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[awp]

Another excellent video Paul.

[alee]

I really enjoyed your videos!

[13th Man]

Hi Paul
Thanks for all the time you put in educating us, I am confident this will transpire in increased brand awareness and sales.
Cheers
Mark

[Number4]

This thread is pure gold. I am fast becoming a big fan of Aldred bats and Paul and his honesty. I can safely say my next bat will be an Aldred. Maybe even 2, a players grade and a Butterfly. Don't know why but I am starting to love the look of the butterfly stained bats.
 
Great work for bringing them back in vogue Paul. I bet we will see a few popping up on the forum soon

[Aldred Cricket Bats]

Thank you for the kind words everyone. I'm only trying to pass on the passion and enthusiasm I have always had for cricket in all its forms and also if I can what I have been very fortunate to learn over the years in a career of which although I didn't reach the dizzy heights feel very privileged to have had not only for the years of playing but for allowing me to make a career from it still as a bat maker and coach. Hope you keep annoying as much as I do doing it.

[jwebber86]

im just repeating what everybody else is saying but ive really enjoyed the videos and especially being honest about everything.

i have added a butterfly bat to the top of my list when i come to replace mine

[Aldred Cricket Bats]

Another great video, Paul, thanks! Interesting what you say about heartwood.  As you may know, we have never been afraid to get bats with heartwood on our shelves, but I know not every other shop has the same view.  I have seen bats from some brands with plenty of heartwood on be graded as the top/Players grade, while other manufacturers can grade a bat with similar looks - and a similar amount of heartwood - a grade 3.  So, from where I sit, there is no hard and fast rule with heartwood.  It's a grey area in the grading system.  As it happens, we are fans of it, so will always sell heartwood bats no matter what their grade, but it will be interesting to see if more consistency in the grading is introduced over time.

Yes it's interesting isn't it. Personally I think it should be down to the feel of the bat and then the aesthetics of it come in as a secondary really. A nice half and half looking bat with great grains and feel is always nice to see.

[awp]

Im sure I saw Ross Taylor in the recent odi with a gm that appeared to be more than half red wood.  Technically a grade 2 cleft, but clearly good enough for a test batsman (and a damn good one at that)

[Bats_Entertainment]

So would I if it meant more sales of a more expensive bat!

Equally Paul might have a lot of lower grade willow to get rid of?

[123bcfc]

Just watched this honest review from a great batmaker

[PassionateCricketer]

Great vidoes Paul, watched all of them. Good piece of advice for cricketers on a budget.

I kept hearing: Every piece of willow is pressed differently to get the best performance out of it, no matter what the grade is. What does it mean?

I have had experiences with a players grade bat and a Grade 2 bat and honestly could not tell the difference, both were fantastic.

[Turn Of Pace]

Just reiterating what everyone has said about this thread. Paul is doing a fantastic job both educating people and producing quality bats. I have a butterfly velocity 2.9  and it goes like a rocket. My previous bat was a Bradbury players and the Aldred is just as good if not better at a fraction of the cost. Well done Paul, keep up the good work.

[Aldred Cricket Bats]

Equally Paul might have a lot of lower grade willow to get rid of?

Good point bats  what do you reckon do I have a lot to get rid of or am I just telling you what's what in my workshop world. If you look in the background on the videos all those clefts stacked up are top end all the ones on the top shelf are butterfly.

[Aldred Cricket Bats]

Great vidoes Paul, watched all of them. Good piece of advice for cricketers on a budget.

I kept hearing: Every piece of willow is pressed differently to get the best performance out of it, no matter what the grade is. What does it mean?

I have had experiences with a players grade bat and a Grade 2 bat and honestly could not tell the difference, both were fantastic.

When I say each piece is pressed differently it doesn't mean a different process, what I mean is if I was a huge company churning thousands of bats out I would need a multiple roller press and that would be set to a certain pressure and cleft after cleft would be put through that press at exactly the same pressure. Not every cleft needs pressing at the same pressure and the same amount of passes in my opinion as each pice is different. Some are naturally harder some are softer so each on I make is pressed according to that particular piece of willows individuality so I can try and get the best feel and performance I can out of it whether it be a players grade or butterfly grade. Does that make sense?

[IWTUK]

Just reiterating what everyone has said about this thread. Paul is doing a fantastic job both educating people and producing quality bats. I have a butterfly velocity 2.9  and it goes like a rocket. My previous bat was a Bradbury players and the Aldred is just as good if not better at a fraction of the cost. Well done Paul, keep up the good work.

Seconded; great work again Paul!