Game Used Bats - I'm a Newby!

[Billyscards]

Hello All,

I'm hoping for some help. I'm intrigued by getting into Game Used Bats but know very little about them. I see most of them are tied to Mears Authentication and I wanted to gather thoughts on the mid/lower level grades as in a A6. My goal would be to snag up a Ruth or Gehrig but I'm confused on the legitimacy of an A6 that either has the length or weight wrong from what was on records.. curious to get other perspectives.

Thanks in advance!

[drcy]

Read the specific deductions in the grade on the letter, as some point deductions are due to condition. So an 8, for example, can be as 100% authentic as a 10, with the 8 having some condition or repair issues. PSA/DNA is the other company.

But my advice would be to not start with as high end as a Ruth or Gehrig.

P.s. for modern bats and jerseys, collectors try to photomatch them, and collectors say a perfect photomatch is better than any LOA.

[Shoeless Moe]

Check out the bats at MEARS this month, WOW!!

[earlywynnfan]

For older bats, if they don't match what's common for that player, I stay away. If they have a Babe Ruth 34" bat and nowhere on his order is any bat less than 36", I stay away. (By the way, I made those numbers up, don't pay attention to them.)

Just my opinion, but I'd rather have my pro model Hanna Sisler and Zinn-Beck Heilmann that match lengths and weights of that era than LV's that are noticeably off. However, I'm in the minority, based on prices.

I agree, if you're not a bat guy (yet) and plan on diving into the Ruths of the world, you really want to get a top-notch finder guy and just pay the big bucks. You are not going to get a steal with limited knowledge. This is exactly why I don't own a Ruth signed ball; when I win the lottery, I'll drag Jim Stinson out of retirement and have him find me a real one.

Also, a word of warning: collecting GU bats are highly addictive!

Ken

[Mark]

Originally Posted by drcy

Read the specific deductions in the grade on the letter, as some point deductions are due to condition. So an 8, for example, can be as 100% authentic as a 10, with the 8 having some condition or repair issues. PSA/DNA is the other company.

But my advice would be to not start with as high end as a Ruth or Gehrig.

P.s. for modern bats and jerseys, collectors try to photomatch them, and collectors say a perfect photomatch is better than any LOA.

Pick up a few, common, older bats to familiarize yourself with the look and feel of the real thing. Get your hands on the Vince Malta book. Maybe also a copy of the Bushing/Knoll tome. Spend a few hours on the MEARS site and old auction archives. And feel free to ask questions, make observations, etc. here. It is a great little hobby.