Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Equipment => Bats => Topic started by: joeljonno on March 05, 2013, 12:47:33 PM
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I had two Puma's for sale, both in the 6000 range, both pretty much brand new. The Bionic was made in India and the Cobalt was made in the UK.
I was made an offered and accepted. As it was from someone who wasn't at the other end of the country, we decided to save on postage and meet in the middle. I took both bats so he could pick and choose.
He tried them both and preferred the pick up and weight of the Bionic, the Cobalt being slightly heavier. I explained my preference and the reasons, but he was still leaning towards the Bionic until I mentioned where they were made (as stated on the top of the handle).
Once he was aware of it, he eventually changed his mind and took the Cobalt, which surprised me and is a shame as I really liked that bat and would have kept and used it if the Bionic had gone. When asked, he stated that he likes and prefers to know that a bat is UK made.
I am aware that as a forum, we should support the UK trade, but I was unaware that it would influence a decision that much to change someone’s mind about which bat to have.
It's interesting to learn more about people every day.
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dont think there is anything on the forum that means you should support the UK trade but I would guess there are quite a few of us who prefer UK made bats
I would not buy one from India or Pakistan when there is so much available in the UK
each person will have their own reasons for buying a particular bat,some like certain brands but it definatley influences me
I can't recall ever having a non-uk made bat
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Apologies for taking your favourite! :D
Its quite ironic actually that I spent most of the time driving home and most of last night thinking about my decision and actually suprised myself that it made such a difference to me, this was actually the first time I had to make the decision and something told me to take the UK made bat.
My thinking was that the Bionic had larger edges and yet was still lighter than the Cobolt, if these were both UK made I would have just accepted that it was a slightly lighter bit of willow or so on, but when I heard it was Indian made it made me think that the willow had not been pressed as well at the UK made bat and therefore the fibers would be 'looser' and possibly more prone to damage.
Then again after 'swinging' the Cobolt most of last night in my living room, the pick up is immense on this one also!
I could be (and probably am) completely wrong in my thinking about the pressing but am very, very pleased with the bat and can't wait to use it!
Was a pleasure to meet you last night
Kieron
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my POV
I spent a lot of time and a few bucks deciding where my bats will be made. At the very top of my priorities was i wanted the best bat possible regardless of price so as to never has an issue with credibility. i always wanted bats that the majority of people would like.. The problem with indian and pakistan bats is this and please note im speaking generally.
Indians like indian made bats ( SS, SG etc )
Pakistanis like pakistan made bats ( CA, IHsan etc )
English like english made bats ( GM, Woodstock, newbery, salix ets )
Aussies like indian / Aussie made bats ( Kook, GN etc )
The best bats come from england....whether thats true or not, the majority of people believe this. there are of course exceptions like Laver and Wood etc. but overall that little sticker thats says ( made in england ) carries a lot of weight with people.
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I must admit, the Bionic is soft and will take a lot of knocking in, but they'll both be top bats. Like I said, I also prefer the Cobalt but will use the Bionic if I have to... :)
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I would have made the same decision.
I may not be right, but I have a general trust in British made bats and more scepticism behind Asian made bats.
One thing behind this is working conditions. Every time we see a UK workshop they are spacious, tidy, well equipped. When I see pictures of Indian workshops the crafter is sat on the floor, hundreds of clefts next to him and is shaping the bat whilst holding it still with his feet. I would find some photos but it would be easy to find ones bias to my personal belief.
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I made a wine influenced topic on this subject a little while ago. Hopefully an interesting read for anyone who can slog through it all.
http://custombats.co.uk/cbforum/index.php?topic=22352.msg358711#msg358711 (http://custombats.co.uk/cbforum/index.php?topic=22352.msg358711#msg358711)
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It seems I had the same thought process as most
Probably like most of us though its all about what you know, and if I hadn't have known they were made in different parts of the world i'd have never been able to tell
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When you explicitly state where they're made and offer the choice between 2 similar bats at a similar price, then people will go for the UK made.
But 99% of people don't care enough to search out where a bat was made or who by.
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I have always felt that Asian bats 'change' as they take on the moisture from our glorious UK climate. I don't want a bat that 'changes' I don't know what it's going to change into! Therefore I buy bats that are made in the UK. I also question a lot of the working conditions in Asia, the attention to detail and the follow up customer service. As good as it may be I can't imagine it would come close to what you get from the UK manufacturers. Simple logistics would dictate that getting something replaced or sorted out is much easier/quicker if you are both in the same country!
Anyway, we should support the UK batmaking industry. If we don't then who will?
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absolutley agree with that.A lot of our Asian guys now looking for UK made bats-we have one guy just brought back a CA 15000 top of the range from Pakistan.it's so big it looks like a pumped up KFC chicken.He's knocked it in like no-ones business and it's splitting all over the shop at nets because it's over-dried.
I've had 4 Asian guys ask me at nets to look out for a UK bat for them now,they dont want the importer ones anymore.
there is of course, good and bad wherever they are made but you want a bat to last for £160.00(the price of the CA in Pakistan currency)
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I have an Indian bat, Pak bat and uk made bats.
All are decent enough and I have had no problems with any of them...
I am not fussy, I just like a bat which feels good in the hands.
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I find this fascinating. Assuming the exchange rate is 1:1 and you can get one of the following which would you choose?
A SCat, made in Oz, with UK labour standards
A Laver, made in New Zealand with UK labour standards
An H4L, made in the UK
An SS, made by their top batmaker in India
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Not sure but the SS would be at the bottom of the list.....!
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I find this fascinating. Assuming the exchange rate is 1:1 and you can get one of the following which would you choose?
A SCat, made in Oz, with UK labour standards
A Laver, made in New Zealand with UK labour standards
An H4L, made in the UK
An SS, made by their top batmaker in India
Not sure but I recon a poll thread should be started to see which one would be favourite!
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I find this fascinating. Assuming the exchange rate is 1:1 and you can get one of the following which would you choose?
A SCat, made in Oz, with UK labour standards
A Laver, made in New Zealand with UK labour standards
An H4L, made in the UK
An SS, made by their top batmaker in India
presumably shaped in oz, rather than made, if the pressing is does in India?
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I own 3 of the above brands ( Scat, Laver and SS) and have shaped bats from partmades from H4L.
All the four brands are top notch.
If I have to choose one, I will choose "SS" made by the their head bat maker, as two custom made SS I got from them were special.
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Not sure but the SS would be at the bottom of the list.....!
Same.
Following from what I said earlier about working conditions, it's probably the lower workers I'm more worried about who I imagine make the majority of Indian bats.
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I have had uk and indian made bats and where they are made does not influence me at all. I just get whatever feels best when I pick it up. I am sure the majority of batmakers in india/pakistan who work for the big companies have just as much pride in the bats they make as the batmakers in the uk.
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If the exchange rate is 1:1, then the obvious winner is H4L as the SCats and LW will csot ~£600 and the SS a whopping £20000 (price of a Gladiator in India).
Why do SCat and LW have to be made as per UK labour standards? Why not SS and H4L as well? Also why UL Labour Standards and not International Labour Standards.
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If the exchange rate is 1:1, then the obvious winner is H4L as the SCats and LW will csot ~£600 and the SS a whopping £20000 (price of a Gladiator in India).
Why do SCat and LW have to be made as per UK labour standards? Why not SS and H4L as well? Also why UL Labour Standards and not International Labour Standards.
Yash, 1:1 refers to all would be the same price. The simple reason for quoting UK labour standards is that this is a comment made by a number of people, and Indian labour legislation is somewhat different to NZ, UK and Aus, which are to a pretty common level.
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Ss would have to be top by a long way if made by head batmaker...
Funny another brand on the list source from India.
Ss get more clefts so more,chance of real quality.
Not sure but the SS would be at the bottom of the list.....!
Interesting this Luke I would put my Ss up against anybody bat and think you might be surprised.
There is a reason a lot of snickered up pro bats are made by Ss
Ask what the pro would want off 3 makers in the world Ss would crop up more than often
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Ss would have to be top by a long way if made by head batmaker...
Funny another brand on the list source from India.
Ss get more clefts so more,chance of real quality.
Interesting this Luke I would put my Ss up against anybody bat and think you might be surprised.
You need to read my reasons for saying this mate!! ;)
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I read your reasons mate there nil and void.
Got a issue send it to the official distributor or the uk arm of Ss
As a long time admirer of Indian bats and English bats it would simple come down to who has most clefts...
So it would be Ss plus the 5 I have had have been belters
My Ss have never changed or the dozen of other indian/Pakistan bats I have had.
I do though still support English brands
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I read your reasons mate there nil and void.
Got a issue send it to the official distributor or the uk arm of Ss
As a long time admirer of Indian bats and English bats it would simple come down to who has most clefts...
So it would be Ss plus the 5 I have had have been belters
My Ss have never changed or the dozen of other indian/Pakistan bats I have had.
I do though still support English brands
Now, now Dave, I don't tell you what to think so please don't tell me!! :D
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interesting poll - unless everyone who answers has actually had a reasonable number of bats from each of the 4 bat makers you've got to choose based on perception of how good each may be or some other sort of preference like nationality, branding etc