(Written by William)
The #31174 LEGO Creator 3-in-1 Retro Telephone set features a cool retro phone from the 1960s as the main model. The phone comes with a liftable receiver, a flexible cord, a rotary dial, and a spring function for when callers hang up. A brick-built pencil and customizable sticky notepad with a choice of 3 tiles featuring different messages are also included. As this is a 3-in-1 set, it offers two other building options with the same set of bricks: a phone from the 1980s sitting on a charging base, and two cool phones from the 2000s.
I really like LEGO’s retro-style sets. They often have small, quirky details and clever building techniques that make them a fun building experience. With that said, it does feel like the $29.99 MSRP is a tad on the high side for those who haven’t built a retro-style set, but I can confirm that the features are rather excellent in an understated way.
Keep in mind that in this article and video, I’m only covering the main featured model. I often find the main model to be the best in LEGO Creator 3-in-1 sets. In my mind, the alternate models are just there to extend your building time fun. So, let’s see what the retro telephone has to offer.
The 1960s telephone comes with a couple of clever little side builds. One is a small notepad, while the other is a pencil to go with the notepad. The pencil is mostly made with LEGO Technic pieces, which means it holds together rather well despite its thin design. Its only weak point is the unicorn horn that serves as the pencil’s lead.
The notepad is the only thing in the set that uses stickers. Three stickers go on three different 2×6 tiles, all of which are included. Essentially, you swap the tiles out to show different notes and doodles on your notepad. I especially like the modified bent plate in the corner, making the top sheet on the pad ready to be torn away from the rest of the pad. The last thing you build is the phone itself. It is a rotary phone that has a flexible cord, spongy tabs for hanging up the receiver, and a working rotary dial.
For the most part, everything works great except the dial. Following the instructions, I didn’t feel like the dial was responding enough. I’d move it to dial a number, and it wouldn’t return to its original start position. So, I took it apart and twisted the rubber band that controls the mechanism and shortened it by twisting it into a figure eight, then folding it over, thus shrinking the rubber band in half. Reapplying this smaller rubber band gave me the more satisfying reaction I wanted from the dial.
I do want to warn builders that this did make the band really taught. You may play with the rubber band a bit to achieve a similar effect without adding as much strain. Perhaps just adding small loops in the band to shorten it will result in a more responsive dial. I just know the initial setup will not work that great.
I’m always impressed by the tactile elements LEGO designers add to the LEGO Creator retro-style sets. What is often taken for granted in real life becomes interesting on multiple levels in a model like this. On the builder side, you learn how these types of effects can be achieved in ways that can be surprising in their simplicity. On the other hand, the authenticity of the mechanisms creates an amazing play experience. In the video below, I will show you the set in a bit more detail.
Overall, if you are the type who really needs a minifigure involved in a LEGO set, this set will have a tough time winning you over. However, if you are a builder at heart, I can’t recommend this set enough for you to check out. Of course, some may be too young to appreciate the model. For them, this could seem like a history lesson as much as a building experience, so keep that in mind.
Speaking of history lessons, I do like that all three alternate builds in this set are phones. Most LEGO Creator 3-in-1 sets cover loosely related models. Here, you get phones from three different eras. I personally remember all three of these phone types, which is probably why I find the set so charming, but whether or not it is right for you is, of course, your call.
When it comes to collectors, the only real value will be whether or not any of these parts will get retired. Speaking of parts, this is a decent set for some nice elements. You get plenty of this nice blue color in a variety of slopes, plates, and bricks. Even the LEGO Technic connectors that make up the phone cord are in a useful white. Given the price, you may still want the set to go on sale, but I think it’s worth getting it. If you want to check it out, it’s available at the LEGO Creator section of the Online LEGO Shop.
What do you think? How do you like the LEGO Creator retro-style sets? And what do you think of the telephone? Feel free to share your thoughts and own reviews in the comment section below!
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Yeah, we collect these! Another thing worth noting is that the retro sets have a matching color scheme, so they look great together as a collection.