About ZaSu Caps, made by Ralf Reynolds

John and Ralf Reynolds have been entertaining folks with their music for over 40 years.  If you have enjoyed seeing them play, you probably recognize them not only for John’s metal National Guitar, and Ralf’s washboard, but also for the caps that Ralf and other band members wear.  The “ZaSu Caps” are hand made by Ralf himself and are available for purchase through Ralf’s Ebay store.

The Story Behind the Caps

Ralf calls his caps an Eight-Panel Cap, but he says that they are also referred to as Newsboy, Big Apple, Gatsby, Cabbie, Golf and Driving caps. He has been wearing this style cap ever since the early 1970’s while working at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
 

Disney issued me, as part of my costume, a white eight-panel cap which I really liked and wore all day everyday while playing in the band. However, every time I took the cap off my head my thimbles would leave a dark residue on the visor of the cap, and it didn’t take long for the cap to look pretty dirty, and this was certainly not acceptable for the ‘Disney Look’.

“I was going through caps faster than I was going through thimbles. So, I decided that I would learn how to make my own caps. I had never used a sewing machine, or had any idea how they worked, but I was determined. I ended up buying an old used Singer sewing machine. I had the salesman show me how to put a needle in it and how to thread it. With a little patience and time I was finally able to make a cap. That was in 1974 and I have been making caps ever since then.”

While at Walt Disney World in the 1990’s, Ralf was leader of the Main Street Rhythm Rascals, which performed on Main Street at the Magic Kingdom. Their costume included a white eight-panel cap that were being made by Ralf.

Ralf continues to make caps today. He describes them as a ‘Vintage 1920’s - 1930’s style Newsboy Cap’. The label in his caps read, ZaSu Caps, Made by: Ralf Reynolds. He has named his caps after his grandmother, ZaSu Pitts, a famous Hollywood actress, featured in numerous films in the 1920’s and 1930’s.

Ralf and his wife, Gladys, have a Ministry to the poor and needed in Honduras, Central America.

“I am able to buy a new Singer Treadle Sewing machine, made in China, for about $120.00. They are a good heavy machine, and because they are a treadle machine, they do not require any power. This is very important because there are still areas in Honduras where electricity is not available or the poor can not afford it. Our Ministry can buy these machines and take them to areas that we our trying to make a difference in. I can teach them how to use them and we then give the machine to the family. It is really a lot of fun and very rewarding, and with God’s help we will make a difference in someone’s life.”

Ralf and his brother John hope to see you soon at a festival, wearing your own ZaSu Cap.  Caps are available in a number of different wool and cotton material patterns, everything from solids to herringbone tweeds, or you can send Ralf a yard of your favorite material.

Ralf also has a few caps available in his eBay store; ZaSu Caps.

The cost is $50.00 plus $6.00 shipping, which is used to help support his Ministry in Honduras.

Contact:
Ralf Reynolds, Tel: 714-403-5912
email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
719 Kilson Dr., Santa Ana, CA 92701.

Adios