Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

tridentine

Suspended
Messages
292
Location
USA
The Stetson Stratocaster seems to sell for $550 new, the Fender Stratocaster, a bit more.

The Stetson Stratoliner is all over Ebay at the moment, many at high prices. It sold for 6.50 when it was introduced in 1941 and was a low priced offering in Stetson's line-up through most of its early life. Early examples are very sweet in my opinion... less so as the years went by. You can learn a lot about the Stratoliner and the DC-3 in this thread.
Embarrassing.
Sorry about the mixips of "Stratos".
Figures coming from an extreme novice as me.
Thank you for the correction.
 
Messages
15,077
Location
Buffalo, NY
Not at all, and thank you for indulging my teasing with good spirit.

And a second word of caution on the current prices for BIN Stratoliners on ebay. They are very high pre-Xmas hopes. They will come down.
 

jlee562

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,099
Location
San Francisco, CA
Thank you.
Do you know where I can find it in 7.5?

Stetson still makes the Open Road, although the quality is not up to vintage standards. They come up with frequency on eBay. Although if you like the style, there are any number of brands who made OR styled hats. Akubra is still making the Campdraft, which can be had open crown.
 

tridentine

Suspended
Messages
292
Location
USA
Thank you.
Is there a way to tell if Stetsons are from before 1965?

I have noticed that they post that their hats are "vintage" yet they are obviously not that old, and the sellers often do not know for sure.
 

jlee562

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,099
Location
San Francisco, CA
The easiest way to tell a pre 1960's hat is to look at the liner. Plastic was introduced to the liners during the first half of the 1960's. I have a 1963 Stetson 100 with plastic on the liner, so it's not exactly 65, but it's a rough barometer. Also, look under the "important hat forum threads" note stickied at the top of the forum. You can narrow down the date on a Stetson by looking at the size tag, liner, and sweatband markings.

20120816_150237.jpg


Those are my vintage Stetsons. On the right is the 1963 100. On the left is a ca. 50's Open Road. You can see the embroidered "Last Drop" liner with the cowboy and the horse and onionskin covering, as well as the wider leather sweatband.
 

fashion frank

One Too Many
Messages
1,173
Location
Woonsocket Rhode Island
Ok guys after much thought I am ready to buy a brand new Stratoliner.
They have them at the Fedora Store for $152.00 (they are giving 10% off until midnight tonight).
Before I go ahead and make this purchase, does anyone out there have any experience with this site/store and/or the quality of the hats.

I assume that they must be good as they custom make them and it takes 4-6 weeks for it to ship.
If anyone is reading this now and can respond sooner than later I would appreciate it as I only have until midnight to take advantage of this sale. Thanks in advance .

All the Best ,Fashion Frank
 

DJH

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,355
Location
Ft Worth, TX
Frank, the modern Stratoliner is a factory made hat from Hatco in Texas - it isn't custom made.

This hat isn't very highly regarded by a lot of the folks here - if you get a chance a vintage one might be better. They are on eBay all the time and at less than the price of the Hatco version if you wear a small size.
 

fashion frank

One Too Many
Messages
1,173
Location
Woonsocket Rhode Island
Frank, the modern Stratoliner is a factory made hat from Hatco in Texas - it isn't custom made.

This hat isn't very highly regarded by a lot of the folks here - if you get a chance a vintage one might be better. They are on eBay all the time and at less than the price of the Hatco version if you wear a small size.



Thank you for responding ,and I did read thru that thread and when I got to the post of how someone wore one out in he rain and had to get it reblocked and that kinda soured me on this idea.

Well I guess I will just wait.
I must admit though that I dont see that many stratoliners in 6 7/8 size on ebay , but I'll just hang in till one comes along ,although I see alot of them go sky high on the bidding ( which I notice happens alot regardless of size).

All the Best ,Fashion Frank
 

The Wiser Hatter

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,765
Location
Louisville, Ky
Thank you for responding ,and I did read thru that thread and when I got to the post of how someone wore one out in he rain and had to get it reblocked and that kinda soured me on this idea.

Well I guess I will just wait.
I must admit though that I dont see that many stratoliners in 6 7/8 size on ebay , but I'll just hang in till one comes along ,although I see alot of them go sky high on the bidding ( which I notice happens alot regardless of size).

All the Best ,Fashion Frank

You are not looking hard enough. There are lot's of 6 7/8's hat's out there. I had a vintage shop owner tell me he didn't bring any 6 7/8 hats in the store as they just sat around. He had a trailer load of them in great shape. Oh to have a small head.:)
 

Forum statistics

Threads
109,097
Messages
3,074,083
Members
54,091
Latest member
toptvsspala
Top