Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Companies => Custom companies => Topic started by: mattw on September 22, 2010, 02:37:31 PM
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I emailed Roger about ordering a bat first of all and how would be the best way of doing it and as I live not far from Worcester, I went to his shop two weeks ago but unfortunately the person in the shop wasn't Roger - it was someone who was a lot younger which I'm guessing is his son.
Anyhow, as I had travelled to the shop I placed my order with his son - but I was hoping to speak to Roger directly about the bat as I could've placed the exact order over the internet/phone as he just wrote down on a piece of paper what sort of bat I wanted and he didn't give me any tips or anything. He just wasn't that helpful.
When I placed my order I was told that the bat would be ready for the week after it was ordered. I had left plenty of emails and tried to ring up a few times with no feedback about some slight changes and I didn't get any confirmation of these changes even though I sent an email as soon as I had got back home from placing the order. Anyhow I finally got through to them a couple of days after of which I spoke to Roger about these changes and he said it was no problem.
The specs of the bat that I ordered was;
- SH
- 2'11
- mid-low middle
- big edges
- straight grains
- light pick-up
- slight bow
- concaving
- octopus grip
- no knots
- oval handle
- toe guard
- knocked in
There was a 2'11 I picked up in the shop(with grip/stickers etc on(finished bat)), which was pretty much exactly what I wanted as it picked up very lightly much like a 2'9 or something along those lines which I said in the email to pretty much copy except make the sweetspot a tad lower.
The bat that I recieved was:
- SH
- 2'12 1/2
- mid-low middle
- big edges
- fairly-light pickup
- slight bow
- concaving
- octopus grip
- 12 staight grains
- no knots (on face)
- oval handle
- pink stickers
- heartwood on the inside edge
- pressed
(http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af29/matthewwatkins7/CIMG1909.jpg)
(http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af29/matthewwatkins7/CIMG1912.jpg)
(http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af29/matthewwatkins7/CIMG1915.jpg)
(http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af29/matthewwatkins7/CIMG1916.jpg)
(http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af29/matthewwatkins7/CIMG1919.jpg)
(http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af29/matthewwatkins7/CIMG1923.jpg)
(http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af29/matthewwatkins7/CIMG1932.jpg)
(http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af29/matthewwatkins7/CIMG1920.jpg)
(http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af29/matthewwatkins7/CIMG1927.jpg)
(http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af29/matthewwatkins7/CIMG1926.jpg)
(http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af29/matthewwatkins7/CIMG1929.jpg)
(http://i990.photobucket.com/albums/af29/matthewwatkins7/CIMG1931.jpg)
Overall I'm pleased with the bat, but I was looking for something slightly lighter and as I stated for the bat to be a 2'11 just like the bat that they had in their shop already, I expected the bat to be nailed on a 2'11. I was a little disappointed to get heartwood on the inside edge instead of the outside (even though I didn't ask for it, he could've asked me if I was left/right handed). Whilst doing some light knocking in you can tell that this bat is going to fly, as it's slightly bigger than I expected. I cant wait to use it once it's fully knocked in...
The bat itself is a superb bat and especially for £100 you can't really go wrong. I didn't really need a new bat as my Warsop Venom(2'12, traditional shape) is still in good condition, but I thought I'm going to take them up on their offer at the moment as I'm sure that they will get more expensive in the future and it's good to give local businesses some trade. However I wasn't really impressed with their communication and overall customer service, as I would've liked to have had an invoice from them or some sort of confirmation about the specifications of what my bat will be and also I would've liked to have spoken to roger directly in the shop.
Customer Service: 4/10
Made to specifications: 8/10
Price: 10/10
Overall: 8/10
EDIT: Also when I picked it up, it felt/smelled as though the bat had been oiled. However it seems as though the bat has been oiled after the scuff sheet had gone on - so the face of the bat hasn't been oiled...
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same as everybody else then mate....
fantastic bat looks and performance but to heavy as per normal..
i asked for a bat that was 2.9
i got a bat at 2.12..
but it was that good! i didnt wanan send it back used to the big weight now its best bat ive had and the performance is awsome mine is on par with my mates newbery uzi sps :)
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I also find that customer service is poor with solitaire. Ordered a 2.8....got a 2.12. But cant complain about the bat as it has the best middle ive seen on a bat
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looks really lovely though
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I asked for 2.8 and got 2.15, he was very unpleasant with me, and for a small sum of money than another brand it isn't worth the hassle...
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i ordered a bat off them earlier in the season, wanted a 2.11. told it would be ready in a week. couldnt get hold of him for 2 weeks, when he finally got back to me nearly 3 weeks later he told me my bat was 2.12-2.13 so i told him i didnt want it.
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He seems to favour the heavier weights, I would personally struggle to accept a bat that was not made to my specs, I think the Heartwood should of been mentioned to you if you asked for a clean face.
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Looks beautiful stick. I hope it plays well and goes well for you.
Personally if I get a overweight bat I would never keep it. Seems like 80 %of people who are ordering bats from Rogers seem to get overweighted bats. I would only accept an overweight bat if it has higher sweetspot which would make pickup lighter. With your preferred shape I would have asked for full refund.
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Does anyone else find that it takes ages for Roger to reply to emails? If he wants to sell stuff then he would want to make bats to weight and also improve customer service.
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i have to say the face looks amazing, doesnt looks that big for the weight though, but if it pings then it all good :) should get better with time.
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Does anyone else find that it takes ages for Roger to reply to emails? If he wants to sell stuff then he would want to make bats to weight and also improve customer service.
Yeah it does indeed, I emailed him a few times before I ordered my bat and got replies fairly rapidly. However after placing the order it felt that emails took longer to get a reply from. I asked about this when I went in to see if they had read my email I sent the morning before going to shop the shop and they said that they hadn't checked the emails that morning. So I guess they don't check their email that often...
Also I rang them up a couple of days after I had placed my order via the shop as I made some changes via email when i got home after I didn't get a reply I tried the day after and then the day after that by phone. Worcester is known to have wednesday afternoons off at some places of which I tried to ring them, every other time I have rang I got through.
i have to say the face looks amazing, doesnt looks that big for the weight though, but if it pings then it all good :) should get better with time.
Well it feels good from knocking it in and hitting a few balls... But yeah it doesn't seem massive and it picks up fairly well, however the edges are huge and they are big all of the way down and the toe isn't exactly small. It seems as though the weight is all over the bat instead of all in one sweetspot.
I've heard through another forum that the way they dry and press the willow has meant that they cannot alter the bat - So I think it might be because the wood of the bat is very dense which could be the problem to why Solitaires are more than often heavier than ordered... But I don't know about willow, but it seems that it would make sense
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ask him for a 2lb 5 oz next time. . . and it'll turn out 2lb 9oz lol
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Is it me or does the spine look abit wobbly???
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Is it me or does the spine look abit wobbly???
yeah that's what I thought near the toe of the bat, but it's only slight - you can't expect the bat to be perfect for £100.
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Played with it for the first time today in the nets and it absolutely flew out of the middle, superb bat for the money.
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yeah that's what I thought near the toe of the bat, but it's only slight - you can't expect the bat to be perfect for £100.
your having a laugh aint you mate...
you can and should expect the bat to be perfect no matter if it was 100 pound it brand new...
we accept crap service in this country i would take the bat back personally and ask for a new one or my cash back...
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your having a laugh aint you mate...
you can and should expect the bat to be perfect no matter if it was 100 pound it brand new...
we accept crap service in this country i would take the bat back personally and ask for a new one or my cash back...
Had something similar happen to me. Ordered a 3lb 2oz monster bat, and it turned up as 2lb 15 and a bit oz. Sent it back and am awaiting a refund as it wasn't what I had ordered.
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Well I'm happy with the bat, if I wasn't I would send it back.
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Had something similar happen to me. Ordered a 3lb 2oz monster bat, and it turned up as 2lb 15 and a bit oz. Sent it back and am awaiting a refund as it wasn't what I had ordered.
Was this a Solitaire? Actually can't be, as you got a lighter weight than specified!
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lol at leo. And i agree no matter what the bat cost if you buy it brand new it should be perfect. Looks like solitaires customer service needs to be stepped up.
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lol at leo. And i agree no matter what the bat cost if you buy it brand new it should be perfect. Looks like solitaires customer service needs to be stepped up.
Indeed it does, otherwise they will go out of business.
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tbh i asked for a 2.9 got a 2.12 was grumpy!
but i cant stress enough how good the bit of wood is it is a (No Swearing Please) weapon lol
ive hit the ball harder and further than i ever have before!
its easy onpar with my mates uzi sps
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but i couldnt deal with getting a 2lb 12 if i wanted a 2lb 9. there is a reason i asked for a 2lb 9 so why owuld i accept anydifferent!
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well bascially because i didnt want to send it back just incase the replacement bat was not as good!
and i thought to my self im a big lad y am i using light bats :)
and now we are the perfect couple.
but i see 100% where the issue was.
end of day you should get what u ask for.
its like going into a shop and asking for 2 liter bottle of pop and being given a 500ml one
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yeah i suppose! But if you were only thirsty enough for 500ml one then fair enough! ;)
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tbh i asked for a 2.9 got a 2.12 was grumpy!
but i cant stress enough how good the bit of wood is it is a (No Swearing Please) weapon lol
ive hit the ball harder and further than i ever have before!
its easy onpar with my mates uzi sps
Likewise, my bat absolutely flies.
I agree that the bat should be the same weight that I ordered, but I'm more than happy with this bat being a little heavier for the piece of wood that I've got.