Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Equipment => Bats => Custom Made => Topic started by: Johnny on August 12, 2010, 01:37:03 PM
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I have a custom made bat which is pretty much perfect for me.
I decided the spec I wanted, gave these to a batmaker and he has produced the best bat I have ever used - the balance and profile seem to suit me so well. However after 3 years use I am looking to get a replacement lined up.
I intend to get another custom bat - however, interested to hear people's views on how I should go about this. I'm tempted to send the bat away and ask for a copy to be made.
However, as I will be using a differet bat maker this time around (for various reasons), I could go to the batmaker with the same spec again and see how he interprets my request, giving him chance to produce the bat he thinks will work for me. It might be a different profile to my current bat, but might work just as well or better?
Please feel free to vote for an option above and leave any opinions or thoughts on the thread.
It would be especially interesting to hear the views of some of the actual batmakers on here - do you prefer somebody to be very specific and perhaps send a bat to be copied, or would you prefer the freedom to create the bat that you think would suit the batman best?
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Dont let Solitaire decide the bat for you! :D :D
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If it ain't broke, don't fix it :)
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i would get another firefly bud
if your happy with your current bat why change the dimentions of it in any way only thing i say is to get the same pick up will be hard but no impossible at the same shape....
if you know your game and the wickets you play on fulwood (not too shabby) go with your own gut trust yourself i say
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i would get another firefly bud
Would love another Firefly, but exchange rate isn't too hot at the minute, making them even more expensive than thy were, plus I made the decision that I wanted my next batmaker to be based in the UK, so that at some point in the future I could go and visit if required (either to get another bat made or maybe for repairs etc..) I got my current bat on a bit of a special deal too, so it didn't really as cost as much as a regular Firefly - I couldn't really afford one at £230 3 years ago - I definitely can't at £280 - I thought about maybe getting a Churchill instead, but even the're at £160 at the minute!
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You might have had a very good bat off James, but who's to say you wont get someting even better from the likes of SAF, Hell4Leather, Redback, Vantage????
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You might have had a very good bat off James, but who's to say you wont get someting even better from the likes of SAF, Hell4Leather, Redback, Vantage????
Exactly Dom - I don't doubt they could all make as good a bat, but how much control to I exert over what they give me?
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Maybe tell them weight, handle and middle position then see what they come up with?
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send some pic's and exact spec's
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Maybe tell them weight, handle and middle position then see what they come up with?
I'll either do that....
send some pic's and exact spec's
Or rather than mess about with pictures, I'd just send them the bat.
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I'd say most UK batmakers would be able to replicate the bat for should you send it them. Probably a case of taking your pick the likes of Redback etc all seem to produce a lot of quality bats on here. I know you said you want UK based but have you considered Marty Graham? I'm not aware of the prices of his bats so I don't know if they fall out of your budget like the firefly does now, but Marty was trained by James so will most likely have produced the firefly shape on numerous occasions, and from previous experience from talking to him he is quite reasonable with sorting you out a deal! Might be worth a shout..
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i agree with colesy, if the shape, weight, size etc. is doing you well then i wouldnt change a thing! however if you are having trouble, i would get some advice from a batmaker...
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I find that James Laver is poor at copying shapes and weights from descriptions, but his pressing is superb. I would order a bat from him on purely weight and grains, then correct the handle shape here.
I'd suggest either going to a batmaker and watching them press and shape the bat exactly as the Laver was or put your faith in someone to create something based on your spec's as the top 3 makers in my books are unavailable to the public.
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andy at saf has had a few firefly i think he will know the shape unless war has broken out
marty is the same price as james there top bat is 600 bucks£280
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Too much for a standard bat.
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johnny not hijacking on your topic but i at a similar position to you with my laver on it last ones
i formulated this list
blueroom
saf
black cat
mg2 st10 profile
nixon
i will be getting another chase but like to add to it with another i can go to and watch them make it in front of me...
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Whos the top 3 guys then mike.... im guessing your bloke, kranzburhler and kevin an gm?
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Tim Keeley, Tony Sains and Andrew Kember, I would include Kevin at GM but he no longer makes bats, they are all production line now. After that you have the forum guys that will allow visits, SAF, Hell4Leather and then others such as Nixon and Hawk.
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The poll really isn't much help lol
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Tim Keeley, Tony Sains and Andrew Kember, I would include Kevin at GM but he no longer makes bats, they are all production line now. After that you have the forum guys that will allow visits, SAF, Hell4Leather and then others such as Nixon and Hawk.
Who do keeley Sains and Kember make bats for?
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warsop and salix
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If I get a copy done the I'm probably going to go with Charlie French. we have a club shop with him and loads of team mates have his bats, including copies they've requested from him. All really good feedback.
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Can't go wrong with Charlie mate had a few myself and all been decent, top bloke.
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Im also looking at getting a copy made and i have heard very good things about Rob Pack's Blueroom bats
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Greg, you have a Laver also to get copied ?
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No i don't have a laver unfortunately, its a kookaburra pro bat that has been fantastic for me the last 3 years but sadly is on the way to the bat heaven in the sky! However i will be performing some life extending surgery before i allow that!
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Never used Charlie French and only ever seen a couple this far north, have many or do you guys see many of them around your leagues.
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As I said, tons of guys have them at our club, but that's fairly unique. Apparently, going back 10-15 years the club used to tour around Nottingham on an annual basis. A couple of guys got some bats one year and they were so good they'd take a trip every year to stock up. It's eventually evolved to the point that we get all our club wear through Charlie and even advertise for him - he seems to sort some of the guys out with some good deals.
When I lived in Lincolnshire they were around a lot more. As a minor county Lincs were quite closely associated with Notts, and I know some of the Lincs guys used Charlie's gear
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About 6 lads at my club have them, have not seen any others around this area though. All are top bats.
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I'm based around the Notts/Derbyshire area near to where Charlie is based, the leagues around here are full of his bats, mainly good rep however a few people think they are pressed a little too hard ( Seedy on here for one!) Always look the part and the ones I've had have gone well where used by a couple of the West Indians last time they toured England I believe.
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Mike, out of curiousity, who makes your bats?