Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Equipment => Bats => Topic started by: Cowcorner on October 13, 2014, 02:49:10 PM
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(http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj614/cowcorner/0538452C-C7F3-4F99-94F5-FE2F3FEB248B_zpswhh9rkpv.jpg) (http://s1270.photobucket.com/user/cowcorner/media/0538452C-C7F3-4F99-94F5-FE2F3FEB248B_zpswhh9rkpv.jpg.html)
(http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj614/cowcorner/FF9271E9-8E95-4BA6-8C2A-B702963A163C_zps1w7usier.jpg) (http://s1270.photobucket.com/user/cowcorner/media/FF9271E9-8E95-4BA6-8C2A-B702963A163C_zps1w7usier.jpg.html)
(http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj614/cowcorner/FDC47135-B525-4A18-9565-E9DAE1C9F550_zpsmfjehj2l.jpg) (http://s1270.photobucket.com/user/cowcorner/media/FDC47135-B525-4A18-9565-E9DAE1C9F550_zpsmfjehj2l.jpg.html)
(http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj614/cowcorner/CD3324C0-4C10-45A8-8F42-C1FA2C3E429C_zpsr0dgv52x.jpg) (http://s1270.photobucket.com/user/cowcorner/media/CD3324C0-4C10-45A8-8F42-C1FA2C3E429C_zpsr0dgv52x.jpg.html)
(http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj614/cowcorner/83E283D7-7138-49DB-B5C6-9E2A864073DD_zpsrekbztpr.jpg) (http://s1270.photobucket.com/user/cowcorner/media/83E283D7-7138-49DB-B5C6-9E2A864073DD_zpsrekbztpr.jpg.html)
(http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj614/cowcorner/AF90689C-4D6E-4F04-9E40-8B6F8735CC40_zpsls4ntnqy.jpg) (http://s1270.photobucket.com/user/cowcorner/media/AF90689C-4D6E-4F04-9E40-8B6F8735CC40_zpsls4ntnqy.jpg.html)
(http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj614/cowcorner/4CFD3AA2-C018-4E44-A8CA-0F4A1FBD1DDC_zpsskapieqp.jpg) (http://s1270.photobucket.com/user/cowcorner/media/4CFD3AA2-C018-4E44-A8CA-0F4A1FBD1DDC_zpsskapieqp.jpg.html)
(http://i1270.photobucket.com/albums/jj614/cowcorner/4E66F817-7EC6-4AE4-9673-4DFA994B848C_zpsetbpqo2w.jpg) (http://s1270.photobucket.com/user/cowcorner/media/4E66F817-7EC6-4AE4-9673-4DFA994B848C_zpsetbpqo2w.jpg.html)
After a bat cull and an impending sale of some sticks that aren't pictured, these are my favourites that have made it into the top 5 (the Shadow has been retired and will always have a special place in there as my first proper bat!!)
All the bats are 2.8-2.9 except for the Salix which is a 2.7.
I'll modify the post with some greater depth about the bats but for now the pictures should hopefully keep you all going for now......
Pick Up: Lightest to Heaviest: Salix (2.75) - Cherry Kook (2.9) - GM H4H (2.9) - Vitas Kook (2.9) - Custom BC (2.95) - BC Shadow (2.10)
Salix Praesantia Grade One - It has recently weighed in at about 2.75 and frankly the size of it astonishes me. The pick up is by far the lightest of anything I've owned since a Red Ink custom. I have previously owned a Salix Pod Performance of the same vintage and anything out of the middle gave a horrible vibration through the handle but after a brief knock in the signs thus far are good. Chrimbles will be bringing me a Lignum Vitae bat mallet made from an old bowls ball so I'm going to do it properly and give this bat the love and devotion it deserves. Next season it will become one of my match bats....
Ricochet 750 (Cherry) - This has been my bat of choice. I have middled the most shots with this one and whilst the middle is on the side of too slim due to the severe concaving, it is a compromise I'm willing to make for a bat that feels right in the hands. I previously had Kahunas but found that the middle was neither here nor there - it wasn't high enough for lively pitch but wasn't low enough for a slow one. Sounds a bit funny having a ricochet on a slow pitch but I'm pretty short so can make a ricochet work. This one will be in my bag until it dies which is why when I saw it, I had to have.......
Ricochet 550 (Vitas) - Cracking service from Jake and she is a beauty. The pick up is slightly heavier but nothing to be a problem. For my money the concaving seems less severe along the length of the blade - I'm hoping that this will tweak the width of the middle.
GM Help 4 Heroes - Purchased for the fact that it was a great cause and I really liked the idea. It is the only bat that I hand picked myself. I chose it out of a line of 7 bats that were in the range of 2.7-2.9. This was the heaviest bat at a fraction over 2.9 but had the lightest pick up of the lot and is an absolute wand. There is a pleasing lack of concaving in this one which means that there is plenty of meat where I need it. If it wasn't for the beauty of the Salix then this would be in my bag for matches.....I might have to have a rota...
Black Cat Custom - You will all know Black Cat's work and this was a treat for me for working my proverbials off. Overall I was disappointed with Charlie's service as he was very poor at communication. To cut a long story short I asked for a traditional version of the ricochet - a high sweet spot with mild concaving and a spine that ran through the toe to give me some yorker digging latitude. The bat is beautiful but the handle is annoyingly small and thin. It isn't a patch on the Shadow's handle so she will have to go for a rehandle. I might try a double grip but I'm not convinced that it will cut it. That said the finish is on a par with Salix and I do love the cosmetics but the handle is ruining the show.
Black Cat Shadow - A retired bat. It will never leave my collection. The only reason I've retired it is that it is a touch too heavy for me but after some winter strength training it will be my net bat and may be come out of retirement - but then again if I broke it I would be gutted - I might just frame it and put it in my man cave.......
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You could've at least cleaned the cherries off before taking the picture!
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I love the salix - had one myself and was my favourite bat for a long time !
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You could've at least cleaned the cherries off before taking the picture!
Well, I've not had time to prepare them for hibernation yet - they will get the appropriate TLC in due course but if the sight of them offends you, you may avert your eyes and tut at your leisure.
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Does the Salix have a price on its head?
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Very envious of the BC Shadow... would love one of those...
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Does the Salix have a price on its head?
It survived the reduction from 17 bats to 10 and has survived the final cull to 5(/6)....it's got the survivability of an X Factor contestant! I'm afraid she's here to stay...
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That Salix looks awesome.
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Lovely collection of willow there fella!
Some absolute stunners! :D
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Got some beauties in there - very nice.
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Nice bats...love the Black Cat's and the Rico 550 looks better than 750!
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Is this a thread where we can all display our bat porn?
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Why not!
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(http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u642/soulman1012/F22DC2EE-F504-48C2-B7D4-A749A28DCEFB_zpsari5jxmu.jpg) (http://s1326.photobucket.com/user/soulman1012/media/F22DC2EE-F504-48C2-B7D4-A749A28DCEFB_zpsari5jxmu.jpg.html)
(http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u642/soulman1012/13B4631E-19D4-4723-8836-5D45902B6B1E_zpsaj6pnjc4.jpg) (http://s1326.photobucket.com/user/soulman1012/media/13B4631E-19D4-4723-8836-5D45902B6B1E_zpsaj6pnjc4.jpg.html)
(http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u642/soulman1012/2158929D-A8D2-49C9-A391-3DA3BAC0AFEA_zpsbjxwdjas.jpg) (http://s1326.photobucket.com/user/soulman1012/media/2158929D-A8D2-49C9-A391-3DA3BAC0AFEA_zpsbjxwdjas.jpg.html)
(http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u642/soulman1012/CE41105F-742D-483F-ABB0-13A16ABCEA96_zpsqfmvqwah.jpg) (http://s1326.photobucket.com/user/soulman1012/media/CE41105F-742D-483F-ABB0-13A16ABCEA96_zpsqfmvqwah.jpg.html)
(http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u642/soulman1012/4819AC8D-34E8-4277-A992-68667C893833_zpsmhvz9sbt.jpg) (http://s1326.photobucket.com/user/soulman1012/media/4819AC8D-34E8-4277-A992-68667C893833_zpsmhvz9sbt.jpg.html)
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Bats before they were oiled and packed away for the winter couple more on the way.
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(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t318/kalyan111/DSC_0724_zps1202446c.jpg) (http://s163.photobucket.com/user/kalyan111/media/DSC_0724_zps1202446c.jpg.html)
(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t318/kalyan111/DSC_0725_zpsb318a8d8.jpg) (http://s163.photobucket.com/user/kalyan111/media/DSC_0725_zpsb318a8d8.jpg.html)
(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t318/kalyan111/DSC_0727_zps532dfe5f.jpg) (http://s163.photobucket.com/user/kalyan111/media/DSC_0727_zps532dfe5f.jpg.html)
(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t318/kalyan111/DSC_0728_zps4146f8a5.jpg) (http://s163.photobucket.com/user/kalyan111/media/DSC_0728_zps4146f8a5.jpg.html)
(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t318/kalyan111/DSC_0729_zps0bf8bacd.jpg) (http://s163.photobucket.com/user/kalyan111/media/DSC_0729_zps0bf8bacd.jpg.html)
(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t318/kalyan111/DSC_0730_zpsd1d719e6.jpg) (http://s163.photobucket.com/user/kalyan111/media/DSC_0730_zpsd1d719e6.jpg.html)
(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t318/kalyan111/DSC_0732_zps319877e7.jpg) (http://s163.photobucket.com/user/kalyan111/media/DSC_0732_zps319877e7.jpg.html)
(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t318/kalyan111/DSC_0733_zpse2032d12.jpg) (http://s163.photobucket.com/user/kalyan111/media/DSC_0733_zpse2032d12.jpg.html)
(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t318/kalyan111/DSC_0734_zpse621e2ff.jpg) (http://s163.photobucket.com/user/kalyan111/media/DSC_0734_zpse621e2ff.jpg.html)
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Nice butterfly! How is the performance?
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Gee...that puma looks a nice stick Kal.
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That Lucky 7! :)
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Nice butterfly! How is the performance?
Absolutely amazing. The response blew me away when I first bounced the ball on it.
Gee...that puma looks a nice stick Kal.
Oh yeah definitely! As much as I love this, it might end up in the for sale section or on ebay. Bought way too many bats and I can't justify having all those, especially with the amount of cricket we play here in the US.
But the best of the lot is the Monty Mace. The ping is simply amazing and it's not even knocked in. For the price I paid for it this probably could be the best bat I ever purchased.
I was planning to use B3 as my match bat next season but now I am thinking Monty Mace!!!
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I love a lot of the sticks on here but the CK22 and the Torque are in my top 5 wish list bats....it's almost too much to resist......
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Might just be the camera angle but the bow on that vantage custom looks ridiculous. Never seen a bow that aggressive so low down on a bat.
Is that puma bat a pro direct purchase?
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Might just be the camera angle but the bow on that vantage custom looks ridiculous. Never seen a bow that aggressive so low down on a bat.
Is that puma bat a pro direct purchase?
You are right about the bow, but it really helps with the pick up as it weighs around 3.6 lbs. And yes, the Puma was from PD.
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Wow 3.6 what a monster! What weight does it pick up like?
I saw when pro d put those pumas on sale. Such a good price for an awesome looking piece of willow. Hope it goes well for you.
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That Monty Mace looks a quality stick. I'd never heard of the brand before, but will look them up now.
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Wow 3.6 what a monster! What weight does it pick up like?
I saw when pro d put those pumas on sale. Such a good price for an awesome looking piece of willow. Hope it goes well for you.
It pick's up more like a 3.0 lb stick.
That Monty Mace looks a quality stick. I'd never heard of the brand before, but will look them up now.
They are based in London, I was told.
http://custombats.co.uk/cbforum/index.php?topic=31536.msg497023#msg497023 (http://custombats.co.uk/cbforum/index.php?topic=31536.msg497023#msg497023)
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I can only presume this is a thread for Octopuses I myself can only bet with one at a time
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^^ blasphemy!!
Spend more time on the forum Kippers and soon you'll learn that you need a net bat, t20 match bat, 40 over match bat, a custom made stick (aldred, laver, red ink), a boutique brand bat (affinity, RPC), a top end bat from one of the major makers like GM or GN or kookaburra, you also need to see what the best of the sub continent has on offer which means a non concaved TON or SF or both. Plus you need to have back options in case 2 or 3 of your match bats get broken. So about 10 or 12 bats is only "normal"
Oh did I mention that once you have caught bat fever (very contagious on here) you won't be able to resist those crazy end of season sales...
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O dear I might have to avoid this site in future