Customworqs

Discussion in 'Badminton Rackets / Equipment' started by f1rst, Oct 28, 2012.

  1. Eddie Hang

    Eddie Hang Regular Member

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    Totally agree with you although can you choose a number of colour options for a given spec? Not important to the likes of you and me who see past the design and tech and concentrate on how it plays, others however will not. I coach a lot and the number of times I hear "I don't like the colour" kills me!
     
  2. baddersUS

    baddersUS New Member

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    I think its slightly unfair to complain that the price is around the same as off the shelf rackets. You will never find anything whether it is a set of golf clubs, a set of curtains etc etc that are specifically made for someone to their desired spec that are cheaper than an off the shelf version. You have to take in to consideration that production runs can't be produced thus saving money.........surely there is something more fun and enjoyable in creating your own racket than buying one with a Yonex name on that thousands of other people will have?
     
  3. SolsticeOfLight

    SolsticeOfLight Regular Member

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    Yonex, victor, carlton ... all those brands have more than 9 rackets in their selection. Does that make them tailor made? Further, you're paying a lot of money for what? 1 technology that they tout. I surmise then that you're paying a lot of money for a paint job.
     
  4. maxout

    maxout Regular Member

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    Please note that baddy racquet dimensions are "set" within specified range by BWF, customised too much, you may end up with illegal racquet
     
  5. Eddie Hang

    Eddie Hang Regular Member

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    3 weights x 3 balances x 3 flexibilities = 27 spec variances x 6 colours = 162 rackets if you're comparing. That's quite a range. Re technology, please don't get me started on this, I can't bear the thought of another player still thinking the nanoscale technology has improved their game....

    Personally I like the fact I'm not having to pay for grips, string and head cover, none of which I use from a factory racket and which other brands factor in to their costs. My summation is I give them credit for trying to break free from the stereotypical badminton racket market which hasn't moved forward since 100% graphite rackets were launched, what 20 years ago.

    If their £115 racket has a carbon lay up which means it plays well and it's been made in one of the premium racket factories, then I'm more than interested in making a purchase. Furthermore if I know that spec will stay around on that racket mold for a long time, it also means I don't have to worry that in 1 years time, a new range is brought out and I can no longer buy my favourite spec'd racket. That's happened to me god knows how many times in my playing career.
     
  6. SolsticeOfLight

    SolsticeOfLight Regular Member

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    27 rackets, you're right. but those companies have more than 27 rackets too. And technologies do make a difference, when it comes to repulsion for example, or speed through the air. Or area of the sweet spot. Or flex point. Even the torsional stability. I don't know about you, but I notice when rackets have a low flex point (not something I like). And if sweet spot size didn't matter, everybody'd use an oval head, or if speed didn't matter everybody'd use an isometric head.

    But then again, not all of these technologies are nanoscale. Nor did I say they need to be; that's just something you've made up in your head. If you want customisability, got get a better known brand racket: they have 5 different flexibilities and 5 different head weights in the case of victor.

    Now I agree with you that 'customised' rackets are a great idea, but this is pretty much a con. Customworqs offers nothing current racket providers don't (and a lot cheaper for lower ranges). When you break your favourite racket, there'll be a similar one available on the market. Especially since you don't notice any difference in relation to technologies used.
     
  7. baddersUS

    baddersUS New Member

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    I have to disagree that technologies make a difference (maybe I'm biased as I have a racket on order). There must be over 100 technologies in the racket sports industry that claim to be able to change your game and the racket........this is all marketing and has absolutely no effect on the way a racket plays!! If anything these "technologies" will impurify the carbon lay-up and weaken the frame! I agree that there are aspects that influence the way a racket plays such as head geometry, whether the frame is tapered and the shape of the frame.

    Reading through the various threads on this forum it seems that people are after a brand that does something a little bit different? Surely its clear that the majority of the existing brands are the con in the way that they simply give a frame a new paint job and release it with a new "technology" in it and charge a premium?

    I hope I'm prooved right and my new frame doesn't play like a $30 racket when it arrives :rolleyes:
     
  8. Avenger

    Avenger Regular Member

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    nah, I don't even think it goes past £150
    if I'm not wrong, VT80 is around £140...

    £120 is huge, it is better for me to buy a well know racket for that amount (I can buy an MX80, AT900, etc for £120)
     
  9. kwun

    kwun Administrator

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    interesting that you claim you are in the US, but all your posts came from various IP address in the UK, where Customworqs is base.

    maybe you should disclose your affiliation before i disclose it for you.
     
  10. demolidor

    demolidor Regular Member

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    :D ...

    In the meanwhile I've found out the brand was set up by a former England national squad member and former Carlton product manager Matthew Shuker so the pedigree behind it should be pretty solid. Which probably explains why the length is 670mm as well ...

    Still this seemed like a promotional thread to me as well, thoroughly defending an, until now, completely unknown company which just launched itself this month. Also the claims of "full tailor made customization" are marketing 101 when in reality it practically is picking up something off shelf with all these set "variables". I really wonder which of these variables exactly matches baddersUS desired specs rather than be around them ... (like so many off the shelf out there probably already are).

    Also makes it less surprising former Carlton player Andrew Smith has "joined" the brand as a player ...
     
    #30 demolidor, Nov 9, 2012
    Last edited: Nov 9, 2012
  11. amleto

    amleto Regular Member

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    vt80 is £160 everywhere
     
  12. demolidor

    demolidor Regular Member

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    "Only" 140 euro here (unstrung) ... UK all price matching ending on 161.49GBP (strung) [​IMG]. (149.99 on Amazon so one could price match that depending on the conditions)

    So the lowest Carlton series that have "Japanese HM Carbon" are the Air series, like for instance the on sale 40GBP Air Sonic and a few more sub 50 ones from the Vapour series as well with little to no dang technology and RRP's towards the 120GBP range ...

    An 83gram, 312mm bp, 6.5 flex CstWrqs would be interesting to see
     
    #32 demolidor, Nov 9, 2012
    Last edited: Nov 9, 2012
  13. CanucksDynasty

    CanucksDynasty Regular Member

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    That thing will probably snap in half on a full-powered smash. Is there a warranty in place if such a thing were to occur?
     
  14. Eddie Hang

    Eddie Hang Regular Member

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    Hi All,

    Rather than everyone speculating on this thread, here are some facts. I am Matthew Dance-Shuker and I am the owner of Customworqs. My credentials are:
    - Played badminton since 5 years old (30 years)
    - Highest world ranking, 43, at men's singles
    - 5 years at Carlton Sports responsible for the brand globally (product development, sponsorship and marketing) on a shoe string budget and with no control over the Far East market (Carlton is licensed over there)
    - Responsible for the Vapour Trail range of rackets which was Carlton's best selling range for 10 years
    - Qualified coach with experience coaching juniors through to internationals

    This brand has been 2 years in the making. The reasons for launching this brand as follows:
    1. Aside from frame geometry, "technology" has negligible impact
    2. Some well known international players do not use off-the-shelf products, they have specific frames / carbon lay-ups customised for them which are painted to look like the current range of rackets

    Because of the above, I felt the rackets industry was doing a dis-service to all badminton players by hoodwinking them into purchasing rackets based on questionable information.

    Having spent 4 years understanding what makes a good badminton racket (this is all to do with racket geometry,specs and carbon lay up), I left Carlton and approached a premium rackets factory to discuss setting up a single racket production line. 2 years later and having developed 27 different carbon lay ups which play fantastically well, Customworqs was born. So yes, each racket is made individually. Yes, the spec range is limited at the moment, we had to start somewhere. We have agreement that this can be increased to 3 frame geometries, 7 weights, 7 balances, 7 shaft flexs, 100 design options in the future dependent upon success.

    Like you, I am a mad keen shuttler and always will be. Customworqs is trying to do something different which breaks away from the norm, to drag the rackets industry into customisation and in doing so, it can catch up with other sports categories. It might fail, and if it does, then at least I can say the brand was transparent in it's offering to badminton players.

    Mat
     
  15. f1rst

    f1rst Regular Member

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    Thanks very much for giving us a bit more detail on your brand, Mat. I'm quite interested in the strength of the rackets in terms of how stiff the stiffest is and what the torsional stability is like. How do you change the weights of the rackets and the balance points? I'm meaning is it additional weight in the handle or do the frames actually have weights positioned in the them to change the weight and bp?
     
  16. f1rst

    f1rst Regular Member

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    Also I'm a big fan of the Carlton Vapour Trail Elite. Since you were involved with Carlton, do any of your spec'd rackets match this?
     
  17. Koo&Tan

    Koo&Tan Regular Member

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    Hi,

    I personnaly think the idea is good, but will buy one of these weapons later, when we'll can choose more spec.

    1) Totaly agree, and for the frame, for example, I will love to have a head-heavy Z-Slash :)
    2) When do you think it will be possible ?

    Good luck for your amazing project.
     
  18. Eddie Hang

    Eddie Hang Regular Member

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    I like stiff rackets so the stiff shaft flex is 6.5 which is slightly stiffer than a Carlton Vapour Trail Elite. Torsional stability on all the frames are excellent, in my opinion, due to the mold and carbon layups I have created.

    Re changing weights, balance points etc, I'm afraid I can't go into how this is achieved - trade secrets and all that.

    Re vapour trail elite equivalent spec, the closest Customworqs match to this would be:

    Weight: 90g
    Shaft stiff: 6.5
    Balance: 312mm

    More importantly the racket carbon lay-up will outperform the Carlton Vapour Trail Elite as I created the Vapour Trail Elite carbon lay-up and have since improved on it. Again please note this is my opinion, for what it's worth.

    Hope this helps
     
  19. Eddie Hang

    Eddie Hang Regular Member

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    Hi Koo&Tan,

    I'm afraid I can't give a date as to when we will be able to introduce more spec options. It is linked to sales although we seem to be doing well so far. We've already sold 30 rackets and we've only been live 3 days and not even started marketing!

    Thanks
     
  20. maxout

    maxout Regular Member

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    Can you reproduce a Yonex Cab20 original and at what price ? :confused:
     

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