Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Companies => Custom companies => Laver & Wood => Topic started by: Chad on March 12, 2014, 03:17:04 PM
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Those who know me know that I am a huge Laver fan. If I was loyal to one brand, it would be Laver. Laver would be to me like B3 is to Procricket, I'm that confident in their bats. (Admittedly, the pads and gloves could do with a little working on) I am sad that they aren't a forum sponsor anymore, but I'm sure quite a few fellow members have also dealt with Laver in the past, and have had great experiences. :)
My L&W Reserve I had purchased around April is probably the bat I have gotten on with the most. It helped me score my first 50, plus just gave me heaps of confidence when using it. The unique skinny and defined oval handle was something I thought I wouldn't like, but I've felt so comfortable with it. However, the price kind of put me off Laver, as I felt I could get the shape copied here for a lot cheaper, so I said to a fellow forum member that I would never buy one again...
So, it was around the beginning November, and Laver put up an offer for 5 free net bats with the first 5 Reserves ordered. I had previously guessed right in one of their 'guess the player's profile' competitions, and received a 100NZD off a Reserve prize, which I asked Anthony (New sales manager) if I could use in conjunction with that offer. I was expecting a no, as it just seemed too good an offer, and if he had said no, I would have probably left it at that. When he said yes, that was when I pretty much threw money and profile pictures at him, (Ignoring everything I had said about never buying another Laver) asking for a copy of my beloved Reserve in 2.10. (To allow for about 2 ounces of weight gain max) I asked him to let James know that he could take his time with the bats, and hold off delivery until mid-February, as I would be away until then.
So, around the end of 2013/beginning of January, I had my Laver with me in HK, and Smokem was planning to send his Laver back for a weight reduction and delamination repair, and he joked that I should send mine along too, so it could save him on postage. :D I asked Anthony if it would be possible for me to send my Reserve too, which was delaminated in two different places, for a repair and a more accurate copy. L&W said it would be fine, and I didn't have to pay anything extra for this, only postage to NZ!
So, February came along, and there were some delays with the deliveries, which made me a little frustrated, but I believed that it would be worth the wait. A few emails enquiring as to when the bats would arrive were exchanged, and James told me that the bats should be arriving anytime this week, and that the copy he felt picked up nicer and responded better. Ironically, after waiting for what seemed like an eternity for the bats, I missed the first and second attempt at delivery yesterday, and nearly missed the one today! (Was in the bathroom in all three occasions too!) :-[ Luckily, the courier went to the back door and handed it to someone cleaning out the garage.
Anyways, enough of my talking, here are the pictures! :)
Refurbed Reserve:
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_7979.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_7979.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_7980.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_7980.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_7981.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_7981.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_7995.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_7995.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_8002.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_8002.jpg.html)
Delamination repair:
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/Messenger_5819337712568889269_13874382287778430.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/Messenger_5819337712568889269_13874382287778430.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_8005.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_8005.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_8004.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_8004.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_8003.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_8003.jpg.html)
Copy of above Reserve:
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_7982.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_7982.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_7983.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_7983.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_7985.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_7985.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_7987.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_7987.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_7994.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_7994.jpg.html)
Net bat copy (Legend):
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_7988.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_7988.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_7989.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_7989.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_7990.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_7990.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_7991.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_7991.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_7996.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_7996.jpg.html)
All together:
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_7992.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_7992.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_7997.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_7997.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_7998.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_7998.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_7999.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_7999.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_8000.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_8000.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_8001.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_8001.jpg.html)
Now the repair has impressed me, I can't hear or feel any of the delamination it had. James even the whole bat a clean up and applied new stickers and a toe guard, even though I said that he could just keep the old stickers on, as they were absolutely fine. No need to waste new stickers on it, as the face was all I was worried about. It feels so good to pick up my favourite bat after 2-3 loooong months. :) It was 2lb 12.5oz when it left HK, and is now 2lb 11.84oz.
The Reserve copy is a touch lighter at 2lb 10.85oz, but I expect it to gain about an ounce, so will probably end up near 2.12. It has 12 grains, which aren't quite as defined as the Reserve, and has a touch of heartwood on the RH inside edge. I had requested all sapwood and 9-12 grains if possible, but if there was a better cleft, I wouldn't mind heartwood. It came with a regular cane handle, which is the only thing I can say is annoying about the bat, and that's because I had asked for a Willowcane handle. However, this also happened to my brother's replacement Special Reserve, so perhaps James had found it doesn't really benefit much. I use cane handles with my other bats too, so this is a very small thing. :)
The net bat, which is a Legend grade, has really impressed me the most. I expected a thin plank, but as you can see, it's still pretty impressive in size! It feels a little firmer pressed than the Reserve copy, but it responds really quite nicely too. It has 6 very evenly spaced grains, and a blemish at the toe. I would have expected Laver to grade this as a Special Reserve to be honest, I'm really very impressed with it. It weighs a little less than the copy Reserve, coming in at 2lb 10.74oz.
To say I'm chuffed would be a big understatement. I am so impressed with the service I have received from Laver. I know some people say that they overpress the bats to prevent breakages, they aren't as good as they used to be and they take a long time to play in. From my experience, they've actually played in pretty quickly, and yes, the pressing is very unique, but my Reserve went from ball 1, and this one feels just as good, if not marginally better! If they really aren't as good a brand as they used to be, it does make me wonder how good their bats really were in the past! :)
Hope you like the photos, and apologies about the long winded review. I've probably missed something, but I don't care. I'm just going to go off and play with my willow.
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Looks good Chadders.
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Looks good Chadders.
Cheers Rob. :) Any luck on getting your L&W refurbished?
Here are the profile shots together, so you can see the comparison. The older Reserve has a thicker toe but is a little thinner at the top, while it is the other way around for the copies.
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_7980.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_7980.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_7985.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_7985.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_7990.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_7990.jpg.html)
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Now that's a nice collection, I'l love to own a Laver but just can't justify it now (especially as I can get one custom made up for effectively free!)
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That profile is awesome. If I get another Laver, I'll ask for "The Chad"...
"The Chad is great!!!"
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As usual, wonderful polishing. Bat's aren't half bad either!
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Wow! Those are 3 incredible bats! Love the profile.
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Not yet, will probably do it myself. Those bats do look identical from the pictures.
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Holey cow there nice. I'd be well happy with the net bat! Never mind the other two.
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Holey cow there nice. I'd be well happy with the net bat! Never mind the other two.
Give it a few months and they might make it up into your weight range ;)
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A laver and wood NET bat... :o
I would buy Laver every day of the week given a chance!
I am just not that rich... Or good! :(
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The only things I don't like are the stickers on the net bat and the fact I don't own any of them!
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Lovely , lovely and lovely ..:)
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Wondered when the war and piece laver review would be up Chad ;) only kidding mate, really impressive set - I do like the profile especially compared to the special or the ghastly ultra, what's the vital statistics? Hope the rain stays away in Glasgow so you can actually get some use!
.......time for a 2014 kit update me thinks!
My Toby special replacement rocked up yesterday, not quite as nice finish / piece of willow as the first one but a better weight!
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I've had a few Lavers over the last few years but must say that these are the nicest profile I have seen from them! Lovely and full! Well done mate, gorgeous collection! :)
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great collection. bats look lovely
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Beautiful little family you have there. Off to add another bat shape to the wish list.
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Great bats Chad, really impressed with the Legend grade bat as well, think I'll try a Legend bat soon in "Chad" profile, higher grades are a bit expensive for me atm but looking at your legend grade I can give it a try.
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REally nice profile that lovely amount of wood right through into the toe on them all........ lucky guy !
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Now that's a nice collection, I'l love to own a Laver but just can't justify it now (especially as I can get one custom made up for effectively free!)
They are lovely, but pricey! These will be worth every penny if I use them right though! :)
That profile is awesome. If I get another Laver, I'll ask for "The Chad"...
"The Chad is great!!!"
Haha, the profile does allow for the bat to pick up well! I tried using the PUI on it, but the results weren't actually that impressive... (5.9-6.0) There must be something else involved in the pick up of a bat, as my friend even thought they picked up well for their weights. :-[
As usual, wonderful polishing. Bat's aren't half bad either!
Leave the piano admiring to me, she's mine and only mine. ;)
Wow! Those are 3 incredible bats! Love the profile.
Yeah, the first one was actually a copy of another Custom made bat someone posted up on here, and when I first saw it in the pictures, I felt it didn't quite match, but when I saw it in the flesh, I found I liked the profile more than the one I asked for!
Holey cow there nice. I'd be well happy with the net bat! Never mind the other two.
Yeah, the net bat is really nice too. A little firmer pressed, but I'm pretty impressed at the size for the weight, like I said, I expected a skinny looking plank. :) Sometimes Laver do a heavy Reserve deal, where James finds 1 or 2 clefts which are ideal for making a heavier bat, and puts a bit of a discount on them. Maybe keep an eye out for one if you're looking for another bat? :D
A laver and wood NET bat... :o
I would buy Laver every day of the week given a chance!
I am just not that rich... Or good! :(
Haha maybe if you didn't buy all those other bats, you'd be able to buy quite a few! ;) Also, since when has skill level ever dictated the bat we buy? Surely if we aren't good enough, an even better bat will help! :D
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The only things I don't like are the stickers on the net bat and the fact I don't own any of them!
The red stickers aren't as nice, but I've grown to them. I don't think the Legend comes with the Green Shield stickers anyways!
Wondered when the war and piece laver review would be up Chad ;) only kidding mate, really impressive set - I do like the profile especially compared to the special or the ghastly ultra, what's the vital statistics? Hope the rain stays away in Glasgow so you can actually get some use!
.......time for a 2014 kit update me thinks!
My Toby special replacement rocked up yesterday, not quite as nice finish / piece of willow as the first one but a better weight!
Haha it hasn't even been massively in depth to be honest, just a big story about the whole transaction. :D Yeah, still got a few bits and pieces coming, then that should be it for 2014. :D Great to hear that the L&W is a better weight now! Does it respond as well though?
I've had a few Lavers over the last few years but must say that these are the nicest profile I have seen from them! Lovely and full! Well done mate, gorgeous collection! :)
Beautiful little family you have there. Off to add another bat shape to the wish list.
Yeah, I think they're my favourite profile, and I like a lot of profiles! Maybe you should get in touch with James, while he has the profile shape fresh in his mind. :D
Great bats Chad, really impressed with the Legend grade bat as well, think I'll try a Legend bat soon in "Chad" profile, higher grades are a bit expensive for me atm but looking at your legend grade I can give it a try.
The best thing is to just get in touch with Anthony, they may even do you a special deal and offer a free net bat with a Reserve! :) Seriously impressed though, I didn't realise Legend grade bats were this high a quality too! Not as good as the Reserve, but I think I would have been very annoyed if that was the case! :-[
REally nice profile that lovely amount of wood right through into the toe on them all........ lucky guy !
Yup, it's been the profile which has worked best for me, just such a long playing area. The new Reserve is even more responsive too, and it hasn't been played in yet! Will be interesting to see how it compares in an actual net. :)
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Top class bats there. I had a Reserve couple of years back and I loved everything about it but I would liked to have a little (more) bow.
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Top class bats there. I had a Reserve couple of years back and I loved everything about it but I would liked to have a little (more) bow.
Oh yeah, reminds me. One of the things I noticed was that the bats I received are actually slightly bowed, which is a bit of a difference! The initial Reserve wasn't bowed at all! I think what happens is, if you use the bat for long enough, a bow will actually form in the area you hit the ball the most.
Reserve #1:
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_8009.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_8009.jpg.html)
Reserve Copy:
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_8010.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_8010.jpg.html)
Net bat:
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_8008.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_8008.jpg.html)
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And that Laver smell when they come out of the box. Lovely bats there Chad.
Waiting for my 7th Laver to arrive next week. Often tried other brands and none have ever come close to Laver.
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Nice kit Chad!
I hope it's not out of place if I post my recent Laver refurb? It's my BAS Bow 20/20LE. Absolutely outstanding work by the guys.
(http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h243/nwillia/33b72d39a3f7bdc30e36b48e00326b4c_zps6a2e8832.jpg)
(http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h243/nwillia/999c9ff6502c88d5acc7e3a08f30f6c6_zpsfda4bd01.jpg)
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:o
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And that Laver smell when they come out of the box. Lovely bats there Chad.
Waiting for my 7th Laver to arrive next week. Often tried other brands and none have ever come close to Laver.
Oh yes, I know that Laver smell too well! :D Yeah, I've not had a bat I've gotten on as well with as my Reserve, cracking bats. :)
Nice kit Chad!
I hope it's not out of place if I post my recent Laver refurb? It's my BAS Bow 20/20LE. Absolutely outstanding work by the guys.
([url]http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h243/nwillia/33b72d39a3f7bdc30e36b48e00326b4c_zps6a2e8832.jpg[/url])
([url]http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h243/nwillia/999c9ff6502c88d5acc7e3a08f30f6c6_zpsfda4bd01.jpg[/url])
Now that is a lovely refurb, the bat looks incredible! L&W have some of the best finishing IMO. :)
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Really Nice Profile Chad , i ordered one last week with same profile from laver and wood.
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Small update on this. I haven't used the Reserve yet, and it has crept up in weight to 2lb 12oz. Hopefully that's all it is going up to, it is rather frustrating that they do this! Thankfully, the pick up and balance are sublime, but I think I'll ask for a 2.9 next time!
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Chad
It happened same thing with my Reserve too, i have ordered for 2.11 and when it came its like 2.11.1 but now its 2.12 it has picked weight. I will watch for some more weeks and see if it changes .If it picks more weight then i am thinking of sending it back to Laver and wood and get some weight off.
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Really Nice Profile Chad , i ordered one last week with same profile from laver and wood.
what is the name of this profile, Chad?
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Hey Chad,
quick question for you. when you got your bat refurbed at laver, did you notice any difference in performance? I mean I had my RNS UNIK refurbed by Laver after 3 seasons along with my new Reserve. after the refurb RNS kind of became like a new bat,Ping was not good and had to knock in and then started opening up after almost a season. I guess that when they do refurb on the face of the bat, they shave off the top layer from the face which might effect the performance. I might be totally wrong here but never saw anywhere, anyone complaining about this.
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Hey Chad,
quick question for you. when you got your bat refurbed at laver, did you notice any difference in performance? I mean I had my RNS UNIK refurbed by Laver after 3 seasons along with my new Reserve. after the refurb RNS kind of became like a new bat,Ping was not good and had to knock in and then started opening up after almost a season. I guess that when they do refurb on the face of the bat, they shave off the top layer from the face which might effect the performance. I might be totally wrong here but never saw anywhere, anyone complaining about this.
I've refurbished a few bats and the face is always a bit softer after it. Seam marks appear etc which would suggest you hit the nail on the head.
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what is the name of this profile, Chad?
Just the 'Chad' Profile would probably suffice, I've heard there have been a couple of folk requesting it! Just show them the picture, and I'm sure James will know what to do. I think it's kind of like a Special profile with a slightly rounded and lowered spine with a little less concaving and a thicker toe, but that's just me. :)
Hey Chad,
quick question for you. when you got your bat refurbed at laver, did you notice any difference in performance? I mean I had my RNS UNIK refurbed by Laver after 3 seasons along with my new Reserve. after the refurb RNS kind of became like a new bat,Ping was not good and had to knock in and then started opening up after almost a season. I guess that when they do refurb on the face of the bat, they shave off the top layer from the face which might effect the performance. I might be totally wrong here but never saw anywhere, anyone complaining about this.
I have no clue, but I know that Laver have recommended in the past that if the bat feels dead, to sand off a decent amount on the face to expose the 'fresher' willow. Apparently this helps kick it back into life, but I have no idea how it works. Explains why you need to re-knock it in though. They're the experts, so best ask them! :)
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When I discussed the Chad profile they knew what I was referring to.
I ended up with the mega though.
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Chad your "Chad" profile bat is too popular I believe, in Feb/March I bought "Chad" profile bat from James and he mentioned the profile has been inquired by many people already.