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[npin]

They are on sale..

USA, Malaysia and Singapore price: US$269
NZ Price: NZ$299
Australia Price: A$315

What do you guys think about the butterfly willow? How long do they take to open up?

[Gurujames]

Big fan
Depends on how well they are pressed.
I have an oustanding performing bat which is a butterfly. For me grade has no impact on its performance. I imagine they will be excellent bats.

[stevat]

For me grade has no impact on its performance.

Completely agree with this, the way the wood looks is completely irrelevant to the way it plays, all down to the pressing and the craftsmanship that's gone into it.  Some of the best performing bats I've had have not looked especially pretty, but played brilliantly as the pick up suited me, and the performance was good.  As GJ says, anything pressed by Laver is likely to play well.

[JK Lewis]

Butterfly willow is excellent to play with, and long lasting. High shot value in my experience, especially when a butterfly bar is positioned right across the middle of the bat.

As far as I can see, everyone who uses it, rates it. L&W and Paul Aldred in particular are keen to promote it and JS Wrights are always pitching it as equal to any other cleft they produce. However, willow suppliers and batmakers always price butterfly clefts and bats down, selling it 40-50% below their G1 and Players grade timber. This creates an understandable contradiction in the minds of people who haven't used butterfly, and tend to equate lower price with lower quality. Sooner or later I guess they will have to try pricing up, and see if the wider market follows.