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Hello from Seattle

Started by Stormcrash, November 12, 2018, 10:00:47 PM

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Stormcrash

Hi Everyone!

New member and transplant to the pacific northwest. Got interested in phone stuff as a tangent to my interest in computers since their history is so related. My interest in older style phones was kicked while in College, they still put 2500 model phones in the dorm rooms and I found them much more comfortable for calling home on than my cell phone.  Even learned to dial pulse long distance using the switch hook :)

After moving a couple years ago I started getting phones as my apartment, which I think was built in the 90s, has a ton of phone jacks which I hooked an Obi with Google Voice to. Started with a cheap modern Trimline, but now I have some older stuff, though It's currently all Touch Tone.  I have some post breakup AT&T stuff, due to nostalgia growing up in the 90's I have a soft spot for the original AT&T globe logo, but like older items as well as my parents have a WE Teal Trimline my Mom bought new around 83.  Also one of my first toys as a kid was my Dad's old brown 500 set with the hardwired line cord cut off, don't know who made it or what happened to it but it was fun to slam the reciever down and hear the bells jingle like on tv shows. I also can't remember if the handset cord on that phone was modular or not, did sets with hardwired line cords and modular handset cords exist much?

Currently:
AT&T Signature Trimline - Country Blue - NOS from eBay and was owned by SNET
Trimline 1300 - Ivory - One of my first gets, NOS eBay but nothing special
WE/AT&T 2500 - Ivory - WE set that was refurbished for lease, was unused in the lease box
2 AT&T 2500 - Ivory - New in Box from 1984 just post breakup, short travel keypads
Comdial 2500 - Ivory - New in Box, dark brown faceplate
Comdial SpeakerPlus - New in Box speakerphone
2 AT&T Trimlines - Ivory - New in Box, made in USA in 1986, last domestic model
AT&T 4 buttom memory dialer - New in Box, lease accessory, use as keypad for speakerphone

WE Exeter - Brown - 1982, New in Box with 2 new faceplates, only missing box cardboard insert
WE Telehelper speakerphone - New in box , 1982
Telehelper 1600 Autodialer - New in Box, Box marked AT&T, but unit marked American Bell with globe logo
WE Trimline - Ivory Wall - Used goodwill find, 1983 CS unit
Stromberg Carlson 2554 - Beige - NOS hardwired, but haven't been able to wire it properly yet.

Look forward to interacting on this forum!
Thanks,
Kevin

SUnset2

Hi Kevin,
Welcome to the forum.  I'm relatively new to the forum, but have been accumulating phones for a long time.  I don't have a big collection like many of the folks on the forum, though.  Glad to see that there are more people taking up phone collecting here in the great Northwet.  PM me if you want some local support.
- Paul

RB

Hi Keven.
Welcome to the nut hut. ;D
Interesting collection.
How did you find so many NOS in box phones? ???
I see a box every blue moon...or two.
Glad you could join the madness!
Lotza smart fellers around here.

HarrySmith

Hi Kevin. Welcome to the forum. Lots of great people here who love old phones. You have found the best forum on the net! I usually warn new members about Phoneitis but it appears to be too late for you! It is a progressive incurable disease and the only treatment is more phones! We are all afflicted! BTW - We love pictures!
Harry Smith
ATCA 4434
TCI

"There is no try,
there is only
do or do not"

Stormcrash

Thanks for the welcome guys! Pretty much everything has been picked off of eBay, guess I got lucky with finding NOS things, though I tend to look for them even if it's sometimes overpriced.

I definately got lucky on the Telehelper speakerphone and Exeter, as I got those for $15 and $16, when other new Exeters were listed for way more. You could barely see the Exeter box in the listing so that probably helped, it was missing the cardboard holder in the box but otherwise looks unused in the plastic, unused line cord, faceplates never applied, manuals, and buttons still pure white  :) The Telehelper box is a bit rough on the outside but was complete inside, even the battery from 1982 still in it's sealed packaging.

I definately overpaid for the AT&T 2500s and USA Trimlines.  The 2500's look nice but I was surprised by the low travel keypads on them, didn't realize the cheapening began so quickly after the breakup.  They also have a low hiss in their electronics, I tried different handsets so I know it's not the reciever.  The WE refurb one has no issues and the original full mechanical linear buttons

.....

Welcome to CRPF, Kevin.