57 Yellow 500 - Soft Plastic???

[LarryInMichigan]

Jester,

If you look around, you might even be able to find a plastic cap in yellow.  Perhaps a store which sells shelving or cabinetry might have caps for covering screw holes like the kind which are often included with the type of unassembled furniture.

Larry

[Netdewt]

Both of my black WE's (554 1962, 500 1961) say G1 on the handset. Does that mean that it is Bakelite? I am trying to replace the caps so that they are correct. The earpieces both have the center hole, and the 1961 has all matching dates (except the mouthpiece cap which has been painted).

[Jester]

The G-1 is a bakelite handset, but all the examples I've seen that were made in 1960 or later have plastic caps on them.  I even have one here with parts all dated 1958--and plastic caps!  Center holes in the caps on your two handsets should be correct.

[Dennis Markham]

Plastic caps seem to be from 1958.  I have found many G1's dated 1958 with plastic caps with no center hole, as Jester said.

[Craig T]

Funny you should mention this. I got in some bakelite caps just the other day to replace my hard plastic ones. They are both dated 4-55, but the shinier one appears to be made of ABS plastic. It looks shinier, it feels a bit lighter, I am just about certain it is hard plastic, but 1955 is a few years earlier than we are talking.

[Jim Stettler]

Funny you should mention this. I got in some bakelite caps just the other day to replace my hard plastic ones. They are both dated 4-55, but the shinier one appears to be made of ABS plastic. It looks shinier, it feels a bit lighter, I am just about certain it is hard plastic, but 1955 is a few years earlier than we are talking.

The Bell system had a lot of minor exceptions. The secret is to allow for exceptions. I know some collectors that accept the BSP's as gospel. BSP's are gospel 99% of the time. The exceptions are things to note and point out. The bell System was one of the largest organizations in it's time. There had to be exceptions, That is just the way it was.

Paul F. Generally notes the mainstream. His site doesn't log exceptions, however, I believe Paul does.

JMO,
Jim

BTW I have seen more than 1 of the prong "G" handsets dated "57 These probably came from specialty 500-type sets.

[Jester]

Craig,
Jim has a point about test runs & theories on dates versus the evidence we find on parts & whole phones.  I suspect both your transmitter caps are actually bakelite, though.  Did you do the "click" test--rapping both parts with a fingernail & comparing the sound?  ABS makes a sharp sound, but it still won't sound like bakelite.

[Craig T]

Yes, I tried that already.  It does not sound like the bakelite one to me 

[Jim Stettler]

Yes, I tried that already.  It does not sound like the bakelite one to me 

ABS wouldn't surprise me, However, I try not to be surprised.
I am funny that way regarding phone stuff.
Jim

[foots]

  For me personally, I don't worry whether it's soft or hard plastic. I have a white soft plastic '59 and a yellow ABS plastic '59, I find the ABS shines better and is much harder to scratch.

[finlover]

Amen to that, brother.  I love my soft plastic phones, but some of my favorites are the '59 through '62s with the nice, thick ABS cases and the waffle feet. 

[Netdewt]

Mmm, waffles.

[AtomicEraTom]

I was on this same wavelength.

Mmm, waffles.

[finlover]

You should try putting them on your feet--you'll never wear shoes again!

[Netdewt]