Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Equipment => Bats => Custom Made => Topic started by: drmimran on November 26, 2023, 07:52:44 PM
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Hey all
I contacted a seller from India for 2 custom order bats. I asked for g1, 2.9, 10 grains, semi oval handle, one bat with mid middle for general strokeplay and one with low middle for slogging and low bouncing wickets.
He has sent me these photos if the willow he has picked out. I thought the grains should be straighter and the spine should be thicker. What do you guys think?
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I can't attach any photos! Ive compressed the photos from 5mb to 400kb but cant do any more! How can I upload the photos please?
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Go to postimages.org, click 'choose images' to select pictures from your phone. Click 'hotlink for forums', then copy link into CBF thread. Post
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Go to postimages.org, click 'choose images' to select pictures from your phone. Click 'hotlink for forums', then copy link into CBF thread. Post
thanks a lot. here are the photos:
(https://i.postimg.cc/cC3BzpDC/icm-fullxfull-605188489-kcih64l9z00skksog8c4.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/bSznDBff)
(https://i.postimg.cc/KYYrbk9d/icm-fullxfull-600840796-qxp2mog96kg0csco0g00.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/gxf6qJbD)
(https://i.postimg.cc/dVwjWSGQ/icm-fullxfull-600840782-9te7dajtaygwwsg8wowg.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/svHWxmnb)
(https://i.postimg.cc/Cx7H9H4G/icm-fullxfull-600840806-10fetwn1195c8k080480.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/PCLwwD9J)
I am paying £500 altogether plus £20 shipping. Would like to know your opinions. TIA
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My opinion would be that I wouldn't spend £500 on bats from Etsy. You could get them for the same money direct from a respected Indian batmaker, or for not much more from the UK. These don't exactly look custom, as the profiles look the same in the pics.
Send a link to the Etsy posting, would be interesting to see what they're promising.
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I am not sure about those bats, they don't look right to me.
Is there a batmaker on here who could confirm if the one on the left has storm damage too?
Genuinely for £520 buy local is my view.
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Hard to tell on pictures, but I can't see anything obvious in terms of storm damage from what I've experienced. It almost looks like it's for a bleached butterfly stain at the top.
Be interesting to see the ad/post, but either way I wouldn't be spending 500 notes on bats through Etsy personally. Unless it was from a respected batmaker. Not sure about advertise on Etsy tho.
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Thank you to everyone for your responses. My apologies as there was a typing error. Its actually £400 I'm paying for the bats. I thought £200 for a g1 bat sounds great. The company is called woodberry. They have v high ratings and reviews on etsy for all their bats. All the customers seemed impressed with their purchases. Do you guys think its g1?
Here is a link to the company on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/WoodberrySports?ref=shop-header-name&listing_id=886850785&from_page=listing (https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/WoodberrySports?ref=shop-header-name&listing_id=886850785&from_page=listing)
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The handle on the bat to the right in the picture does not look to be fitted properly hard to tell from the photos but looks like there’s a gap.
Again hard to see exactly but the bat on the right looks to have a mark that’s similar to storm damaged pattern.
Grade 1 can be subjective but if it was a UK purchase I would not say it was.
As I say thou top grade willow can be defined differently depending who you speak to
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Thank you to everyone for your responses. My apologies as there was a typing error. Its actually £400 I'm paying for the bats. I thought £200 for a g1 bat sounds great. The company is called woodberry. They have v high ratings and reviews on etsy for all their bats. All the customers seemed impressed with their purchases. Do you guys think its g1?
Here is a link to the company on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/WoodberrySports?ref=shop-header-name&listing_id=886850785&from_page=listing (https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/WoodberrySports?ref=shop-header-name&listing_id=886850785&from_page=listing)
It's a very good price if it's actually G1 English Willow (grown in England and not India or Eastern Europe) and is free from defects etc. I see a lot of 'G1' bats on Instagram etc which have defects, or bark incursion etc with filled in holes which would have been bought as sub grade clefts. I know this goes on and I've heard from willows suppliers that some brands will take a lot of their sub grades and make G1s from them (stickers can hide a lot!)
Now it maybe that they're selling G1s for 200 quid, but why would you if that's my way below market value? G1 Clefts to buy in raw state aren't cheap and you have to buy a good percentage of other grades to get G1s, you can't just buy G1s alone. So, it doesn't make any sense to sell these cheap. So that doesn't add up on to me.
In terms of reviews, these can come from anywhere and be manipulated. Not saying these are, but it's not difficult so I'm always wary of online reviews such as these. They also claim a guaranteed 10-20% extra power, which is almost impossible to quantify and prove. I'd also like to know more about their lifetime guarantee for handles and also where in the MCC laws it bc states 44mm is the max edge size.
However, this is the kicker for me though.....the picture below is taken from a batmakers workshop in the UK, as is the other on showing the bat in the vice. In recognize the press, the background, vice and the sandpaper discs. i can almost say with 100% certainty, this isn't where these are made. Personally, that would be a red flag to me. Appreciate he doesn't state they are, but using someone else's pictures to promote your own work/brand etc isn't great form.
(https://i.postimg.cc/ZKjWLrxD/Screenshot-20231127-094915.png) (https://postimg.cc/zVbDzHMn)
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What's your route to customer service should anything go wrong with them regarding damage, wrong weight etc?
Willow grading is very subjective and whilst they look ok for my money I'd rather be looking to buy something for £210 that's landed in the UK and I can pick from be it from a local batmaker or retailer in their "Black Friday" sales.
By comparison of the only Indian-made bats I stock, A2 Classify the below as a G2's but many would prob pass it off as a G1 and for similar money it's great value.
https://www.thecricketboutique.co.uk/a2--vertex-cricket-bat--288oz-4459-p.asp (https://www.thecricketboutique.co.uk/a2--vertex-cricket-bat--288oz-4459-p.asp)
https://www.thecricketboutique.co.uk/a2--vertex-cricket-bat--290oz-4457-p.asp (https://www.thecricketboutique.co.uk/a2--vertex-cricket-bat--290oz-4457-p.asp)
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It's a very good price if it's actually G1 English Willow (grown in England and not India or Eastern Europe) and is free from defects etc. I see a lot of 'G1' bats on Instagram etc which have defects, or bark incursion etc with filled in holes which would have been bought as sub grade clefts. I know this goes on and I've heard from willows suppliers that some brands will take a lot of their sub grades and make G1s from them (stickers can hide a lot!)
Now it maybe that they're selling G1s for 200 quid, but why would you if that's my way below market value? G1 Clefts to buy in raw state aren't cheap and you have to buy a good percentage of other grades to get G1s, you can't just buy G1s alone. So, it doesn't make any sense to sell these cheap. So that doesn't add up on to me.
In terms of reviews, these can come from anywhere and be manipulated. Not saying these are, but it's not difficult so I'm always wary of online reviews such as these. They also claim a guaranteed 10-20% extra power, which is almost impossible to quantify and prove. I'd also like to know more about their lifetime guarantee for handles and also where in the MCC laws it bc states 44mm is the max edge size.
However, this is the kicker for me though.....the picture below is taken from a batmakers workshop in the UK, as is the other on showing the bat in the vice. In recognize the press, the background, vice and the sandpaper discs. i can almost say with 100% certainty, this isn't where these are made. Personally, that would be a red flag to me. Appreciate he doesn't state they are, but using someone else's pictures to promote your own work/brand etc isn't great form.
(https://i.postimg.cc/ZKjWLrxD/Screenshot-20231127-094915.png) (https://postimg.cc/zVbDzHMn)
haha World Class copying that!
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You're actually trusting the pictures above are of my the actual bats you'll receive too. There's definitely something in the old saying of 'if something seems too good to be true, it generally is' in most scenarios.
I'd charge £570 for a custom G1 and G3, which is s by no means expensive in the current climate. So, 400 for 2 x G1s just sets alarm bells ringing.....as does the their website and Google reviews!
Buying them would make a good thread tho if you've got money to potentially waste. If you're in the UK, send them to me and I'll happily give an honest opinion and do a thread/review on all aspects of be them. I'll even prep them with a scuff and toe guard for you for free 😆
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The Google reviews for them are probably enough to out most people off.
(https://i.ibb.co/0n06Vw9/IMG-0589.png) (https://ibb.co/tH0vPd2)
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I wouldn't be going anywhere near that TBH. Speak to a local batmaker (plenty of them on here) and get the peace of mind from doing so, as well as the fact you're buying local.
Fwiw out of idle curiosity I spoke to Wonberry about 12 months ago around their Mongoose shape (always wanted one, don't have £700 to drop on an original). The pics they sent me had fake WCW stickers on them. Didn't fill me with confidence it's fair to say!
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Absolute bandits this lot, I saw their Mongoose antics last year.
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Etsy is for mums selling craft stuff not for buying cricket bats.
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I'm not 100% sure those photos pictured are even English grown willow. A darker shade to the willow and dotty grain is usually associated with Kashmir grown willow.
They're clearly not a batmaker based on all their images being stolen from UK makers, so imagine they are an exporter who will source the bats from various factories in Meerut.
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It all depends what the OP is comfortable with. Personally I think £420 is a lot of money to drop on 2 bats where I get no warranty, no after sales, no guarantee they'll show up based on the Google reviews, and if they do they could be absolutely bobbins.
I honestly think you'd get better value getting a GM 808 and 404 in 2 different shapes if that's your absolute intention, or alternatively get 1 custom from someone on here, with all the advice they can give you and that would fulfil both the jobs you want it to do, for the same price.
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Etsy is for mums selling craft stuff not for buying cricket bats.
This made me laugh a lot but is spot on.
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For £400 odd, you could get a custom G2 and a cheaper, off the shelf bat in a similar profile (G3 probably) from one of the big companies. Think I'd rather do that than take my chances with some questionable bloke on Etsy.
Great site for some nice wall art, less so for cricket kit.
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Wondering how many sales Etsy does in cricket bats a year from the uk
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I paid £200 for my main Keeley match bat, hand selected from the factory……..
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If I was you, I would look for someone local in UK like any forum sponsors and get custom made bats.
If I was getting them from subcontinent then I get my bats from CA, Malik, Mids and Ihsan depending on what I am looking for. I have people who hand selected my bats for me. This way I know what I am getting.
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I paid £200 for my main Keeley match bat, hand selected from the factory……..
What Grade was it?
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I just fixed a shoulder crack on a similar bat like this one - so had to do the usual glue+ sanding. Very Very similar kind of grains and willow tone.
This willow is NOT english willow - Not Siberian or usual Kashmir willow either. Something different But I repeat - This is NOT English willow. (The guy who brought it to me for repairs said they have 3 of these and 1 is a great bat and 2nd one cracked pretty fast)
DO NOT BUY OP/Dr
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Doesn't look like EW to me, avoid like the plague.
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https://garrardcricket.com/collections/special-stock-collection/products/special-stock-collection-2lb10-0oz
You could get 2x these G1 garrard black Friday specials for £400 and I'm sure they'll be a much better bat
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What Grade was it?
And how long ago did you buy it?
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It all depends what the OP is comfortable with. Personally I think £420 is a lot of money to drop on 2 bats where I get no warranty, no after sales, no guarantee they'll show up based on the Google reviews, and if they do they could be absolutely bobbins.
I honestly think you'd get better value getting a GM 808 and 404 in 2 different shapes if that's your absolute intention, or alternatively get 1 custom from someone on here, with all the advice they can give you and that would fulfil both the jobs you want it to do, for the same price.
Or two custom G3s for roughly three same money 👀 Which will still perform as well and will genuinely be made to exacting requirements in terms of profile, weight, handle shape etc etc.
G1s would be great value at £200 if they were genuine G1s and fault free English Willow. You won't find many of those at that too price tho, as G1s will always sell higher than that. Even in Black Friday deals (if included), would generally still be more than that as custom bats. As most know though, you're largely paying for looks and the value imo is in the lower grades.
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From my understanding the likes of b3/h4l keleey for a custom g1 would charge 500 upwards
A lot of dough …
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Or two custom G3s for roughly three same money 👀 Which will still perform as well and will genuinely be made to exacting requirements in terms of profile, weight, handle shape etc etc.
A great idea. Time for me to find £400 behind the sofa for a couple of Scotts!
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From my understanding the likes of b3/h4l keleey for a custom g1 would charge 500 upwards
A lot of dough …
Which makes these kind of offers even more suspect. Grade 1 wllow has a premium because it's still in demand and isn't as readily available. Supply and demand dictates price generally. Add to that many people who are going custom expect to the mm accurate specs and no doubt a gauge filler at 2lbs 9oz (don't get me started 😂) and that price is justified imo. You'd be surprised at the amount of the and effort goes into a custom order sometimes. Endless messages back and forth, discussion on Clefts etc. Surely that should come at a premium?
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Yes perhaps you’re right
It may be about 600 though with these companies
I am not sure if each of these companies do custom at lower grades therefore a lower price .
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Yes perhaps you’re right
It may be about 600 though with these companies
I am not sure if each of these companies do custom at lower grades therefore a lower price .
With B3 the custom aspect is something they charge for, but I've had customisation on lower grades from H4L in the past without additional charge, although bearing in mind it was relatively minor customisations rather than a totally bespoke shape.
If that's something you're interested in with H4L then I can thoroughly recommend ordering via @The Cricket Boutique
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I think most bat makers would provide a custom service on any grade, but if that was the case as a customer I'd expect to pay more depending on the level of custom experience. If you're selecting clefts, giving instructions on edge size, toe size, splice thickness, handle thickness/shape, toe shape, number of grains, Heartwood no Heartwood etc etc, then should that be charged at the same price as an OTS option? Pretty sure a bespoke, tailor made suit would cost more than one from River Island.
You'd be amazed (or maybe not) at the expectations, demands/requests you get for custom orders. I had someone recently message me to ask if I had any Black Friday deals on. When I asked what he is was looking for (expecting a discount on stock bat I had in, or gloves, pads etc), he asked me for a fully custom made shape, at 2lbs 9oz which maxed out the gauge and had very specific requirements on specs. Wanted it a lower grade though as didn't want to pay top grade prices.....and even then it wanted a discount.on that! Honestly, sometimes I feel I'm being trolled! 😂
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Sorry @jonny77 I really don't understand what the issue is. You shouldn't be charging more than £130 for a bat like that.
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I think most bat makers would provide a custom service on any grade, but if that was the case as a customer I'd expect to pay more depending on the level of custom experience. If you're selecting clefts, giving instructions on edge size, toe size, splice thickness, handle thickness/shape, toe shape, number of grains, Heartwood no Heartwood etc etc, then should that be charged at the same price as an OTS option? Pretty sure a bespoke, tailor made suit would cost more than one from River Island.
You'd be amazed (or maybe not) at the expectations, demands/requests you get for custom orders. I had someone recently message me to ask if I had any Black Friday deals on. When I asked what he is was looking for (expecting a discount on stock bat I had in, or gloves, pads etc), he asked me for a fully custom made shape, at 2lbs 9oz which maxed out the gauge and had very specific requirements on specs. Wanted it a lower grade though as didn't want to pay top grade prices.....and even then it wanted a discount.on that! Honestly, sometimes I feel I'm being trolled! 😂
Lol that sounds like someone taking mick
Guessing it didn’t progress ?
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I think most bat makers would provide a custom service on any grade, but if that was the case as a customer I'd expect to pay more depending on the level of custom experience. If you're selecting clefts, giving instructions on edge size, toe size, splice thickness, handle thickness/shape, toe shape, number of grains, Heartwood no Heartwood etc etc, then should that be charged at the same price as an OTS option? Pretty sure a bespoke, tailor made suit would cost more than one from River Island.
You'd be amazed (or maybe not) at the expectations, demands/requests you get for custom orders. I had someone recently message me to ask if I had any Black Friday deals on. When I asked what he is was looking for (expecting a discount on stock bat I had in, or gloves, pads etc), he asked me for a fully custom made shape, at 2lbs 9oz which maxed out the gauge and had very specific requirements on specs. Wanted it a lower grade though as didn't want to pay top grade prices.....and even then it wanted a discount.on that! Honestly, sometimes I feel I'm being trolled! 😂
What happened to the customer is always right!
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@Buzz 😂 I wish I had enough of that willow to keep knocking them out like that mate. It's the expectation now though unfortunately with a lot of people and it's just how they've been conditioned to think, so not really the customers fault essentially. But then its also part of the reason prices on such bats are now so high. They're rare, but in demand. So the more big bats are championed, the more expensive they'll become. We're all adding (or most are) to the problem imo, some just won't admit it.
The funny thing with this one was he didn't seem to understand that nobody would really offer something like that at a heavy discount on a Black Friday deal, even if they could make it! I might start a thread 😆
@Thamesvalley No, I told him I couldn't help. We'd been there many times with unrealistic spec lists (one actual request was.....2lbs 9oz, 30mm toe, 35mm toe centre, 25mm shoulders, 40mm edge, 67mm spine, 50mm through the splice with no concaving).
@Kulli that saying was probably invented by the customer above! 😆
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I’m sure now they person was taking the mick .. never heard such rediculous specs
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Rumours afoot Willow has gone up by another 30% again so expect bat prices to keep rising!
For ref I can't even buy a bat at a trade price below £200 now from reputable brands and that is without even factoring in VAT on them.
H4L will be £415 for their G1 offering which is still amazing value IMO for a 100% UK-made bat from a very talented batmaker, for a custom made Pro grade you're looking at £600 but when you take into consideration some OTS bats are now north of £750 its reasonable cost to get a top grade bat made to your specs.
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I’m sure now they person was taking the mick .. never heard such rediculous specs
You'd be surprised mate. I honestly don't think he was, it is was a serious request and not the only one. Imo, requesting 'specs' in terms of toe thickness, shoulder thickness and splice depth is pointless anyway
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I can understand shoulder thickness but never heard of 25mm 15mm to 18mm is nice and thicker does help pick up …
25mm along with everything else sounds bizarre
The shoulder thickness not all will agree and that’s fine
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Rumours afoot Willow has gone up by another 30% again so expect bat prices to keep rising!
For ref I can't even buy a bat at a trade price below £200 now from reputable brands and that is without even factoring in VAT on them.
H4L will be £415 for their G1 offering which is still amazing value IMO for a 100% UK-made bat from a very talented batmaker, for a custom made Pro grade you're looking at £600 but when you take into consideration some OTS bats are now north of £750 its reasonable cost to get a top grade bat made to your specs.
30 percent is that soon ? When Gn and Gm announce their prices are they fixed for one year ?
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30 percent is that soon ? When Gn and Gm announce their prices are they fixed for one year ?
It also went up by 25-30% last year so will effectively have doubled in price per cleft since 2022.
Yep they lock in a price list as most do when they send out their price lists.
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It also went up by 25-30% last year so will effectively have doubled in price per cleft since 2022.
Yep they lock in a price list as most do when they send out their price lists.
Yep, I was told recently it'll be a ~29% increase from January/once current stock runs out, and like you say, that's on top of last year which was on average ~23% for us!
Another vote for "Don't start a cricket brand if you want to get rich quick!" :D
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Yep, I was told recently it'll be a ~29% increase from January/once current stock runs out, and like you say, that's on top of last year which was on average ~23% for us!
Another vote for "Don't start a cricket brand if you want to get rich quick!" :D
Its why I don't understand the Black Friday sales approach of flogging off bats at 30-50% off of RRP which is often below cost. They wont go off so to speak and with willow prices doubling people will be trying to get hold of bats at a reasonable budget.
People expecting further money off already discounted products is what will cripple the industry as overheads are up and they rely on margins to keep the lights on, they'll then be saying were ripping them off when having to sell a G1 bat at £400+ as the last one they bought 3 years ago only cost £200!
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Glad I'm out of it frankly.
I have a lovely GN Pro Performance gauge buster at 2'9 that looks like its only going to go up in value.....
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Thanks Cricket boutique
Have you any pics of custom h4l you have made recently for a client ? Grades top and any lower ?
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Thanks Cricket boutique
Have you any pics of custom h4l you have made recently for a client ? Grades top and any lower ?
Sounds awesome any pics
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This is why I haven't done any Black Friday stuff this year. I just don't get it and it doesn't make sense, other than to sell stuff you haven't sold for a while for whatever reason at a discount. Or just because people expect it.
@Thamesvalley this is my point though really. You're still saying you'd want 15-18mm, but why? It wouldn't help the pick up having 18mm shoulders at the edge if it was balanced terribly elsewhere. Not sure where all these ' perfect specs' have come from. Would a 30mm toe on a dried out cleft be more prone to break than an 18mm toe on one which isn't? My match bat has a thin toe, going into it's 3rd year. Only got a few edges cracks.....obviously! 😆
Always interests me how many people will specify mm precise specs for every area of a bat, but never once ask about the willow, if it's drier, how do I get a great balance/feel and what handles are used in the bat. It's just made up numbers which seem to be more important than the quality of willow, , feel or handles etc
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Thanks Cricket boutique
Have you any pics of custom h4l you have made recently for a client ? Grades top and any lower ?
These were Pro grades to show you the kind of thing you get
(https://i.postimg.cc/0N316z9P/IMG-1019.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Tyr4FYy4)
(https://i.postimg.cc/4xWgg8MK/IMG-9276.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/TK5SjcTG)
(https://i.postimg.cc/dVsYgMWP/IMG-9432.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/CzQXf2Tm)
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This is why I haven't done any Black Friday stuff this year. I just don't get it and it doesn't make sense, other than to sell stuff you haven't sold for a while for whatever reason at a discount. Or just because people expect it.
@Thamesvalley this is my point though really. You're still saying you'd want 15-18mm, but why? It wouldn't help the pick up having 18mm shoulders at the edge if it was balanced terribly elsewhere. Not sure where all these ' perfect specs' have come from. Would a 30mm toe on a dried out cleft be more prone to break than an 18mm toe on one which isn't? My match bat has a thin toe, going into it's 3rd year. Only got a few edges cracks.....obviously! 😆
Always interests me how many people will specify mm precise specs for every area of a bat, but never once ask about the willow, if it's drier, how do I get a great balance/feel and what handles are used in the bat. It's just made up numbers which seem to be more important than the quality of willow, , feel or handles etc
I should have added at the time having a thick shoulder say 15mm ish or a bit more and a thin light handle and a thick toe is really not gonna help at all
When I pick bats I always look at the pick up feels and the handle thickness etc
But I do like thick shoulders with a thick handle
Not fussed about edge size as much as in don’t require 40mm or a 67mm spine or how thick the toe is
Pressing is important just as much ,, quality of the wood is hard to gauge .. I assume or have assumed most Gm and Keeley bats are of good quality
Keeley handles do tend to be thin apart from the odd exception
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Not just GM or Keeley, there's are a lot of brands who take pride in what they do and will have good QC on their willow. However, I've also seem alleged top end bats from some of the biggest brands which have obvious storm damage. Also, thick handles don't necessarily mean good quality.
My point was, people aren't really looking for what are imo, key factors to consider when buying a bat. It's just become a race to get to the biggest specs regardless.
What that has to do with Etsy tho I have no idea! 😂
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Yep, I was told recently it'll be a ~29% increase from January/once current stock runs out, and like you say, that's on top of last year which was on average ~23% for us!
Another vote for "Don't start a cricket brand if you want to get rich quick!" :D
Soon cricket will be only for those with elite class. What is causing this much hike in prices every year?
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Thee were custom pros
(https://i.postimg.cc/QxyyjRmW/35840469-34a4-42b8-87bb-9d9b7635da35-Original.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Xp9881TV)
(https://i.postimg.cc/pdNcFzgW/a1b95734-8d32-4ace-ac1b-1cc007e8a10f-Original.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/Wdn7RFNC)
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Soon cricket will be only for those with elite class. What is causing this much hike in prices every year?
Demand, when demand outstrips supply and people are scrabbling around for it you can charge what u like 😳
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Yep, as I've said. You can't sell at high prices if the demand isn't there. It's a complex issue and there are many factors. I've had some small brands contact me over the last few years asking if I'd make bats for them. When you get into it they want mainly grade 1. If everyone, including batmakers and brands are wanting the same willow, it will only go one way. Plus in order to get that willow, you have to buy the other grades too, so obviously that goes up too and there isn't much you can do about it.
Bats don't last as long generally either. Whether that's down to the style of cricket now played, there sheet volume or the way bats are being made to give customers what they're demanding, who can say. But it again increases the need for more and more willow. Supply and demand.
Add to that costs for willow suppliers have no doubt gone up. Utilities, labour, machinery etc. So inevitabley the customer pays more. It's not like they all have their own small willow plantations either. Landowners who have willow will know it's in demand and will then hike prices no doubt.
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It’s a tough one as isn’t the buying customer window being limited
And therefore effecting sales overall for retailers and manufacturers and custom bat makers ?
As prices go up the core market can’t afford to buy …even being priced out of g2… will there be a crash at some point like house prices
Maybe this will mean soon it’s all about buying butterfly ?
I would have thought potential customers are having a second think about buying new as opposed to that impulse buy
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Demand, when demand outstrips supply and people are scrabbling around for it you can charge what u like 😳
Do you mean demand for willow, rather than cricket bats themselves?
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Do you mean demand for willow, rather than cricket bats themselves?
Yes everyone in the industry who makes bats is after more, how do u scale a business to make more of something if the raw material to make in from isn’t something you can obtain readily/quickly with no guarantee on grade until you’ve waited 20 years to chop it down.
Due to the shortage prices for it have gone up and people and now acting as willow merchants to make a margin simply buying and selling on the clefts.
As Johnny says overheads have increased in the UK drastically (my cricket clubs electric/gas bill went up £8k last year!) so these costs increase along with the raw materials themselves. So the end product will cost more as a result before going through the 1/2/3 or even 4 stages of mark up.
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I wonder though if in the uk demand is less because of affordability this year ?
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It doesn't seem to me that the rapid escalation in prices is likely to abate any time soon. One supplier has an effective monopoly on the raw material, there is an exponential explosion in demand from the Indian market and the time it takes from planting a tree to selling it is a significant barrier to new suppliers entering the market.
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Can only lead to a couple of things
Ppl buying less and buying lower grades
As well as more fakes and Serbian willow and other willows coming into the market
As well as combined willow
I don’t see how the demographic in uk unless cricket is made up mainly wealthy people can continue buying at this they did in the past with the increases
Some companies will go under it seems
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I wonder though if in the uk demand is less because of affordability this year ?
Think a large part of it is although the Asian market has got more expensive in recent years people still get attracted by the top grade top specs that they produce certainly the specs to @Jonnys point 2lb 9oz gauge fillers they do produce and the majority don’t realise it’s 104mm wide maybe 100-102 at the back angled edges, thin handle and god knows what under all the stickers. Now please don’t get me wrong there are plenty of good and great bats that come from that part of the world but the amount of people that get a bat that they either know to be Asian made or believe is uk when it’s imported and then expect the same specs from a genuine uk maker is nuts.
Costs are rising that’s for sure clefts are now twice 2021 prices, handles are more expensive.
As for the prices of main stream bats they are crazy but brands advertising works. As people still pay it just for stickers. £650
For a Keeley or £400 for a Keeley with other stickers. £550-£650 for a G1 from GM/GN/Kook etc and I say G1 as I’m going to say it until I die there is no such thing as pro grade just nicer G1 it’s still a G1 or £300-£350 for a G1 from a small independent. The difference very often is the stickers
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The 2017 bat regulations haven't helped the situation at all. I am not convinced there was ever a real issue that needed to be addressed. The biggest consequence seems to be a fixation on measurements that wasn't there before. It is a rational response though to seek the biggest bat permissable if you are being told that the advantage of bigger bats is such that the law makers have been left with no option to limit them
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Do you mean demand for willow, rather than cricket bats themselves?
Unfortunately some people are controlling 60-70% of all the willows in the world and dictating the price for it.
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What about GN and Gm
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What about GN and Gm
What about them?
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They grow their own willow don’t they ?
Have they had big increases from 21 onwards ?
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They grow their own willow don’t they ?
Have they had big increases from 21 onwards ?
Even if their willow prices hadn't directly increased, the cost of growing and harvesting willow will have shot up - electricity for machinery, fuel for vehicles, wage rises for staff, etc.
Wouldn't say that either GM or GN had hugely increased prices but they've probably gone up about in line with general market trends?
The other consideration will be the cost of player sponsorship which I imagine will have risen due to inflation.
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Not sure but gN have way more sponsored players than Gm
Depends on how the contracts are structured performances alongside appearances
Perhaps why Gm are reasonable is because of the lack of sponsored players …on the g1 downwards 909 etc
And perhaps subsidise their bats business with other businesses not sure
Gn from just looking at the moment seem more expansive than GM but maybe have more sponsorship costs ..
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Don’t buy a bat from Etsy, that should be day 1, morning session of CBF basic training
Having used 100s of bats over 35+ years of cricket the obsession with G1 willow is PURELY aesthetic and nothing to do with performance.
The carbon footprint of U.K. willow that has been shipped back and forth to India should be massively taxed
If price is a factor then a well made, well balanced and well pressed lower grade from any of the guys contributing in this thread will be more than enough for even the most elite CBF batter.
Good looking but cr@ppy made, versus minger made by trusted craftsman has a very clear winner
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I wonder how much of the price hikes from the big brands are due to the market in other sports, particularly golf. I know plenty of people who will drop a grand on a set of irons just because Tiger McIlroy uses them. Surely there's going to be a similar market for those £800 a pop SS SKY replicas.
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Its why I don't understand the Black Friday sales approach of flogging off bats at 30-50% off of RRP which is often below cost. They wont go off so to speak and with willow prices doubling people will be trying to get hold of bats at a reasonable budget.
People expecting further money off already discounted products is what will cripple the industry as overheads are up and they rely on margins to keep the lights on, they'll then be saying were ripping them off when having to sell a G1 bat at £400+ as the last one they bought 3 years ago only cost £200!
Completely agree - unless companies are needing a quick cashflow boost I'm never going to understand discounting current bat ranges. Ultimately, like you say, a bat isn't going to 'go off' and at the current rate of willow increases they're only going to go up in value (I've got another 200 odd bats en-route at the moment for a reason!). The only time I'll ever do any sort of sale through Neon is just clearing out old lines to make more space in the unit, and I tend to keep it all to newsletter subscribers as opposed to shouting about it on socials. Pretty much always just softs, and on rare occasion the odd bat if I've used one for imagery/content and wouldn't then sell it as new.
All fun and games anyway, will keep on plugging away as I have for the last decade - could be worth all the effort one day! :D
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Couldn’t agree more mate, having seen multiple brands come and go over the last 20 years I’ve been in the industry it always amazes me how such big discounts are offered compared to other sports!
I’d rather offer additional stuff with a sale of a product as I did last year with free hybrid/socks/cap/bobble if someone purchases something.
A small discount is fine but 30%+ is madness!
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Hey all
I wanted to thank everyone for their replies. A little bit of context for you all - I have not played cricket since 2010. I went off to uni then and have just not had the time until now. I actually bought new softs and a g1 bat back then to continue playing at uni. The softs have been freshly packaged for the past 13 years but the bat was left out in the shed where the damp and the moisture got to it and it all swelled up. Ended up chucking it away without playing a single ball! Back then £300 would get you a top of the range bat so you can imagine my shock when G1 bats have literally double in price! I contacted the seller about changing the order but he said he sent it off with the courier yesterday. When the bats arrive I will take some more photos and make a video. I would like your advice on what to do in terms of sending them back if they are indeed too good to be true!
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Don’t be put off see what comes make your own mind up too mate if you like em keep em use em !
Bat prices and willow barons there a book to be written.
Makers without overheads vs makers with
Willow growers v willow sellers
Sticker brand operations v artisan
Yes
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Lots of opinions on here and can easily be swayed..
Agree with @procricket if you like them and they ping, then that's what matters... else move them on and buy else where..
You won't be the first to move on perfectly usable brand new bats on here, and certainly not the
last...
Just another day as a CBF forum member :D
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They grow their own willow don’t they ?
Have they had big increases from 21 onwards ?
GN have kept the same prices for the last 2 years. Gm increased 7.5% this year.
Also GN & Gm have there own willow supplies.
Wrights are now competing against the likes of GN & GM for willow trees, with the growers getting a better price per tree than they were getting previously.
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GM seems somewhat reasonable versus 30 percent elsewhere
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Just wondering….without going too far off topic the mention of willow merchants on here….
I know what they do just asking if they are or can be UK based. The reason I mention it is with our market there’s only a few that grow willow, excluding GN and GM. So you would imagine there’s a close relationship between UK batmakers and the growers of willow trees.
My perception of that relationship is that is an established one. So those who buy willow just to sell it on would have limited success in the UK.
I could however be totally wrong
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There are many willow merchants in the Uk, but more willow growers. GM, GN and others (including Wrights) will buy trees from landowners who have willow trees on their land. They'll also plant willow trees on landowners land, with a promise of a buy back when they mature. This is an ongoing process, which has already been going on for ages. Hence the constant supply. The demand is outstripping supply currently, hence the fight for willow and increase in price. Nobody just solely has fields of willow of their own, where they just have a revolving supply of willow and can therefore dictate the market.
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There are many willow merchants in the Uk, but more willow growers. GM, GN and others (including Wrights) will buy trees from landowners who have willow trees on their land. They'll also plant willow trees on landowners land, with a promise of a buy back when they mature. This is an ongoing process, which has already been going on for ages. Hence the constant supply. The demand is outstripping supply currently, hence the fight for willow and increase in price. Nobody just solely has fields of willow of their own, where they just have a revolving supply of willow and can therefore dictate the market.
I was in a meeting a few weeks ago where representatives from the Woodland Trust were talking about carbon-friendly farming and planting tree based cash crops as hedging or field edging. As well as fruit and nut trees they specifically called out cricket bat willow as one of the most profitable trees to plant, with a carbon value as well as a crop value. So maybe this means in 20 years' time we have a better supply of willow from a wider range of suppliers and the price drops accordingly. Until then though...
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Hey everyone. Thank you for your responses. The bats arrived last week and I have been wanting to put up images and a video but the website has been down. Was anyone else getting the server limit error or just me? Anyhow here are the bats. I made a video and took some photos in question. Please let me know what you guys think!
I personally think the workmanship is not the best. There seem to be voids where the handle fits the bat that look to have been filled in! Is it just me of does the handle itself looks have really thin rubber stripes? Too thin? Apart from that I think I was expecting the ping to be better. Please check the video links, they are only short. I was expecting the ball to bounce higher! I asked for one bat with a mid middle and another for a low middle for our low bouncing pitches. What grade would you put this willow at? I know both have the fibreglass sheets but I am keen to hear your insights!
BAT 1
https://youtube.com/shorts/EqlHmJkHzVA
(https://i.postimg.cc/wB9CVNRy/20231206-182449.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/ZRMX4D7p/20231206-182508.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/pLMbm42B/20231206-182519.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/QCKwtkwP/20231206-182526.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/MGthrG1s/20231206-182532.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/vBBpRdzG/20231206-182543.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/ht8FTsvR/20231206-182550.jpg)
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BAT 2
https://youtube.com/shorts/Mo-rpY4MhBc?feature=share
(https://i.postimg.cc/MTy069YX/20231206-182655.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/DfPQRYZM/20231206-182719.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/fyDcJYHC/20231206-182659.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/pXVQvY5X/20231206-182705.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/SRdW8j3h/20231206-182728.jpg)
(https://i.postimg.cc/KjZ7pnhV/20231206-182739.jpg)
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Ping tests like the video (although I've done them myself on socials etc) are pretty pointless. You can make a ball hit the ceiling off a piece of plywood. I feel that gently tapping a mallet gives me a better feel on the response, but playing with it is there only way of truly knowing if you're 100% happy with it and it will need playing in. Are there any indentations if you hit with a mallet? Does the mallet respond well?
In terms of the handle, I wouldn't expect this to be the greatest quality. These bats are made to a price point and I wouldn't have thought a handle is a consideration for many buying them, with a decision based more on price v's reported grade of willow. Although it's obviously to tell from pictures obviously. Be interesting to get it in a vice to see how much twist / flex there is and to take the binding up to see if there's anything lurking under there. The filled in parts could maybe just be where the willow has splintered slightly when cutting the splice, so maybe just superficial. This shouldn't t cause an issue in my experience.
Do they weigh as requested?
May as well use them and see how they go mate. You might like them!
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Agree ping tests are useless
My best bat doesn’t ping extraordinarily on a ball bounce test
In a match situation the ball ping is remarkable … it’s like a trampoline , based on a ping test it would seem average
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Thanks for sharing the photos, I'm glad your bats arrived.
For me, if I were to see them in the store I'd probably pass on them due to the handles - a personal preference thing I guess. But if you like them, they pick up how you want and perform how you expected then you should be happy.
Good luck with them, let us know what you think when you've had a net.
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Thank you for your responses. I'm doubting its even grade 1 now
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Just see it a lesson learnt and buy a new uk made bat
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Thank you for your responses. I'm doubting its even grade 1 now
Second bat definitely looks a bit suspect as a G1. First looks wise I think is okay.
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I wouldn't buy those bats. I would rather have a grade 3 bat with a proper handle.
Sorry. If you can return them for a refund I would.
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Agree with buzz but if you can sell them or donate them and you can afford to do that might be an idea
GM video is up on you tube maybe try one of them for around 150 ish
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GM Signature for £160 ish is a good budget option without going bargain-hunting.
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Signature range is great value, I’ve got a few in stock across the range so let me know if u need any guidance and I’d be happy to help find you something you’re happy with after this experience!
As a forum member I’m sure we can find u a few extras to chuck in too 🫡
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Thank you for your responses. I'm doubting its even grade 1 now
One has a hint of Butterfly to me, the shape/stain near the splice.
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I thought that and wouldn't be first time people have bought lower grades and passed them off as G1s etc. Not sure you'd be able to get a refund, so maybe just play with them and see how they go. My money would be on the handles causing an issue before anything else.
Did they come in at the specified weight @drmimran?
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Hey guys
I want to first of all thank everyone for their input. I raised your concerns with the seller who initially disputed them and then asked me to play with them in the nets for the winter and that he would send me 2 replacements completely FOC in the summer and I can keep these ones. The set off all my red flags so I persisted with the refund and finally received a full refund of £420. I did pay £95 for the tax so I suppose I got 2 allegedly grade 1 bats for £95 which may be deal of the century. I am most disappointed with the handles more than anything. The willow is near enough what I wanted and I feel like it will play better once knocked in and played in. I was thinking of getting them rehandled with a 12 piece handle. I did ask the seller for this but he said he makes bats for professional circketers and 4 piece is enough. I should have ended the conversation there but no point crying over spilt milk so here weare. I have seen this website selling handles:
https://ox29batdoctor.co.uk/products/12-piece-cricket-bat-handle-2-rubber-1-cork-insert
Would it make much of a difference ordering 2 of these, getting the bats rehandled and then properly knocked in ready for nets? Or am I better off cutting my losses and spending 200 ish on a bat elsewhere and keeping these as net bats?
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Spend £200 and get a bat from a reputable brand of source, I’m sure the lads that make bats on here will sort you out or if you want other options I’ve got a few in stock via @The Cricket Boutique with the like of a GM Aion 606 that’s £155 , H4L devil, A2 Omega or vertex and £50 worth of extras you’d get with it (cap/hybrid/socks).
https://www.thecricketboutique.co.uk/adult-cricket-bats-1-c.asp?_=&minprice=130.69&maxprice=222.89 (https://www.thecricketboutique.co.uk/adult-cricket-bats-1-c.asp?_=&minprice=130.69&maxprice=222.89)
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If they're pressed okay might be worth trying a rehandle, not impossible that it could make them into decent bats.
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@drmimran Really pleased all has worked out well for you. A big sigh of relief from everyone on here Im sure.
Youve got plenty of sound advice on here so you can get back to the fun bit of looking for 1 perfect bat for you.
Looks like youre starting in a good place by checking out OX29 Bat Doc. Teammates of mine have bought bats and repairs off him over the years and very happy with everything.
If you can have a good read of reviews on here and YouTube videos I’m sure you’ll know where or what you want. Or don’t want.
And the good news is you now have 2 functioning cricket bats so there is no rush to make any decisions. I hope you get to visit a local shop or 2 when youre ready and have some fun trying out all the different bats with no obligation. Buying a cricket bat should be fun and a nice experience so hopefully you get that shopping experience. And afterwards if you love it that much you can think about buying a copy. It took me 6 months to research and buy a bat once so take your time when you want to. Look forward to seeing what you eventually settle with. Feel free to ask anything on here at anytime. That’s the idea of the forum!