Evening all. Following on from my “pro bat” thread (
http://custombats.co.uk/cbforum/index.php?topic=38844.0) I thought I’d do a proper review on the two SS Masters I received.
First up the lighter of the two, and the one still in the state it arrived. The stickers are rather busy, to say the least…
https://youtu.be/L41rWrlOKg8This definitely isn’t a looker, with all of 5 grains and a fairly blemished face. There is also a darker mark on the right handers inside edge.
This bat weighs 2lb9 and 1/4 in it’s current state (all stickers left on, factory fitted ripple grip and a badly applied toe guard!)
Peak edge: 38mm
Edge at shoulder: 15mm
Edge at toe: 20mm
Thickest point of toe: 23mm
The pickup on this in an interesting one. For such a light bat it feels surprisingly heavy! Because the weight is low down in the profile it has a bit of a bottom heavy feel, but this isn’t a bad thing for a bat weighing just over 2lb9.
The response out of the packet seems to be rather good. The bottom 40mm of the bat is dead (but who honestly expects the toe to ping) with the mallet coming off nicely up to about 280mm from the toe, or just below the master sticker. By my calculations that’s about a 240mm “sweet spot”. This doesn’t make it one of those legendary bats where the whole blade pings, but the ping is enough to make it feel like a punchy bat. If I had to try and market the shape I’d probably say something along the lines of “perfect for slow English pitches or playing on the drive.”
My only real issue with the bat would be the poor finish. But for the price I hardly feel it would be fair to complain about something so trivial.
Next up the real pleasant surprise I received in the box.
https://youtu.be/Rm1_g69RpmQIt isn’t the best looker in the world, but it’s hardly a munter (and is a super model compared to the other one!)
This bat boasts 12 or 13 grains depending where you count (one is on the edge and disappears about halfway up) and a lovely strip of heartwood on the right handers inside edge. This one is a bit heavier at 2lb11 & 5/8, with the back and edge stickers removed, with a white ripple grip and half a scale grip applied. There is also a bluey mark on the back and one of the edges, which I believe is down to iron in the soil.
Peak edge: 42mm
Spine height: 66mm
Edge at shoulder: 12mm
Edge at toe: 21mm
Thickest point of toe: 26mm
The pickup on this bat is quite good. You know you’ve got a fairly heavy bit of willow in your hand, but it doesn’t feel bottom heavy to the same extent the other one. It’s towards the top end of the weights I normally use, but it feels usable. Once I’ve applied a scuff sheet I expect it to be around 2lb12 dead.
The response out the packet feels reasonable, if not remarkable. The dead spot on the toe seems to be longer on this bat, with the mallet not starting to respond until 55mm up the blade. The sweet spot does extend to 290 mm up the blade, or to the base of the Master sticker. The middle is slightly higher on this one, I’d say more Mid than Mid-Low like the other one, but a good bat for the price. Once I’ve knocked it in it will definitely get used as at least a net bat.
My only little moan about this one is again the finishing, but in particular a strip of willow that’s missing from the top of the outside edge. This was actually on display when the bat arrived, running parallel to one of the edge stickers. Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, and for the price it’s not really justifiable to complain about.
For the price you’ll probably struggle to find something equal to this bat, but as the above shows it’s a total gamble and you could end with a nearly attractive gem or an absolute munter.
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Topic: A tale of two Masters (Read 2473 times)