Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Companies => Off-the-shelf companies => Gray Nicolls => Topic started by: WalkingWicket37 on April 10, 2020, 12:41:48 PM
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I'm sure that some of you will have seen this already, but this just popped up on my YouTube recommendations.
Stuart Kranzbuhler from Gray Nicolls Australia talks through the bat making process at our factory in Melbourne, with Australia stars Beth Mooney and Jess Jonassen.
https://youtu.be/-pAqIO-a3Mo
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Quality video, enjoyed watching. Not sure GN are the only maker going through the whole process from start to finish though :o
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I think he means growing all the way through shaping and selling, which, correct me if I'm wrong, but I think they are the only aus maker to do it.
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I'm sure that some of you will have seen this already, but this just popped up on my YouTube recommendations.
https://youtu.be/-pAqIO-a3Mo
Found it really interesting to see the tape used on the handle is like a plaster tape and not fabric strapping style tape
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GN-AUS is growing their own "English" willow in Australia?
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Do they not grow their own, process and grade at robertsbridge then ship the clefts?
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Do they not grow their own, process and grade at robertsbridge then ship the clefts?
That's what I meant yeah as far as I know
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Gn oz made bats are another level
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Fortunately I’ve got 5 now ;) the giant isn’t as good as the other 4 but it was a lot cheaper
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What makes gn aus bat's better than uk ones?
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Aside from the novelty factor (big bats, unique shapes, & pingtastic bats for pro players), GN-AUS/Kranzie made bats are just too expensive. For a bang (or ping) for your buck, Keeleys are far better value. On top of that, there is no guarantee that a Kranzie would last long. And, that's true even for Kranzies used by Pros - too dry some say.
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Aside from the novelty factor (big bats, unique shapes, & pingtastic bats for pro players), GN-AUS/Kranzie made bats are just too expensive. For a bang (or ping) for your buck, Keeleys are far better value. On top of that, there is no guarantee that a Kranzie would last long. And, that's true even for Kranzies used by Pros - too dry some say.
I would argue most brands top grade bats are too pricey
RRP wise the top offerings are similarly priced, at aud 1200 for the legend, and GBP 550 for the Keeley superior. Whilst the lowest grade offerings start at Aud 329 for the GN Giant and GBP 240 for the Keeley Worx 17, so I don't think the bang for the buck for either brand is necessarily better than the other.
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I would argue most brands top grade bats are too pricey
RRP wise the top offerings are similarly priced, at aud 1200 for the legend, and GBP 550 for the Keeley superior. Whilst the lowest grade offerings start at Aud 329 for the GN Giant and GBP 240 for the Keeley Worx 17, so I don't think the bang for the buck for either brand is necessarily better than the other.
Retail, yes. Probably. :)
I got a new grade-1 Keeley last year. I won't say how ( :D ) because there will be a stampede but it was more than reasonably priced (read: cheaper than RRP), pingtastic, and cleared the rope (long side) on the first outing with little knocking. Here is the difference, GN-AUS whether thru a retailer or direct will cost an arm and a leg - they just don't budge on the price. For Keeleys, you can get cheaper deals if you look around; that's point 1 to Keeley. Second point is that Keeley do last. I have yet to hear about someone's Keeley breaking in nets but Kranzie's can be over dried - especially those meant for pros. That's point number# 2. Keeley 2, Kranzie 0.
So for clubbies like myself, who are saving their pennies to grab the best (left over bats after pros have had their pick) from the good bat makers out there, Keeleys offer a better value even for his 2nd/3rd tier bats.
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Retail, yes. Probably. :)
I got a new grade-1 Keeley last year. I won't say how ( :D ) because there will be a stampede but it was more than reasonably priced (read: cheaper than RRP), pingtastic, and cleared the rope (long side) on the first outing with little knocking. Here is the difference, GN-AUS whether thru a retailer or direct will cost an arm and a leg - they just don't budge on the price. For Keeleys, you can get cheaper deals if you look around; that's point 1 to Keeley. Second point is that Keeley do last. I have yet to hear about someone's Keeley breaking in nets but Kranzie's can be over dried - especially those meant for pros. That's point number# 2. Keeley 2, Kranzie 0.
I got 40% off my Aus GN from a bricks and mortar store, it is also pingtastic, it has even cleared the rope once or twice (lack of rope clearing definitely being user error). The demand for them is high, there's usually not many left in stores come sale times for the Australian market, these and more are factors in the prices being consistent for them, which follows on to my next point.
In regards to costing an arm and a leg, I think they are priced fairly in respect to the market, which from an Australian perspective, is pretty limited in terms of retailers, so there are far less people at the table trying to get a slice of the pie, hence fewer specials and less deals to be had. But there are absolutely still deals to be found if you're looking in the right places at the right times. And with Aus made bats at $329, $399 and $449 Ect...they are already priced very fairly in my opinion.
On your second point, pro bats aren't exactly made to last, and it's not really fair to generalise on both accounts, from my experience the one Keeley I've had was overpressed and a bit lifeless, my Aus made GN has been through at a guess 35 games + 2 training sessions a week over the last two years, and I use it on bowling machines and is a cannon and aside from some toe feathering, it's in as good condition as the day I purchased it, that doesn't mean all Keeley's are planks or that all Aus GNs are guns, these are just our experiences, and naturally they will influence our opinions, which are both valid.
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Keeley bats are incredible bits of Willlow and I will have 3 in my bag for whenever we do play next. However I have a Kranz which is 2.10 feels 2.8/9 with 50ish mill edges and pings like nothing else I’ve got. For me it’s the fact I know this bat cannot be replicated anymore. Am I saying it’s better than a pro keeley ? Not for a second, am I saying it’s better value...... no way. Although I did get a very very good deal on mine. For me the kranz has a wow factor I know cannot be replicated. Especially now oversized clefts are a thing of the past.
Would I get a standard sized kranz over a keeley...... probably not....
If you have or have picked up an oversized kranz. You’ll know what I mean
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Aside from the novelty factor (big bats, unique shapes, & pingtastic bats for pro players), GN-AUS/Kranzie made bats are just too expensive. For a bang (or ping) for your buck, Keeleys are far better value. On top of that, there is no guarantee that a Kranzie would last long. And, that's true even for Kranzies used by Pros - too dry some say.
Better value? Depends where you live. Can you do your maths on here and show how you arrived at this insight? Just apply the price as a resident of the country of origin and apply exchange rates.
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When we say pros bat not supposed to last the how come some pros in past ( sachin Tendulakar etc ) had same bat for years n years
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When we say pros bat not supposed to last the how come some pros in past ( sachin Tendulakar etc ) had same bat for years n years
Im a bit too young to remember the early days of sachins career but I do believe the attitude towards bats, the drying and pressing methods and also the ammount the players received from sponsors would have been vastly different than the attitudes and methods regarding bats today. Of course there are always the freak bats that just hang on and keep going.
My main point would be just looking and listening to interviews with players these days, they carry 5-10 bats with them for a reason.
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Better value? Depends where you live. Can you do your maths on here and show how you arrived at this insight? Just apply the price as a resident of the country of origin and apply exchange rates.
I wholeheartedly agree with Mark here. Better value is subjective. If you're sitting in Pakistan, a Ca plus 15000 looks like great value for money compared to a grade 3 Keeley Worx. But if you're sitting in the UK they're both likely to cost you the same. I suppose the same can be said about OZ gray nics if you're sitting in Australia.
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Aren’t the Kranzie bats also narrower in width to give the extra size in the edge most of the time.
Personally Iv never had a Aus GN but there is no way I believe they are any better than a top end Keeley or Salix or H4L as it’s all in the pressing and those 4 all press a bat superbly for me
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If you have or have picked up an oversized kranz. You’ll know what I mean
I'll buck a trend here, although I know a few others agree with me... I've picked up several and hated all of them.
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Aren’t the Kranzie bats also narrower in width to give the extra size in the edge most of the time.
Personally Iv never had a Aus GN but there is no way I believe they are any better than a top end Keeley or Salix or H4L as it’s all in the pressing and those 4 all press a bat superbly for me
No kranzie bata are not any narrower.
I don't think they are better or worse. All 4 or those are totally different and excellent in their own niche. I think some you blokes have a few videos to watch. ;)
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No kranzie bata are not any narrower.
I don't think they are better or worse. All 4 or those are totally different and excellent in their own niche. I think some you blokes have a few videos to watch. ;)
I've got a XXX11 Players and it is narrower. I get where @DorsetDan is coming from. The handles are notoriously thin which in turn makes the blade seem a bit unwieldy.
Dan, you should try a Laver & Wood oval handle. I reckon you'd like it.
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I can't stand narrow bats advertised as SH. If you want narrow buy GM academy etc and save some dollar too. I had amazing Anthem but once noticed it's narrower I had to sell it.
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GN Australia personally wins for me over Keeley made bats overall. Shop keeley bats 8 out of 10 times just don't have enough wood in them, and yes in modern limited overs cricket this really matters. You won't find too many white ball players wielding bats with 30 odd edges and 50 odd spines.
Having said that, I have had a few genuine pro bats from both makers, not the 'pro' bats that float around here but from international players' kit bats, and they have been really special and huge for their weights, with the GNs having a little more x factor.
My personal favorite bats though have been the really special and really low density H4Ls, these blow all other bats out of the water and it's not only my opinion whoever has seen these wanted to buy them off me. These are the same big h4ls @sarg reviewed
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I also don't like narrow bats. I sent back my first Mighty Willow back because it was narrow. But do we know what the performance trade off is? Maybe you get better performance with more weight behind the sweet spot and narrower face. Obviously you have less leeway to miss the middle and still not miss or edge it
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Is narrow bats common practice? It stinks to me personally, bit naughty IMO from the bat makers
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I have not come across many keeleys, but the ones that I have seen and held don’t come close to my Kranzie GN bats, all the GN bats I have seen, mine and @Ajdal GN collection have been normal width. At the end it comes to preference...