It ain't my "style"

[Frankie Lamb]

Can anyone who lives in the general area of San Fernando Valley recommend a good barber; one who can cut hair in the forties/fifties style?
I don't want to go through anymore "Mondo the Magnificents" who call themselves "stylists" instead of "barber", and charge a fee equal to my car payment. For that kind of money I should be able to take the hair he cut off home with me. I just want a plain old guy who is old enough to know what the heck the hair styles for men was in the forties and fifties. Kind of like the barber in the old Andy Griffith show for instance.
Maybe I'm dreaming, but just thought I'd throw it out there for your collective opinions and advice.
Much thanks,
Frankie Lamb

 

[reetpleat]

It isn't that hard. Keep your eyes open for a barber shop that has not been updated, does not have new young employees or owners, but still has the old guy. Find out how old he is and if he was cutting hair back then. Especially look for the ones that ae still offering six to eight bucks. They are bound to be old school. Sometimes you find a younger guy who was in the military or otherwise worked in older styles.

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

Y'know, I went through similar difficulties getting professionals to understand what I consider the classic 'long-on-top-short-around-the-sides-tapered-in-the--back' haircut I was looking for. My buddy and neighbor cuts hair for some folks - just basic buzzcuts, usually - so I coached him through it. I even took photos of my head from L, R and rear, then drew lines to show where the cut should be. He was patient enough to work with me and now I've finally got the cut I want.

Sorry I can't guide you specifically to locations in your area, but you may have to develop a similar process as I did to get what you're after.

Not sure what you actually have in mind but here's my results:

BEFORES (I grew some length for him to work with. These are the shots that I printed out and drew guide lines on.)

AFTERS (It's been a couple days; I need to neaten up the neck. It's dry here, but it works great also when I use Murray's pomade and a little Brilliantine.)

For someone who doesn't have as many cowlicks as I have the results would probably be better.

He uses a #4 depth attachment on the electric grooming gizmo and leaves the top totally alone, save for cutting it at that obvious horizontal line between the longer top and the groomed lower portion. Again, the back has to be tapered instead of having the obvious overhang line so it doesn't look like a total bowl cut.

Hope this helps!

 

[eldonkr]

I just let my girlfriend (ex now) shave my head every couple of months because I'm convinced its impossible to do anything with my hair anyway.

Unless I devote a couple of years into growing it out, then I can make it look nice

 

[Frankie Lamb]

Groom it or lose it!!

Thanks all for the good advice:
ReetPleat; I'm going to do some recon tomorrow on some likely suspect shops per your advice.
HarpPlayerGent; The guy did a nice job; you trained him well
ElDonkr: With my size 7 head now, if I shaved my hair off like you do I could use a tea cup for a hat!
Thanks guys,
Frankie

 

[Foofoogal]

It is like finding hens teeth to find a real barber. my honey was delighted to find a shop that started in 1935 this wknd. looked like the decor was about as old. lol worked for him.
i talked him into one time going to a salon. he wasn't impressed so I gave up. lol
hope you find something.

not sure how up to date this link is but here is one on barbers:
http://www.geocities.com/RodeoDrive/3696/Shopsuwe.html

 

[Subvet642]

Can anyone who lives in the general area of San Fernando Valley recommend a good barber; one who can cut hair in the forties/fifties style?
I don't want to go through anymore "Mondo the Magnificents" who call themselves "stylists" instead of "barber", and charge a fee equal to my car payment. For that kind of money I should be able to take the hair he cut off home with me. I just want a plain old guy who is old enough to know what the heck the hair styles for men was in the forties and fifties. Kind of like the barber in the old Andy Griffith show for instance.
Maybe I'm dreaming, but just thought I'd throw it out there for your collective opinions and advice.
Much thanks,
Frankie Lamb

Try this link, it's a "Barber Shop Locator" on The Art of Manliness web site:
http://artofmanliness.com/barbershop-locato/

 

[Frankie Lamb]

Gee, it looked great in the dark last night

I finally got frustrated with "interviewing" barbers today; It's amazing how many barbers in Los Angeles have cut Frank Sinatra's hair. They even have autographed photographs on the wall to prove it!!
I returned to my old stand-by female stylist, and in desperation, explained what kind of cut I wanted. She listened, she nodded, she cut; voila, it's 1930 again ( I think.).
I'll leave the final judgment up to my daughter the nit-picker; she always shoots the old man straight up truth. If she says it ain't so hot, well, that's what God made hats for!
Thanks for all the good Fedora Lounge help.
Frankie L.

 

[carter]

NIIICE CUT!

... now I've finally got the cut I want.

Not sure what you actually have in mind but here's my results:

AFTERS (It's been a couple days; I need to neaten up the neck. It's dry here, but it works great also when I use Murray's pomade and a little Brilliantine.)

...He uses a #4 depth attachment on the electric grooming gizmo and leaves the top totally alone, save for cutting it at that obvious horizontal line between the longer top and the groomed lower portion. Again, the back has to be tapered instead of having the obvious overhang line so it doesn't look like a total bowl cut.

Hope this helps!

HPG, Man, that is a terrific cut. Thanks for posting the photos. I may have to take those to my barber. :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

Feel free, Carter. I'll pass your compliments along to my friend. It's not his profession, far from it, but he beams when someone likes his haircuts! I pay him $10.00. The other good part about it is all I have to do is walk across the street to his house, get my haircut and then we play a few games of pool. Not bad, eh?

 

[pigeon toe]

If you ever get the chance, you should check out Hawleywood's. They have on in Long Beach and one in Costa Mesa. My ex drives out all the way to the Long Beach one just to get his hair done ever 6 weeks, but he says it's so worth it. You might want to call ahead of time and ask if they do the style you want because I think they mainly focus on pompadours. They do about a billion different types of pomps and are really knowledgeable about it, I'm sure they know how to do other classic cuts.