Nostalgic Retro Telephones are making a comeback, even replica Trimphone Telephones are becoming very popular as people long for the quality and iconic style of these classic telephones

332 Bakelite Telephone

These 300 series Vintage British Bakelite Telephones from the 1950's are usually referred to as Antique Telephones or occasionally Vintage telephones, or Retro Phones. They are the iconic British phone that most people think of when you mention classic old telephones.

A few people have asked me how fit new electret microphones in 300 series Bakelite Telephones so I have included instructions below.

Step 1) Remove the base plate of the telephone

Picture 1 shows the inside of the Bakelite Telephone once you have removed the base plate (4 screws in the corners)

Notice the numbering of the bakelite block terminals (the important ones are T4, T5 and T6.

Step 2) Inside the vintage telephone check the 3 wire cord is correctly installed (white from T4, Red from T5 and green on T6)

Step 3) Remove the bakelite mouthpiece cover by VERY carefully inserting a thin prong into the hole and carefully twisting the mouthpiece anticlockwise as in picture 3.

Step 4) Lift out the old carbon granule microphone/transmitter from the telephone as in picture 4.

Step 5) Unscrew and remove the spring contacts as in picture 5.

Step 7) Connect the new microphone (transmitter) to the new cord Red and the White wires as in picture 7.

Step 8) Connect the Green wire as in picture 8 (note this the strap wire link to the red wire I have called this Blue in picture 8).

Step 9) Use some form of soft packing behind the new (smaller) microphone to prevent rattling against the bakelite casing.

Step 10) Replace the bakelite mouthpiece gently (can be easily damaged). As a finishing touch clean and polish with Bakelite Polish from Greygates. Your iconic Bakelite Telephone is now ready