Topic: Bespoke Bat Making (Read 9015 times)

Aldred Cricket Bats · « **Reply #30 on:** March 02, 2015, 07:31:47 PM »

Quote from: horseman on March 02, 2015, 03:22:39 PM

Ive gone through b3 when they had the butterfly offer on and dave and dave's(streaky) advice was great. Streakys knowledge of shapes and hitting areas in second to none, and dave @procricket B3 is a top bloke who is more than happyto listen and guide you to what you need.

I predominantly use paul aldred @Aldred Cricket Bats . He is always there to answer questions and his service is quality. In terms of customisation ive never really asked much since i had my first supreme apart from weight, angle of toe, slight bow. The rest I leave to paul as he seems to understand the willow.

Thanks horseman, well being a one man band without the back up of investors and staff I have to really work hard at understanding everything I do. I know I am not great at marketing and is something that I am trying to get better at. I do know my strengths and I am lucky that having spent many many hours teaching myself the skills of the profession I am lucky that as the actual bat maker that I have been lucky enough to have played first class cricket for many years. This has given me a real insight as to what players need and using that knowledge as well as having a career in coaching at the highest level I have been able to combine the two. My business is growing truly by word of mouth because my belief is if you get recommendations you get happy customers. Luckily this has led to me being asked to make bats for some big players over the last year or so and we are now just sponsoring a young lad who I coached who has been taken on the staff at derbyshire so we move on at snail pace really compared to other companies but I know and am confident in my products and methods which is good for me. It's very hard as a one man band but I truly love working hands on with such lovely materials and the feeling of creating something that is truly special using my own fair hands.

procricket · « **Reply #31 on:** March 02, 2015, 10:39:29 PM »

Quote from: Aldred Cricket Bats on March 02, 2015, 07:31:47 PM

Thanks horseman, well being a one man band without the back up of investors and staff I have to really work hard at understanding everything I do. I know I am not great at marketing and is something that I am trying to get better at. I do know my strengths and I am lucky that having spent many many hours teaching myself the skills of the profession I am lucky that as the actual bat maker that I have been lucky enough to have played first class cricket for many years. This has given me a real insight as to what players need and using that knowledge as well as having a career in coaching at the highest level I have been able to combine the two. My business is growing truly by word of mouth because my belief is if you get recommendations you get happy customers. Luckily this has led to me being asked to make bats for some big players over the last year or so and we are now just sponsoring a young lad who I coached who has been taken on the staff at derbyshire so we move on at snail pace really compared to other companies but I know and am confident in my products and methods which is good for me. It's very hard as a one man band but I truly love working hands on with such lovely materials and the feeling of creating something that is truly special using my own fair hands.

Very nice post that i agree with much of it for sure. Agree about learning from some of the International players who turn up and ask for things some are very knowledgeable some less so.

With a ex first class cricketer on board as a director i agree it has help us too and now a first class umpire as a director who has strong links.

We are not the biggest either and it hard to start especially in the circumstances we found when many turned there back because of our two directors past with a bigger boy and the might of the one that should not be named trying to keep us underground.

We are growing but trying to keep a small same feel to it i guess thats where i come into it as business assurance.

It hard been really hard work for most people to get started especially as some have bigger overheads but like my own passion for bats B3 have got it right to a tee combining passion and progress into clothing and other avenues.

Now we have other ambassadors who are all ex professionals some very leading players like Marcus North helping the process further and none and i mean none on any payroll we aim to get better and better.

If you like passion go down to the factory now that is a place for proper cricket nerds like me and i thank the forum for helping me achieve the little i have.

I think anybody involved in the industry deserves praise it it a hard competitive place

edge · « **Reply #32 on:** March 03, 2015, 01:24:25 AM »

Quote from: TBONTB on March 02, 2015, 02:17:00 PM

Do you mean 3d modelling a bat with a standard camera? If I am not mistaken that is essentially impossible, you would need some pretty specialist stuff to genuinely map something in 3d. And some very specialist knowledge of how to capture it etc.

100% technically possible, increasingly cheap and easy these days too.

Number4 · « **Reply #33 on:** March 03, 2015, 06:50:45 AM »

Quote from: procricket B3 on March 02, 2015, 02:19:15 PM

Bat mapping as we call it

When it's time to hang up the Bradman I might send it over Dave @procricket B3 and see how you go getting it copied. I'll leave a couple of runs left in it for you to have a play with it of course

SOULMAN1012 · « **Reply #34 on:** March 03, 2015, 07:34:01 AM »

Quote from: procricket B3 on March 02, 2015, 06:43:36 PM

mmm I have seen both process maybe Chris you should come up to b3 and see the skill our "podshavers" have too not sure if you have seen a Cnc made bat and the same effort goes in.

I understand what you are saying mate I have seen quite a few podshavers but think our process is not too different.

I like both processes I really do

Salix finish bat others aspire too

Dave I certainly was not knocking or taking anything away from the process you guys use and iv had a couple of B3 bats since you guys have been going. This is only my point that I prefer the old and traditional bat making process personally over the modern CNC approach. CNC bat making has many benefits and certainly does not mean tha the end product is any different in fact for pure custom bats I doubt any bat maker would be able to replicate the precision a CNC offers I just personally like the whole handmade process in its traditional form when given the choice

Red Ink Cricket · « **Reply #35 on:** March 03, 2015, 08:47:15 AM »

Quote from: smilley792 on March 02, 2015, 06:56:54 PM

B3 closely followed by red ink.

B3 have made me several bats, and all have arrived as what I was expecting, it is the joys of seeing and being able to later a cad before it is made.

In terms of the others, john at red ink is the only one that got close. He's made me to almost perfect bats.
The other custom bat makers I've used have gone from, kinda what I wanted to not being anywhere near.
And never once have I Recieved a "sorry it didn't suit" or "hmm shall we have another go". I have merely gotten either "it was down to the cleft, needed to be worked like that" " or "it felt bottom heavy so took weight out of toe" despite me asking for a bottom heavy bat. Lol.

Hence to me why I sold said custom mades on.

(Have only mentioned good experiences, as I don't want to be seen as arsey towards others, there skills, and or service may have changed since, so who am I to judge?)

thanks mate. always good to hear positive feedback.

TangoWhiskey · « **Reply #36 on:** March 03, 2015, 09:28:01 AM »

I can vouch for Paul Aldred's bats too. I got a Gold Sovereign off him halfway through last season and it's suiting me extremely well and the price he charged makes it an absolute bargain. The thing is an absolute cannon from just about everywhere below the stickers, I'm really enjoying flaying the bowling in the nets at the minute. The pick up and balance seems just about perfect for me.

It actually weighs a touch more than what I asked for but I hadn't even noticed until I weighed it out of interest when I was weighing up another bat to sell on, but Paul's expertise has obviously meant he has hidden the extra weight in the pick up which means I benefit from the extra power and wood in the bat. I'll definitely be getting another one when it's time to put mine out to pasture, though I think it will be a while as there is barely a mark on it other than the odd cherry on the scuff sheet.

The Doctor · « **Reply #37 on:** March 03, 2015, 09:52:13 AM »

What a great topic and some nice feedback which is great to hear, not just for us, but also the other lads that work hard to try and offer the customer a service that other brands cannot. What makes a custom bat - for me it is MAKING a bat to the specs of the customer, this could be a very precise spec of weight/ shape / pick up / handle type etc, or simply I want a bat at 2'8. It doesn�t matter whether it is CNC made or not, as long as the customer's specs have been met.

Just wanted to share a comment from a recent meeting with Marcus North;

In his career he has used various companies/ sponsors for his bats, but his selection process had remained the same - get 10 bats, pick them all up and narrow them down on looks, shape and pick up to about 5, and then get the ball out and further narrow down to 2 or 3 which he is happy with. With B3 we designed his shape, discussed deadweight and how his shape would pick up and we made him 2. To say he was pleased was an understatement, he didn�t have narrow down his selection - we provided exactly what he wanted first time. The beauty of the CNC is every bat we make for him in the future will be identical to the first 2.

That�s enough about Marcus, as the most important people to B3 is you guys, our customers, and we offer this exact service to you guys.

Just a quick note on B3 - I gave up a great job, with very good prospects to start B3, to offer a service that was reserved to guys like Marcus to the whole cricket family. I invested my life savings, sold everything I had, risked my house (and possibly my marriage) and work 18 hour days / 6 days a week to make sure that it is successful as it can be. The success of B3 is not down to any investor or investment but rather the hard work of the all of the team, and the want to improve both product and service - and offer something that is truly outstanding.

Never Stand Still

The Doctor · « **Reply #38 on:** March 03, 2015, 09:55:58 AM »

Quote from: edge on March 03, 2015, 01:24:25 AM

100% technically possible, increasingly cheap and easy these days too.

Not sure the feasibility of this but maybe we could organise a conference call open to anyone and I can show our design capability and also the bat mapping service..... Just an idea - anyone interested?

procricket · « **Reply #39 on:** March 03, 2015, 10:25:07 AM »

Quote from: Number4 on March 03, 2015, 06:50:45 AM

When it's time to hang up the Bradman I might send it over Dave @procricket B3 and see how you go getting it copied. I'll leave a couple of runs left in it for you to have a play with it of course

You know i like that bat and the handle perfect bat that pal

awp · « **Reply #40 on:** March 03, 2015, 01:17:09 PM »

Not sure how anyone can compete with b3 tbh.

Stuey · « **Reply #41 on:** March 03, 2015, 02:10:48 PM »

Quote from: awp on March 03, 2015, 01:17:09 PM

Not sure how anyone can compete with b3 tbh.

By making good bats, I don't see why Red Ink, Aldred, B3 etc have to be ranked one better than the other, they all seem to make good bats from what I've seen and read. Hope they all do well!

harry gamble · « **Reply #42 on:** March 03, 2015, 02:50:52 PM »

Quote from: The Doctor on March 03, 2015, 09:52:13 AM

What a great topic and some nice feedback which is great to hear, not just for us, but also the other lads that work hard to try and offer the customer a service that other brands cannot. What makes a custom bat - for me it is MAKING a bat to the specs of the customer, this could be a very precise spec of weight/ shape / pick up / handle type etc, or simply I want a bat at 2'8. It doesn�t matter whether it is CNC made or not, as long as the customer's specs have been met.

Just wanted to share a comment from a recent meeting with Marcus North;

In his career he has used various companies/ sponsors for his bats, but his selection process had remained the same - get 10 bats, pick them all up and narrow them down on looks, shape and pick up to about 5, and then get the ball out and further narrow down to 2 or 3 which he is happy with. With B3 we designed his shape, discussed deadweight and how his shape would pick up and we made him 2. To say he was pleased was an understatement, he didn�t have narrow down his selection - we provided exactly what he wanted first time. The beauty of the CNC is every bat we make for him in the future will be identical to the first 2.

That�s enough about Marcus, as the most important people to B3 is you guys, our customers, and we offer this exact service to you guys.

Just a quick note on B3 - I gave up a great job, with very good prospects to start B3, to offer a service that was reserved to guys like Marcus to the whole cricket family. I invested my life savings, sold everything I had, risked my house (and possibly my marriage) and work 18 hour days / 6 days a week to make sure that it is successful as it can be. The success of B3 is not down to any investor or investment but rather the hard work of the all of the team, and the want to improve both product and service - and offer something that is truly outstanding.

Never Stand Still

very nice to hear and all the bets to you in the future aswell, your service looks outstanding and the product just as good

Poll

What is the best custom made bat making service

Author Topic: Bespoke Bat Making (Read 9015 times)

Aldred Cricket Bats

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procricket

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edge

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Number4

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SOULMAN1012

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Red Ink Cricket

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TangoWhiskey

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The Doctor

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The Doctor

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procricket

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awp

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Stuey

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harry gamble

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