Managed to finally get over to Uzi sports today and boy was it worth the trip
Walked into the shop and was blown away by all the stock, floor to ceiling. Spotted Asad stood behind the desk and was given a very warm welcome. In no time at all i was waist deep in the finest willow I have ever seen.
First port of call was the new TON non concaved bats (photos
http://custombats.co.uk/cbforum/index.php?topic=29254.0 ) to say I was impressed is a massive under statement they are mind blowing in size, looks and performance... super nice bats.
2nd on the list of bats to look at were the Spartans (photos in the same thread a listed above) Now these were as spectacular as the TON bat in every way, fantastic pick up and the grains... hmmm hmmm....
At this point I decided to have a pro teach me the art of the ping test, Asad was kind enough to show me how he does it and explained what he listens for which was a great help cause seeing it done on a video never quite gave me the insight to what a quality bat really sounds and feels like.
Asad then handed me a bat like no other, A custom Black Mamba made for a pro, now after seeing the Ton and Spartans I did not think they could be topped, boy was I wrong!! the mamba felt amazing and was the size of a railway sleeper with looks to boot, after swinging it about I stuck it on the scales as was very surprised when it settled on 2.10.
Just when I thought I had seen it all Uzi handed me his match bat which has had a little repair work done to say the least but boy was it stunning and it was plain to see why he could not let it go for another, gorgeous bit of willow...Without a doubt the best bats on offer were the UZI Pro bats, truly stunning in every department. (already starting to save for one)
At this point the wife then came into the shop and politely told me to get a move on or I would be walking back to Portsmouth (she and the kids had been sat in the car for just under an hour by this point)
. So it was back to the real world and Asad picked out a couple of bats he thought matched what I was after - Big edges, relatively flat face and very little to no con-caving and nice pick up. the result of which can be seen in my poor quality photos below. Sorry guys but I took them on my phone in fading light, as soon as I get some time I will get a couple of better shots.
I opted for the BAS shadow as she has relatively evenly spaced grains and no heart wood.
Weighs in at 2.11 but picks up so much better and pings very well.
Many thanks Asad & Uzi you guys were so helpful and I had a ball.
For anybody looking to get a quality bat you have to pop in and see Asad & Uzi you will not be disappointed.