Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Companies => Custom companies => B3 Cricket => Topic started by: liscon12 on March 01, 2016, 09:31:10 PM
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So my 50% discounted B3 2 Stripe Gaz Cross (number 4) shape arrived today at roughly 5:45pm and with much excitement I opened up the box. I personally went down to B3 a couple of weeks ago and picked out this 400 density cleft myself, I thought I'd get that out of the way early before any unnecessary opinions of looks and grainage enters peoples minds. Its fair to say I was very impressed once I'd gotten it out of the packaging, the quality of the stickers and finishing all are top dollar. I really loved the white stickers when they first came out over Christmas and knew I'd have to have them if I ever got a B3, the ghost look really does appeal to me and I couldn't do anything else but put a white grip on it. One thing I didn't notice is that the background area of the stickers are actually a matte texture compared to the B3 logo which is shinny and smooth.
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k126/Liam_Mulholland/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_200045_zpsyfnoogr8.jpg) (http://s87.photobucket.com/user/Liam_Mulholland/media/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_200045_zpsyfnoogr8.jpg.html)
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k126/Liam_Mulholland/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_200104_zps5tt25oct.jpg) (http://s87.photobucket.com/user/Liam_Mulholland/media/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_200104_zps5tt25oct.jpg.html)
The reason why I picked this shape is down to a number of reasons, firstly I felt it picked up the best out of the demo bats B3 had in their showroom. I did have a good five minutes deciding which shape to pick before eventually settling on the Gaz Cross, the options were the Trott, original TCK and Gaz Cross. The Trott went quite quickly as it just felt too heavy to wield but it was tough to pick when it came to the Cross and TKC, both had tremendous pick-up and feel in the hands. The deciding factors were that the Cross had a slightly lower middle, thicker toe and thicker shoulders, all of which made it my choice. The Gaz Cross shape is a mid to low middle with some slight scooping in the back, its edges are relatively thick with maybe a slight hint of an off-set edge (you can judge for yourself). There isn't much of a bow to the bat but one picture seems to suggest that there is slight hint of a one. With the sweet spot being low I hope this proves to be the right shape for types of pitches I play on, these tned to be slow northern decks without much pace or bounce.
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k126/Liam_Mulholland/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_200221_zps8ghp0vwn.jpg) (http://s87.photobucket.com/user/Liam_Mulholland/media/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_200221_zps8ghp0vwn.jpg.html)
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k126/Liam_Mulholland/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_200201_zps9kvmql6w.jpg) (http://s87.photobucket.com/user/Liam_Mulholland/media/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_200201_zps9kvmql6w.jpg.html)
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k126/Liam_Mulholland/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_200326_001_zpsryeak60f.jpg) (http://s87.photobucket.com/user/Liam_Mulholland/media/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_200326_001_zpsryeak60f.jpg.html)
Coming back to the bat itself, here are its specs;
Model - Gaz Cross (number 4 shape)
Grade - 2 Stripe
Bat Length - SH
Weight - Yet to be weighed but should be around 2lb10oz
Spine Height - around 65mm
Edge Height - between 37-38mm
Scooping - medium
Stickers - All White
Handle Type - Semi-oval
So this cleft was picked by myself when I was at the B3 factory a couple of weeks ago. It was fair to say that pretty much all the light'sh 2 stripe clefts had gone but I found two which I liked the look of. One was the bat you see before you today and the other was a very similar cleft however the other one weighed in at 410 and had the heartwood on the right-handers outside edge (I would have preferred it there tbh). Both had similar amount of grains but I decided on the lighter one as I knew it would mean my bat would pick-up and feel something like the demo bat I had been playing with earlier. This cleft has about 10 grains, some heartwood on the right-handers inside edge and some slight staining but overall I think I've picked a cracker of a two stripe.
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k126/Liam_Mulholland/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_200117_001_zpsj64tjq2o.jpg) (http://s87.photobucket.com/user/Liam_Mulholland/media/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_200117_001_zpsj64tjq2o.jpg.html)
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k126/Liam_Mulholland/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_200305_zpswchfjrsj.jpg) (http://s87.photobucket.com/user/Liam_Mulholland/media/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_200305_zpswchfjrsj.jpg.html)
So after wafting the bat around (with and without gloves on) I really love the feel of this when playing cover drives and back foot shots and this is down to the lightness of the bat and slight scooping in the back. I have also bounced a slightly used ball and it goes well off the face with no knocking in and sounds good off the mallet. I purchased this bat only with a toe guard on, my days (although very short lived) of shoe goo'ing bats is over as I could never get the quality and looks how I wanted. This means I still need to oil, knock-in and scuff sheet the bat, all of which I'm happy to do and to be honest I'd much rather do it myself as I'd have a personal guarantee that I've done all I can to help protect the bat. On the subject of knocking in even when the bats are 'ready pressed' I believe they still need time spent on them before a game. This believe is justified when I decided to lightly tap the corners of the toe, I quickly found they had compressed indicating that time needs spent on vulnerable areas.
Like I've already stated I'm more than happy with the finishing of the wood and quality of the stickers and grip, I even like the finishing touches like where they have added a colour matching B3 sticker on the top of the handle and the use of white tape to attach the grip the the bat all of which finish the look nicely. I am interested as to why they have applied a 'Bespoke' sticker to the face as the shape itself is a one off their Custom range but I'm not bothered at all about that.
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k126/Liam_Mulholland/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_200233_zpsdoyezkfo.jpg) (http://s87.photobucket.com/user/Liam_Mulholland/media/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_200233_zpsdoyezkfo.jpg.html)
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k126/Liam_Mulholland/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_200126_zpstcgkspem.jpg) (http://s87.photobucket.com/user/Liam_Mulholland/media/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_200126_zpstcgkspem.jpg.html)
The bat arrived safely however it didn't arrive completely unscathed, I found a little ding in the spine towards the bottom end and a one on the side (see photos). The bat was wrapped in a plastic bag and then slid into a cardboard sleeve and finally that was put into a box. I seem to recall the use of bubble wrap now being used in packaging but there was none present for my bat. Not to say that a thin layer of bubble wrap would have prevented this damage but you never know.
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k126/Liam_Mulholland/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_200809_zpsp4eivoap.jpg) (http://s87.photobucket.com/user/Liam_Mulholland/media/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_200809_zpsp4eivoap.jpg.html)
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k126/Liam_Mulholland/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_195753_zps0daxnbk8.jpg) (http://s87.photobucket.com/user/Liam_Mulholland/media/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_195753_zps0daxnbk8.jpg.html)
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k126/Liam_Mulholland/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_195741_zpsfq4xehca.jpg) (http://s87.photobucket.com/user/Liam_Mulholland/media/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_195741_zpsfq4xehca.jpg.html)
Overall I'm really happy with my 50% discount purchase and really happy with the shape I've chosen. If I have one piece of advice for anyone wanting a B3 its this, try and get to their factory and try the bats out if they have demo versions, speak to the guys like Streaky and Tom as they will guide you down the right path and when the time comes you'll be able to pick the cleft you want to have. All thats left to do is to get this beauty ready for this season and fingers crossed it'll try to go as far as making me into a somewhat better player. If I've missed anything then just point it out or feel free to ask questions. I'll get the weight updated later in the week.
I hope you enjoy the pics.
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k126/Liam_Mulholland/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_200154_zpsndhyhhwz.jpg) (http://s87.photobucket.com/user/Liam_Mulholland/media/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_200154_zpsndhyhhwz.jpg.html)
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k126/Liam_Mulholland/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_200401_zpsqynac88x.jpg) (http://s87.photobucket.com/user/Liam_Mulholland/media/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_200401_zpsqynac88x.jpg.html)
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k126/Liam_Mulholland/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_200657_zpskqz2moav.jpg) (http://s87.photobucket.com/user/Liam_Mulholland/media/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_200657_zpskqz2moav.jpg.html)
(http://i87.photobucket.com/albums/k126/Liam_Mulholland/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_200737_zpsneu7h14i.jpg) (http://s87.photobucket.com/user/Liam_Mulholland/media/B3%202%20Stripe%20Gass%20Cross/20160301_200737_zpsneu7h14i.jpg.html)
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There has been a lot of talk about grading and looks etc, but this looks very nice for a two stripe. Looks like a very good all round shape. The white colour scheme works really well.
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Looks awesome pal, definitely need to give that a looking at in the flesh next season!! Very grainy for a G2 as well imo.
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
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Looks awesome pal, definitely need to give that a looking at in the flesh next season!! Very grainy for a G2 as well imo.
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
Benefits of choosing your own cleft, even if it was a 400mile round trip haha :)
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Stickers superb!
Heartwood on that side! Spot on!
Grains, but of character sweet.
Profiles a good one, a few lads have that at my club! Lovely wood coverage.
Only thing I don't like is the toe guard. But that's personal preference.
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Stickers superb!
Heartwood on that side! Spot on!
Grains, but of character sweet.
Profiles a good one, a few lads have that at my club! Lovely wood coverage.
Only thing I don't like is the toe guard. But that's personal preference.
That and it's too light ;)
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
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That and it's too light ;)
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
I have 3 bats in 2.10!!! Need them for indoor. Better bat speed to hit straight up!
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I have 3 bats in 2.10!!! Need them for indoor. Better bat speed to hit straight up!
I don't think I've got anything under 2lb14oz at the moment!!
Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk
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Great review for a good looking bat
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Good profile for the weight. Look like a gun.
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Lovely stick..Nothing beats handpicking your own bat!
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lovely looking bat and good grains. handpicking and having the chance to go through clefts, bats etc must be amazing
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That is a nice looking profile and I love the white stickers, I think you've done well there Liscers.
Only thing that confuses me is why B3 have such an aversion to bubble-wrap!
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That is a nice looking profile and I love the white stickers, I think you've done well there Liscers.
Only thing that confuses me is why B3 have such an aversion to bubble-wrap!
Get one of their bat covers at the same time - great value and good quality. Shouldn't have to but it will help protect your pride and joy while its in transit, especially while there is a bubble wrap crisis in Nottingham ;)
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Get one of their bat covers at the same time - great value and good quality. Shouldn't have to but it will help protect your pride and joy while its in transit, especially while there is a bubble wrap crisis in Nottingham ;)
I did ask for one when I bought the bat however there is also a bat cover shortage as well in Nottingham, Streaky isn't sure when they'd have them back in stock sadly :(
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I like the profile.
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A little update about the bat now I've had a few net sessions with her :)
So I gave the bat two light coats of oil on the face and edges prior to a little bit of knocking in. A did see some tiny indentations while whacking it but nothing compared to other bats I've prepared in the past. Like usual I tried to concentrate on all the edges and toe but still hitting the main playing area. I did contemplate not putting a scuff sheet on the face and leaving bare but decided to put one on which I got from Vitas Jake, as well as the scuff sheet another white chevron grip was added and she was now ready to play.
After hearing a few horror stories about bats cracking from indoor nets I was a little hesitant in using the bat but I wanted to get used to the weight and feel before the start of the season so I took the risk.
First off the pick-up on this bat is amazing, combined with it simply being a lighter bat than I usually use I found I was using less bottom hand and overall not having to think about holding the bat and feeling its weight but rather just concentrating on the ball and watching it onto the bat. The bat itself pings very nicely however I wasn't worried about its performance as bouncing a ball on it prior to nets showed me it was a "good'un"
I can't however say the bat has come away unscathed after been used indoors for a while and sadly it no longer has a toe guard on the bottom after catching a yorker right at the bottom which forced half of the toe guard to come off. I thought about glueing it back down but in the end decided to rip the rest off, clean and sand to remove any glue residue and apply shoe goo.
Overall so far I'm mightily impressed with the bat and so so glad I travelled down to the factory to choose a cleft and pick a shape using the pre-mades that are already in the showroom. Having a bat that feels good in the hands and enables you to play better out-weighs simply picking or buying a bat purely on looks and shape like these new outrageous AUS GN bats we're seeing. I can't wait for the season to start and put the bat to good use and finally every time I pick up the bat I can't believe I only paid 130!! for it.
I'll provide more updates as the season progresses
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looks a stunner! I really like the grains even tho they are not perfect adds character! enjoy!
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wow..mighty impressed with the profile and looks :) hope you will score ton of runs with it.
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wow..mighty impressed with the profile and looks :) hope you will score ton of runs with it.
It is a great shape... Picks up brillaintly for a lower swell, perfect for the English Wicket.
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I bought one based on the pictures and review on here arrived today it is superb!
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I bought one based on the pictures and review on here arrived today it is superb!
That's great, it really is an excellent shape and I only hope the bat you bought backs up what I said in the review. You'll have to get some pictures up of it @mvclayton
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That's great, it really is an excellent shape and I only hope the bat you bought backs up what I said in the review. You'll have to get some pictures up of it @mvclayton
As per forum rules, this bat does not exist until you treat us with its pictures.
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Who'd have thought Gaz Cross would have a bat shape named after him?