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[Alvaro]

Good to hear. I've seen this sort of damage before, but usually on a used bat. Very occasionally i've seen it caused on a new bat, but usually through using the bat against extremely hard and cheap balls. As you've just tapped it a few times with a mallet, it seems like you've had a bit of bad luck. I'm sure the retailer and GM will sort something out for you.

I had this issue on a new bat when knocking it in. Similarly, it had red wood and almost disintegrated. I must say that the maker offered a replacement with out an issue.

[Cfjames137]

Had a similar crack on a maxi 909 recently. Sand,oil and crack all but gone.

[HellomynameisJ]

Just thought I'd update on the bat.
After the retailer asked for pictures of the bat which I readily sent, a few days and no word later they sent a full refund out of nowhere which I'm extremely grateful for. The kicker here is that I get to keep the bat. I'm assuming that GM would get these clefts dirt cheap, bleach them and prepare them as usual, if something goes wrong then there isn't much skin off their knuckles so to speak, which then makes sense to just write the bat off without inspection or exchange. I could be very wrong though.

GM make fantastic bats, I'm almost ready to buy a higher grade Willow model of the Mana as the shape and feel has truly won me over.

Anywho, I removed the scuff sheet, went nuts with the sander, super glued over the cracks and then as suggested applied a generous coat of oil, here are the results afrer the first oiling. Fingers Crossed!

[well past my peak]

win win

[Seniorplayer]

In my experience there's  no real problem with those type of cracks the willow is just brittle

[Buzz]

Agreed, I would put another coat of oil on it, leave it for a day or two then put some tape over the cracked bits and enjoy it.
I suspect it will go well.

[HellomynameisJ]

Agreed, I would put another coat of oil on it, leave it for a day or two then put some tape over the cracked bits and enjoy it.
I suspect it will go well.

Next coat will go on tomorrow, it pings like crazy so I'm hopeful your suspicions will be correct.

[Drupy01]

Looking good mate! Seems to have worked out well. Still can't believe it's a 404!

[tom line]

Looking good mate! Seems to have worked out well. Still can't believe it's a 404!

From what I've seen GM don't like heartwood so any bats with heartwood tend to get marked down a definite few grades more than they could be graded at as for example this to me could be an 808 or higher

[HellomynameisJ]

Looking good mate! Seems to have worked out well. Still can't believe it's a 404!

I couldn't believe my luck when I opened the box and saw this, it frustrates me that they bleach these bats, had I seen this in store it would be the first bat I tap up, and for $100 aud I would have been over the moon.

From what I've seen GM don't like heartwood so any bats with heartwood tend to get marked down a definite few grades more than they could be graded at as for example this to me could be an 808 or higher

I can see why they would want to avoid it with the CNC and pressing process, any wood that wouldn't react normally to the process would be an issue