Topic: The Best Batmaker in the UK (Read 26980 times)

SOULMAN1012 · « **Reply #15 on:** December 11, 2020, 06:57:16 PM »

Quote from: SD on December 11, 2020, 05:59:58 PM

I think that branding does play a role. I got my first bat from Ed Garrard at the start of last year purely on the basis that I thought that the branding is as good as anything there is on the market. There wasn't much I could find online from anyone reviewing the performance. As it happens it is a great bat and I have picked up another one this year (and I will certainly go to him again) but when taking a punt on something unknown, branding is important.

It certainly isn't the be all and end all though. My main match bat at the moment is a B3 and I have to concede that I neither like the name nor the branding

Branding plays a huge part. For example BB and Phantom are where TK made. One is �300 for G1 and the other �450 yet people are prepared to pay �150 more for the same bat but different stickers.

brokenbat · « **Reply #16 on:** December 11, 2020, 07:03:01 PM »

Let�s see if the following can get a few more pages out of this thread 😂 :

why is b3/GM not on this list? They surely make some of the best bats out of the UK. And if using machines was an issue, TK would be disqualified as well.

The only �skill� left in making a good bat is pressing and handling... shapes can be made by machines, and a �hand crafted� shape is no better than a �machine crafted� shape.

Jimbo · « **Reply #17 on:** December 11, 2020, 07:03:22 PM »

Quote from: SOULMAN1012 on December 11, 2020, 06:57:16 PM

Branding plays a huge part. For example BB and Phantom are where TK made. One is �300 for G1 and the other �450 yet people are prepared to pay �150 more for the same bat but different stickers.

Certainly a large part, but I wouldn't discount the standard shapes offered either. Not every TK shape is cookie cutter and if it fits exactly what someone wants then the extra cash can be very easy to justify as we all know!

Red Ink Cricket · « **Reply #18 on:** December 11, 2020, 07:39:56 PM »

From my point of view, I�m just very pleased to have received an honourable mention, particularly against some of the other names being thrown about.

I think it�s clear that if you know where to look, then you can get a pretty amazing bat within your budget. But there is also a fair amount of lower standard stuff to filter through.

My advice is to find a brand that works for you. If it�s a Red Inker then amazing, if it�s a h4l or any other brand who produces top quality bats like that then that�s great too. If you don�t support us, we don�t exist and don�t have the opportunity to do what we love.

SD · « **Reply #19 on:** December 11, 2020, 07:45:02 PM »

Quote from: SOULMAN1012 on December 11, 2020, 06:57:16 PM

Branding plays a huge part. For example BB and Phantom are where TK made. One is �300 for G1 and the other �450 yet people are prepared to pay �150 more for the same bat but different stickers.

Agreed, but I think it's also the case that a minority of players buying bats will have a clear idea who actually makes them and where there could get a bat from the same maker at a lower price.

jonny77 · « **Reply #20 on:** December 11, 2020, 07:50:14 PM »

Think this just proves that there are some quality and diverse offerings out there to suit many budgets. What I would say is to almost echo John's comments. Support your UK batmakers/brands, whoever they are and you'll get a great bat at a good price, along with a personal experience.

If you buy from a respectable and decent brand, then you shouldn't get a lemon. If you do (and I needn't come across any with the ones I've dealt with), you'd expect it to be replaced anyway.

LEACHY48 · « **Reply #21 on:** December 11, 2020, 08:02:11 PM »

Quote from: brokenbat on December 11, 2020, 07:03:01 PM

Let�s see if the following can get a few more pages out of this thread 😂 :

why is b3/GM not on this list? They surely make some of the best bats out of the UK. And if using machines was an issue, TK would be disqualified as well.

The only �skill� left in making a good bat is pressing and handling... shapes can be made by machines, and a �hand crafted� shape is no better than a �machine crafted� shape.

B3 imo are great but their prices aren�t particularly competitive imo.

GM in my experience make bats pressed like barn doors - that�s why they wouldn�t feature on my list.

LEACHY48 · « **Reply #22 on:** December 11, 2020, 08:03:19 PM »

Quote from: SOULMAN1012 on December 11, 2020, 06:57:16 PM

Branding plays a huge part. For example BB and Phantom are where TK made. One is �300 for G1 and the other �450 yet people are prepared to pay �150 more for the same bat but different stickers.

Branding does play a huge part, but phantom aren�t TK made.

billyb · « **Reply #23 on:** December 11, 2020, 08:11:49 PM »

I had originally envisaged hand-crafted, traditional UK batmaking. Like John at Red Ink, H4L, Garrard, Rob Pack, Kember and so on. I read an article that suggested there are 20 proper bat makers in the UK. Are there that many?

I love GM bats (and have one now) and I admire their continued success, but B3 and GM are not, in my (mediocre) opinion, traditional batmaking - and so wouldn't be included.

Bats_Entertainment · « **Reply #24 on:** December 11, 2020, 08:12:19 PM »

I'm guessing Phantom are made by B3 now. I won't add a question mark because I'm not expecting anyone to confirm.

Bats_Entertainment · « **Reply #25 on:** December 11, 2020, 08:15:07 PM »

Quote from: billyb on December 11, 2020, 08:11:49 PM

I love GM bats (and have one now) and I admire their continued success, but B3 and GM are not, in my (mediocre) opinion, traditional batmaking - and so wouldn't be included.

It's been said that Keeley uses the same method, and was in fact doing it first.

SOULMAN1012 · « **Reply #26 on:** December 11, 2020, 08:15:23 PM »

Quote from: LEACHY48 on December 11, 2020, 08:03:19 PM

Branding does play a huge part, but phantom aren�t TK made.

They certainly were at one point fairly recently so the point still stands in terms of how important branding is to the mainstream as someone else raised the point that 99% of the players don�t care about 99% of the things forum members look for in a bat.

Another point is GM certainly don�t press like a barn door it�s a firmer press but performance wise they are as good as any out there in my opinion. They do take a little longer but for me they have the best handle shapes on the market. I would guess like most of I could I would choose my bats from the best elements of all bats if it was possible. That�s what I try and do with the bats I make. Base my handles on a thick semi oval (GM) shape wise the on trend duckbill toe, large profile and then i finish as well as I am able with my skill set and tools at present.

billyb · « **Reply #27 on:** December 11, 2020, 08:15:40 PM »

Does anyone have 2k to spare? Order an identical bat from each maker and see what you get back!

I've never heard that about Keeley! Wow.

(See, we've even opened a potential can of worms. This is a classic CBF thread.)

SOULMAN1012 · « **Reply #28 on:** December 11, 2020, 08:21:18 PM »

Quote from: billyb on December 11, 2020, 08:11:49 PM

I had originally envisaged hand-crafted, traditional UK batmaking. Like John at Red Ink, H4L, Garrard, Rob Pack, Kember and so on. I read an article that suggested there are 20 proper bat makers in the UK. Are there that many?

I love GM bats (and have one now) and I admire their continued success, but B3 and GM are not, in my (mediocre) opinion, traditional batmaking - and so wouldn't be included.

If you class a proper bat maker as crafting from the willow tree to the finished bat less than 20 but from cleft to finished bat that�s about right I think. There are of course plenty more me included that create from a part made Cleft to finished bat I would have no idea how many as some come and then some go.

Tradition meets innovation I guess. People say the price of a Salix is to high but they do all them selves so in my opinion the price is more justified than for example a B3. On the flip side B3 have a large retail premises and lots of no doubt costly machinery so you could argue there price is justified.

Again just my view point but I do agree with the sentiment that we need to support local U.K. bat makers, shapers, crafters or we will eventually lose the craft and the choice will be limited.

Bats_Entertainment · « **Reply #29 on:** December 11, 2020, 08:24:18 PM »

GM seem in recent times to have been keen to re-emphasise the handmade element. Strange really when you consider how keen they were to show off how their new machine enabled them to produce identical duplication of bats.

Author Topic: The Best Batmaker in the UK (Read 26980 times)

SOULMAN1012

Re: The Best Batmaker in the UK

brokenbat

Re: The Best Batmaker in the UK

Jimbo

Re: The Best Batmaker in the UK

Red Ink Cricket

Re: The Best Batmaker in the UK

SD

Re: The Best Batmaker in the UK

jonny77

Re: The Best Batmaker in the UK

LEACHY48

Re: The Best Batmaker in the UK

LEACHY48

Re: The Best Batmaker in the UK

billyb

Re: The Best Batmaker in the UK

Bats_Entertainment

Re: The Best Batmaker in the UK

Bats_Entertainment

Re: The Best Batmaker in the UK

SOULMAN1012

Re: The Best Batmaker in the UK

billyb

Re: The Best Batmaker in the UK

SOULMAN1012

Re: The Best Batmaker in the UK

Bats_Entertainment

Re: The Best Batmaker in the UK