Found: WE 633 with wooden gongs

[Tim Mc]

I recently picked up a Western Electric 633 for $60 at one of the local antique malls.  It has a bulldog transmitter and a 706A receiver with the hill-and-dale receiver cap.  It's not a screaming buy and I would have preferred a 653 with a dial, but it seems rare to find a wall phone like this of any model in this area.  I didn't have a screwdriver, but could tell that the ringer was in there.  When I got it home, I opened it up and found wooden gongs on the ringer, which appear to be factory WE.  After some wiring, I hooked it up to try it out.  The wood gongs make a unique thudding sound.  The 706A cap has a chip in the center that I was able to glue back in place with CA adhesive.  The chipped area is still visible, but it's better than using an F1 cap.  The phone was updated by the phone company with a 101A coil, so I wired it like a 302.  I'll try to post a wiring diagram and some pics just in case anyone is interested.  I also powder-coated the box and base (they were straight, but rough).  A new receiver cord has this one back in operation.  Now... to sell, or hand on the basement wall as yet another hard-wired extension?

[HarrySmith]

Nice find! Looks great and not a bad price. I like it! I'm curious, where did you get the powdercoat done?

[NorthernElectric]

When I got it home, I opened it up and found wooden gongs on the ringer, which appear to be factory WE.  After some wiring, I hooked it up to try it out.  The wood gongs make a unique thudding sound.

Cool find!  I have never seen a phone with wooden gongs let alone hear them.  Do you have any way to record the sound of them ringing and upload here as a WAV or MP3?

[Tim Mc]

Thanks Harry!  I've been using Gateway Powdercoating here in the St. Louis area.  They are near the house and have always done a good job for me.

Even though they're unique, I'll probably get some brass gongs to replace the wooden ones. 

[HarrySmith]

Cool find!  I have never seen a phone with wooden gongs let alone hear them.  Do you have any way to record the sound of them ringing and upload here as a WAV or MP3?
[/quote]

IIRC someone did record and post the wooden gongs ringing on here somewhere.

[HarrySmith]

Thanks Harry!  I've been using Gateway Powdercoating here in the St. Louis area.  They are near the house and have always done a good job for me.

Even though they're unique, I'll probably get some brass gongs to replace the wooden ones. 

I would leave it original but it's your phone! If you are interested I would trade a pair of brass gongs for the wood ones.

[NorthernElectric]

Cool find!  I have never seen a phone with wooden gongs let alone hear them.  Do you have any way to record the sound of them ringing and upload here as a WAV or MP3?

IIRC someone did record and post the wooden gongs ringing on here somewhere.

Thanks Harry.  I think I found it here by sargeguy.  He describes the sound as 'comparable to an anemic woodpecker'.   

[Sargeguy]

That's right, wooden gongs are best seen and not heard!  I would put these on a 333 or 334 so they can be seen and admired.

[HarrySmith]

Yes! that's it, now I remember the "Anemic Woodpecker"!