Topic: There is no such thing as grading a bat on "performance"... (Read 10784 times)

tim2000s · « **on:** April 12, 2013, 08:04:57 AM »

There was a question in the batmaker's shed to Ryan as to how he graded his bats. His response was that there he does it on looks as each individual piece of willow is pressed differently.

I put it to the forum that there is no such thing as performance grading. That grading should simply be about looks, and that with careful pressing by the batmaker there will be no real difference in performance. Where something is described as "Performance Grade 1" it is simply an ugly piece of willow that the batmaker wishes to charge more for, and that anyone finding a make with "performance grading" should simply haggle the price of an ugly bat down.

Grading is simply about being able to charge more for beauty...

uknsaunders · « **Reply #1 on:** April 12, 2013, 08:09:42 AM »

Brimble used the performance grading line a few times....

Buzz · « **Reply #2 on:** April 12, 2013, 08:18:16 AM »

Quote from: uknsaunders on April 12, 2013, 08:09:42 AM

Brimble used the performance grading line a few times....

Leave the Evil Dark Lord out of this - I think he is a little bit of a one off, for better or worse - not that I am agreeing with with what he said/did, just that he isn't a great example.

Going back to the original point from Tim.

I totally agree and I think you have made the point very succinctly!

mad_abt_cricket · « **Reply #3 on:** April 12, 2013, 08:31:41 AM »

Agree mostly with the exception of the clefts which are light ( of course not over dried).
I would personally grade them above a nice looking cleft providing both the clefts have the same response.

tim2000s · « **Reply #4 on:** April 12, 2013, 08:39:50 AM »

Quote from: mad_abt_cricket on April 12, 2013, 08:31:41 AM

Agree mostly with the exception of the clefts which are light ( of course not over dried).
I would personally grade them above a nice looking cleft providing both the clefts have the same response.

So, if I have a really ugly but low density cleft, can I pass it off as grade 1? All that low density means is that you get a bigger bat for the same weight. It doesn't make it any more beautiful. It also doesn't make it perform any better. The pressing is what is important for that.

Vulcan Cricket · « **Reply #5 on:** April 12, 2013, 08:43:16 AM »

Quote from: tim2000s on April 12, 2013, 08:39:50 AM

So, if I have a really ugly but low density cleft, can I pass it off as grade 1? All that low density means is that you get a bigger bat for the same weight. It doesn't make it any more beautiful. It also doesn't make it perform any better. The pressing is what is important for that.

lol no sorry time all timber is graded on looks I love butterfly willow it works very well but its not grade 1

smokem · « **Reply #6 on:** April 12, 2013, 08:45:14 AM »

I know SCAT's are graded on performance. But is that because his clefts are already pressed and has less control over the pressing on each cleft? I know this very topic was hotly debated when Jason raised it...

In theory, careful pressing should yield good performing bats each time. But pressing is not something that can be undone. With willow being an organic material, you really don't know how it will perform until you have actually pressed it.

There's a theory going around about straight/perpendicular toe grains being the sign of a good performing bat. I don't know if this is true or not but surely this affects how a cleft responds to being pressed - ie a cleft with diagonal toe grains would press differently to a cleft with perpendicular toe grains?

mad_abt_cricket · « **Reply #7 on:** April 12, 2013, 08:52:20 AM »

Quote from: tim2000s on April 12, 2013, 08:39:50 AM

So, if I have a really ugly but low density cleft, can I pass it off as grade 1? All that low density means is that you get a bigger bat for the same weight. It doesn't make it any more beautiful. It also doesn't make it perform any better. The pressing is what is important for that.

I did mention that the "provided both bats have same performance"
I will rate the lighter cleft higher than a grade 1 cleft. This is my personal opinion.

Buzz · « **Reply #8 on:** April 12, 2013, 08:53:51 AM »

Quote from: Vulcan Cricket on April 12, 2013, 08:43:16 AM

I love butterfly willow it works very well

me too and bats with graping... I always think that these make the best value bats

procricket · « **Reply #9 on:** April 12, 2013, 08:54:15 AM »

Quote from: tim2000s on April 12, 2013, 08:04:57 AM

There was a question in the batmaker's shed to Ryan as to how he graded his bats. His response was that there he does it on looks as each individual piece of willow is pressed differently.

I put it to the forum that there is no such thing as performance grading. That grading should simply be about looks, and that with careful pressing by the batmaker there will be no real difference in performance. Where something is described as "Performance Grade 1" it is simply an ugly piece of willow that the batmaker wishes to charge more for, and that anyone finding a make with "performance grading" should simply haggle the price of an ugly bat down.

Grading is simply about being able to charge more for beauty...

Nothing to add on that pure marketing abit like hand picked to a degree as well load of tosh.

It us who hand pick the bats when we buy them and still even then were taking a gamble

Some right marketing tools being used what next we on the forum have better bats than a non forum member I bet some of you look at your mates bats and think yours are superior

Great post and great honesty

Butterfly stain around the toe

procricket · « **Reply #10 on:** April 12, 2013, 08:57:43 AM »

Grading is simple about straight lines and the equal spacing plain and simple.

If it performance what wrong with the other bats they sell are non performance

If they can do it with a ugly bat why not a belter

Ryan · « **Reply #11 on:** April 12, 2013, 08:58:43 AM »

Quote from: Buzz on April 12, 2013, 08:53:51 AM

me too and bats with graping... I always think that these make the best value bats

i love bats with graping, they always seem to go better due to the stiffer willow around the graping.

PedalsMcgrew · « **Reply #12 on:** April 12, 2013, 09:02:31 AM »

Anyway, since when did the industry invent a foolproof method for judging future performance of new bats? As far as I know they haven't, so it's another reason (to add to Tim's) why grading on performance is nothing more than a method to sell ugly bats for more money.

Ryan · « **Reply #13 on:** April 12, 2013, 09:04:23 AM »

Smaller brands are able to press bats individually, when i say individually i mean to their optimum, not using the same pressure for each blade.

I'd dare to say that no one on this forum would pay �200+ for a well pressed grade 2/3 bat. However, you would for a lovely straight grained blade with the same performance.

Vulcan Cricket · « **Reply #14 on:** April 12, 2013, 09:07:24 AM »

Quote from: Buzz on April 12, 2013, 08:53:51 AM

me too and bats with graping... I always think that these make the best value bats

I love mine I have two I not one of these to worry about 100 grains 200 mm edges spine height of 350mm lol I just want bat that feels good in my hands oval ish handle picks up nice so I try and bat all day and about 2lb 10 oz ish one grip. But all in all the more grains you have the more chance you have of it being a good bat not saying every one will be as the pressing has to be good and done wright all are bats get same treatment weather a grade 1 or grade 3 and I have sold match range of bats that have played just as well as test grade bats just depends on how each person feels as batting is a mentel thing if you don't feel right you 90 percent of the time fail.

Author Topic: There is no such thing as grading a bat on "performance"... (Read 10784 times)

tim2000s

There is no such thing as grading a bat on "performance"...

uknsaunders

Re: There is no such thing as grading a bat on "performance"...

Buzz

Re: There is no such thing as grading a bat on "performance"...

mad_abt_cricket

Re: There is no such thing as grading a bat on "performance"...

tim2000s

Re: There is no such thing as grading a bat on "performance"...

Vulcan Cricket

Re: There is no such thing as grading a bat on "performance"...

smokem

Re: There is no such thing as grading a bat on "performance"...

mad_abt_cricket

Re: There is no such thing as grading a bat on "performance"...

Buzz

Re: There is no such thing as grading a bat on "performance"...

procricket

Re: There is no such thing as grading a bat on "performance"...

procricket

Re: There is no such thing as grading a bat on "performance"...

Ryan

Re: There is no such thing as grading a bat on "performance"...

PedalsMcgrew

Re: There is no such thing as grading a bat on "performance"...

Ryan

Re: There is no such thing as grading a bat on "performance"...

Vulcan Cricket

Re: There is no such thing as grading a bat on "performance"...