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[jamesisapayne]

Therefore, you are probably going to be more likely to buy a bat that was made by a recognized batmaker than a factory you have never heard of (depending on price etc).  Unless of course the batmaker offers you a performance guarantee (and you can return it if you are unhappy with the performance of the bat).

Like I said, I'm pretty sure the overwhelming majority will go into a shop (if they aren't buying blind online) pick a bat up that takes their fancy, if it feels good some may have a tap with a mallet, a lot don't and that's about it.

The common misconception on here is that people think everyone who buys a bat thinks about them/studies the characteristics to the same level. They don't.

[Jimmyg]

If you could get a bat from say Aldred or get from a brand with a mediocre reputation and with an unknown source, for same price, which would you buy? I know which one I would trust to perform consistently better. So knowing a bats providence can be a good way of estimating it's value for money. Saying most cricketers don't care might be true but their ignorance shouldn't prevent other people asking pertinent questions.

[tim2000s]

Yes, but some may argue that a bat is more likely to do that job nicely if it was made by a highly skilled batmaker.  This is more relevant with cricket bats because the true performance of the bat you have bought will not be known until it is knocked in, netted and used for at least a few games.

Therefore, you are probably going to be more likely to buy a bat that was made by a recognized batmaker than a factory you have never heard of (depending on price etc).  Unless of course the batmaker offers you a performance guarantee (and you can return it if you are unhappy with the performance of the bat).

That's incredibly prejudicial and suggests that you believe that the volumes of handmade bats coming out of India and Pakistan are not made by skilled batmakers.

If you were buying a bat from SG or Newbery, you'd find that the master batmaker doesn't make all the bats, and dare I say it, just because is a brand is a small one man shop, that doesn't mean the bats will all be rockets, and the percentage that is good may also not be that high, simply that no-one wants to mention it...

[smilley792]

I make slazenger bats...... You can lock this and move on now.

[MD2812]

That's incredibly prejudicial and suggests that you believe that the volumes of handmade bats coming out of India and Pakistan are not made by skilled batmakers.

Afraid I have to disagree with you their Tim as I don't believe countries were mentioned. Someone might like to know where their bat is made in the UK but not know the smaller batmakers that we know of.

If I was considering a Slazenger bat and looked into where it was made I'd be more likely to buy if I heard they were being made at Newbery rather than Affinity. I believe both are UK made, and have very good reputations on here. However when I have picked up an affinity or hit one with a mallet I just haven't got the wow factor I do from Newbery.

This isn't to say they're bad bats or not as good as their competitors, just not to my personal preference.

[TangoWhiskey]

I was under the impression Mike Ashley makes his Slazengers.

[Jimmyg]

That's incredibly prejudicial and suggests that you believe that the volumes of handmade bats coming out of India and Pakistan are not made by skilled batmakers.

If you were buying a bat from SG or Newbery, you'd find that the master batmaker doesn't make all the bats, and dare I say it, just because is a brand is a small one man shop, that doesn't mean the bats will all be rockets, and the percentage that is good may also not be that high, simply that no-one wants to mention it...

In my posts I specifically didn't mention Indian made bats because I could see it would turn into a UK vs Indian argument. However you can't say that every manufacturer of bats produces the same percentage of good performing bats, there are poor manufacturers and there are better manufacturers. As a consumer knowing who has made the bat can give you the insight into the likelihood of a bat being decent. If your last 4 bats from a particular company were planks would you continue to buy from that manufacturer or would you go elsewhere to someone with a good reputation?

[smilley792]

Afraid I have to disagree with you their Tim as I don't believe countries were mentioned. Someone might like to know where their bat is made in the UK but not know the smaller batmakers that we know of.

If I was considering a Slazenger bat and looked into where it was made I'd be more likely to buy if I heard they were being made at Newbery rather than Affinity. I believe both are UK made, and have very good reputations on here. However when I have picked up an affinity or hit one with a mallet I just haven't got the wow factor I do from Newbery.

This isn't to say they're bad bats or not as good as their competitors, just not to my personal preference.

The irony being newbery are Cnc part mades.

[TangoWhiskey]

The irony being newbery are Cnc part mades.

I asked Lewis in the shop down there about this, he said they are all handmade.

[MD2812]

The irony being newbery are Cnc part mades.

*beautifully performing CNC part mades.

[Jimmyg]

The irony being newbery are Cnc part mades.

I don't care if the bats are made by umpa lumpas if they go they go!

[ajmw89]

I thought the forum line was "if it's marketed as (insert brand here), it's made by that brand"?

[tim2000s]

In my posts I specifically didn't mention Indian made bats because I could see it would turn into a UK vs Indian argument. However you can't say that every manufacturer of bats produces the same percentage of good performing bats, there are poor manufacturers and there are better manufacturers. As a consumer knowing who has made the bat can give you the insight into the likelihood of a bat being decent. If your last 4 bats from a particular company were planks would you continue to buy from that manufacturer or would you go elsewhere to someone with a good reputation?

The question though, is where would that alternative be. Hypothetically, if you bought Slazenger previously and they were planks, you'd be likely to look for a "similar" brand, and I'd expect to see a Slaz buyer move to GM, Kook or GN. Simply looking at brand.

The sadly stereotypical thing is that if you look at the national background of the player wielding the bat, you'll see consistent selection of certain brands. Even within our team, that seems to hold true, and a lot of that comes from imports at a lower price than purchasing locally in the UK. It all comes back to the fact that out of the 500,000 people who regularly participate in cricket, the 3,200 on represents less than one percent...

[smilley792]

I asked Lewis in the shop down there about this, he said they are all handmade.

And here is the issue of the forum, some are told ken thing, while others are shown something else.

I have no inside knowledge, merely being told on here, and shown a pic of some Cnc clefts being handled, and they was Definately newbery tours(very distinctive shape).


Personally I believe the Cnc machine is the future off bat making, I buy from b3, and I like the fact that "apparently" rob pack, and newbery use Cnc part mades to improve/increase production. As we know they then handle check, and remove weight to balance after. Which is still a skill. And they still press them, the important thing.

I also believe hand making skills from start to finish has it's place, and applauded the likes of red ink, and rk who do the skill for such a Great price.


But all in all, pick up, performance, and customer service are the 3points I look for in a brand, not the bat maker, or how it was made, or what country it was made in.

[Bats_Entertainment]

I thought the forum line was "if it's marketed as (insert brand here), it's made by that brand"?

It was, but we decided we didn't like BS.