Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Companies => Off-the-shelf companies => Salix => Topic started by: SOULMAN1012 on May 11, 2014, 07:34:31 PM
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Thought I would share a few pics of my new SLX. Grade one model so the entry level in SLX behind the players and finite option. Picked this cleft for the sole reason that it pings like a trampoline on steroids. Performance is truly unbelievable. This one weighs 2.10 which is my normal weight option and has 38mm edges, no concaving with a traditional rounded face. From all the models we have released this is my favourite. Really love the minimal stickers on this and is all about the quality of the finish which as normal is sublime. Pick up is excellent as this has a mid placed profile. Single spiral grip set up on this.
This will give my current HH match bat a run for its money by the time I get round to knocking it in. I will try and add some better and a few more pics when I have time. In the mean time here are a few pics of in my opinion and although I work at Salix this is in my view one of the classiest bats on the market.
(http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u642/soulman1012/81C28018-B4D3-46AB-A248-725728247960_zpsjnxzjcjx.jpg) (http://s1326.photobucket.com/user/soulman1012/media/81C28018-B4D3-46AB-A248-725728247960_zpsjnxzjcjx.jpg.html)
(http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u642/soulman1012/15469742-5380-468A-9766-158FEAEF5B7E_zpspzvek8uk.jpg) (http://s1326.photobucket.com/user/soulman1012/media/15469742-5380-468A-9766-158FEAEF5B7E_zpspzvek8uk.jpg.html)
(http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u642/soulman1012/0C45AD32-B3F2-4F13-86F7-CA7986CA9AB8_zps7ifzcogd.jpg) (http://s1326.photobucket.com/user/soulman1012/media/0C45AD32-B3F2-4F13-86F7-CA7986CA9AB8_zps7ifzcogd.jpg.html)
(http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u642/soulman1012/6A7A2A63-0753-4D60-A99D-00813EBE6836_zpsbuprqgcu.jpg) (http://s1326.photobucket.com/user/soulman1012/media/6A7A2A63-0753-4D60-A99D-00813EBE6836_zpsbuprqgcu.jpg.html)
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Nice bat, any profile shots?
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
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Nice bat, any profile shots?
Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
I'll take some later mate.
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Not the prettiest looking but if it pings like you mentioned then who cares looks, it is performance which matters.
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A few profile shots for you guys
(http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u642/soulman1012/EC641B6B-8D49-4DE8-84CE-0F605DA972D2_zpsiazuexsp.jpg) (http://s1326.photobucket.com/user/soulman1012/media/EC641B6B-8D49-4DE8-84CE-0F605DA972D2_zpsiazuexsp.jpg.html)
(http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u642/soulman1012/5584FEFD-79E0-43DC-B96A-601F3AC752C7_zpsgnuf4ivi.jpg) (http://s1326.photobucket.com/user/soulman1012/media/5584FEFD-79E0-43DC-B96A-601F3AC752C7_zpsgnuf4ivi.jpg.html)
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Wow, it's big for the weight! Why don't Salix make that a stock profile?! I suppose not all clefts are that light!
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Wow, it's big for the weight! Why don't Salix make that a stock profile?! I suppose not all clefts are that light!
This was just a cleft that I found when going through the selection when I was helping a customer pick a bat a couple of Saturdays, he choose another cleft for his bat and its original state it looked a bit ropey but pinged like anything so I asked Andrew if I could have this made into a SLX for myself and he kindly agreed:)
This is not a special cleft and is the stock SLX shape I had profile set a tad higher as I'm an opening bat.
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Aren't the SLX bats normally concaved though? Does look a beauty though, had forgotten how good their shaping skills are until I received a HH. Probably the best in terms of shaping and finishing bats.
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Are we having another Soulman vs Simon Bat buy off?
Looks fantastic....could we be expecting a clear out soon? I'm sure many of us wait with baited breath.....
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Nice bat . The shape looks similar to blank bats B1 shape with the difference in concaving levels.
On the back see a flat start after the splice before the spine starts. Is that common to all salix bats?
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The flat piece on the back of the bat is unique to the SLX model.
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This looks similar, in grading terms, to another Salix which was bought by another cbf member. He was going to send it back. If I recall correctly, most posters on the thread had the cleft at <G1 and the purchaser was seriously considering returning the bat.
It does show that we could do with a standardised grading policy. Salix selling this as G1 when it was not classed as G1 from the source.
So,if you work this through, Wrights are sending a consignment of mixed clefts, of which this one would be G2/3, Salix are then re-selling this as G1, and many others from the small sample we've seen.
Salix it appears are selling clefts they buy as G2/3 as G1.
Is this not the same as buying a pig and selling it as a prize bull?
If you look at other bat makers (just here on the forum) how many would sell this as a G1, especially at the prices Salix charge.
I know some will say it's a dig at Soulman and Salix. It's not. It's highlighting a product sold as G1 when it is clearly not.
I know some will say that it 'pings like a trampoline', but grading is on cosmetics and NOT performance.
It's more a light on the need (to protect the uninformed consumer) to introduce a standardised grading system. If you are an informed buyer then you should have the knowledge to make the decision yourself. However, for the majority, who rely on the brand for guidance, this isn't cricket.
Why not be honest and grade it correctly. Pay your tax, Barlow, grade your bats properly, Salix and others.
It's not cricket (nor is it personal).
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I'd put money on every bat maker upgrading
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I'd put money on every bat maker upgrading
I agree, which is why the grading system is worthless and when companies dress-up a pigs ear it is wrong.
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I sort of agree with grading policy on looks.
I mean we never see any 10+ straight grain , clean willow bat get classed as Grade 3 because of it's poor performance.
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im sure most batmakers do upgrade the grades to charge a higher price,but that's relative to how much the average club player can afford to pay for a grade 1 or 2(or 3)-and how much they charge for it...
i absolutley love Salix bats and the workmanship but in truth a well know batmaker in kent and one is essex can make the same grade for half the price...ive been there and seen the process,
constantly promoting certain brands on this forum that are the best bats out there is getting a little weary.no offence meant at all but i'm in agreement with fast eddie.
salix/m and h/others have a market and are very succesful.Good luck to them but it's based on sales talk and marketing,not the product :)
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This looks similar, in grading terms, to another Salix which was bought by another cbf member. He was going to send it back. If I recall correctly, most posters on the thread had the cleft at <G1 and the purchaser was seriously considering returning the bat.
It does show that we could do with a standardised grading policy. Salix selling this as G1 when it was not classed as G1 from the source.
So,if you work this through, Wrights are sending a consignment of mixed clefts, of which this one would be G2/3, Salix are then re-selling this as G1, and many others from the small sample we've seen.
Salix it appears are selling clefts they buy as G2/3 as G1.
Is this not the same as buying a pig and selling it as a prize bull?
If you look at other bat makers (just here on the forum) how many would sell this as a G1, especially at the prices Salix charge.
I know some will say it's a dig at Soulman and Salix. It's not. It's highlighting a product sold as G1 when it is clearly not.
I know some will say that it 'pings like a trampoline', but grading is on cosmetics and NOT performance.
It's more a light on the need (to protect the uninformed consumer) to introduce a standardised grading system. If you are an informed buyer then you should have the knowledge to make the decision yourself. However, for the majority, who rely on the brand for guidance, this isn't cricket.
Why not be honest and grade it correctly. Pay your tax, Barlow, grade your bats properly, Salix and others.
It's not cricket (nor is it personal).
How can you say that this was not a G1 from source? You would have no idea how this was graded?
Also saying that Salix upgrade clefts to make a profit I believe is slander which for a man of you apparent intelligence and business background is a bit of an error isn't it??
Also can you explain to me G1 Butterfly from a company that you seem to endorse a lot? Prize bull seems quite good compared to that I would say.
Finally some would say this is a dig at someone or something it's not it's just my view.
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How can you say that this was not a G1 from source? You would have no idea how this was graded?
Also saying that Salix upgrade clefts to make a profit I believe is slander which for a man of you apparent intelligence and business background is a bit of an error isn't it??
Also can you explain to me G1 Butterfly from a company that you seem to endorse a lot? Prize bull seems quite good compared to that I would say.
Finally some would say this is a dig at someone or something it's not it's just my view.
Harsh
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Harsh
I think that fasteddie was just as harsh! Therefore equal amounts of harshness!
Now let us please stick to the topic!!!! >:(
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I think that fasteddie was just as harsh! Therefore equal amounts of harshness!
Now let us please stick to the topic!!!! >:(
I'm not harsh. I'm calling it out.
What's harsh is that Salix are selling this as G1 when it's G2/3.
Pity the consumer who get's snared by their 'harsh' grading policy. That's the point, and it's true.
All Chris needs to do is check the grading statement on JS Wrights website and he will see. :D
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I'm not harsh. I'm calling it out.
What's harsh is that Salix are selling this as G1 when it's G2/3.
Pity the consumer who get's snared by their 'harsh' grading policy. That's the point, and it's true.
All Chris needs to do is check the grading statement on JS Wrights website and he will see. :D
Your petty criticism is becoming tiresome!
As someone pointed out...there are other brands that are either overly complimentary on their grading, or that perhaps grade more on a mixture of cosmetics and performance. And yet I never see you criticise any other brand for it! So I suggest that you get off your high horse and realise that you have a very obvious issue with Salix!
Now you have made your point, so step away from the topic, and put your claws back on your mittens!
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I'm not harsh. I'm calling it out.
What's harsh is that Salix are selling this as G1 when it's G2/3.
Pity the consumer who get's snared by their 'harsh' grading policy. That's the point, and it's true.
All Chris needs to do is check the grading statement on JS Wrights website and he will see. :D
You're making assumptions that it wasn't G1 from the source. Although it doesn't look G1, I wouldn't be surprised if it was graded as G1 from the supplier. 8 straight and even grains, and some blemishes don't turn up until after planing the face, which is done by the manufacturer, not by the willow suppliers... Chris chose this cleft, so as a consumer, he knows what he's getting. :) I've had a shocker before too in terms of a G1 bat, some people downgrade more often than others. If it was done more often and regularly, then I suppose the price of G1 would shoot through the roof!
You had an SLX before Chris, didn't you? Was that one moved on, and how does this new one compare to it?
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whilst I agree with FastEddie on the principle of brands grading up (given the small amounts of G1 they are issued in proportion to the rest of the grades), I think it's a trend throughout the industry and no one brand is immune from doing it. To single out any brand is just personal preference either for or against. Unfortunately businesses now do not have moral compasses and are only interested in the bottom line.
Sad but true.
Anyway, nice looking bat. Not a stunner but if it goes well then tbh, who cares what it looks like! Currently suffering a bat hating period with my match bat so keep changing mid game between my match bat and my spare bat... No reason other than me being a nutter currently.
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whilst I agree with FastEddie on the principle of brands grading up (given the small amounts of G1 they are issued in proportion to the rest of the grades), I think it's a trend throughout the industry and no one brand is immune from doing it. To single out any brand is just personal preference either for or against. Unfortunately businesses now do not have moral compasses and are only interested in the bottom line.
Sad but true.
Anyway, nice looking bat. Not a stunner but if it goes well then tbh, who cares what it looks like! Currently suffering a bat hating period with my match bat so keep changing mid game between my match bat and my spare bat... No reason other than me being a nutter currently.
Well said sir
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clefts are graded on the rough sawn face using the grains at the bottom where it is waxed. Once planed all sorts can show up.
its up to the bat maker to grade it down or leave it at g1, its their reputation at stake.
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A Grade 1 Blade
A Grade 1 is the best looking blade money can buy, though it will not necessarily play the best. There may be some red wood evident on the edge of the bat (up to 1.75 inches). The grain on the face will be straight and there will be a minimum of 6 grains visible. There may be the odd small knot or speck in the edge or back but the playing area should be clean.
from http://www.cricketbatwillow.com/blades-grading (http://www.cricketbatwillow.com/blades-grading)
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You're making assumptions that it wasn't G1 from the source. Although it doesn't look G1, I wouldn't be surprised if it was graded as G1 from the supplier. 8 straight and even grains, and some blemishes don't turn up until after planing the face, which is done by the manufacturer, not by the willow suppliers... Chris chose this cleft, so as a consumer, he knows what he's getting. :) I've had a shocker before too in terms of a G1 bat, some people downgrade more often than others. If it was done more often and regularly, then I suppose the price of G1 would shoot through the roof!
You had an SLX before Chris, didn't you? Was that one moved on, and how does this new one compare to it?
That was taken to nets where one of our lads loved it so much he offered to buy it so as it was easy to get another made I just sold to him mate and he is scoring bucket loads so hopefully mine does the same.
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Your petty criticism is becoming tiresome!
Now you have made your point, so step away from the topic, and put your claws back on your mittens!
It is neither petty nor spiteful.
It is simply shining a light on a sharp practice (which as you've seen, many forum members agree is widespread). Just because Chris loses his cool doesn't mean the post isn't valid nor reasonable.
Why not turn on Chris for his (quite spiteful and petty statement) that I am 'slanderous' and am 'ignorant'. I've said nothing of the sort to him.
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Personally, as someone who has posted pictures of my customer bought Salix kit on here previously, I find the seemingly endless negative comments from fasteddie off-putting for doing so again.
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I must say the Salix bat looks nice. I have only ever used one Salix and that is my current match bat which I got from IJC. It is technically a grade 2 bat but visually looks lovely with some real character.
Chris knows what he has got and I am sure he has chosen this on performance etc rather than the aesthetics of the blade.
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I think the comments from Eddie were quite well thought out. The problem is it appears on another Salix thread and does make it look like a Salix attack which on this occasion I don't think it is.
I think it is a genuine attempt to bring a topic of discussion about grading and the necessity of uniformity and this quite possibly isn't the right thread for it.
I know Chris mentioned a while ago that Salix quite often have to 'downgrade' clefts once they have been cleaned up and I don't doubt this is a case for a lot of bat makers. Some may or may not 'upgrade' and what has been rightly pointed out is that a business needs to be profitable. It comes back to the age old statement of value for the consumer which gets brought up every week or so and if Chris is happy with the purchase, especially as it was a selected cleft then happy days, he's onto a winner.
We are spoiled for choice by the amount of G2 and G3 bats being sold by sponsors that are ridiculous value and I guess then our expectation of a G1 is that much higher.
I think it looks a lovely bat. Would I pay that money for it, no but that's because I'm tight and the wife would kill me! Therefore I pick up what I consider value in the G2/3 range and if it doesn't quite go as well as a G1 then that means I have to work harder to score my runs!
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It is neither petty nor spiteful.
It is simply shining a light on a sharp practice (which as you've seen, many forum members agree is widespread). Just because Chris loses his cool doesn't mean the post isn't valid nor reasonable.
Why not turn on Chris for his (quite spiteful and petty statement) that I am 'slanderous' and am 'ignorant'. I've said nothing of the sort to him.
I would suggest you re-read your post mate. You stated that Salix are selling a lowers grade product as a higher grade to make more money, your words buddy.
The other point I do not come on here and just slag off a brand. It's very evident that you have a couple of brands that are favourites of yours and your quite happy to compliment there products all the time. I do not criticise these or other brands at any point. You seem to find it impossible to not mention a negative about the Salix brand or HH brand.
If people want to turn on me for my views that's there choice, but at the end of the day we all have a choice. You do not like the brand, what we do, how we charge or what ever but you know nothing about the brand or the people that run it. That's what annoys me, there friends of mine and to hear you say or suggest that they make money by upgrading annoys me.
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It is neither petty nor spiteful.
It is simply shining a light on a sharp practice (which as you've seen, many forum members agree is widespread). Just because Chris loses his cool doesn't mean the post isn't valid nor reasonable.
Why not turn on Chris for his (quite spiteful and petty statement) that I am 'slanderous' and am 'ignorant'. I've said nothing of the sort to him.
"So,if you work this through, Wrights are sending a consignment of mixed clefts, of which this one would be G2/3, Salix are then re-selling this as G1, and many others from the small sample we've seen.
Salix it appears are selling clefts they buy as G2/3 as G1.
Is this not the same as buying a pig and selling it as a prize bull?"
That is quite libellous and entering very dangerous territory.
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Guys, let's get the topic back on track please.
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I would suggest you re-read your post mate. You stated that Salix are selling a lowers grade product as a higher grade to make more money, your words buddy.
The other point I do not come on here and just slag off a brand. It's very evident that you have a couple of brands that are favourites of yours and your quite happy to compliment there products all the time. I do not criticise these or other brands at any point. You seem to find it impossible to not mention a negative about the Salix brand or HH brand.
If people want to turn on me for my views that's there choice, but at the end of the day we all have a choice. You do not like the brand, what we do, how we charge or what ever but you know nothing about the brand or the people that run it. That's what annoys me, there friends of mine and to hear you say or suggest that they make money by upgrading annoys me.
Hang-on Chris. Salix, like many others, are up-grading their bats. Why would they do that? The only reason is to charge more. If that was NOT the purpose then they would charge G2/3 prices for what are clearly G2/3 clefts.
It's clear and simple.
You either charge a customer the fair price for the product, or re-brand it as a higher grade and trouser the extra.
Remember the financial crisis? Investment Banks where grading packaged products on THEIR rating, NOT the rating of the constituent parts. Then pumping them to all an sundry. This was mis-selling on a global scale.
This is the same, but slightly more local. I recall having a really good debate on this with an Prof of Banking. We both agreed that there was wide spread mis-selling but that it had yet to be bought to light. This was in 2006, months before it went pop. I'm on good ground when it comes to that. CASS MSc, you see (that's just to reply to your comment that I am tick). Don't call me spiteful, ignorant, or an eejiot. I'm none.
Salix and many others, are re-grading products and pumping them at highly inflated prices. That's it.
If this offends you then I'm terribly sorry.
If someone came on here and pumped a brand who where doing the same, they would get slaughtered. But Salix seem to have this Ready Brek kind of force field. The G1 bat that chap got, which the vast majority said was G3, is an example of someone else calling out Kember and his brand. Not me.
It's mis-selling. That's all. Nothing spiteful, just calling it out.
So, to clarify my earlier post;
This is evidence of mis-selling by NOT ONLY SALIX but it appears, many other brands. Maybe the industry needs to look at a kite mark for grading. This would protect the consumer...ect ect.
I hope this clears-up the lack of understanding. Again, it's not personal, but you pumped this as G1 (it's not) and that is the window upon which we can shine a light on the highly dubious practice of upgrading/mis-selling.
Best regards
Matt.
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Right gents, I think we've had enough of this argument. I'm locking this thread.
On the point of grading, the only standard of grading applied is that by Wrights. This is not a registered standard nor is it an industry standard, as there are alternative willow merchants. Wrights just happens to be the largest.
As such, you could consider grading to be a wild west, and therefore the grading that a batmaker applies is entirely up to them. The vast majority of the buying public doesn't know and doesn't care whether their grade 1 started life as a grade 3 cleft, especially if, when they use it, it looks like a G1 and they find it does what they want it to. GN uses it's own willow and doesn't seem to mention what we consider the grades to be in any of their literature.
It is therefore not miss-selling per se. If there was a rule that trading standards could apply, then I think you would have a case Eddie. There isn't, so, however much you might consider it unfair or dishonest, there is nothing saying it can't be done.
This is an endless discussion, and I have no doubt that all batmakers do it to some extent, but there is nothing to say that they shouldn't. They are out to remain in business first and foremost and to do that means they have to make money. It's not like an illegal bat is being sold as legal, which would be a much bigger issue.