Right, so if you've continued to pop into these posts despite not liking my reviews - thank you for the support! If you do like my reviews and keep popping in, I may suggest you go out a bit more.
Jokes aside, I do appreciate folks who read and comment, so thank you!
As alluded to in this review -
http://custombats.co.uk/cbforum/index.php?topic=50614.0 - I was rung up by Andrew back in December about my order, and off the back of that, he had told me to pop in a visit the next time I was anywhere near the area. I really couldn't refuse the offer, and was going to be that far down south in February, so had planned out a visit. I ended up arriving around noon on a Saturday, which was the closing time for visits for bat fittings. Thankfully, Andrew and Kel were super accommodating, and had scheduled in to stay behind anyways.
We had a great chat about the industry in general, struggles they have had as batmakers, pet hates of customer behaviours (ie. smashing bats off the floor in their stances) and of course, their range and the thinking behind it. I hear the phrase thrown around sometimes, 'What X doesn't know about batmaking isn't worth knowing!' - well, the general vibe I got off Andrew (And to be fair, a good number of the batmakers I've visited) is that he is bloody curious about what he doesn't know about batmaking or the industry. I do think this is reflected in the quality of products they provide year in year out.
I was lucky enough to watch Andrew and Kel in action - and managed to take some snaps, and also some footage of the making of an ACID Nitric Bomb from the handled, pressed and machined stage to the finished product. I really wish I took my photos in my visit, but I think I was just too absorbed in conversation and looking at willow
😂 Here are some of the snaps I took:Andrew Working on the Linisher
Kel Rasping Handles and Hand Sanding
Couple of Shots of the Willow Machining Room
Wonderful Willow
Sawn Cleft With Shoulders Cut
Of course, I did end up walking away with a bat. Towards the end of my visit, I went into the showroom and picked up some of the bats on display. I was torn between 3 or 4 different bats, and whether or not to go crazy and get a couple. In the end, Andrew picked up a mallet, tested them, and told me to take this one - which just happened to be the bat they used for photographs for the Amp Select.Face, Back and Side Shots
Profile Shots
Close Up Of Stickers
Some Shots in the Sun - Who doesn't love the look of Butterfly in the Sun?!
Some Shots Next to an Amp Performance With Blue Stickers
Specs/Info:- Grade - G3/Butterfly
- Weight - 2lb 10.1oz
- Handle - Lovely medium thick oval
- Spine - 62mm
- Edge - 35mm
- Toe Edge - 20mm
- Toe Centre - 28mm
- Shoulder - 13mm
- Splice - 36mm
- Face Camber - Semi-Rounded, probably 5-6mm (More on the rounded side)
- Bow - Very mild - it just picks up from the driving zone and flicks out
- Width - 107mm front tapering to 105mm back
- Concaving - None - Convex
- Price - £355 RRP - Can find online for £285-310
- Toe shape - Semi-rounded
- Finish - Natural
Well, what more can I really say about this bat? (No really, I feel like I'm repeating myself a lot in reviews) An absolute cannon off the mallet, it gives a really very full, mellow sound when you give it a mallet, accompanied by the crack of a whip. Boasting 7 straight and nicely spaced grains if you can look past the staining/heartwood, this particular bat has butterfly staining up at the splice, and on the back right where the apex is. I personally love the look of the wavy orange heartwood stain, and feel the orange stickers just compliment the look of the willow perfectly. Pick up wise, this feels nicely balanced, with that little bit of weight towards the toe end, which will help especially with the punchier shots. When you get pieces like this, you can kind of get why some folks swear by Butterfly willow being some of the finest pieces you can get, even if you disagree. The oval handle just fits like a glove in my hands, and the finish on this particular bat isn't quite as good as normal, in that it has a little bit of a rough feel - however that is what happens when bats sit on display, especially if it's cold. The shape looks very much productive for driving, and the offset edge aesthetic just seems to flow naturally. (At times, it can look a bit rough and botched)
As a side note, I'm glad Salix introduced colour into their range all those years ago. They've always tended to be subtle about it, but back when they introduced the marbled background with pastel colours like the Torque (I think), I remembered being a big fan of those designs. The bolder colours seem to work nicely in bringing out the branding, and making it stand out but without it being too loud, which I like.
Anyways, I had a Marque I was interested in, a Performance and another Select - so I'm glad Andrew chipped in. Might sound like he saved me money by selling me a lower grade, but I guess if I trust the judgement of the batmaker not to force higher grades onto me, I'm far more likely to return and buy more! (And thus not save any money 😅) And yes, it was the nicest one of the lot, just the look of the Marque was enticing.Right, you've probably had enough of me blabbering on as usual, so here it is - some (shaky at times) footage of the production of an ACID Nitric Bomb cricket bat. 
ACID Nitric Bomb Cricket Bat Manufacturinghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tJpxm0k0WcAnd here are some pictures of the bat that was made in this video, and yes, it is a juicy pinger
Front, Back and Side Shots
Profile Shots
Enjoy! And please do comment/critique on the video or reviews - I would appreciate any input as to how I can make these better or more informative/interesting. Oh, and subscribe to the Youtube Channel. 
Author
Topic: Salix Cricket - A visit to Butlers Farm (Bat review AND video!) (Read 1165 times)