Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Equipment => Bats => Topic started by: Chad on November 04, 2014, 02:02:10 AM
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Hi guys, just another bat story. :) I saw this posted up on the eBay bargains thread, and just couldn't resist!
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG-20141028-WA0008.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG-20141028-WA0008.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG-20141028-WA0002.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG-20141028-WA0002.jpg.html)
As you can see, it was quite a disappointment. If I had spent £300 on this, I would have sent it straight back. For something that is top of the range, you really don't expect any large areas of marbling or blemishes. It looks alright for a £160 bat, but if I paid £200, I would have been sitting on the fence. It also had some dinks on it from storage, which was a little annoying. If it had looked a stunner but had dinks, I wouldn't have minded as I would have definitely kept it and that would have happened anyways from carrying it about!
I decided to give it a chance, afterall, not everyday you get a top of the range bat for near half price, so I gave it bit of knocking, and it is a pretty firm pressing, not too dissimilar to GM. (Not a bad thing) It seemed to respond alright, but nothing out of the ordinary to start with, and it slowly came to life as I knocked a little more above the swell. So I decided to keep it, and to take off the scuff, as I wanted to round the edges properly. After a sanding, a little bit of white spirit, some fine sanding and oiling, it now looks much nicer!
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_8369.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_8369.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_8358.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_8358.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_8352.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_8352.jpg.html)(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_8353.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_8353.jpg.html)(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_8354.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_8354.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_8355.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_8355.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_8359.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_8359.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_8356.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_8356.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_8367.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_8367.jpg.html)
And a lovely oval handle, feels really nice in the hands. Up there with the oval handles from Hunts, Red Ink and Screaming Cat.
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_8366.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_8366.jpg.html)
As you can see, the stickers look lovely, and the finish of the bat is decent, but obviously with the bat being on the shelves at Lords, it's hard to say what it would have been like straight from Chase, but I'd imagine it would have been good. I've actually come to quite like that large area of marbling, I guess it just gives the bat a bit of life! It is still a little disappointing to be on a top end bat, but I guess it was discounted. Also, there's a slight tear in the sticker at the toe, just under the R, which may have been done in storage
Onto the specs, it says 2.9 on the handle, and I couldn't find my scales to begin with, so just assumed it was 2.9. I thought the pick up was good for a 2.9 low middled bat, and it felt really nicely balanced, as did King Pair. Actually found out it was 2lb 10.5oz when I finally found my scales, which tells you how well balanced the bat is. The handle is quite thick, and a nice feeling oval, which probably aids in the balance. Also, quite happy that it's a little heavier than what it says, as I tend to use bats around the 2.10-2.12 region, so this was a welcome discovery for me, although it would have probably been an unwelcome one for many others!
Now onto the concaving, as you can see, there isn't much concaving at all from the toe up shot, but there's just a touch more as you go further up towards the shoulder. (There really isn't much at all though) This is pretty much the same as what happens in the Bubble, and I'd imagine it helps extend the sweetspot lower down the blade. I'm not sure if this was part of the thought behind the design, as it may well have just been the way this particular one was made! The reasonably small amount of concaving was a nice surprise, as I actually expected a little more concaving, as the description of the FLC read something along the lines of 'scooped flanks' which helped aid pick up and keep the weight down. Also, it does look like the bat has been shaped, at least partly, by CNC, as it has the lines across the back which suggest this.
Slight tangent:
Andy Norbs, the ex-batmaker at SAF, used to talk about a C-V profile, which meant that the bottom part of the blade is concaved, while the top part is convex, which helps aid the pick up. This Chase is the opposite, and while it picks up nicely, the Bubble Star I had was pretty bottom heavy! I won't be surprised if we see more of this kind of concaving occuring in future designs, as folk seek to pack as much wood as they can in the hitting zone while keeping the weight down. B3 had a bespoke Crown bat which had the toe area concaved, the middle area non-concaved and the area near the shoulders concaved. It isn't too dissimilar to the idea that was behind the Menace I feel, and may very well be something which becomes very common in the near future. It isn't something massively new either, I think that Stuart Surridge had a bat out which had weight removed at the toe and at the splice, as did Symonds Tusker and many others I'm sure, it's just a different way of doing it, which appeals to the modern market. Heck, I reckon a lot of bat makers do it, but just hardly market it, the only one that I can think of who mentions it is Rob Pack, who concaves differently throughout the blade of a bat to keep the balance right for that specific piece of willow!
Oh, and as for my views on concaving, I feel that if you have none, it just creates a more stable hitting area, so that the bat feels more substantial upon contact with the ball. You get some amazing bats which are heavily concaved, and some convex which are planky. All down to the pressing of the blade, preparation, the quality of the willow and handle, and also the amount you use the bat.
Mind you, the bat I'm currently using is the B&S which was obtained through one of the kitbag competitions on here a while back, and it is ridiculous. It is a convex profile, and I've only used it twice, but it has been properly oiled and knocked in by myself, and feels like it may be the best bat I've used yet! Right up there with my Laver and a REALLY bottom heavy Blue Room I've used. :)
Tangent over:
All in all, I'm pretty pleased with how the bat looks now, and hopefully it will turn out to be a performer. Only time and a good knocking in process will tell though, but I'm almost certain it won't be a plank! From the lovely balance, pleasing profile shape and the handle shape, to the classy stickers and the angled toe, all these things make me give this bat a stamp of approval. :) (If only it had the same looks as the one Soulman got... :D)
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Hi chad, lovely review mate. I do totally agrees out the blemish on the blade and not sure how that came to be graded as an FLC but as has been a hot topic recently in terms of grading etc we will just have to let that slide.
Like you say mate mine is pressed quite firm and will require a fair amount of knocking in to open her up but the feel of the handle and feel if the bat in my hands with that oval grip is excellent. Pick up and balance are also very good.
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Looks an absolute steal for £160. Do lords hand pick?
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Ignoring the blemish, the grains aren't that straight either - if this was an Aldred/Red Ink it would struggle to get past G3, would be interesting to get John and Paul's input on this...
Surely if you had a deal with Lords you would send them the best willow you have? Even if the shop doesn't manage to sell them all the number of people seeing them throughout the year would be huge and surely you'd want the general public seeing your best offerings?
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Look on the bright side, at least you received a Chase bat from Lords >:(
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My personal view on the "marble" is that it's a good thing, particularly where it is, it should make it less prone to damage. Agree that the grains could have been better looking.
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Little wonder they went unsold on the shelf at full price. Not a bad pick up at half price though Chad.
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For the price you got the bat for, can't really grumble. Would have struggled to justify the full rrp though. Is the bat bottom heavy?
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What is Chase's place in the market??
When j got my first one they were the local bat maker, churning out high quality at a decent price.
When I replaced that bat 4 years later (this was before I'd found the forum obviously!) the prices were in line with the established brands. Are they "playing with the big boys" now? To me the quality was always there, but the pricing was the key point, something that's not so competitive now.
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My old Flare 606 has the same marks in the same place and it's a belter of a bat so i'm sure you'll be fine Chad :)
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My old Flare 606 has the same marks in the same place and it's a belter of a bat so i'm sure you'll be fine Chad :)
Yes, but yours is a 606, and this is an OLE equivalent.
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Yes, but yours is a 606, and this is an OLE equivalent.
I meant in terms of performance Tim
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I meant in terms of performance Tim
No one is doubting the performance, but on looks this is poor for a bat with an RRP of £375...
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Yes, but yours is a 606, and this is an OLE equivalent.
A bit more equivalent to this?
(http://i1296.photobucket.com/albums/ag13/joeljonno/temporary_zps5bf7a85a.jpg) (http://s1296.photobucket.com/user/joeljonno/media/temporary_zps5bf7a85a.jpg.html)
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A bit more equivalent to this?
I'd have sent it back!
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A bit more equivalent to this?
([url]http://i1296.photobucket.com/albums/ag13/joeljonno/temporary_zps5bf7a85a.jpg[/url]) ([url]http://s1296.photobucket.com/user/joeljonno/media/temporary_zps5bf7a85a.jpg.html[/url])
Which is vastly superior to a 404!
(http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb450/CPye061194/78444885-7082-4B00-9DB0-3F07E19C355F_zpsicxsntmb.jpg) (http://s1206.photobucket.com/user/CPye061194/media/78444885-7082-4B00-9DB0-3F07E19C355F_zpsicxsntmb.jpg.html)
(http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb450/CPye061194/53D42632-B928-435F-8C78-E5CF9535DF0F_zps14yoerd0.jpg) (http://s1206.photobucket.com/user/CPye061194/media/53D42632-B928-435F-8C78-E5CF9535DF0F_zps14yoerd0.jpg.html)
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I'd have sent it back!
Yeah, but difficult to do that when the owner went to the shop, picked it up off the shelf and said "this one".
(It's not mine by the way).
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Yeah, but difficult to do that when the owner went to the shop, picked it up off the shelf and said "this one".
(It's not mine by the way).
Did they follow up with
"Because I like green and GM is a well known brand, it must be worth the money"
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Grade 1++ !!
(http://i752.photobucket.com/albums/xx165/d7bow/Photo%20upload/8B577F29-6CAB-4709-88D3-A8A2F3695AB1_zpszz5oo5m2.jpg) (http://s752.photobucket.com/user/d7bow/media/Photo%20upload/8B577F29-6CAB-4709-88D3-A8A2F3695AB1_zpszz5oo5m2.jpg.html)
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Did they follow up with
"Because I like green and GM is a well known brand, it must be worth the money"
They do like GM And were told that it is out of the hitting area so it's ok.
To be fair, it does go well but you would want better for the price.
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Looks an absolute steal for £160. Do lords hand pick?
As far as I'm aware, they don't hand pick their bats, no. This thread pretty much proves that, too!
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As far as I'm aware, they don't hand pick their bats, no. This thread pretty much proves that, too!
They might've "picked on performance" or whatever the buzzword is when you "hand pick" a munter...
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As far as I'm aware, they don't hand pick their bats, no. This thread pretty much proves that, too!
I think the bat looks ok why wouldn't it be hand picked
Maybe it goes like the clappers I thought hand picked was picked on performance
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This hand picked business is a load of rubbish makes no odds at all as you can only 100% like a bat if you choose it yourself, the best bat maker in the world could "hand pick" you a bat and it doesn't for one minute mean you will get on with it.
50% off a top end uk made bat you take a chance, it's not as cosmetically appealing as the one I got ( in my view) but I may not like how it feels and Chad could be same with mine. At that price mate I don't personally think it's that bad but for G1 top end others may disagree.
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This hand picked business is a load of rubbish makes no odds at all as you can only 100% like a bat if you choose it yourself, the best bat maker in the world could "hand pick" you a bat and it doesn't for one minute mean you will get on with it.
May not work for all the hand picking business but c'on calling it rubbish seem unfair. You may not like a bat but at least experienced retailers will/should pick the better of the lot.
As for the bat, really don't see why people are not liking the look, seem a decent stick.
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rubbish is perhaps a bit strong but I agree with Chris. I will always be the only person who is 100% happy with a bat no matter how much any retailer tells me they've picked me a great bat.
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May not work for all the hand picking business but c'on calling it rubbish seem unfair. You may not like a bat but at least experienced retailers will/should pick the better of the lot.
As for the bat, really don't see why people are not liking the look, seem a decent stick.
So you'd pay happily pay the £375 RRP for it then I take it...
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What are model names for Chase, R11, R7 & R4? Lets say R11 is top of the line and R4 is bottom with R7 in middle.
Consider this: If this bat had Chase R7 stickers on and selling for 160 GBP would you have purchased it? I would have considered it, looks decent for second level in a range of 3. So where does the problem lie? well here is the problem (as I see it): Chad paid for a top of the line bat that was discounted, so were the lower ranges, he got a bat that doesn't look top of the line but instead R7 (I wouldn't take it down to R4) for the price of R11, that is where the disappointment is.
The way I see it: It does not matter what he paid for this bat, he paid for top of the line from that brand yet got a bat that does not look like top of the line. If there was no sale would everyone have accepted this bat as true representation of Chase R11 FLC? NO. So then why accept it when it is on sale? other lower end Chase models were also on sale so based on this if I were Chad I would say I got a G2 bat for G1 money, we criticized other brands for this past.
This also makes me think abt another thought that has been floated around, companies send inferior stock (ever so slightly) labelled as higher grades to generic sites/stores that they know will get customers who either don't have a choice but to buy online or knowledge so pay whatever is being charged. Lord's Chase, PDC - Salix and few other examples we have seen.
Just my 2 cents.
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So you'd pay happily pay the £375 RRP for it then I take it...
Happily pay £375! I wouldn't pay that much for any bat mate not for the LEs, the Player rejects, the crowns, the reserves, the signatures etc.
£375 is just RRP anyway.
It really doesn't look that bad, I get it will be on sale here soon if not already returned.
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This also makes me think abt another thought that has been floated around, companies send inferior stock (ever so slightly) labelled as higher grades to generic sites/stores that they know will get customers who either don't have a choice but to buy online or knowledge so pay whatever is being charged. Lord's Chase, PDC - Salix and few other examples we have seen.
If that is true Tushar, then it is a clear case of fraud. I know in other industries, bigger stores can buy left over stock in auction or by weight etc. but if the brands are sending their lower end products labelled as higher ends then it is criminal.
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I like this bat, grains check, character check, decent shape check.
Shame it's so light.
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If that is true Tushar, then it is a clear case of fraud. I know in other industries, bigger stores can buy left over stock in auction or by weight etc. but if the brands are sending their lower end products labelled as higher ends then it is criminal.
Do not get me on fraud there a few UK MAKERS who are most definably not made here at all.
At least you know Dan made this bat Chase bats are great sticks always have been glad to see a few on here a great brand.
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If that is true Tushar, then it is a clear case of fraud. I know in other industries, bigger stores can buy left over stock in auction or by weight etc. but if the brands are sending their lower end products labelled as higher ends then it is criminal.
Yet is it possible for anyone to prove they're doing this?
With no set grading for willow it's down to the brands discretion, so if anyone questions it they can just say "no, we class all clefts like that as X-grade".
Disclaimer - this is an example only, this is a total work of fiction I have made up.
I am not implying any brands would actually do this.
Totally fictional scenario
Brand 1 put all their bestest bats out for those who hand pick their stock. They set dates so they know when to have their showy willow on display. Once they've all been hand picked by the retailers, they'll have a load of unstickered bats left, to grade at their discretion.
Shop A, who does not hand pick orders 4 G1, 4 G2 and 4 G3 bats from Brand 1.
Brand 1's (delete as appropriate) owner/bat maker/cleaner/whoever is responsible for picking and sticking bats picks up 4 G2 bats and stickers them as G1, 4 'better looking' G3 bats and stickers them as G2, then picks 4 mingin' clefts and puts G3 stickers on there.
Shop A receives their stock and can see the clear difference in grading between the bats, they're happy, and Brand 1 are laughing.
End of totally fictional scenario
Final disclaimer - the above scenario was a total work of fiction. I made the story and names up myself.
Anything that is seemingly a reference to any real life brands is totally coincidental, I do not wish to imply or accuse any brand of carrying out such practices, and nor have I at any time in this post.
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May not work for all the hand picking business but c'on calling it rubbish seem unfair. You may not like a bat but at least experienced retailers will/should pick the better of the lot.
As for the bat, really don't see why people are not liking the look, seem a decent stick.
That's just my view hand picking may and probably does mean that a bat will look better than some others but it's just not possible to go through them all in the majority of cases so you can't say these are the best x amount of bats available in the range etc. Also what the retailer may handpick could be what they would choose themselves hence handpicked.
The problem at the end of the day is the subject is so open to opinion we see on every topic peoples views about each bat and grading is so different across each brand.
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Anyway - while we're on the topic of Chase - they're cracking bats, here is a picture of my 175 (now known as R11) from the other night.
Will get some better pictures and do a proper thread on it if anyone is interested?
(http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb450/CPye061194/FB15FD83-050A-4C88-B233-653BA2DE09B7_zps90mzuxhc.png) (http://s1206.photobucket.com/user/CPye061194/media/FB15FD83-050A-4C88-B233-653BA2DE09B7_zps90mzuxhc.png.html)
(http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb450/CPye061194/0889D3F2-3242-4819-977C-F25C0C59448C_zpsnsomgc7t.png) (http://s1206.photobucket.com/user/CPye061194/media/0889D3F2-3242-4819-977C-F25C0C59448C_zpsnsomgc7t.png.html)
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Hand picking was always a crock of rubbish I always did say it
ULTIMATLY IF YOU GO TO THE SHOP YOU HAND PICK it
As for this bat people better get used to seeing this as the best (I have no issue with the look of this bat) but with willow supply at a shortage next season especially the higher grade there will be a knock on effect on the smaller brands ability to command top grade willow
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I think the fact that fewer and fewer brands actually give any indication of grade makes many of these points moot. Kookaburra have always used terms like 'premier league willow' while GN do it in the best percentage of the tree. Ie the legend comes from the best 1% etc, they also grow their own so don't go through JS Wrights grading
I have stated my thoughts on handpicking for performances a few times. If people were really hitting bats with a mallet and/or bouncing a ball on them enough times to get a judgement on performance then they wouldn't actually see many bats even if they spent the whole day at the factory/warehouse. In my opinion you can't really make judgment on a bats performance from a few hits with a mallet/bouncing a ball on it anyway.
Of course it is easy to identify the bats that have trampoline characteristics and also easy to discard bats that feel totally dead.
Handpicking is mostly looks and also pickup/feel (of course both are my opinion and not what everyone wants/likes, though I get requests for bats that pickup/feel very different to my own preference and I haven't had any complaints yet, so hopefully im a good judge of what people want)
I go handpicking because I love a day out at a cricket bat facility, it's fun, informative and adds a personal touch to everything we stock. It's nice to be able to pick out bats for customers who have particular requests but overall most of our stock has no particular customer in mind. So we are selecting bats that we think look/feel the best at each price point. It's great to be able to pick out some bats at lower grades that look fantastic, it also ensures we can be certain that every single top end bat looks as good as a customer expects. Equally being able to discard bats that feel a bit planky (of course they may open up but 9/10 customers judge a bat on the performance it gives in the first few uses) and taking a punt on an absolute canon with iffy looks is good too
Jake
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Good post that don't blame you going around I would enjoy that too all over the place mate
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This bat is not an example of hand picked bat. To me hand picking a bat vs ordering blind is the same as online shopping for fruits. You just never know.
Not everyone can go and select their own bats so it is good to know that a retailer is picking theirs. Will I pay any extra for it...no
There is no guarantee either way but I wouldn't call the practice rubbish. An expert retailer is less likely to pick up a storm damaged or dodgy grade bat than your average salesman/warehouse worker etc.
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Perks of the job!
Some people get big bonus's, some get company cars, Jake gets to play with bats all day!
Better than working 80h weeks and then being called lazy by the government! ???
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Better than working 80h weeks and then being called lazy by the government! ???
they are obviously watching your forum posts :-)
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This bat is not an example of hand picked bat. To me hand picking a bat vs ordering blind is the same as online shopping for fruits. You just never know.
Not everyone can go and select their own bats so it is good to know that a retailer is picking theirs. Will I pay any extra for it...no
There is no guarantee either way but I wouldn't call the practice rubbish. An expert retailer is less likely to pick up a storm damaged or dodgy grade bat than your average salesman/warehouse worker etc.
I wouldn't be so sure, I think you'll find storm damage is near impossible to spot on a finished bat.
Some brands (M&H spring to mind) offer storm damaged bats for sale (a bargain at £100 off RRP) but provide zero warranty. If it wasn't in the bargain bin as storm damaged willow you'd never know!
Also its pot luck anyway, a storm damaged bat could break first ball or last years...
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they are obviously watching your forum posts :-)
Wouldn't be surprised... Anything to save money so they can afford to pay for the MPs 35% pay rise this year!
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It's quite right some storm damaged batsdo get thru the grading and get sold as 'normal' bats
But it's not quite true to say they can't be spotted, it's a bit like a mechanic looking at a car to buy-you think it's great and a good deal,he is looking at something different and may well spot something you can't see
I went to Salix once to get a bargain bin bat and Andrew showed me what to look for on the bat in the storm damaged ones
I bought that bat but he told me it may not last very long.He was perfectly up front and I went away with more knowledge of what to look for than before.
If only I could do that with cars.
:)
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Storm damage is actually quite easy to spot when you hold the bat to the light it's tiny cracks that tend to run across the grain. Having said that I got one for Fattus 2 seasons ago and from my knowledge it's still going strong. It's a complete lottery with a storm damaged bat .
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It's quite right some storm damaged batsdo get thru the grading and get sold as 'normal' bats
But it's not quite true to say they can't be spotted, it's a bit like a mechanic looking at a car to buy-you think it's great and a good deal,he is looking at something different and may well spot something you can't see
I went to Salix once to get a bargain bin bat and Andrew showed me what to look for on the bat in the storm damaged ones
I bought that bat but he told me it may not last very long.He was perfectly up front and I went away with more knowledge of what to look for than before.
If only I could do that with cars.
:)
Care to share what it was you were told to look out for??
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Yes I look across the grain of the bat mainly at the back to see if there are any 'wave like patterns'
If there are I put it back
Presuming im not looking at one as a second or sub standard bat of course.
It is a complete lottery,it could break first time out or last a season
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Wave like patterns across the grain,that's what he showed me
So when I'm buying a bat now that's what I look for-mainly at the bat
That may not be the only sign but that's the one I know
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This hand picked business is a load of rubbish makes no odds at all as you can only 100% like a bat if you choose it yourself, the best bat maker in the world could "hand pick" you a bat and it doesn't for one minute mean you will get on with it.
50% off a top end uk made bat you take a chance, it's not as cosmetically appealing as the one I got ( in my view) but I may not like how it feels and Chad could be same with mine. At that price mate I don't personally think it's that bad but for G1 top end others may disagree.
Load of rubbish or not, I don't recall seeing any threads like this about any hand-picked bats from us, Vitas or Uzi. So, if nothing else, we spare forum members the time of putting up photos of a bat that doesn't look like the grade they ordered...
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Load of rubbish or not, I don't recall seeing any threads like this about any hand-picked bats from us, Vitas or Uzi. So, if nothing else, we spare forum members the time of putting up photos of a bat that doesn't look like the grade they ordered...
I look at the handpicking service as a 'quality control' aspect of buying a bat and certainly from my own purchases, Paul and Asad have proven to be excellent at picking a good one.
Not everyone is able to buy bats like Chad, Gingerbusiness and yourself Chris (that's not a dig by the way). To people who buy blind over the internet or have a limited budget and want to get value for money, I think handpicking is a great way to avoid a poor bat, especially to the uninitiated.
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Load of rubbish or not, I don't recall seeing any threads like this about any hand-picked bats from us, Vitas or Uzi. So, if nothing else, we spare forum members the time of putting up photos of a bat that doesn't look like the grade they ordered...
As I said I get the fact that you will probably get a bat that looks good but performance and how the bat feels is impossible. Like Dave said when you visit the shop or maker yourself you "hand pick" yourself anyway so in my view and again only my view hand picking has no real benefit over just ordering online or blind.
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As we are on "hand-picked" motif, I wanted to share my observation.
As a buyer, if a retailer hand-picks it or not, it would be same for the buyer who is making a blind purchase as there are equal chances that he might not like what retailer have selected and vice versa.
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Flippin' heck, there's been quite some discussion on this topic! Still pretty much on topic, as the grading seems to be the biggest issue about this bat.
Here are examples of G1 bats, the first set are all top of the range, and by that, I mean the best grade offering:
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_8372.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_8372.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_8373.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_8373.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_8375.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_8375.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_8374.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_8374.jpg.html)
The bronze Helios stickered one is a Bulldog, and the red one is a genuine Helios. Both from the same maker. The Mongoose is a B&S.
Oh, and almost forget this little gem:
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_8379.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_8379.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_8380.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_8380.jpg.html)
Next up are also G1, but slightly lower:
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_8376.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_8376.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_8377.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_8377.jpg.html)
(http://i1010.photobucket.com/albums/af230/ch4d0m4n/IMG_8378.jpg) (http://s1010.photobucket.com/user/ch4d0m4n/media/IMG_8378.jpg.html)
The L&C is apparently a Millichamp and Hall. (Looks like the Amplus shape) Wouldn't be surprised if it was from their Storm Damage bin, however it may very well have been a top grade one. (Not quite clear, but it had a split and has been repaired, and repaired very well by an ex-forum member called Cameronpye94... He just sort of up and disappeared one day though... ;))
The B3 was a blank BAS.
My personal opinion on all these is that they all look pretty decent. If anything, the Lavers should be up there with the top end, they certainly look like they should be, and also because the Signature is so exclusive. I will say that if the Chase was a G1+, then my Laver is a G0+. The Bulldog is also a little ropey looking for what is a top grade. But essentially, they're all G1.
If Lords did hand pick their Chase bats, they would have picked this on pick up and balance. It really does feel beautiful in the hands. Oh, and with regards to Chase just stickering up premades with whatever grade will make them the most money, this FLC shape is exclusive to this one grade, from what I know, so this wouldn't have been the case with this particular one.
My view on handpicking? It does help if you're buying blind, to have someone help pick out something that you'll most likely be able to get along with, and will likely be pleased with. Thing you have to be aware of is that pick up and feel is based on senses that you can't communicate 100% effectively. You can say that you want a 10 grained bat, that's fine, just a matter of counting, as both you and the retailer should see the same number.
Back to the bats, out of these, which ones were handpicked? (For sure) The Mongoose stickered B&S, the B3 BAS, the SF Triumph and SS LEs.
Out of these, which ones did I pick up and have a swing with before purchasing? The SS LE and the Woodworm Torch. (Woodworm I picked because Pietersen used it)
Which have I scored my top 3 scores with? The SS LE (84 & 65) and the L&W Reserve (54ish). To be fair, I have 'only' used 6 of these in matches, but I scored the 65 with the SS in the very first use.
From experience, and concluding from the results, the best way to have your bat hand picked is to go and pick it out of a selection yourself. The SS I got wasn't picked out of a selection, but it just felt right, was lighter than what I was using, but was just right. Not to say that retailers hand picking doesn't have its benefits. If you cannot go to a store physically, then what hand picking does allow for is reassurance that you're not getting a plank, and, in most cases, if you specify what you want picked, you'll get a bat in the weight you desire.
Oh, also, in order for a bat to work best for you, you kind of have to use it a fair amount, look after it and not buy a bat everytime a sale/discount comes along. All great if you get a bat picked out which performs well and picks up well, but essentially, you're going to have to do the opposite of what I do... I know, what a hypocrite... :-[
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How was that torch top of the range?? :o
Also good to see woodworm as I remember them, covered in cracks and liable to snap! I miss them (proper 2005 range, not the latest resurection attempt!)
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Those Lavers lower grade? Say Whaaaaat.
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How was that torch top of the range?? :o
Also good to see woodworm as I remember them, covered in cracks and liable to snap! I miss them (proper 2005 range, not the latest resurection attempt!)
I also had a Flame, which was also a lovely bat. It was pretty small for a 2.9, with a thin handly, but it went like a rocket too, with a mid placed swell. They were meant to have been made by Hunts, but I don't recall the Hunts bats I've seen being liable to snapping, so that is very odd to hear! Maybe it's just cause folk thought they were Pietersen, and toed a few more than they wanted to admit!
Those Lavers lower grade? Say Whaaaaat.
Well, the Reserve Grade, so not the highest. They should be in the same bracket as the top, (Sure as heck look as good, if not better) but I thought for the sake of grouping, they'd be grouped in with the lower side of G1. :)
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I also had a Flame, which was also a lovely bat. It was pretty small for a 2.9, with a thin handly, but it went like a rocket too, with a mid placed swell. They were meant to have been made by Hunts, but I don't recall the Hunts bats I've seen being liable to snapping, so that is very odd to hear! Maybe it's just cause folk thought they were Pietersen, and toed a few more than they wanted to admit!
The first item of kit I ever bought (well my parents bought for me) was a bat. A pioneer woodworm torch. Went into the shop clueless, explained to the bloke I was taking up cricket and wasn't sure what I needed. He told us what size I needed (Harrow at the time) and, on seeing the cleverly places display of Woodworm bats, I said "I want that yellow Kevin Pierersen one!" The bloke then said what grade, we all looked blankly and he explained the difference to the non-cricketing people in front of him "lower grade = cheaper"
£40 of my parents money later I'm grinning ear to ear because I have a brand new bat. The bloke must have known between us we had no idea about oiling, knocking in or cricket in general (other than watching it on the telly for years) but he forgot to mention it.
Can't imagine I'm the only one to take up cricket following the 05 Ashes. and with the KP and Freddie factor woodworms were the bat to have. A load of clueless tools like me buying them probably didn't help the return rate.
Fastforward to now I'm a clueless tool with a lot of bats!
Still lack the talent to score any runs with them mind... Some things never change :-[
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that argon chad......... omg