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[FvanN]

Got to be honest mate it looks a stonker happy your like the finish it was one of if not the first with the new finish we have improved.

Nice bit of wood and them stickers i need to get some.

Will be more 370 that one Frank mate.

Did i say 380ish    what I ment was 370ish 

[awp]

Thats a propper cricket bat.  What an awsome bit of wood too.  Finish looks outstanding.  Well done to b3..

[AndrewS]

Just knocking it in, couple of observations - whilst I agree with others that it's hard, I am seeing the face change on striking and I managed to round the edges a bit more with the handle of the mallet so it needs a bit.

Perhaps the most surprising is the response nearing the toe, I expected it to be pretty dead but it actually comes off the hammer nicely. The response off the edges also makes me smile. Having to focus a bit on the area directly under the 'bespoke' sticker but apart from that, feels good throughout.

Got a couple of 1 hour machine sessions booked before the start of the season to finish playing it in but really looking forward to using it.

[AndrewS]

First machine net last night - wanted to get a couple of sessions in before the season to play it in.

Prepped - knocked, scuffed and taped. Grains had started to open on inside edge.



One hour later.





Looks like the shape suits my hitting style based on the contact marks which is a bonus.

First observations - it has a metallic/sharp sound on contact and it's very forgiving for off centre shots which my Tempo isn't (different shape of bat though). The balance was great too, felt like I could whip anything on to my legs away without any worries. With my Tempo, I can feel and hear if I have timed and hit the shot sweetly whereas with this, it's all in the feel as it sounds pretty similar all the way across the face due to the coverage.

Had a couple of mistimed shots that went straight up the handle and stung but I like thin handles so I'll just have to deal with that. It's also not as oval as I'd like due to the fact it's relatively thin towards the shoulders but with the good coverage, I've not had the bat try to spin in my hands much yet.

Overall, very happy.

[sarg]

How's it performing now? I assume you're on to leather balls now. I have a DB2 2 stripe that I'm still knocking in until i can get a hit. My initial impressions are that the pressing is harder than I've seen this year and I've knocked in about 15 bats for team mates and myself. Got the edges rounded and indentations all over the face. Responding well until about 1 1/2 inches below the series sticker, where is just indents but there is no rebound. Edge areas are very hard and bouncing the ball or mallet still result in dull thuds and the ball deflecting sideways rather than bounce.

At this point the middle feels narrower than other bats. There is a distinctive sound that accompanies the rebound that is hard to describe its like the face has a almost slight delaminated ting ness or aluminium foil crinkle but its not delaminated at all.

Really needs to face bowling now and feel some greater impacts so the handle can loosen up. It's going to be a weapon.

[AndrewS]

Not had a net since using it due to work but I think I'm going to do one more machine net before facing leather.

It is very hard but I found it responsive straight away - had to concentrate a lot around the 'bespoke' sticker though, especially towards the edge around the K and E. The edges on mine are quite responsive, feels wide, only narrows towards the sticker. Handle was very stiff though, had a nice bit of swelling towards the bottom of my thumb the day after the net.

I'll probably take it in to the outdoor nets next week but based on the bowling machine I'm fairly positive!

[procricket]

Ask @RF about his it is pressed stiffly but please ask him

[RF]

My bat is the best bat I've owned without a doubt.  I think it's down to how well / how much it's been pressed.

It's quite light 2lb 8oz, fairly standard profile, not low density or anything like that but the response is great, it's hard to describe how it feels when you have middled it, it just feels stiff but with no detriment to performance, the opposite actually.  You know when you hit the middle but it doesn't feel soft like all the other bats I've used.  I don't have a big back swing or fast hands, last night I was just leaning on it really and it was flying.  The grains are nice and it looks good but I think a one stripe around 2lb 10oz (like my other bats) in a full profile would be excellent also. 

I think most people (me included until about a month ago) tap a bat up, hear that it sounds nice and feels sweet in the middle because it's a bit soft and then think it's a great bat,  the new bat has changed my perspective totally, I'd recommend if you're buying a new bat try something different.

I've hardly knocked it in and used it quite a lot in the nets in the last few weeks (20 / 30 overs a week) and if I took the scuff sheet off it would look brand new.  I'm going to limit my use with it now and will probably just save for Saturday cricket because I've got 3 other match bats that are all great but not as good as this one.


 
 

[sarg]

Hmmm, they do sound different. I think  @AndrewS is correct the middle on mine narrows towards the handle, rather than being narrow. Can't wait to have a hit with it soon. Mine is now 2.95 with a Gm shock absorba grip, extratec and edge tape.

[AndrewS]

Took it outside for the first outdoor net earlier in the week, feels really good already - hit a few up and over that flew. Handle vibration has also gone down dramatically. Edges are very forgiving too, you know you've not hit them well but it still goes fairly well.

Managed to get a first injury - full toss that I caught about an inch from the outside edge around the stripes has caused an edge crack. Bit miffed as I concentrate around the stickers/shoulders when knocking in and I've also had 2 hours of bowling machine balls. Took it home, gave it a sand and a bit of glue - extended the edge tape up to cover it and wrapped some around horizontally too until I'm happy it's fully compressed.

Been giving it a few knocks to even out the damage/further compress and noticed that the previously dead parts (ie, the bespoke sticker) now has that metallic/tinny sound and the mallet is responding a lot better all round.

Great bat so far.

[moonball]

AndrewS, GN duffle, H4L Tempo and a blank butterfly... who do you play for? There is a guy at my club meeting those exact credentials.