What wallplate for a 554?

[Butch Harlow]

They definitely left an installer with a wide variety of options to hang the phone. One thing I have never understood was the two horizontal keyholes. As if someone would mount the phone sideways.

[FABphones]

Just for comparison here is a photo of my S.C. 554.

Whoever it was that put the line cord on ignored the mousehole totally. 

After I've moved it over it will take pride of place on the kitchen wall. 

[dylanc4]

thanks for all the information!

[poplar1]

They definitely left an installer with a wide variety of options to hang the phone. One thing I have never understood was the two horizontal keyholes. As if someone would mount the phone sideways.

The screw at the bottom actually should not be all the way at the end of the keyhole. It is horizontal so that the phone can be mounted at a right angle to the floor, even if the screw is not in exactly the right place.

[jsowers]

One small suggestion I have, which may already be obvious to some, is the mounting slots on the back are keyed and if you have a stud in the wall you can line up the right-hand top slot and the screw for the bottom slot so they go into the wall stud. The screw ends up in the narrow part of the keyway and you can easily put a pencil mark where the screw goes. You can also use a sheet of paper to mark the screw locations and hold that to the wall to drive the screws. Then with the screws in the wall, and tearing off the paper, you place the top slot on the screw first and then the bottom one and you can level the phone with that horizontal slot and tighten down both screws. You can add the second screw in the top if you like, but the stud may not be wide enough to accept both.

I'll never forget my grandmother's black 554 that was mounted by Southern Bell. It was on a wall in her kitchen that was shared by the basement stairs on the other side. So every time I went to the basement I could see the station wire behind the phone, stapled to the wall with those tiny staples.

[dylanc4]

One small suggestion I have, which may already be obvious to some, is the mounting slots on the back are keyed and if you have a stud in the wall you can line up the right-hand top slot and the screw for the bottom slot so they go into the wall stud. The screw ends up in the narrow part of the keyway and you can easily put a pencil mark where the screw goes. You can also use a sheet of paper to mark the screw locations and hold that to the wall to drive the screws. Then with the screws in the wall, and tearing off the paper, you place the top slot on the screw first and then the bottom one and you can level the phone with that horizontal slot and tighten down both screws. You can add the second screw in the top if you like, but the stud may not be wide enough to accept both.

I'll never forget my grandmother's black 554 that was mounted by Southern Bell. It was on a wall in her kitchen that was shared by the basement stairs on the other side. So every time I went to the basement I could see the station wire behind the phone, stapled to the wall with those tiny staples.

Thanks,

and is that phone still there? cool story

[Babybearjs]

for all those who are not aware, this adapter also works on the 354 wall phone. (and the 356, 57, and 59)! this is how you modularize these phones for current use!

[Jim Stettler]

for all those who are not aware, this adapter also works on the 354 wall phone. (and the 356, 57, and 59)! this is how you modularize these phones for current use!

You can drill a couple of holes in them and mount them to AE90's.

[jsowers]

Thanks,

and is that phone still there? cool story

No, the phone isn't still there on the wall. My aunt lives there now and they modernized and added onto the house and what once was the kitchen is now the den and a phone on the wall there wouldn't make much sense. The wire may still be on the basement stairway side of the wall. That phone was ideally located when my grandmother was alive because it was next to her side door. You could hear it outside in the yard where we all gathered every Sunday and many's the time we would have to run in and answer the phone--two quick rings. She was on a two-party line. Her number cards said "Answer 2 rings."

My aunt thinks she still has the phone, but I never saw it nor the 1954 500 set she had in the bedroom after the remodel. My aunt has her own phone collection in the basement. She says they remind her of my uncle, who worked for Southern Bell for 30 years.

[dylanc4]

No, the phone isn't still there on the wall. My aunt lives there now and they modernized and added onto the house and what once was the kitchen is now the den and a phone on the wall there wouldn't make much sense. The wire may still be on the basement stairway side of the wall. That phone was ideally located when my grandmother was alive because it was next to her side door. You could hear it outside in the yard where we all gathered every Sunday and many's the time we would have to run in and answer the phone--two quick rings. She was on a two-party line. Her number cards said "Answer 2 rings."

My aunt thinks she still has the phone, but I never saw it nor the 1954 500 set she had in the bedroom after the remodel. My aunt has her own phone collection in the basement. She says they remind her of my uncle, who worked for Southern Bell for 30 years.

interesting story thanks for sharing