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[petehosk]

Like any brand of bat, there will always be a mix of reviews!
No brand fits all and you could give 1 bat to batsman one who will hate the pickup, the response and the feel of it. Give it to batsman two and he will hit a ton with it, and it will be the best thing since sliced bread!
From my experience, I have owned 4 B3 bats, including a Crown and a bat for Gareth Cross!
The first 3 bats were pressed very hard and I have sold 2 of them. The Gareth Cross I still have and I am lending it out in the hope that it will really "open up" as it still feels way too hard! It does respond quite well but I get on with lots of other bats far better!!
I would never have considered another B3 bat after those experiences, until I tapped up a blank bat @procricket had at Eversley nets which responded superbly well! Granted that the pickup wasn't great for a 2'9.9 bat but as I use 2'10-2'11 I still found it very comfortable. Dave then confirmed it was a B3 bat and it is a fantastic bat.
As some of you will know first hand, I do have some excellent willow available to me - and I am the first to admit that I am nowhere near good enough to do my bats justice!! (A bit like Mr. Bean driving an F1 car!!!) So the half dozen bats I choose for match kit will be excellent. And the blank B3 is one of the bats, which in my book shows that B3 can make one hell of a bat!

[tushar sehgal]

(A bit like Mr. Bean driving an F1 car!!!)

I think i would enjoy watching that actually

I don't know why I didn't think of it but good point about loaning the bat out. I haven't done as I like my Mull a lot but might have to resort to it this year as I do want to use it.

[Calzehbhoy]

Can you not just request a slightly softer press?

[sarg]

Can you not just request a slightly softer press?

Pretty sure Neil says what the pressing service is in these two videos

https://youtu.be/GzGFKnEQrUk

 https://youtu.be/QTSYFB970CA

[tim2000s]

B3 can make one hell of a bat!

Yes, I'd agree with this. My LB Trott Profile is ruddy marvellous. The first B3 I had wasn't and got sold on, but that was very early in their life.

[northernboy1987]

Pressing was excellent on both the two I've had, 2/3 years ago. I can see why people feel like they're hard pressed as they feel different off the mallet, but they ping beautifully when actually used!

I believe @edge has it right here, they definitely don't feel the same off the mallet as other bats (mine doesn't feel as nice off the mallet as any of my H4L's), but using them in a net or match situation mine performs as well as any other bat I've owned.

[tushar sehgal]

I believe @edge has it right here, they definitely don't feel the same off the mallet as other bats (mine doesn't feel as nice off the mallet as any of my H4L's), but using them in a net or match situation mine performs as well as any other bat I've owned.

I disagree, it is possible to get a B3 to feel good off a mallet, it only took me many months of knocking haha. Used it at throwdowns last night and it felt very very very good!! obviously the bat has gone through removal of scuff sheet, oiling, too many to count knocking sessions and throwdowns. Yesterday was the first time it felt ready, which means I finally will use it this season