Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Forum News and Suggestions => Old Advertisers => Admin Board => It's Just Cricket => Topic started by: Manormanic on March 20, 2013, 12:40:29 PM
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...down to Sarf Lahndahn yesterday to visit Paul's bijou showroom and take a look at some of the new ranges.
Have to say I really enjoyed seeing a different range to the GM/GN/Kookaburra heavy ones carried by most of the big retailers. A few observations from me about what I saw to stimulate discussion:
1. Best bat on show, by a country mile, was a truly lovely Salix Pod 1 - came in about 2lb 9 and picked up perfectly with about 10-12 straght grains. Reckon Paul should have posted more pics of this one by now as I'm sure he'd find a willing taker.
2. Second best was a pleasant surprise to me - saw one of the new Affinity range, which was a nice bit of willow indeed. I also really liked the stickering, which was very different from pretty much anything else on the market with its use of texturing. I was also pleasantly surprised by the Vantage bats on show - obviously I'm not a huge fan of the older stickers, but the same willow with the new stickers would love sweet!
3. Finally got to see the Hammer bats that everyone is so talkative about. Sad to say I wasn't much impressed by these - for something priced as a premium product, the decals just didn't do it for me at all, the shapes were somewhat odd (indeed, some of them would represent a definite risk of cracking if you ask me) and the pick ups were not great for the weight.
4. The benefits of handpicking - the quality of bats on display overall was a lot higher than most retailers, with clean straight grains throughout, even for the lower end bats.
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I looked at that Pod, But Paul advised the Wasp I have just purchased is a better bat overall. I was happy with that as it saved me £100.
I need to visit Paul at some point in the not so distant future.
Hopefully you Northern folk were not put off with the bright lights of London
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Mate, I've lived in Uxbridge for the past 13 years, I reckon I can cope! ;)
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Agree that Paul's range is quality. Love seeing the non-standard selection. I too liked the look of that Pod, but Paul showed me Roco's Wasp and it looked superb. Tapped up extremely well too, think he may have got a bargain there. Guess that's the benefit of Paul hand picking the bats and shows he knows what he's doing.
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Thanks for the review, Iain - will add some photos of the Pod to this thread so everyone can see what you're talking / raving about! You might've even earned yourself some commission if it ends up selling on here! ;)
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Here's the bat that Iain's on about. It's 2lb 9.8oz, has 11 grains, 33mm edges and 58mm spine. Hand-picked at the Salix workshop.
(http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/o538/ItsJustCricket/011-1_zpsc5746125.jpg)
(http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/o538/ItsJustCricket/010-2_zpsb206dbd3.jpg)
(http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/o538/ItsJustCricket/012-1_zpsc4d7be52.jpg)
(http://i1146.photobucket.com/albums/o538/ItsJustCricket/014-2_zps7ce23aab.jpg)
Here's the web link: http://www.itsjustcricket.co.uk/cricket-bats-c17/senior-cricket-bats-c18/salix-pod-grade-one-cricket-bat-p584 (http://www.itsjustcricket.co.uk/cricket-bats-c17/senior-cricket-bats-c18/salix-pod-grade-one-cricket-bat-p584)
We have another Pod Grade 1, of exactly the same weight, but it doesn't look quite as nice, hence the lack of photos...
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I looked at that Pod, But Paul advised the Wasp I have just purchased is a better bat overall. I was happy with that as it saved me £100.
I need to visit Paul at some point in the not so distant future.
Hopefully you Northern folk were not put off with the bright lights of London
I've got to say, that Salix Wasp that Paul had there was a lovely bat - for me that and the Torque were the best out of a superb bunch of Salix bats.
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I will be give that Wasp a run out at nets tonight. It does look a fantastic bit of willow and for only a grade 2 as well.
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Wow, that's really a beautiful bat.
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Matt, you'll have to tell me how that Wasp goes. I have a lot of confidence in it, so fingers crossed she'll perform for you! :-)
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First outing it was okay. I think I need to bolster the grip up a bit as it's very thin and didn't feel as exaggerated as I normally have my bats. So will get that sorted. When I middled the ball it flew out of the middle. Just need to get used to a flat face as I have had the curved ones previously. But the signs are encouraging.
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Wow
liking how the grains go straight through the toe