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[Chalkie]

As I now have more new bats than my skill warrants I need to find another way to satisfy my buying urge and starting a vintage collection looks like a really interesting option.

Can anyone give me an idiots guide on what to look out for and the mistakes to avoid when buying vintage (which I assume is anything more than 20 years old?)

I guess the questions it would be great to get people's thoughts on are:

🔹 which brands and models should be the basis of any collection and which are most coveted?
🔹 how important is the condition of the stickers, grip and willow?
🔹 are smaller sizes less popular than SH, and should they be avoided?
🔹 is one era more collectable than others - lots of people on here seem to have 1980s era, but less seem to go for the earlier ones before stickers were widely used, is that due to availability, value or personal preference?
🔹 I assume vintage bats shouldn't be refurbished but should they be left in the purchased state or just lightly cleaned up/repaired?
🔹 finally what is everyone's thoughts about signed bats, either by the whole team or just an individual player?

Welcome any advice on this, thanks.

[tushar sehgal]

this has be a topics for @tim2000s

[Gurujames]

My resonate views:
1. I only collect what I have used. All my bats have had to have been used by me in a game. My favourite vintage brands are; Stuart surridge, DF, Symonds, slazenger.
2. For me the stickers are very important. The original grip is not important as it will have perished in any case. The bat must be in playable condition so minor surface cracks are not a big issue. I play an innings with all my bats each year so they must be in playable condition. If they don't get an innings they get moved on.
3. SH size are vital to me as they need to be used.
4. 80's era is what I like as these were what I coveted when I was a lad. It is also when the stickers started to get interesting.
5 there is no issue about refurbishing old bats. They will always have a darker hue about them. However, sand around the stickers well so you don't have a darker shadow around them.
6. Personally not interested in signed bats.
Good luck and enjoy. You can often find some nice ones in charity shops and car boots. Please bat with them, it is what they were made to do.

[tim2000s]

The key for me is that I've bats from an era where bats got interesting. During the eighties and nineties batmakers were able to do new and interesting things. You saw scooping, laminating and other things going on and these were interesting times. They were also the times I grew up in and why I have bought bats from this era. They were the iconic shapes used by iconic players when batmakers were working out whether you could be different.

That's why my collection looks like it does. I've a few more to add, but not many. When I have them I'll be happy but they're proving elusive and getting more expensive.

Vintage bats should be bats that you fondly remember for whatever reason, and regardless of era and age, I also like to use mine, just to prove its the batsman and not the bat!

[Nmcgee]

Vintage bats should be bats that you fondly remember for whatever reason, and regardless of era and age, I also like to use mine, just to prove its the batsman and not the bat!

Spot on mate. I've only collected classic bats that my cricketing heroes of the 80s used. I also have an affinity for Slazenger bats, as they were my first bats as a kid. I'm starting to get really interested in classic Hunts bats now due to the cool, interesting shapes and the fact that you seldom ever see them in Aus. I also only buy classic bats that can still be used.

For me, must be in playable condition and the stickers must be complete and original too.

[ManHOOS]

I have hunts county bat 2.7 light pick up beautiful tight grains, its from 90 era or 80 era not sure,  it has a full profile 0 concaving and small edges, i changed the grip myself as it was torn from sides, bat is in excellent conditiion, very strange that nobody has used it,  it is hunts county coerulex 4 stars, anyone interested ?

[Nmcgee]

If you've made 150 posts, you have access to the for sale section. Put your bat in there with some pics and I'm sure a bunch of us would be keen to have a look.

[ManHOOS]

@Nmcgee thanks, its done, i tried my best to took best view for pics 

[Chalkie]

Thanks for the advice guys.

I there anyone on here who collects the older ones from 1960s etc before stickers were used?

[well past my peak]

I think I would be trying get my hands on those bats which were in their time a little different cutting edge.
scoops, shoulders less, carbon fiber back bats etc

I wonder what bat today would be seen in 20 years as that one which was special

[tim2000s]

I think I would be trying get my hands on those bats which were in their time a little different cutting edge.
scoops, shoulders less, carbon fiber back bats etc

I wonder what bat today would be seen in 20 years as that one which was special

Which has been exactly my approach!

[Tom]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gray-Nicolls-Excalibur-cricket-bat-/252355328950?hash=item3ac18cbbb6:g:XocAAOSwP~tW3Hmr