Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Companies => Off-the-shelf companies => Gray Nicolls => Topic started by: richtonemusic on August 11, 2013, 12:35:36 PM
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Hi Guys
I am new to the forum, but have been lurking for some time. This is my first bat purchase for 10 years (more on that later) and i know how ya'll like pics of kit.....so here you go.
It' a fairly large pic.
Gray Nicolls Powerbow LE 2.9 - nice pick up. 7/8 straight (ish) grains. Got it from owzat cricket off J28 M1.
They had two available, the other one had a cleaner face, but had a lot more concaving on the back and felt pretty much the same weight. This one looks a bit bigger lump and is nicely balanced.
I'm getting back into the game after 10 years off and all my bats are pretty minged....so...time for some "Motivational Gear Acquisition Syndrome".
Not oiled it in this pic...will post some more as i prep it.
(http://www.richtonemusic.co.uk/Ebay1/IMG_1191.jpg)
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No offence, but I personally would be disappointed with paying for a GN LE and getting a stick with only 6 grains... (unless it's an absolute belter, so I'm purely judging that on cosmetics)
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Hi Rich, nice first post and I'm glad you're getting back into cricket. Do you have anymore pictures of the side on profile and from the toe up to show the scooping? I agree with Matt with the cosmetics, but would be stupid to say that a 10 grained bat would definitely play better! It's going to get battered in the end, so that doesn't matter. ;) Personally, I feel that the forum sponsors would have been able to offer something at a better price, but as long as you're happy with it! :)
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Aren't we always going on about picking up a bat and going by feel? I'm sure that if I could afford to buy a GN LE and liked how one felt, then why is a sponsor-made bat coin to be better?
If this is a first bat in ten years rather than ten weeks then the economics of the choice aren't bad are they? All power to you bud - nice looking stick.
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Because Steve mate people become blinkered and blinded by the light of forum sponsors.
I think it looks nice and you obviously like it or why would you have bought it
Nice bat mate i like the grains now go get some runs bud
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Aren't we always going on about picking up a bat and going by feel? I'm sure that if I could afford to buy a GN LE and liked how one felt, then why is a sponsor-made bat coin to be better?
If this is a first bat in ten years rather than ten weeks then the economics of the choice aren't bad are they? All power to you bud - nice looking stick.
True, the way a bat feels is most important, but I meant if he went and got one custom made. May as well have splashed out on a few Praetorian sets and still wouldn't spend as much as some of us do in a year!
Because Steve mate people become blinkered and blinded by the light of forum sponsors.
I think it looks nice and you obviously like it or why would you have bought it
Nice bat mate i like the grains now go get some runs bud
Not necessarily Dave, I'm a big Gray Nics fan, don't feel their grading system is amazing, but the LE is G1 English willow, and this does look like a G1 cleft if you grade it the way Wrights do. Sure, forum sponsors aren't the only people to buy kit from, but they have been pretty competitively priced, reliable and easy to deal with.
Sorry to take the thread off the tracks for a bit Rich, hope it plays well for you. The Powerbow I have is only a Strike, but it plays very well, would expect that kind of performance from a £150+ bat. I'm sure your's will be even better though! :) Mine is probably the only bat I've properly prepared completely before using, it's well worth the time!
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It not a dig mate i would never do that sorry if you think that way i just think 90 per cent of all bats are the same no matter what source you get them form.
I have not had a brand new GN for a long time but the ones i tried this season have been as good as any.
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Hi Guys
Thanks for the comments. Ideally would have liked more grains and all that but this one just felt right. The other powerbow LE there might have had another grain, a bit straighter, but they had hacked at the back of the bat more to get the weight down and this one just felt right. Smooth pick up and balance. The Maverick's seemed to be quite a bit more grainy, but couldn't get on with the handle at all so went straight back on the wall. They had a good range of Salix and Newbery in stock. Had a good feel of the Salix as i used to have one but didn't feel right for me. The nicest grain wise were a couple of top end kooks - assume they must have been the players models RRPing at £499 but again didn't pick up all that over the others.
So it was the GN...i got it at a good/fair price for this time of year and what they're going for online so pulled trigger. The chap at owzat was also ace with my 16 month old son who was bombing bout the place. Gave him a little cricket bat....and he's not put it down since!!!
Here's some more pics.
(http://www.richtonemusic.co.uk/Ebay1/IMG_1218.jpg)
(http://www.richtonemusic.co.uk/Ebay1/IMG_1220.jpg)
(http://www.richtonemusic.co.uk/Ebay1/IMG_1221.jpg)
PS - my phone camera lens has a couple of nicks in it so you'll see some black marks floating around!!
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Here's a couple of snaps of my old bats....that are still with me.
(http://www.richtonemusic.co.uk/Ebay1/IMG_1208.jpg)
(http://www.richtonemusic.co.uk/Ebay1/IMG_1213.jpg)
(http://www.richtonemusic.co.uk/Ebay1/IMG_1215.jpg)
(http://www.richtonemusic.co.uk/Ebay1/IMG_1216.jpg)
(http://www.richtonemusic.co.uk/Ebay1/IMG_1217.jpg)
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Welcome to the forum and good luck getting back into cricket.
I think it looks a nice stick, the profile is good and if it feels right for you then you should be happy with the purchase.
You should send the Salix back for a refurb.... :)
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From left to right:
Gray Nicolls Optimum 500 - think it used to say Strike under that - but the writing has rubbed off. Got this as a refurb bat from Cricketal in Chesterfield for 45 quid. At the time it was a beautiful thing - nice middle, but not that massive in my opinion. It weighed in just under 2.8lbs. The handler is gone and has flex in it down at the splice.
The next is a Salix Satyr. Got it from Romida and cost a fair few quid at the time. The middle is quite high on this and had good ping, but the sweet spot on it always seemed very small, and the dead toe zone is pretty large...always was and 10 years of not particularly thoughtful storage has made it a hand shattering experience. 2.8lbs
The V600 - this probably wasn't the most astute purchase i've ever made. It has a round bottom handle for starters which plays havoc with my grip. So i don't know what i was thinking really. Looked pretty massive back then....only had light use. It's 2.10/2.11 isn
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Welcome to the forum and good luck getting back into cricket.
I think it looks a nice stick, the profile is good and if it feels right for you then you should be happy with the purchase.
You should send the Salix back for a refurb.... :)
Do you know how much they charge roughly...think it might need a new handle to be fair...not much spring left in there. Dunno - i know what i like in bats, but woodcare and restoration is not my strong suit.
Its been stored in damp conditions in our shed.....been exposed to some pretty cold temperatures in there.
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Do you know how much they charge roughly...think it might need a new handle to be fair...not much spring left in there. Dunno - i know what i like in bats, but woodcare and restoration is not my strong suit.
Its been stored in damp conditions in our shed.....been exposed to some pretty cold temperatures in there.
Sorry, not sure how much they would charge, there is a contact sheet here http://www.salixcricketbats.com/brand/bat_care.html (http://www.salixcricketbats.com/brand/bat_care.html)
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My refurb from Salix was £40
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The profile on that powerbow is amazing :o
the sort that i like, hope it goes well for you
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Looks lovely, I like how the bat is a much fuller profile, with less concaving than any of the Powerbow models I have seen. :) Let us know how you get on with it, the only criticism I have about my Powerbow was that the handle wasn't quite oval enough, but that's easily sorted out by some electrical tape. :D
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It's been oiled and knocked in and one light net session and going really well so far, but it's not been used in anger yet.
Yeah the profile on this one was bigger than the other one in the shop and had less concaving - both coming in at 2.9lbs, so went for this one.