Borsalino!

[Spellflower]

What a week I've had! Yesterday my new guitar amplifier arrived. It's a hand built remake of a vintage Fender amp made by a guy who is as obsessive about making the best Fender recreation as Steve Delk is about making the best Indy hats. It's the most expensive thing I've ever bought that wasn't a car or a college education (yes, that's why I was feeling so pinched by the cost of the repairs for this hat.) Happily, it sounds as good as a new Art Fawcett looks, and is certainly worth every penny.

Then today, my Borsalino arrived. It's like Christmas in April!

As some of you may know, I agonized over this hat for quite some time. I bought it from Feltfan, and had him send it to Optimo since the sweat was shot and I needed it resized a bit. When Graham got it, he told me it was actually only a 7 1/8, and would need a complete rebuild, including a new ribbon in order to fit my 7 3/8 head. I got sticker shock at Graham's estimate, and tried to sell the hat off to someone with a smaller head while it was still in Chicago, but ended up paying to have the work done. It arrived today, and I'm glad I didn't let it go. It is without a doubt the hat that suits me best out of any I own.

Here are some pics (sorry about the 5 O'clock shaddow- I was too busy playing with my amp to shave.)


<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/dspritzler/Borsalino/photo#5188073114927362642"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/dspritzler/R_-9Aqv_8lI/AAAAAAAAABk/fLRxYMWWibw/s144/IMG_0465.JPG" /></a>
The color is exactly what I think of when someone asks me what my favorite color is. I have a lot of brown hats, but none is such a beautiful shade.

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/dspritzler/Borsalino/photo#5188073192236774002"><img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/dspritzler/R_-9FKv_8nI/AAAAAAAAAB0/Uf87oPmBkZg/s144/IMG_0471.JPG" /></a>
I was a bit worried about taper, since Borsolinos are known for this, and since it was being resized so dramatically. Open crown, it's clear that it is not straight sided, but a good bash pushes the ends out, and so it doesn't seem to be a problem.

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/dspritzler/Borsalino/photo#5188073299610956450"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/dspritzler/R_-9Lav_8qI/AAAAAAAAACM/DyRxRCDDIsk/s144/IMG_0607.JPG" /></a>
<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/dspritzler/Borsalino/photo#5188073321085792946"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/dspritzler/R_-9Mqv_8rI/AAAAAAAAACY/8ZVAO_m5G9Q/s144/IMG_0611.JPG" /></a>
Graham's sweatband is gorgeous and comfy.

Here's the hat before the rebuild.

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/dspritzler/Borsalino/photo#5188073368330433218"><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/dspritzler/R_-9Pav_8sI/AAAAAAAAACg/DD7M3pTBtZ4/s144/IMG_0617.JPG" /></a>
Here's Graham's new ribbon. Hard to believe he actually changed it. If his reputation as a craftsman and honest business man wasn't so good, I'd almost think he didn't!

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/dspritzler/Borsalino/photo#5188073080567624258"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/dspritzler/R_-8-qv_8kI/AAAAAAAAABY/4vQQorydSjA/s144/IMG_0441.JPG" /></a>
Few of us will ever see a brand new un-bashed open crown 1950s Borsalino. But here's a picture of the closest thing to it: a freshly cleaned and reblocked un-bashed open crown 1950s Borsalino.

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/dspritzler/Borsalino/photo#5188073273841152658"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/dspritzler/R_-9J6v_8pI/AAAAAAAAACE/t0YkqcJfzeY/s144/IMG_0597.JPG" /></a>
Here's the crease. No moisture- it's all in the wrist! (Well, okay, it's all in the felt, really.)

Thanks for letting this one go, Feltfan!

 

[bolthead]

Sorry, I don't see any after shots....[huh]

 

[Spellflower]

Sorry about that- I switched to Picassa, and though pics appeared full size and beautiful when I first posted, they suddenly disappeared!

There is a feature that gives you a piece of html to use to make those thumbs that link to my Picassa page, so that'll have to do.

 

[feltfan]

Well I had no doubt it would be a great hat...

The brown is unique (another reason to get
a vintage hat...). Glad you decided to keep
it and that it suits you so well.

And it is difficult to believe that's a new ribbon.
You might double check with Graham!

 

[Stan]

That one *might* have been mine...

...only I was about an hour and a half too late checking the Classifieds that day! :eusa_doh:

Oh, well. It looks great on you, and I have a couple custom made hats on order so all will work out grand in the end.

Later!

Stan

 

[Spellflower]

Sorry to get your hopes up Stan! But enjoy those customs!

 

[AlanC]

Spellflower, I'm thrilled the Borsalino worked out so well. It's absolutely gorgeous. Congratulations! (I hope you can still keep the Whippett, too).

 

[jimmy the lid]

That really is a gorgeous shade of brown. Beautiful job on the rebuild. Congrats, Spellflower. Enjoy!!! :eusa_clap

Cheers,
JtL

 

[MAB1]

Truly a nice lid.

 

[Viper Man]

Indeed. I'm glad it worked out for you.

 

[JohnnyGringo]

Spellflower, the Boralsino is an absolute beauty! I hope you don't mind my asking, but who did your guitar amp and which Fender amp is it based on?

 

[MrFusion]

Spellflower, I'm thrilled the Borsalino worked out so well. It's absolutely gorgeous. Congratulations! (I hope you can still keep the Whippett, too).

Nah, the Borsalino is too nice to take off. Send the Whippet to me! (7 3/8)

Great hat, Spellflower! :eusa_clap

 

[HamletJSD]

:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[Spellflower]

Thanks guys! I wore the Borsolino out tonight and it felt just right. I got caught in a downpour on the way home, but it took a while for any rain to seep through- and then just in the back where it collected due to the teardrop crease I had in it.

Johnny, I'm more than happy to talk about my new amp (as long as the hat nerds don't mind an amp digression too much). It's a Victoria 20112, a remake of the Fender "Tweed" deluxe, a classic Fender amp with a gorgeous tone. It overdrives quickly so it's not an ideal clean amp for live applications, but the tube distortion is so rich and colorful that I don't miss clean. Victoria amps are made by a couple of guys in a workshop using parts they had specially made by the same companies that made the parts in the 50s. It's an exact copy of the original Fender, with a few minor improvements. So now I have a 50s amp AND a 50s hat to wear while I play it!

 

[JohnnyGringo]

Spellflower, it sounds like you've acquired what a guitarist with taste always needs-a great hat and great tone! Excellent combination!

 

[jimmy the lid]

It's a Victoria 20112, a remake of the Fender "Tweed" deluxe, a classic Fender amp with a gorgeous tone.

No Line 6 modeling for you, eh?

Cheers,
JtL

 

[Spellflower]

Why get a model when you can have the real thing?

 

[icot]

PERFECT hat, looks great!