Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Forum News and Suggestions => Old Advertisers => Admin Board => Vitas Cricket => Topic started by: Vitas Cricket on July 23, 2014, 04:07:41 PM
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(http://i.imgur.com/ohpageNl.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/okwFKokl.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/Y7NanP3l.png)
(http://i.imgur.com/OJ6ZG6il.png)
The Carbine Sport is available exclusively at Vitas Cricket. Still offering high quality stickers, craftsmanship and finishing like all other Affinity bats, but at the fantastic price of £245 with free UK delivery.
I have 3 currently, no doubt more on the way as i don't expect these to be here for long, please pm me with any interest :)
What better time to join Team Affinity?
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Great looking bats Jake. I like the purple take on the Carbine stickers. It would be great to see a IJC style video review of this.
Looking forward to some reviews by forum members.
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Must be something about purple slim line stickers that just scream classy.
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If their bats are anything like the same quality as their bags (particularly the Juggernaut Double Decker Wheelie Bag) then they will be excellent. I'm tempted!
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£245?
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Sorry but who would pay £245 for those grade 3 bats :s.
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I have an affinity toro g2 and I can say for sure Marcus knows what he is doing.
Don't go by the grains - the pressing is top top quality and worth the premium pricing .
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These bats are a direct answer to the needs of customers in our local market, many of whom have expressed interest in an Affinity bat, but most of whom cant/won't pay £325.
We wanted to create the same high end experience in terms of stickering/finish etc, and of course the pressing/batmaking skills are to the same high standard - Affinity bats are marketed as tools of the trade, not display pieces, they aren't all pretty but they certainly perform!
I didn't enter this game to deal with negativity, it doesn't sit well in a sport that as a whole is so laid back and friendly, so whilst i do of course respect the opinions of those who aren't keen on this idea, i am afraid i won't be doing/saying much to appease you. Life is too short and all that. :)
We are running a twitter comp to win one of these bats, I am surprised at the low uptake on this, especially as it's simple to enter, all you have to do is follow both us and Affinity, and retweet their tweet mentioning the competition.
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Shhhhhh the less people enter the better the chance of winning!!
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Why the negativity chaps??
Another excellent offering from Affinity and Vitas
Quality bat from a quality shop
Go and have a look at the bats,, tap a ball up on them and then post your comments
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I've entered, they look great to me!
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What's the weights jake?
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Just under 2'10, just over 2'11 and 2'12, including a toe guard and new style thick spiral grip. Like all Carbines the shape lends itself to a light pickup.
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Despite what some people say looks over performance is important to some........
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Despite what some people say looks over performance is important to some........
Goes without saying on this forum, which means criticism should be expected if the bats don't please everyone.
Saying that, with the price of the top model bats these days £245 could be the new bargain price for bats that look like these ones do.
IMO I'm not a fan even though I am sure they will be absolute guns.
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Despite what some people say looks over performance is important to some........
Sure, but will this G3 bat outperform a £40 G3 bat from Sports Direct? It's impossible to tell from photos and a spec list.
These bats are at the top end of the pricing spectrum, however they do look great.
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G3 according to who
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G3 according to who
LE, players, G1, G2, G3 on all bats according to who?
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I wouldn't, personally, pay £245 for the bats featured, no. But give Jake a break guys, eh?
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I think they look great. But then my current crop of blades are all g3/4 and butterfly.
Non are as clean as these though.
Plus a laver special reserve is 280quid (plus import charges) and I've seen some on here that look a lot rougher and no one complains.
Why the hostility?
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Who's having a go at Jake? Jake's a great guy and he didn't make these bats, he's just selling them.
Why can't people voice their opinion on these Affinity bats? I've seen plenty of topics where the look of a bat was ridiculed because of the price.
No hostility intended just opinions of a few members who you can choose to ignore.
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I think you need to take it for what it is. Affinity produce some decent sticks by all accounts but the price point has been on the high side. Jake and Affinity have acknowledged this and produced a cheaper version. Whether you think it's an overpriced G3 or not (all brands grade differently and to be honest I've seen G2 bats, even the odd G1 look worse than these), it's still a something we should be commending Jake/Affinity on.
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They're nice bats and I'm in no doubt they'll be guns if Marcus' bats are anything to go by - I got to have a hit with one the other week and it was a beauty it has to be said.
I think the only argument is that for £245 you could quite easily approach any number of custom brands and get a bat made exactly to your specifications, and for the majority of companies, in Grade 1. For example is one of these G3 Affinity bats really a better option than a G1 Red Ink or a G1 Hunts County Custom? I appreciate Marcus is all about performance but there is a limit and £245 for a G3 is past that limit in my opinion.
It certainly isn't a dig at Jake - at the end of the day they've been offered an exclusive product that will no doubt sell so why wouldn't they go for it, Vitas are a great company IMO and certainly understand how customer service works unlike a majority of the bigger retailers!
That's just my thoughts, everyone is allowed their own opinion after all - that's the whole point of the forum surely!!
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Nicely summed up there Neon. It is useful to have a well rounded mix of responses covering both sides of the spectrum. Branding is very classy must say.
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People need to remember that not everyone wants or cares about having a "custom made bat". The brand sells itself so at £245 people will buy.
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How can you know performance if it hasn't been used?
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I think the point always comes back to the fact that we are a tiny minority in terms of the bat buying public. There is a reason that most of the bats you see in shops fall squarely in the middle ground. It's what the majority buy. And to be fair, I'd put these bats on the same kind of level as the top end of the Hits Hard range in terms of price. You pays your money and frankly, if these are anything like other Affinities, or Hits Hard, you will get your performance...!
How can you know performance if it hasn't been used?
You can't. What you can do is go on circumstantial and indirect evidence that every bat that you know about made by the brand is good ergo this is likely to be. Just like any bat made by any brand, you are always buying in the shop/off the net on a balance of probabilities. If you happen to have had a dud from a brand, being human it will screw up your ability to balance those probabilities.
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People need to remember that not everyone wants or cares about having a "custom made bat". The brand sells itself so at £245 people will buy.
From most reports these are quality bats but to say the brand sells itself is a bit hopeful... Apart from this forum I'd say Affinity is a relatively unknown brand
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From most reports these are quality bats but to say the brand sells itself is a bit hopeful... Apart from this forum I'd say Affinity is a relatively unknown brand
Having seen the three that I have seen in the hands of people who aren't forumites, I'm not so sure about that.
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The onły question that is coming into my head is.
Do I buy one of these at 245 or just stump the extra 80 for a proper carbine?
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Having seen the three that I have seen in the hands of people who aren't forumites, I'm not so sure about that.
So they are a well renowned brand over the UK?
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The onły question that is coming into my head is.
Do I buy one of these at 245 or just stump the extra 80 for a proper carbine?
If you're happy paying that much you may as well go the whole hog and get a full version - saying that I do prefer the colours of the sport...
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They look like good bats to me, and good idea from Affinity to go for a lower price point.
I've followed and retweeted, fingers crossed ;)
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Folks if Affinity wants to sell at that price point then its their decision, they have the faith in their product selling at price.
Also remember for both sides of the argument, there are many other brands doing this and some get more support on this forum where as others get less for doing so. E.g. Hammer was hammered for his prices simply because he was seen as the American brand, re-stickering etc but what he was selling was indeed very high end product from excellent bat makers, whereas Salix / HH were mostly supported expect for 1 or 2 members simply because most members seem to feel a connection with them. I see a mixed reaction to Affinity and it simply comes down to how aware you are of the brand, those of us who know the man and history will most likely be less harsh and newer posters/members find it ridiculous pricing but if they have a favorite brand on the forum now and that brand starts doing these prices in future they will support it, they are not that aware of Affinity or Mr. M so they find the prices absurd. Some of us are paying 180 for a butterfly so what's wrong with a G3 at 245?
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Tush.
Looking at there grading and price point it is only right and proper to raise an eyebrow or two.
They are pushing it, a lot.
Does Marcus actually make the bats from start to finish? What is his input?
With regard to your point about Salix and HH, people on here agree with the base level in public mainly because they don't want the hassle of getting bitched at.
Many privately agree that they are overpriced, hyped, and bloated.
As for Affinity, well the branding is very tidy indeed. I like it. A bit small (font and stickers), but love the colors. Would I buy one at that grade and price? Never.
But hey ho, we can all chose.
Oh, forgot to add; This post has been checked just in case I offend anyone (in an open forum). We don't want too many people disagreeing with those at the bottom now.
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Tush.
Looking at there grading and price point it is only right and proper to raise an eyebrow or two.
They are pushing it, a lot.
Does Marcus actually make the bats from start to finish? What is his input?
With regard to your point about Salix and HH, people on here agree with the base level in public mainly because they don't want the hassle of getting bitched at.
Many privately agree that they are overpriced, hyped, and bloated.
As for Affinity, well the branding is very tidy indeed. I like it. A bit small (font and stickers), but love the colors. Would I buy one at that grade and price? Never.
But hey ho, we can all chose.
Oh, forgot to add; This post has been checked just in case I offend anyone (in an open forum). We don't want too many people disagreeing with those at the bottom now.
Am I right in thinking that Marcus makes some of the bats and others are outsourced?
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Am I right in thinking that Marcus makes some of the bats and others are outsourced?
That's right he makes all the persona and some off the others the others are outsourced
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He told of what he makes and what he doesn't when the Phantom was being released
http://custombats.co.uk/cbforum/index.php?topic=27875.60 (http://custombats.co.uk/cbforum/index.php?topic=27875.60)
Hope the link works its on page 5 of the thread, M77
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Suppose that opens up a whole new debate, what's the difference in buying an Affinity G3 for £245 (Or a G1/G2 for £300+ plus for that matter) another 'stickered up' brand for nearly half that?
If the bat in question was made by Marcus then I can understand the pricing, the man clearly has exceptional skill and knows a thing or two about bats. However for the outsourced bats I can't agree with this, I appreciate he'll use trusted bat makers for his outsourced bats but it's still no difference to buying a BlankBat for example (or a Neon for that matter). The only difference is the pretty stickers and clever marketing.
Not trying to dig at Affinity, I'm a big fan of the brand and think Marcus has got the marketing and design side of the business bang on - just making the point that I'm sure behind closed doors most of us are thinking...
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He doesn't just have marketing side bang on,,
The performance is what matters to most of the bat buyers out there,, and affinity have this absolutely spot on.
The bat will both pick up and respond as good if not better than a hell of a lot more expensive bats.
Purely because, Marcus won't let a non performing bat be sold.
The bats will sell,,and you won't see them on here or fleabay 5minutes after they've been used either
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I personally like the bats but 245 quid likeness, i doubt it. I dont understand one thing, when a bat maker and his brand are available to you to order, why buy custom brand bats from store? Even from my experience, I have seen that when you buy in more quantity from a Bat maker he tends to give you great discount more than the stores. I personally prefer blank bats( not the brand on this forum). I would put any kind of stickers of the manufacturer unless i get a sponsorship, if not I already paid the price for the bat why do free marketing ?? ;)
Just as Tushar mentioned in his post Hammer stickered some lavers before as his bats and sold them at least 100 dollars more than what Laver would charge. I guess its the customer loyalty to the business :-[.
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Unlike some others on this forum, I am a big Affinity fan - one of the biggest around actually, and have made my feelings known publicly on many occasions, so what I am about to say may surprise some of you: I think the price is too expensive too.
Comparing the grading to Gray-Nicolls, the Sport is the same grade as a 4 Star bat, and certainly looks like most 4 Stars do grains-wise, but costs £105 more. Despite the fact that the top Carbine (grade 1+) is in line with the price point for the Gray-Nicolls LE. I am pretty sure that these Sport bas will perform better than most Gray-Nicolls 4 Star bats, and imo are better finished too, but I use this comparison to suggest that the price gap is still too high. Even the Affinity Toro bats cost less than these Carbine Sports and are a grade higher??
I think it's a good idea to do a lower priced Carbine, and am actually envious of Vitas Cricket for having this opportunity, but I think £180-£200 would be a more sensible price point for this bat.
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The grading has never been mentioned, only speculated about by others. The bat pictured below actually meets JS Wrights criteria for G1 (the willow does not come from JS Wrights but i am using their criteria as it seems many regard them as the best...)
(http://i.imgur.com/s7HnahGl.png)
I trust Marcus to provide bats of high quality, which he does. Affinity's pressing/performance, finishing, stickers etc are all of the highest order, even on the Sport model. Grading is not important to me, and as I have raised many times there is no industry standard for grading anyway, I could sell a dirty old chair leg as grade 1+ if I wanted to, using my own grading system. The wood used is mostly blemish free, with relatively straight grains, free from heartwood. The grains aren't high in number but Affinity bats are tools of the trade, not ornaments. They are designed to hit the ball a long way, which they do. I would rather have a bat that hits the ball a bit further and is 'ugly' than one which is 'pretty' but doesn't do the job it was built to do as well.
We went for the Sport as a direct response to our local market. Many of whom ogle premium products like Affinity bats, or GN Legends etc, but few of whom can afford or are willing to pay for them. Most people seem to max out at around £250. We went with this price point to allow buyers to get a premium product within their price range. If people feel the price encourages them to go for a more expensive Affinity model then fantastic. The Sport was never intended to please everyone, it was designed with a very specific market in mind and thus far response from the intended market has been good.
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If you are responding to your clients, giving them what they want, at a price point which works for them.....Well, young man you are a businessman, not a sheep. I love it!
Your email, phone, and online service is first class. If your f2f service matches that then you can easily justify the price.
However.....If these are next to G1 bats at the same price point, there could be questions. But, this isn't a bad thing as it's a reason to engage and explore the clients requirements more fully. Also it gives you a chance to develop that relationship where you can be seen as a 'trusted' person. Bingo, you will sell once, twice, three times and more.
Good luck Jake.
P.S; I do think 245 is a touch too high, but I don't have your local knowledge, so that matters not ;)
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It is easy to forget we on the forum are blessed with a number of brands boasting excellent customer service as well as fantastic products at very, very good prices.
Most of the bat buying public aren't aware of the likes of say Red Ink, Aldred, H4L or going even smaller lets say Ryan with RK bats. All of whom offer great value for money in my opinion. To compare their bats i agree could be a little challenging, but most of my customers won't.
An equivalent (in terms of attention to detail, stickers, presentation etc, performance should be a given) 'luxury' product from a big brand will set you back a lot more than a the cost of a Carbine Sport, or even a Carbine Pro for that matter.
I totally understand where people are coming from when i ask for £245 for a bat with fewer grains than most would desire. But ultimately these bats are a labour of love, they hit the ball as far as possible and for most of my locals, it allows them to join a pretty exclusive club that few are aware of in Team Affinity. People love being different after all!
I'll offer a small softener to the blow with free delivery (as always) and also free knocking in for anyone interested.
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Grade 1? Rubbish.
Why the harsh posts? Why not...it's a forum for cricket lovers opinions, both positive and negative. I think we can all voice a fair opinion.
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Grade 1? Rubbish.
Why the harsh, arguably hostile posts? Why not...it's a forum for cricket lovers opinions, both positive and negative.
I never said these were grade 1, i said it could be argued that the bat i pictured meets the G1 criteria from JS Wright.
JS Wrights grade 1 criteria:
''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.''
I will stress again. THERE IS NO INDUSTRY STANDARD GRADING SYSTEM. Grading is simply opinion, every willow merchant/brand/bat-maker has a different grading system and there are no regulators certifying/enforcing what grade is what.
This is my last post on the matter. We launched the product to meet the needs of a local market, we have achieved our aim to good response. I shared pictures with the forum in case there was anyone else out there lusting after an Affinity without quite having the £325 required to own one.
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In this thread Affinity's pressing is said to be great, I also read it in other places so no reason to doubt that.
I'm not a kit badger so this is a genuine question. Do they press them or not? I know they make some of them, so it's not a question going down that route.
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In this thread Affinity's pressing is said to be great, I also read it in other places so no reason to doubt that.
I'm not a kit badger so this is a genuine question. Do they press them or not? I know they make some of them, so it's not a question going down that route.
Probably best to read this: http://184.154.5.91/cbforum/index.php?topic=27875.msg438344#msg438344 (http://184.154.5.91/cbforum/index.php?topic=27875.msg438344#msg438344)