Custom or Off the Shelf
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Author Topic: Custom or Off the Shelf  (Read 2357 times)

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Marc28

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Custom or Off the Shelf
« on: December 10, 2012, 02:19:52 PM »
To kind of carry on from a previous post,
I was wondering what people think, as at the moment i've been offered some stunning bats from the smaller custom companies and they do look immense like the Shark Great White 5 star looks a belter or the H4L Hellfire another beauty of a bat, but do they feel any different then say a Gray Nic's E41 or a Kook Menace,

My dilemma is there are so many good brilliant bats out there how on earth can you make up your mind without wanting to buy them all ???
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Nickauger

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Re: Custom or Off the Shelf
« Reply #1 on: December 10, 2012, 02:21:14 PM »
You don't make your mind up, and you do buy them all! I would suggest a forum search wqould be the best bet, as its a question that has been asked million's of times lol.
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Manormanic

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Re: Custom or Off the Shelf
« Reply #2 on: December 10, 2012, 02:30:49 PM »
just don't do a Shaq on us!
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Nickauger

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Re: Custom or Off the Shelf
« Reply #3 on: December 10, 2012, 02:31:50 PM »
Lol thats not going to be overly helpful to him is it?
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Buzz

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Re: Custom or Off the Shelf
« Reply #4 on: December 10, 2012, 02:37:05 PM »
SERIOUSLY, just choose the shape of bat you like, then the stickers you like the most and go to that firm.

pay your £200, take lots of arty pictures and let us all drool at your new timber.

welcome to the forum, this is the place where one day you have your favourite bat and two weeks later you have zero money, 6 bats and they are all your new favourite.
« Last Edit: December 10, 2012, 02:39:00 PM by Buzz »
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trypewriter

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Re: Custom or Off the Shelf
« Reply #5 on: December 10, 2012, 03:08:57 PM »
Quote from: Buzz on December 10, 2012, 02:37:05 PM

welcome to the forum, this is the place where one day you have your favourite bat and two weeks later you have zero money, 6 bats and they are all your new favourite.

Agreed!
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charlie15

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Re: Custom or Off the Shelf
« Reply #6 on: December 10, 2012, 04:28:18 PM »
Honestly I've been o. Here for just under a year and all my kit has come from the forum sponsors, whether that be guys like IJC, custom companies or forum members.

I'd hazard a guess that I've probably spent about £800 by now!
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RoCo Da Pixie

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Re: Custom or Off the Shelf
« Reply #7 on: December 10, 2012, 04:37:15 PM »
I went with a Redback in September 2009 as it was a company getting very good reviews, Once it turned up I was in love with the bat, It is still going strong to this day, I do give it a good refurb every year to keep it going strong. Since that purchase I now allow other bat makers to copy the profile when I fancy a new bat which I got Chase to do it and it is another good bat which seems to be going well already in winter nets.

If I was you, Have a look around and read of what reviews are about and go with that, if you purchase an off the shelf company bat you do get a good bat but going direct to the makers on here you will get a bat that is custom to you if you choose to speak to them and get it tweaked.
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Manormanic

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Re: Custom or Off the Shelf
« Reply #8 on: December 10, 2012, 05:58:38 PM »
above all, amke sure you get the weight and middle position that suits your game, both physically or mentally.  So many people seem obsessed with 2lb 7 bats with 40 mm edges and a high middle when they are built like a shed and play on puddings...

...the bat is only as good as the batsman and their game/conditions allow it to be!
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SOULMAN1012

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Re: Custom or Off the Shelf
« Reply #9 on: December 10, 2012, 08:39:55 PM »
Personally mate I have always used custom companies as I find the service to be so much better. They will take the time to listen to you as. They also have less clefts ready made bats so they know exactly what they have in stock to match to your needs. When you speak to off shelf companies you normally speak to a random call operator who takes your order and some one just sticks the first bat at your required weight in a box.

I have recently bought a couple of gray nics off the shelf just because they looked nice bats but they did come from forum sponsors who had taken the time to visit the off the shelf companies so that way you do get a best of both. This is just mu opinion mate.
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Dan W

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Re: Custom or Off the Shelf
« Reply #10 on: December 10, 2012, 09:47:45 PM »
First of all, I think people are getting confused with terms. A bat off a 'custom' company is not necessarily (and indeed rarely IMO) a custom bat 'for you'.

Granted the smaller boys will have more time to dedicate to matching you with their most suitable bat - which in itself is a bonus - though I think they idyll that all the sellers on here will go the whole hog and listen to your "I want the toe 26.5mm at the edge increasing to 28mm in the middle" is a bit misleading. You will no doubt get a great bat though!

Personally, (today!) I'd value having the opportunity and choice of seeing a range of bats and selecting the one that suits me (and looks!) the best. There's a lot of value in having a wider selection of bats to choose from. I've never met a custom maker that didn't have 'the perfect bat for me' (even if it was nowhere near my stated requirements!) and so it's valid to be cynical about the sales talk

I think by virtue of the number of newish 'custom' bats that come up for sale on here it's not a sure fire way to success.

I guess the unhelpful answer is to throw time at your task. Use the search on here, and try and visit a number of batmakers and shops. Season doesn't start for a while!
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tim2000s

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Re: Custom or Off the Shelf
« Reply #11 on: December 11, 2012, 07:30:42 AM »
Dan, i think it needs to be clearer than that. A custom or bespoke service is one where a bat is made to your specification. This will generally be a more expensive service. A manufacturer of any size may provide it.

Speaking generally, a smaller company is likely to offer better customer service. That is always a good thing. A smaller company is not necessarily a custom company as they may only provide standard shapes.

There are also shades of grey, where a manufacturer may make "fab bat" and will adjust the shape of the standard product to meet your  requirements. In my book this is still a custom bat.

The question of whether to choose a custom or an off the shelf should come down to a couple of factors. Do you understand enough about what you require in terms of weight, balance, middle position to request a custom or would you be better served visiting a cricket retailer to physically pick up a bunch of bats and decide that way? You may still get a smaller company's bat, but at least you'll know it suits you.
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