Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Cricket Manufacturers / Brands => Red Ink Cricket => Topic started by: TBONTB on October 09, 2014, 08:31:10 AM
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Morning all,
Last night I got my first custom made bat! Some of you may remember I stated how I could never justify an expensive bat, that is still true but thanks to John I can afford a custom made oversized beast.
After a few back and forths John and I agreed on a shape which is basically very similar to Chris' bat but with a bit lighter.
John was always quick to respond, even when I was probably talking way to much!
What have we ended up with, a G3 bat with 11 and sort of 12 pretty straight pretty even grains. A few blemishes but nothing that is anything to worry about. It has a good 35mm edges and a huge spine which I am struggling to measure but it is up in the 70mm range. The bat pings almost everywhere which is something I am really not used to with my old planks.
It weighs around 2.12 fully dressed, but I think it picks up better than that. Once I add a second grip that will no doubt improve as well.
The stickers are great, very tactile with some matte elements, but not too busy like many brands.
The finishing is superb, the smoothest bat I have ever seen and its great to get a toe guard and sheet thrown in.
I cannot thank John enough for his service and now with his end of season sale on I am more than tempted for another.
Will be off to IJC very soon to get this knocked in. Paul get ready with that mallet!
(http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/ah200/dominicmsheridan/IMG_0025_zps2f2c55c0.jpg)
(http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/ah200/dominicmsheridan/IMG_0028_zpsd92289c2.jpg)
(http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/ah200/dominicmsheridan/IMG_0029_zpsae533eb9.jpg)
(http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/ah200/dominicmsheridan/IMG_0030_zpsd6884720.jpg)
(http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/ah200/dominicmsheridan/IMG_0029_zpsae533eb9.jpg)
(http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/ah200/dominicmsheridan/IMG_0034_zps6307d5ec.jpg)
(http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/ah200/dominicmsheridan/IMG_0035_zps2acab040.jpg)
(http://i1380.photobucket.com/albums/ah200/dominicmsheridan/IMG_0033_zpsfd9f9300.jpg)
If anybody wants to know anything else let me know!!
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Question - what makes it a G3? It looks bloody beautiful.
Price?.
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I believe it was bought by John as G3 and he kept it as such.
But I have to agree you see many higher grade bats that look at lot worse.
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Looks a beast!
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Question - what makes it a G3? It looks bloody beautiful.
Price?.
It was due to the pin knots at the bottom and a few other blemishes slightly further up. I must admit it did clean up a little better than I was expecting and does look a lovely cleft. If its wasn't for those marks it would have been an absolute stunner!
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I'd call it G1 all day long.. Not Players i.e G1+ but certainly G1.... Seen a lot worse called Players, G1+++, LE and every other super grade in between... I'm sure there will be a new grade next season but for now I think I covered it.
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That looks ruddy excellent!
Love the shape, proper shape that, reasonable edges and a big spine. Full value if you middle it.
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I taped it up a little last night and it pings! Even my girlfriend who hates cricket could tell how much it goes!
I was apprehensive that it would be a little dead higher up but it is not at all! I am properly chuffed with it!
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Mate, that is an absolute monster! What a gorgeous profile! This is what keeps me buying bats! Do you mind if I ask how much you paid for this?
And John, do you have more willow like this in stock? :(
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This makes me very hopeful for my bats John!
Top work!
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Nice bat mate, John I commend you for selling that as G3 even though I think it could have been rated g2 or by some brands g1
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Mate, that is an absolute monster! What a gorgeous profile! This is what keeps me buying bats! Do you mind if I ask how much you paid for this?
And John, do you have more willow like this in stock? :(
Not sure i have anything that pretty as a x3 but I may have something in another grade.
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Nice bat mate, John I commend you for selling that as G3 even though I think it could have been rated g2 or by some brands g1
Thanks. Once it was finished it looked better. Be comfortable selling this as a x2 but nothing higher I think. A couple of blemishes disappearing and it would have been a stunner
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Mate, that is an absolute monster! What a gorgeous profile! This is what keeps me buying bats! Do you mind if I ask how much you paid for this?
And John, do you have more willow like this in stock? :(
I bought it pre-end of season sale so it was £115 which is a proper bargain! I guess I was just lucky with the cleft you know!
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This makes me very hopeful for my bats John!
Top work!
Final adjustments/touches of one to go. Finished machining the other cleft this morning and part pressed it.
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I bought it pre-end of season sale so it was £115 which is a proper bargain! I guess I was just lucky with the cleft you know!
I hope you were wearing a balaclava and carrying a sawn-off shotgun when you bought that... What a steal! >:(
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That's what I call a high spine.... would love to compare this bat with my Gd 3 Aldred Velocity...
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The thing for me is the 'oversizedness' of it! It is huge. For anybody that wants an oversized bat I would say red ink is the cheapest way of getting into that market. The distinction and tempo are both considerably more and a lot less customised!
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Oh I really do miss the Distinction shape. It's gorgeous.
I think when speaking about 'cheapness' - we need to be clear that John offers serious 'value for money' while maintaining very high shaping and finishing skills. Not that his bats are cheap in terms of the way an MSR £39 eBay special might be.
IMHO, Red Ink is the perfect brand for the discerning player on a budget.
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wow. thats an amazing bat for a G3. apart from looking good, it looks bloody huge. well done john. really impressed
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forgot to add, love the profile. this is definitely what i would consider for my next bat
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I coud not agree more. I also personally like giving my hard earn money to a small organisation of passionate people/person.
Great Value for money. It does make you wonder how the bigger brands price their items. :)
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yeah great work from a small UK Company, that would be a grade 1 from a lot of manufacturers
I've nothing whatsoever against the big brands, Asian and Worldwide Companies, I just can't understand why anyone would buy from them apart from the kudos of having a bat that's seen on the TV.
I am asked every season to get bats for people at my club and now everyone is asking for a UK made bat rather than the big edged overdried Asian style bats.And 90 per cent of the guys I play cricket with are Asian.
says something I think :)
but each to their own I must stress
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yeah great work from a small UK Company, that would be a grade 1 from a lot of manufacturers
I've nothing whatsoever against the big brands, Asian and Worldwide Companies, I just can't understand why anyone would buy from them apart from the kudos of having a bat that's seen on the TV.
I am asked every season to get bats for people at my club and now everyone is asking for a UK made bat rather than the big edged overdried Asian style bats.And 90 per cent of the guys I play cricket with are Asian.
says something I think :)
but each to their own I must stress
Some of the best bats I own are Asian made. Why? Because they're generally much cheaper, but not only that, they are on par with English made bats. There are very skilled bat makers out there, who definitely know how to press, shape and balance a bat. Yes, the bats are dried a little more, but I've never had problems with them breaking on me or on them gaining too much weight. If anything, Laver are probably overdried more, either that, or kiln dried clefts retain moisture much more readily than the clefts dried on the roofs in India. (Somehow both of my Reserves, which I requested at 2.10 dressed ended up at 2.12)
That being said, this is a stunner. Do you have any G2/3 OS clefts left, John? Would be keen to try one, been meaning to get back to you about a bag and perhaps softs or a bat, but just been looking at all the bats I've accumulated, and don't think it's wise to buy without selling!
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Some of the best bats I own are Asian made. Why? Because they're generally much cheaper, but not only that, they are on par with English made bats. There are very skilled bat makers out there, who definitely know how to press, shape and balance a bat. Yes, the bats are dried a little more, but I've never had problems with them breaking on me or on them gaining too much weight. If anything, Laver are probably overdried more, either that, or kiln dried clefts retain moisture much more readily than the clefts dried on the roofs in India. (Somehow both of my Reserves, which I requested at 2.10 dressed ended up at 2.12)
That being said, this is a stunner. Do you have any G2/3 OS clefts left, John? Would be keen to try one, been meaning to get back to you about a bag and perhaps softs or a bat, but just been looking at all the bats I've accumulated, and don't think it's wise to buy without selling!
I will have a look and pm you.
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amazing looking bat and a steal at the price
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Stunning bat, john is a great podshaver! More red inks should be about! I have 2
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Definitely underrated!! Hopefully I'll be the proud owner of something similar very soon!!
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That is a true beauty mate. And as others mentioned this would qualify for the best ever G3. Top work John. I resisted my temptation to get one after the price drop..but looking at this is making it tough to resist...!
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How is the ping on this bat?
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I think it pings very very well. Softly pressed and obviously huge. Do we want a video?
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I will do one of mine when I get mine if you do one of yours...?
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If somebody could tell me how to embed a video that would be a huge help?
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If somebody could tell me how to embed a video that would be a huge help?
Just stick the YouTube link in the post. It embeds itself.
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http://youtu.be/xdK8pUMTDEU (http://youtu.be/xdK8pUMTDEU)
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Mind the windows Tino!
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Sounds great around that middle!
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That looks huge for the weight! And I like the shape too. Impressed.
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Dropped this off with Paul for knocking in this morning. Super excited to see what it is like when I get it back!!
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Beautiful bat mate! What a bargain! Jealous. Looks like it will go like a train.