. Yes, the colors are different depending on the maker and some changed as the fashions changed through the years. Like yellow changing to Harvest Gold, and Ivory changing to Almond.