Cingular Go Phone: GEE805 Wood Candlestick Phone Review

I wrote this the day after I got the phone, and now having owned it for about a year, this review deserves a revamp. Any ratings which have changed since version 1 will be noted with (+/-x) afterward. Without further ado...

This is, obviously, an old candlestick-style telephone. It comes nearly as pictured, but the silver/chrome is actually brass-coloured plastic. It is of good quality, will last a good deal of time, and the merchant at the time was reliable. What this phone is not is a perfect replica with modern features. It is significantly lighter in weight than the originals, and the handset and mouthpiece are both plastic; and, of course, it dials with buttons, which are also plastic.

Otherwise, this phone includes all of the features mentioned in the description including pulse dialing, although they seem to have made a last minute change on how to implement it: On the bottom of the phone, there is a hole where the Tone<->Pulse switch should be; I know this because it has a "P" on the left, a "T" on the right, and the manual says the feature should be there; yet, I look "there" only to see a void. There is, however, a small button elsewhere which toggles the same function. There is no caller ID, but nor does this unit claim that feature - just get a separate CID box if you really need one, as they're very cheap right now. My only real gripe as regards the features is that there are two switches (ringer/volume) on the bottom of the unit, which becomes a pain if you're trying to turn it off while it's ringing (see "Ringer" below).

I would rate the phone in various categories as follows:

Features: 5/5 (+1) - Everything I was told it would have, despite the manual being a tad misleading on how to utilize pulse dialing.

Sound Quality: 5/5 - It's what I expect of a quality phone today.

Sound In/Out: 5/5 - I can hear people well, and they can hear me well. I don't have to yell at the phone, or even speak directly into the mouthpiece, to be understood. The 'megaphone' mouthpiece style is more than for show - it does, in my experience, make it far easier to be heard. Quite helpful for speaking with elderly relatives.

Ringer: 3/5 (-1) - This is the one thing I've been displeased about. I do have sensitive hearing, so take this for what it's worth, but it is very loud and blatant. True, it's meant to get your attention, not be pleasing, and it has a volume control which includes 'off,' but the lowest audible volume setting is still piercing if it's nearby when it goes off. The best solution I've found is to tape a small piece of cotton over the ringer speaker on 'low' volume; believe me, it'll still be plenty loud enough. This leads to one other ringer issue: the button to turn it off is beneath it. Not a problem, per se, just don't forget when rushing to save your ears that you can easily answer by accident, with a bit of help from gravity.

Handling: 4/5 - The circular dialing pattern can take getting used to, but isn't a problem. Also, its weight: the difference from an original to this is like that of a medicine ball to a nerf ball. It's as if someone opened it up and took a lead brick out. Whether that's good or not is yours to decide.

Cosmetic: 5/5 - It's what I expected, nothing more, nothing less, and more than I paid for. It's not a brilliantly hand carved work of art, but the wood is real and has a nice design in it near the base. The fact that it's an antique style also makes it a nice conversation piece if prominently displayed.

Overall, 4/5 and a great deal for $50 (~$37.50 +shipping) if you're looking for a candlestick-style phone with a wood motif and modern features. If that's what you're looking for, this is your phone. If not, move along.

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Product Description:
GEE805 Wood Candlestick Phone- Golden Eagle wood candlestick telephone- Combines modernfeatures and nostalgic rustic flavor- Hand-carved wood base and handset- Tone/pulse switchable- Last number redial- Ringer hi/low/off select switch- Fully modular- FCC/ETL approved- Flash/pause- Receiver hi/normal level switch- Natural wood with chrome trim and black trim- Cloth handset cord