What I find amazing is that mass produced bats command a higher price than hand made bats from smaller bat makers. This is a reverse of what you'd usually expect in my opinion, custom furniture is more expensive than Ikea's furniture and rightfully so.
The small hand makers have to try and persuade people to try them instead of mass produced and part of the way in which you persuade someone is with price. True hand makers with the incredible skill that is making a good cricket bat should command a decent price. To me it's logical that a small brand making roughly 200-300 bats will be able to focus on their product greater than larger manufacturers that make 1000's and as a result quality will be more consistent. Yes they are aiming at different markets but they're all vying for the same customers, cricketers.
Some of these words make it sound like it's easy to make cricket bats and I know you don't mean to but it's this perception that annoys me. I've struggled for 15 years teaching myself to make bats, it's difficult to balance and fine tune a cricket bat, to work with the willow and make something beautiful and functional. I love bat making. I made £1 an hour last year making bats for people, I lost money. I see fly by nights pop up and think they can custom make and they're propagating the financial disparity that exists between hand made and mass made by cheapening Pod Shaving. Most people on here appreciate that there are small bat makers but I think we're ignoring the luxury these talented individuals are affording people by charging £240 for their work.
Sorry to anyone offended, I don't mean to but I'm passionate about Pod Shaving and I hope people who take it up want to learn the craft and not make loads of money.
I'll get down from the soapbox now.
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Topic: Visit To IJC (Read 8410 times)