Californian... Aero or Good Wear?

[Papa M]

All three are now visible, but I think Feltfan still needs you to send him the jacket.

Mac

If only he didn't live so far away!

 

[Daniel Hunter]

That is beautiful! What leather/color is that? That's an aero right? I love that. Great... now I have 3 new jackets I want to buy...

It's russet buffalo hide. Unfortunately I don't think Aero uses this hide anymore.

 

[feltfan]

If only he didn't live so far away!

And if I weren't a size 50...

Actually, I may soon list in the Classifieds that Papa M should consider...

But to get back to the topic at hand, all three photos now show up.
Very nice jacket.

 

[Peacoat]

A lurker breaks cover.....

I am the proud custodian of a pair of Aero's, a bog standard FQHH black Halfbelt and a Cheyenne with a moulton. Neither are suitable for warmer weather (if it ever arrives) and I don't like A-2's.

So I'm thinking of a Californian in goatskin but I'm torn between the Aero or the lovely but expensive offering from Good Wear. Searching hasn't uncovered much about either jacket, but is the premium for the GW likely to be worth it?

Any comments...?

If you are seriously considering the Good Wear, you may have a long wait. Back about the middle of January I placed an order for an A2 and asked John some questions. About a week later he responded with the answers. On Jan. 26 I sent him an e-mail finalizing the order asking how I should send the deposit. Have heard nothing since, even though I sent two follow up messages.

If it takes this long to finalize the order and get the deposit to him, I wonder how long it will take to get the jacket? I am ready to give up on GW and look for an alternative.

 

[CBI]

John was out of town for a while, he has also been snowed under with work including LOTS of new orders. As you know, its a one man operation but certainly worth the wait.

 

[feltfan]

If it takes this long to finalize the order and get the deposit to him, I wonder how long it will take to get the jacket? I am ready to give up on GW and look for an alternative.

Don't give up. Call him. He's lousy with email. Or rather, he just doesn't have
the time.

 

[Papa M]

Call him. He's lousy with email. Or rather, he just doesn't have
the time.

That sounds like a pretty lame business plan.

In any good business, particularly a one man band, it surely is preferable and more efficient to respond to e-mails rather than taking phone calls. If he's involved in a tricky bit of cutting or seaming then the last thing he needs is to have to pick up the telephone. Whereas he could set aside a specific time-period each day in order to respond to e-mail enquiries.

It ain't Rockette Salad!

 

[Orlan]

A lurker breaks cover.....

I am the proud custodian of a pair of Aero's, a bog standard FQHH black Halfbelt and a Cheyenne with a moulton. Neither are suitable for warmer weather (if it ever arrives) and I don't like A-2's.

So I'm thinking of a Californian in goatskin but I'm torn between the Aero or the lovely but expensive offering from Good Wear. Searching hasn't uncovered much about either jacket, but is the premium for the GW likely to be worth it?

Any comments...?

GW is good option, but the delays is long. I wait by my Californian from last November. I haven't had problems whit emails of John. He don't answer inmediately, but he answers.
John sent me some samples of leather and I decided to go by the Seal Horsehide.

 

[feltfan]

That sounds like a pretty lame business plan.

In any good business, particularly a one man band, it surely is preferable and more efficient to respond to e-mails rather than taking phone calls. If he's involved in a tricky bit of cutting or seaming then the last thing he needs is to have to pick up the telephone. Whereas he could set aside a specific time-period each day in order to respond to e-mail enquiries.

It ain't Rockette Salad!

Sure. But it takes a different kind of guy to do what he does.
And the business plan seems to be working.

My take on John is that he is a bit deeper into the 1940s than most of us.
Even his sizing, at least to him, is vintage.

You'll find a lot of people who are doing their own thing in a "vintage"
trade don't want to spend a lot of time at the computer. Send an email
message to Batsakes Hats or Jimmy Pierce Hats or North Valley Hats.
John did answer my email, if not always promptly. If one is in a hurry
for a response, call.

And here's the secret: it's a blast to call John. It's a lot like calling
Art Fawcett- what a pleasure to chat with someone who is so personable,
enthusiastic about what he does, and knowledgeable. To me it's
part of the value of the item. And part of the reason I chose to send
my money to John, rather than a larger commercial outfit. Happily, while
I get a lot out of chatting with folks like that, there is nothing like
John's jackets and I am very glad to have one (which may become two
in time...).

 

[Peacoat]

John got in touch with me and the order is back on track. I would rather have one his jackets, even with a long wait, that any of the others.