M.C. Gannon Hat Company

[Scooterz]

My Gannon inspired Open Road arrived today. I am over the moon! The Camel beaver felt is such a wonderful color. To my eye, it’s a warm tan with an aged yellow hue. The picture Michael sent captures the color better than the felt swatch sample I received.

The felt is dense and the weight is light. The hand and pouncing are superb. The ribbon, sweatband, and binding stitching are completed with an artisans touch.
I changed directions for this hat after I was in Michael’s que. I have always liked the look of the Open Road, but I originally was leaning towards a traditional fedora. The 2 3/4” brim of the Open Road didn’t appeal to me. Then I read about the "LBJ" which was based on the 3X Wide Country with 2-1/4" bound edge brim. The LBJ brim dimensions also didn’t appeal to me; so I chose to go with a 2 1/2” bound brim. 5 1/2” open crown with a soft cattle man crease at 4 1/2”. Keeping with my OR/LBJ theme, I had my full name embossed on the sweat like the LBJ; minus the "Made Expressly For President Lyndon B. Johnson".

Could anything make my custom Gannon inspired Open Road more enjoyable? In my opinion, no. The price was even less expensive with shipping than the mass production hat which inspired my custom Gannon. I couldn’t ask for a better experience.

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Have a safe and blessed day!
Steven

Wow! Love that color. You are making my hat acquisition syndrome flare up. Congratulations on a really nice hat.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

What a spectacular hue camel beaver felt has! The details all contribute to a very special hat. Congrats on the hat! I look forward to seeing pics of your Gannon OR hat adventures.

Cheers, Eric -

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Incoming:

Love the new liner logo.

 

[ILB Frank]

Is that beaver brown (or whiskey?) or nutria brown? I'm not sure how accurate the color is in the picture.
Either way, looking forward to more pictures when it arrives.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Is that beaver brown (or whiskey?) or nutria brown? I'm not sure how accurate the color is in the picture.
Either way, looking forward to more pictures when it arrives.

It’s dress weight 160g 100% nutria and the color is plum.

 

[steur]

Incoming:

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Love the new liner logo.

That promises to be a great hat, Brent. I agree that the new liner logo is a vast improvement.

 

[The Shoe]

It’s dress weight 160g 100% nutria and the color is plum.


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It’s plumb beautiful!

 

[Bill Hughes]

Incoming:

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Love the new liner logo.

Plum…… ideas are a forming.

 

[BobHufford]

the color is plum.

Great color choice Brent! Diggin' the new liner as well. Can't wait to see the rest of it.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Michael just sent me photos of a homburg he completed using his new curling shackle. It’s not exactly the curl I’d have wanted, but it was what his customer asked for.

Here is what Michael had to say:

“The curling shackle I have now will curl the brim all the way over so I think with practice I should be able to do the more significant curls you see on some of the older homburgs and derbys. For this hat the customer sent a photo of the type of brim he wanted so I was trying to duplicate that.”

My first curled brim Gannon will be a western, but I can see a lords hat in my future too.

 

[Rmccamey]

- - - GoodGodIGotaGreatGannon - - -

I don't know if Michael has a model name for this one but I call it the Westerner. Inspired by some of the old west patterns, this 5 1/2 X 3 open crown fits the bill. Silverbelly with a 1-inch Piccadilly green ribbon and a "new color for Michael" burgundy liner. The green is right in the middle; not too dark (hunter green) and not too light. I picked up a tan 3X with a green ribbon from Brent @deadlyhandsome last year and it made me start looking at green ribbons. I like the choice here and I may have to use green ribbon more in the future.

I've been getting a Gannon about every other year and I must say that Michael's skills continue to improve. This one is a light hat, given its size, and the felt is pounced to a very smooth finish. It also has a slight curl on the side edges. I'll probably give the sides a bit more lift in a few weeks. Unfortunately, it is already hot here in Texas, so I won't have many chances to wear it for a few months.

I broke my own record with this Westerner as well. My first time in public, I had a compliment on the hat in less than 5 minutes and two complements in less than 10 minutes. Thanks for another great hat, Michael. (Now, if I could only talk Michael into making me a bowler, life would be complete!!!)

 

[steur]

- - - GoodGodIGotaGreatGannon - - -

I don't know if Michael has a model name for this one but I call it the Westerner. Inspired by some of the old west patterns, this 5 1/2 X 3 open crown fits the bill. Silverbelly with a 1-inch Piccadilly green ribbon and a "new color for Michael" burgundy liner. The green is right in the middle; not too dark (hunter green) and not too light. I picked up a tan 3X with a green ribbon from Brent @deadlyhandsome last year and it made me start looking at green ribbons. I like the choice here and I may have to use green ribbon more in the future.

I've been getting a Gannon about every other year and I must say that Michael's skills continue to improve. This one is a light hat, given its size, and the felt is pounced to a very smooth finish. It also has a slight curl on the side edges. I'll probably give the sides a bit more lift in a few weeks. Unfortunately, it is already hot here in Texas, so I won't have many chances to wear it for a few months.

I broke my own record with this Westerner as well. My first time in public, I had a compliment on the hat in less than 5 minutes and two complements in less than 10 minutes. Thanks for another great hat, Michael. (Now, if I could only talk Michael into making me a bowler, life would be complete!!!)


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That's a real beauty, Randy and congrats on the new record

 

[Woodtroll]

- - - GoodGodIGotaGreatGannon - - -

I don't know if Michael has a model name for this one but I call it the Westerner. Inspired by some of the old west patterns, this 5 1/2 X 3 open crown fits the bill. Silverbelly with a 1-inch Piccadilly green ribbon and a "new color for Michael" burgundy liner. The green is right in the middle; not too dark (hunter green) and not too light. I picked up a tan 3X with a green ribbon from Brent @deadlyhandsome last year and it made me start looking at green ribbons. I like the choice here and I may have to use green ribbon more in the future.

I've been getting a Gannon about every other year and I must say that Michael's skills continue to improve. This one is a light hat, given its size, and the felt is pounced to a very smooth finish. It also has a slight curl on the side edges. I'll probably give the sides a bit more lift in a few weeks. Unfortunately, it is already hot here in Texas, so I won't have many chances to wear it for a few months.

I broke my own record with this Westerner as well. My first time in public, I had a compliment on the hat in less than 5 minutes and two complements in less than 10 minutes. Thanks for another great hat, Michael. (Now, if I could only talk Michael into making me a bowler, life would be complete!!!)


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Very nice hat, Randy, very nice. Congratulations!

 

[BobHufford]

I call it the Westerner.

Killer western Randy (and Michael)! Sorry it took me more than five minutes to say so.

 

[Rmccamey]

That's a real beauty, Randy and congrats on the new record

Very nice hat, Randy, very nice. Congratulations!

Killer western Randy (and Michael)! Sorry it took me more than five minutes to say so.

Thanks, all.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

- - - GoodGodIGotaGreatGannon - - -

I don't know if Michael has a model name for this one but I call it the Westerner. Inspired by some of the old west patterns, this 5 1/2 X 3 open crown fits the bill. Silverbelly with a 1-inch Piccadilly green ribbon and a "new color for Michael" burgundy liner. The green is right in the middle; not too dark (hunter green) and not too light. I picked up a tan 3X with a green ribbon from Brent @deadlyhandsome last year and it made me start looking at green ribbons. I like the choice here and I may have to use green ribbon more in the future.

I've been getting a Gannon about every other year and I must say that Michael's skills continue to improve. This one is a light hat, given its size, and the felt is pounced to a very smooth finish. It also has a slight curl on the side edges. I'll probably give the sides a bit more lift in a few weeks. Unfortunately, it is already hot here in Texas, so I won't have many chances to wear it for a few months.

I broke my own record with this Westerner as well. My first time in public, I had a compliment on the hat in less than 5 minutes and two complements in less than 10 minutes. Thanks for another great hat, Michael. (Now, if I could only talk Michael into making me a bowler, life would be complete!!!)


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How do you resist the temptation to stick your thumbs into that crown and shape it? Maybe your experiences with bowlers helps, but getting an open crown photo is about as long as I can wait.

Absolutely beautiful hat, Randy!

 

[Short Balding Guy]

- - - GoodGodIGotaGreatGannon - - -

I don't know if Michael has a model name for this one but I call it the Westerner. Inspired by some of the old west patterns, this 5 1/2 X 3 open crown fits the bill. Silverbelly with a 1-inch Piccadilly green ribbon and a "new color for Michael" burgundy liner. The green is right in the middle; not too dark (hunter green) and not too light. I picked up a tan 3X with a green ribbon from Brent @deadlyhandsome last year and it made me start looking at green ribbons. I like the choice here and I may have to use green ribbon more in the future.

I've been getting a Gannon about every other year and I must say that Michael's skills continue to improve. This one is a light hat, given its size, and the felt is pounced to a very smooth finish. It also has a slight curl on the side edges. I'll probably give the sides a bit more lift in a few weeks. Unfortunately, it is already hot here in Texas, so I won't have many chances to wear it for a few months.

I broke my own record with this Westerner as well. My first time in public, I had a compliment on the hat in less than 5 minutes and two complements in less than 10 minutes. Thanks for another great hat, Michael. (Now, if I could only talk Michael into making me a bowler, life would be complete!!!)


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Outstanding!

The ribbon really works well with the silverbelly. Dynamite details on your new hat. A record to boot!

Wear the hat with pride sir.

Best, Eric -

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Latest Gannon arrived today. Order was placed December 26th.

100% nutria fur felt in the color plum. 160g dress weight.
3” bound edge brim.
2” wide ribbon with frayed edge bow.
6 1/2” open crown. That’s not a typo. I didn’t ask for it to be that high, but it’s an honest 6 1/2” or maybe even slightly more! Not sure how this happened, but I suspect he used a past measurement given for a western he made me. I’m going to see what I can do with it.

The felt is my least impressive of my Sunrise nutria felts. Michael had to add stiffeners to this felt so that might be what I’m seeing and feeling. The hand isn’t bad, but it isn’t as nice as I’m used to. The color saturation also doesn’t seem to be as good as others Michael has made me. It’s still a nice hat, but it isn’t the heart racing hat I had hoped for. I think some brushing and steaming might mitigate the stiffener issues. The build quality is typical Gannon: FANTASTIC! Photos shown with a dry crease, but as is the case with all of my dress weight nutria felts from Sunrise, it will require steam to fully shape and to get the shape to hold. These nutria felts have more spring back than Winchester’s beaver felt.



Edit: Just to clarify, I only intended to express my mild disappointment with the Sunrise Hat Supply felt and NOT Gannon’s work. Michael Gannon did a great job on the hat, but this particular nutria hat body came with limitations and Michael couldn’t completely overcome them all…nor, I believe, could any hatter. I do like the hat, but it’s not perfect because the hat body wasn’t perfect. Just wanted to clarify.

 

[Bill Hughes]

Latest Gannon arrived today. Order was placed December 26th.

100% nutria fur felt in the color plum. 160g dress weight.
3” bound edge brim.
2” wide ribbon with frayed edge bow.
6 1/2” open crown. That’s not a typo. I didn’t ask for it to be that high, but it’s an honest 6 1/2” or maybe even slightly more! Not sure how this happened, but I suspect he used a past measurement given for a western he made me. I’m going to see what I can do with it.

The felt is my least impressive of my Sunrise nutria felts. Michael had to add stiffeners to this felt so that might be what I’m seeing and feeling. The hand isn’t bad, but it isn’t as nice as I’m used to. The color saturation also doesn’t seem to be as good as others Michael has made me. It’s still a nice hat, but it isn’t the heart racing hat I had hoped for. I think some brushing and steaming might mitigate the stiffener issues. The build quality is typical Gannon: FANTASTIC! Photos shown with a dry crease, but as is the case with all of my dress weight nutria felts from Sunrise, it will require steam to fully shape and to get the shape to hold. These nutria felts have more spring back than Winchester’s beaver felt.


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I would love to see this beside an old dye back cherry for comparison.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

I would love to see this beside an old dye back cherry for comparison.

I wish I had an old-dye black Cherry to compare it to.