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[Dan718]

Modern furfelt Stratoliners are readily available and decent. I always found the shaping and short crowns of the modern Whippets somewhat lacking.
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the older Whippets with a taller crowns and more squared blocking are some of my favorites
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But seriously of youre into the folk music/ bluegrass scene, just get a couple good Bowlers
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I’d not considered a bowler, I guess because being British it has connotations that’s I don’t automatically gravitate to.

What model Loar is that? I had a 600 until earlier this year, they make a nice instrument.

 

[RickP]

I’d not considered a bowler, I guess because being British it has connotations that’s I don’t automatically gravitate to.

What model Loar is that? I had a 600 until earlier this year, they make a nice instrument.

its a 520 with upgraded tuners bridge and tailpiece... been a decent little instrument

 

[RickP]

Yes, the stratoliner is a pretty decent looking hat. I’d also be tempted to try the open road with an open crown and bash it myself, the cattlemen crease on the factory ones isn’t my thing.

On the other hand, the temple seems a good classic hat and slightly more subdued than the whippets

Temples in Sovereign felt are good hats.They make for great cool weather hats...think Ive got 5. If you like bound brims, look at furfelt Stratoliners. If the bound edge doesnt ring your bell, the Temples are good. Generally youll find the Stratoliners a more lightweight felt

 

[Dan718]

Temples in Sovereign felt are good hats.They make for great cool weather hats...think Ive got 5. If you like bound brims, look at furfelt Stratoliners. If the bound edge doesnt ring your bell, the Temples are good. Generally youll find the Stratoliners a more lightweight felt

It really depends on how the edge is done for me, less contrast is good, but I may have to wait until I can get down to Tokyo and try some before I commit.

As for the Loar: I found a ***berland bridge improved it noticeably, really allowed the wood to speak. I may well install one in my Quint.

 

[jeffgarf]

It really depends on how the edge is done for me, less contrast is good, but I may have to wait until I can get down to Tokyo and try some before I commit.

As for the Loar: I found a ***berland bridge improved it noticeably, really allowed the wood to speak. I may well install one in my Quint.

Now there is a great auto-edit from our AI overlords.

 

[Dan718]

Now there is a great auto-edit from our AI overlords.

I’m not sure what the AI has against sausages?

 

[jeffgarf]

I’m not sure what the AI has against sausages?

Well, maybe its from here in the States where it has a problem with a Gap in Kentucky, Virginia and Tennessee.

 

[jlee562]

Yes, the stratoliner is a pretty decent looking hat. I’d also be tempted to try the open road with an open crown and bash it myself, the cattlemen crease on the factory ones isn’t my thing.

On the other hand, the temple seems a good classic hat and slightly more subdued than the whippets

Vintage is always better, but the currently available 160th Anniversary open crown Open Road is a perfectly serviceable hat. See my longer review in the Open Road Guild thread. Not sure how the pricing is currently with tariffs, but the Akubra Campdraft is a popular alternative choice.

I had a Temple back in the day, and I do see why it's been in the lineup for so long. It's a good choice for an off the rack hat.

It might take a little time and effort, but I think the ******* is the perfect casual hat.

 

[jlee562]

OMFG you can't write P l a y b o y

 

[Dan718]

Vintage is always better, but the currently available 160th Anniversary open crown Open Road is a perfectly serviceable hat. See my longer review in the Open Road Guild thread. Not sure how the pricing is currently with tariffs, but the Akubra Campdraft is a popular alternative choice.

I had a Temple back in the day, and I do see why it's been in the lineup for so long. It's a good choice for an off the rack hat.

It might take a little time and effort, but I think the ******* is the perfect casual hat.

The camp draft is another I had in mind. The thing is, on the one hand I’m searching for the ideal daily wear hat for going to work, mooching about the house and park etc, for which I’m thinking less formal fedora type, and on the other I really need a decent hat for fieldwork to keep the sun off, so in that respect I’m looking towards an akubra.

The campdraft may serve double duty, or I may eventually get one of each.

In any case since I’ve used up my hat budget for now I’m going to spend time getting used to the Borsalino which is probably the lightest hat I’ve ever worn.

What’s odd is, that when I look to it in a mirror etc, I can’t deny it looks great, but otherwise in my minds eye the mental picture of myself wearing it is oddly grating since I’ve mostly worn western type hats prior to this, so some internal adjustment is necessary.

 

[RickP]

***berland bridge is whats I upgraded to. Dont remember which model Waverly tuners I put on, but I did have a friend machine some black ebony tuner pegs just so I was different. Did a "Florida" mod and relieved the frets on the upper end of the fingerboard. Also put on an Allen Cast bronze tailpiece. Built a curly maple armrest and truss rod cover. Ended up with a nice mellow tone. A friend up in Mayrysville, Tenn builds high end instruments and helped me set it up and do a fret job. I was mainly into Irish trad, reels, jigs, and hornpipes.

Went a slightly different direction this year and semi retired the 5 string Banjo for a while. Rebuilt a nice old no-name 1920s 4 string tenor banjo. Now Im almost esxclusively back to Irish Trad, jigs, reels and hornpipes, but now Ive got a bigger fretboard and a lower octive lol

 

[RickP]

censored me too lol

 

[jeffgarf]

censored me too lol

Like I said, it hates the Gap.

 

[Dan718]

***berland bridge is whats I upgraded to. Dont remember which model Waverly tuners I put on, but I did have a friend machine some black ebony tuner pegs just so I was different. Did a "Florida" mod and relieved the frets on the upper end of the fingerboard. Also put on an Allen Cast bronze tailpiece. Built a curly maple armrest and truss rod cover. Ended up with a nice mellow tone. A friend up in Mayrysville, Tenn builds high end instruments and helped me set it up and do a fret job. I was mainly into Irish trad, reels, jigs, and hornpipes.
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Went a slightly different direction this year and semi retired the 5 string Banjo for a while. Rebuilt a nice old no-name 1920s 4 string tenor banjo. Now Im almost esxclusively back to Irish Trad, jigs, reels and hornpipes, but now Ive got a bigger fretboard and a lower octive lol

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This are some decent adjustments. Do you find the watery tuners make a significant difference? I currently have Gotohs and they are fine if I keep the nut slots lubricated with graphite.

I also play a lot of Irish/ British isles, annd old time also a lot of welsh time as I lived there for about 8 years. These days I’m getting more into bluegrass which is a different beast and forces me to review things like pick hold and my approach to playing generally.

I currently have a Quint QT F5S from a one man shop in China, a really nice instrument, but with a delicate shellac finish that doesn’t like the heat much.

I used to mainly play fiddle but was never particularly good, but recently this has been my daily companion.

 

[RickP]

Campdrafts are good hats. Ive got a well worn Imperial felt in bluegrass green thats a great knock around hat. I also have a Campdraft Deluxe with the heritage felt in Cedar Brown that is a much nicer hat. The bound edge on these hats really give it a nice touch.

 

[Dan718]

Campdrafts are good hats. Ive got a well worn Imperial felt in bluegrass green thats a great knock around hat. I also have a Campdraft Deluxe with the heritage felt in Cedar Brown that is a much nicer hat. The bound edge on these hats really give it a nice touch.
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One thing I like about the Camorra is the open crown. I quite like the fact that hats used to generally be sold that way rather than pre-dented.

 

[RickP]

One thing I like about the Camorra is the open crown. I quite like the fact that hats used to generally be sold that way rather than pre-dented.

Open crowns with a decent crown height so you can work with it are a good thing. My biggest peeve with some modern hats is the tend for shorter crowns... just cant do very much with them

 

[Dan718]

Open crowns with a decent crown height so you can work with it are a good thing. My biggest peeve with some modern hats is the tend for shorter crowns... just cant do very much with them

I can relate to that. I’ve had a couple of hats that have annoyed me in this way, they just seem way to low to do anything with.
With the Borsalino, if anything it has too much crown, I’m still working on bringing it down to be proportional to my height (170cm), while retaining the proper fedora crease as it’s too nice a hat for me to want to change anything drastically.

Speaking of the Borsalino, I’m wondering how people are fixing slightly loose brims without the proper tools? Mine seems like it should have a bit more snap to it, and has a little warping that I’d like to deal with.

 

[RickP]

I can relate to that. I’ve had a couple of hats that have annoyed me in this way, they just seem way to low to do anything with.
With the Borsalino, if anything it has too much crown, I’m still working on bringing it down to be proportional to my height (170cm), while retaining the proper fedora crease as it’s too nice a hat for me to want to change anything drastically.

Speaking of the Borsalino, I’m wondering how people are fixing slightly loose brims without the proper tools? Mine seems like it should have a bit more snap to it, and has a little warping that I’d like to deal with.

Try snapping the brim up and giving the brim a good steaming with a tea kettle. let it cool and see if that helps. May or may not stiffen up much... Ive had a couple Borsalinos that were pretty soft... not much stiffener incorporated in them. If thats the case, try some hairspray to add a bit of body

 

[Blare]

Modern furfelt Stratoliners are readily available and decent. I always found the shaping and short crowns of the modern Whippets somewhat lacking.
View attachment 746452

the older Whippets with a taller crowns and more squared blocking are some of my favorites
View attachment 746453
View attachment 746451

But seriously of youre into the folk music/ bluegrass scene, just get a couple good Bowlers
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Is that a grey bowler, Rick? Looks good.