Custom Bats Cricket Forum
Companies => Off-the-shelf companies => Topic started by: peplow on January 19, 2011, 06:24:05 PM
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Due to a courier cock up i have received an m+h amplus, i will take pics and put up a little about how it is for us all to see, before its packed up and sent back :( :(
Bear with me on this..... it will be coming shortly!
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you little tease........
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What were you expecting to receive? Will that now be a disappointment?
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A distinction, so yes maybe...although i have been promised its a good'un!
Anything i was receiving would be a step down now!!!!
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A distinction, so yes maybe...although i have been promised its a good'un!
Anything i was receiving would be a step down now!!!!
even a Laver?
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where did you get it from, could you not keep it?
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Are you sure it was the courier who cocked up? ;)
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I meant in terms of m+h canners!
It is a beast and interesting bat in terms of profile and handle accessories i must say....
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how much you selling it for? £349.99 ;)
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£349.98
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also would you say its a similar shape to the GT you had?
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i'm not selling it :( its going back, am snapping pics now lads..
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going nets now look forward to seeing the pics when i get home mate
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if the middle wasnt so high it would be mine forever as i'd buy it right here right now!
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Sorry but Sam you actually ordered a Distinction and got a Amplus in result, am I right?
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Yes correct, due to a mailing error, is all being sorted... and packaged back up now which is why i oculdnt do bat justice in pics! Due to no natural light but did my best by taking millions woth and wothout flash!
Firstly i must thank the perosn at blame for the mistake, it has given me the chance to witness a £300+ cricket bat for nothing, and especially one that has not really been seen. I have snapped pics below and agin apologies for quality, in a rish and no daylight left with the bat being packaged up now to send onwards and probably upwards (cricketing ability wise!)
The bat weighs 2lb 12.5 exaclty (44.5 oz's) and has 11/12 grains, which arent perfectly straight but do the job for me! If this is a performance based bat then its not doing batd on the looks front. There is one blemish pictured, higher up the bat, it would probably be covered by stickers on most companies bats!!
The edges are 38mm at their largest point and i am a massive fan of the stickers, minimal classy and a gorgeous colour!!....not convinced on the pro handle, its nothing you couldnt yourself from what i see, maybe more than meets the eye though?
I obviously havent used it and havent even malleted it as didnt want to do anything to it that meant i may have to shell out big bucks haha!
enjoy people and any q's fire away!
(http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc223/speplow03/100_2636.jpg)
(http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc223/speplow03/100_2637.jpg)
(http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc223/speplow03/100_2639.jpg)
(http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc223/speplow03/100_2641.jpg)
(http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc223/speplow03/100_2642.jpg)
(http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc223/speplow03/100_2643.jpg)
(http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc223/speplow03/100_2644.jpg)
(http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc223/speplow03/100_2645.jpg)
(http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc223/speplow03/100_2646.jpg)
(http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc223/speplow03/100_2647.jpg)
(http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc223/speplow03/100_2649.jpg)
(http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc223/speplow03/100_2650.jpg)
(http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc223/speplow03/100_2653.jpg)
(http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc223/speplow03/100_2654.jpg)
(http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc223/speplow03/100_2655.jpg)
(http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc223/speplow03/100_2656.jpg)
(http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc223/speplow03/100_2657.jpg)
(http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc223/speplow03/100_2660.jpg)
(http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc223/speplow03/100_2661.jpg)
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Looks very similar to a Newbery GT with some tape on the handle.
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Like the profile do not like the look of that bat for 350 nicker i would want better
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loverly bat !!!
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Looks great and thanks for the clarification and pictures :)
Not really convinced by the "oversized cleft". Its 2.12.5 and has 38mm which we have witnessed in lighter bat from what forum brand owners have made.
How does that counter balance thing looks like from the top?
They can just use Lekka xtrax combi instead of this tactic for thick bottom ....
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I'd have my H4L every day of the week....
not particularly impressed
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The counter balance just looks like the top of bat but black from top, slightly thicker than normal handle at top with m+h sticker as standard on top. Nothing speicla of different to the naked eye!
Its an imposing profile to look at but then probably should be at the wiehgt, i dont really know how 2lb 12's feel so cant comment on pick up!
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im not a fan of the shape its got massive edges yes, but i reckon the middle is way to high for English club tracks
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Yes it has 10 on the top of bat. I believe these are £315 posted....which yes is a lot of money, what do we think in comparison to gn legend?
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im not a fan of the shape its got massive edges yes, but i reckon the middle is way to high for English club tracks
Seconded way too high for me
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thirded as i said much lower middle and same dimensions and we are talking about a mega mega cricket bat!
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just right for a hobbit like me
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Nope - don't get it.
Seriously wonky grains, sh*tty looking, wavy piece of heartwood - and all for at least £100 more than a fantastic, custom made bat.
don't make sense to me.
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Not a fan of this oversized clefts and such as much as it pains me my new bat is a nice weight right for me but the thing just looks too big and it not something i have ever considered before a bat just too bulky for me
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I think i am more of a fan of the distinction...
is this a reflection of the way the uk cricket market is going, less for your money, or more money for less (either or!)
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So for anyone tempted to order:
A piece of wood that is G3 is anyone elses eyes.
3.5 ounces heavier than my GT, yet somehow it is smaller and has concaving.
A piece of plastic on the handle.
All for £125 more.
Think I will stick with my straight grained GT thanks. :D
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Presumably the bat would be more like 2lb 10oz without the counterbalance and extra bottom hand grip? In which case, it's quite big but still not the most "over" sized for the weight on here.
Size isn't everything though...
I agree size isn't everything BUT the reason why Amplus is being sold for £300+ is because of oversized cleft and in this case it has to be a oversized cleft if not then it is a rip off
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Jon, where can I see pictures of your GT?
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http://custombats.co.uk/cbforum/index.php?topic=8673.0
Here we go Uzair. I have to say Jon's GT is a pearler. Looks way better than the Amplus. Though I am surprised the clefts don't look nice for £315, totr bats, which is a different thing to what I usually say about bats that are expensive I know... :|
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The Amplus, from the pictures from Sam, simply confirm how overpriced a batcan get. I prefer the shape on the GT, and the willow doesn't look too great.
However, if the £350 is being spent on a bat with performance only features, my view can easily be changed....
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Thanks a lot Johan, I appreciate.
As far price goes I believe M&H grade bats on performance rather than looks hence it is not looking pleasing ?
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Yeah Uzair, I think it is something like that, but then look at Newbery and Salix. They manage to churn out great performing bats that look nice...why not M&H, is my question. I have no doubts the bats perform well though, it's just for those more concerned with aesthetics, this ain't that brilliant... :S
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Question to everyone here:
If you ordered an Amplus, Paid £350 and this turned up on your door today, would you be pleased?
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What do you think the counterbalance is made of Sam? And what do you guys think a good counterbalance should consist of?
And finally, doesn't providing one on a new bat basically say: ''This bat has a sh@# pick up??!!''
To me the bat looks ideal for astros or motorways...
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Thanks a lot Johan, I appreciate.
As far price goes I believe M&H grade bats on performance rather than looks hence it is not looking pleasing ?
for 350 pound i expect top looks and performace simple as that
If that amplus turned up it would head right back i have seen better bats for £100
Yes performace may be good in facr brilliant but i would want everything for 350 pound
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Question to everyone here:
If you ordered an Amplus, Paid £350 and this turned up on your door today, would you be pleased?
i'd cry
As i said i odnt see why the counterbalance cant be done yourself if not just as well! Its plastic with tape over i think... not 100% though!
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for 350 pound i expect top looks and performace simple as that
If that amplus turned up it would head right back i have seen better bats for £100
Yes performace may be good in facr brilliant but i would want everything for 350 pound
Very true. 100% agree with that one. Are the Laver(s?) that you have aesthetically pleasing. I'd bet they are mate, having seen James' work! :)
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Not going off topic ask Peplow he borrowed it..sold the other 2
I would cry after bing on here for a few years i expect the best in terms of my bats no matter the price...
If that turned up i would not entertain it but i would not buy a bat if i did not know what it looked like first rightly or wrongly
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Yeah true, I will ask Sam. Still, I guess it's unfair just to comment on this one..perhaps the next Amplus we see is a 15 grain stonker, all straight and so on...? :|
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Everyone seems to be moaning about the look M&H bats, but when have they ever looked overly nice? Same with Screaming cat, but nobody ever seems to moan about them... Looks will not determine how good a bat plays, other factors such as pressing etc are more important. Grains look fine to me, and only time will tell with a bat as to whether it worth the price tag through performance... They seem to have positive reviews on here with their bats so are obviously doing something right.
Possibly the counterbalance and "pro handle" statement in their decription is to just warrant the £50 extra price tag than the description. I expect they will sell quite a few, seeing as its a lot to pay for a bat, and people will regard this as meaning the bat will play better too.
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GJ, moaning about the looks because we wouldn't expect that from a £350 bat, are you saying that you would...I appreciate that performance is valuable, but when you pay that much you'd be wanting something that looks nice too! Surely...?
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Question to everyone here:
If you ordered an Amplus, Paid £350 and this turned up on your door today, would you be pleased?
I'D suicide with this £350, pleasing thing would be that I died with £350.
Johan, very good point raised mate really have no answer to it.
Dave, I agree on that fact. If I'm paying that value I want a perfect bat not close to perfect but a perfect stick
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But the question remains
When has the price of a bat ever dictated it quality?????
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GJ, if pressing is a really big deal then we can get Newbery bats which will be a lot cheaper and look nice and would be like this as both M&H and Newbery are pressed at same place
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Not going off topic ask Peplow he borrowed it..sold the other 2
I would cry after bing on here for a few years i expect the best in terms of my bats no matter the price...
If that turned up i would not entertain it but i would not buy a bat if i did not know what it looked like first rightly or wrongly
that laver is unbelievable, i need a copy of it! seriously do!!! That and the goose i had were the best two performing bats i've touched, but the laver had it all, looks, curves, the lot. B-E-A-UTIFUL! Look at me talking about bats as if it was a lady!!
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Yeah true, I will ask Sam. Still, I guess it's unfair just to comment on this one..perhaps the next Amplus we see is a 15 grain stonker, all straight and so on...? :|
'First impression last forever'
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Bloody hell lads good job i didnt buy it and was all a mistake, i'd be on the edge of suicide!
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Bloody hell lads good job i didnt buy it and was all a mistake, i'd be on the edge of suicide!
take it with you if you want to get a copy as long as i get it back i have two new toys to play with
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oh so tempting, oh so tempting! Will let you know mate :) thanks
Course you'd get it back, i'd even try wangle a treat for you haha!!
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I'm might get one.
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I'm might get one.
Yes mate! love it!
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Jon, where can I see pictures of your GT?
There are some on the forum from Mike, I will have a look.
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Jon mate, I gave him the link earlier on Page 1... :)
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Bloody hell lads good job i didnt buy it and was all a mistake, i'd be on the edge of suicide!
Plenty of time for that when your distinction turns up :D
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Shape of the Amplus seems very similar to laver special profile. I thought that middle was way too high when I had it!
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I think this bat looks awesome, the swell looks absolutely huge and I can imagine it feeling good in the hands.....
I don't know why it's being criticised so much :s
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I think this bat looks awesome, the swell looks absolutely huge and I can imagine it feeling good in the hands.....
I don't know why it's being criticised so much :s
Would you pay £350 for it?
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I don't know why it's being criticised so much :s
i'm critisising the price tag as opposed to the bat. I bet it plays just as well as alll the other M&H bats out there but is it worth the £100 more?
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I can get them on the cheap. Wouldnt pay full price
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I can get them on the cheap. Wouldnt pay full price
Whats cheap?
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For that i would not pay on looks alone more than £120 pound.........
I know it only looks but looks grade 3 to me
And lets be fair most of us on here buy bats on looks and hear say.....I do
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Probably not, but if I was paying that money I'd probably want to feel it in my hands first, and I don't know how this picks up... However I know from first hand experience m&h do produce a bloody good bat!!
Having used my Talisman for the first time against leather tonight I'm pretty sure i'l never pay more than £200 for a bat again... Trust me it flies
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Absolutely love the grip set up!!! Where was this ment to go??
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Cant say. But a good few quid off.
Been thinking . . . is this bat just a gimmick. I mean profile and size all this talk of oversized etc. Is it all (No Swearing Please) or is there something to it.
What's wrong with a good old classical shape. Why are they so out of fashion.
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Canners i agree there 100 per cent that is my limit hence no new Lavers...
That bat is not worth 2 of any other off this forum not a shout
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I like M&H's ethos, style and reputation but this bat looks disappointing for £300+. For that money customers should have both high quality cosmetics and performance. For a start, is that really Grade 1 willow as stated in M&H's description of the product?
In my experience of viewing and purchasing some bats last year, buyers would simply not receive this with a top of the range Salix or Kookaburra , to quote both a traditional UK based manufacturer and a large brand with overseas supply into the UK. No doubt there are others too that can equally be relied on for £300+ internet purchasing.
Finally, thank you for the photos. Was the Amplus destined for someone else hence why there was not an opportunity to keep it given the fairly small priced difference to a Distinction (if you wanted to?). Someone on here is waiting for it?
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Having now seen a few maybe 3/4 top of the range M&H bats
My own Distinction
Ian Buchanans, Yash's, and now this Amplus.
It is becoming evident that M&H may use oversized clefts for the Distinction and Amplus bat, they charge top dollar for these, but is it Grade 1 willow. as defined by wrights, greens etc
do wrights sell oversized clefts in grade 1. is it pot luck. i think in all honesty it is quite easy for a batmaker to say that theres a blemish on this cleft or the grains arent quite straight, but we grade on performance.
they way i see it . . .it can be a way of increasing profits.
buy the lower grade / cheaper stuff and sell at top prices.
anyone got a distinction or amplus with nicer grains.
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Hato agree with most sentiments on here. I'd be very unlikely to part with more than £200 for a bat. I've not yet done it, and given the quality of the H4L, the M&H and others that I've got my dirty little mits on, it would have to be something incredibly special (note, this could mean, for example, Ali Cook's Oblivion with which he scored his 766 runs in Autralia) to get me to part with the cash....
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Lots of companies use 'oversized' clefts - so much so that oversized is becoming the norm for some!
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I had a quick hit with one of these last week, was similar to this but with a slightly lower middle and was much prettier, if the guy has it along this weekend I'll try and snap some pictures. The same guy also had a Harlaquin, an Original and a L and W Signature which were a similar weight but tiny in comparison with the Amplus.
He'd also picked up one of the L and W 20 20 bats which was a fair sized lump of wood.
Awesome bat but not worth the price compared to other bats that have been bought through connections from here.
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Just been looking at the Wisden equipment guide. The Amplus scored highly but it looks like 4th grade willow. Anyone else seen the pics. How can you charge £380 for something that looks like that?? Beyond me. Anyone see any good looking ones?? The ones ive seen about 4/5 now all look low grade willow
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Was this the bat used in the wisden test?
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I guess so
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Thought so...
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I think M&H have been lucky to get away with so much, with regards to their willow grading. Very few real g1 bats, a few g2 and a lot of g3. It's a shame, i think they would be selling a lot more if their willow was more cosmetically appealing. But then again, the best is likely never to be seen by the likes of you and me.
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If u paid 380 for a bat it should look the part too.
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willow has gone up but there is no bat worth £380 that is crazy money these days.
anyone who gets the Wisden magazine they now have a county cricketer(who is nameless) reviewing the bats in the good gear guide.it's well worth a read as his opinions on bats we use as opposed to the pro's are very interesting.He basically says smaller hand made companies very very close to pro standard quality.i.e. the GN oblivion or legend at 350 quid plus no better than,for example, SAF,warsop,H4L etc etc
and I dont have any dealings with small batmakers and dont get a discount before anyone posts something!!!
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for £380 you can buy...
Three solitaires and two of most of the forum sponsors bats.
I would really struggle to justify paying that much on one bat..
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This is the same pro that says that using a new bat against a bowling machine is a good way of knocking it in ................. ???
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But laver seem to sell them at near that price but even they are a little cheaper
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i think with the nocking in he was talking about facing a machine with composite balls because he explains how to remove the green ball marks afterwards
that's how i read it anyway.
the bat he picked out as the best in a category was made by Choice who are a small outfit in herts,which i thought was a pleasant surprise
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I'd say bowling machine works fine for me once the bat has had some pre knocking, maybe 5 minutes by hand, of course that is with the benefit of superb pressing, not all are as lucky.
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Not sure why people have been complaining recently about the looks on M&H bats, they have never been the most pleasing to look at and have never really seen a 21 grainer. But going by the reviews they receive in magazines and on here, they're obviously doing something right.
Looks are not everything in a bat and performance should be the be all and end all. They have always charged a fairly high price for their products as well and price is determined by the customer, so again there is obviously the demand for it. Interesting that wisden picked up on the 'pro handle'. With it being nothing more than their standard handle with a counterbalance at the top and half a grip at the bottom.
Has anyone actually used one yet, seem to remember yash mentioning he was getting one?
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i had a M&H Harlequin that had a stunning face 15+ grains and snapped the first time it was used, the other one ive got has 7 grains and is an absolute belter
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Dont get me wrong, im not complaining about performance. my one is excellent. what im saying is that for 380 quid, u would expect some sort of looks too. i havent seen one that looks grade one willow in terms of looks. are they just increasing their profit margins by using grade 2/3. its the pressing more than the grains / straightness of them etc that affects performance.
would u be happy in receiving that if u spent 380.
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Thats the problem though, one companies grading will be different to that of another. M&H's grading is probably vastly different to that of GM or Gray Nicolls. Some will grade on looks and some on performance. As shown by millichamp and SC. So grade 1 in terms of what?
I would never spend that much on a bat anyway so cannot really answer that question! Might be at talent cricket later this week so will have a look if they have any in and report back on the quality.
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I don't know about the Amplus, but my M&H S6 is here: http://custombats.co.uk/cbforum/index.php?topic=7409.msg155535#msg155535 (http://custombats.co.uk/cbforum/index.php?topic=7409.msg155535#msg155535)
It looks reasonable for a G1 - the face doesn't have any blemishes, and it goes like stink, which is the most important thing.