InfiniteSB1
Banned User
This thread is to inform those that don't know what to look for when buying an Ultra II. There are many things to look for when buying an Ultra II to determine what you are spending your hard earned money on. There is also a lot of confusion as to the different versions that existed prior to 2007. My goal here is to help people recognize what they are buying but also help prevent getting scammed into buying an Ultra II that was made to look authentic or an Ultra II that has had the sleeve removed from it while still in the wrapper. I will not be posting any pictures here as I do not want to give the people doing these things any visual assistance in counterfeiting.
Usually if the sleeve has been removed another sleeve has been put back in and more than likely been shaved to act like an Ultra II. But some idiots do just put back any other sleeve without being shaved and it will be very obvious because it will act nothing like an Ultra II. There is no way to tell if the Ultra II you buy has been sleeved. The only precaution you can take is to make sure the wrapper of the Ultra II you are buying completely covers all the edges of the endcap. If the wrapper does not cover all of the edges or looks suspicious at all you can almost guarantee it's been tampered with and is not worth the gamble. Recently there have been Ultra II's popping up that have been painted to look like Ultra II's and wrapped to look NIW. I will not go into the details of wrappers because I will not give the scammers the info they need to copy the subtle differences of the wrappers of old.
Used Ultra II's....quite simply you're on your own. Every time a used Ultra II changes hands it's nothing but a gamble that it is authentic.
2003 Original Ultra II Recessed Bubble Knob with ASA Stamps w/Warranty Paperwork
This bat was released in 2003 right after the Ultra was banned in all but a couple associations. Miken literally took Original grey Ultra's painted them black and applied the Ultra II logo. Available in weights 27,28,29 and 30 ounce. Miken was never able to pass testing with a 26 ounce version of the Ultra II and NO 26 ounce were ever made. The ASA 2000 stamps were on this bat. These came NIW with black and white warranty paperwork under the wrapper. The grip was a pebble grip. The knob sticker is a raised bubble sticker that was recessed into the knob making the bubble sit flush with the bottom of the knob. The logo on the sticker was an M swoosh type logo and listed the length along with the weight. This bat ALWAYS had the smooth endcap. Under the grip there is usually a production date but not always. There is always a 4 or 5 digit serial number that will be a combination of letters and numbers. There will also be a shell weight written in red and a blue color on the handle. 99.9% that I have seen have the red and blue shell weight but I have seen a handful that did not. This version is extremely rare NIW and I highly doubt any are truely left in the wrapper. If one were to ever be found and authenticated it would pretty much be the rarest Miken bat ever made.
2003 Ultra II Flat Paper Sticker Smooth Endcap with ASA Stamps w/Warranty Paperwork
This is the Ultra II most are familiar with. Weights were 27,28,29, and 30. At this point Miken had made the Ultra II a production bat and for a short time (about 6 months) was legal again in all the major associations. These came NIW with black and white warranty paperwork under the wrapper. This bat had the ASA 2000 stamps. The knob sticker was no longer recessed and instead was a flat paper sticker that had the older style M swoosh logo along with the length and the weight on it. These stickers DID NOT say Miken on them. The grip was a pebble grip. Under the grip there will be a production date along with but not always a serial number. The serial number will usually be about 6 digits long and is only numbers. Sometimes not always there will be a color code ring around the handle usually white or red. There should be the weight of the bat painted in white. Sometimes but not always there will be a shell weight written in blue, red or white. There was NEVER the yellowish green serial number on the taper of these bats. There were very specific stickers that were on the wrappers of these bats and if you are truely holding an authentic Ultra II you will see the stickers I am referring to. I cannot disclose the details of these stickers to help prevent counterfeiting but you'll know them when you see them.
2003 Ultra II Flat Paper Sticker Smooth Endcap with ASA Stamps with W Stamp Warranty Return
This bat was the W stamped warranty return of the bat above. All details are the same on this bat but most of the time not all there was not warranty paperwork under the wrapper. I have only seen a handful of warranty return Ultra II's NIW with warranty paperwork under the wrapper. So they did in fact exist but I believe most did not have the paperwork.
2003 Ultra II Flat Paper Sticker with Miken Swoosh Endcap with ASA Stamps
This version is not very common but did exist. Most were W stamped but it is possible some were not W stamped. The same details above apply to this bat except for the endcap of course.
2004 and 2005 Ultra II Flat Paper Sticker with Miken Endcap
These bats were produced in 2004 and 2005. Weights 27,28,29, and 30. These bats ALWAYS came NIW without warranty paperwork under the wrapper. The endcap on this version was the Miken M endcap and ALWAYS had the W melted into the cap.The knob sticker was a flat paper sticker that had the Miken swoosh logo with the length and weight below. Most 2005 Ultra II's did have the flat paper sticker Miken M logo with the length above the M and the weight below. The grip was a pebble grip. Under the grip there will be a production date. Sometimes not always there will be a color code ring around the handle usually white or red. There should be the weight of the bat painted in white. There will be the yellowish green serial number on the taper of these bats with the familiar starting digit representing the year made 4xxxx=2004 5xxxx=2005. There was a sticker that was usually on the wrapper of these bats but again you'll know it when you see it if it's authentic.
2006 Ultra II Bubble Sticker (not recessed) with Miken Endcap
These bats were produced in 2006. These bats ALWAYS came NIW without warranty paperwork under the wrapper. The endcap on this version was the Miken M endcap and ALWAYS had the W melted into the cap.The knob sticker was a bubble sticker (not recessed) that had the Miken M logo with the length above the M and the weight below the M. The grip was a pebble grip. Under the grip there will be a production date. Sometimes not always there will be a color code ring around the handle usually white or red. There should be the weight of the bat painted in white. There will be the yellowish green serial number on the taper of these bats with the familiar starting digit representing the year made 6xxxx-2006. There was a sticker that was usually on the wrapper of these bats but again you'll know it when you see it if it's authentic.
I hope this helps people identify what they are buying. It makes me angry to know these bats are being copied or altered and then sold to unknowing buyers. If I have missed something or listed something inaccurate let me know your thoughts for discussion.
These were all the versions of the Ultra II that did NOT have the senior stamp on them
Usually if the sleeve has been removed another sleeve has been put back in and more than likely been shaved to act like an Ultra II. But some idiots do just put back any other sleeve without being shaved and it will be very obvious because it will act nothing like an Ultra II. There is no way to tell if the Ultra II you buy has been sleeved. The only precaution you can take is to make sure the wrapper of the Ultra II you are buying completely covers all the edges of the endcap. If the wrapper does not cover all of the edges or looks suspicious at all you can almost guarantee it's been tampered with and is not worth the gamble. Recently there have been Ultra II's popping up that have been painted to look like Ultra II's and wrapped to look NIW. I will not go into the details of wrappers because I will not give the scammers the info they need to copy the subtle differences of the wrappers of old.
Used Ultra II's....quite simply you're on your own. Every time a used Ultra II changes hands it's nothing but a gamble that it is authentic.
2003 Original Ultra II Recessed Bubble Knob with ASA Stamps w/Warranty Paperwork
This bat was released in 2003 right after the Ultra was banned in all but a couple associations. Miken literally took Original grey Ultra's painted them black and applied the Ultra II logo. Available in weights 27,28,29 and 30 ounce. Miken was never able to pass testing with a 26 ounce version of the Ultra II and NO 26 ounce were ever made. The ASA 2000 stamps were on this bat. These came NIW with black and white warranty paperwork under the wrapper. The grip was a pebble grip. The knob sticker is a raised bubble sticker that was recessed into the knob making the bubble sit flush with the bottom of the knob. The logo on the sticker was an M swoosh type logo and listed the length along with the weight. This bat ALWAYS had the smooth endcap. Under the grip there is usually a production date but not always. There is always a 4 or 5 digit serial number that will be a combination of letters and numbers. There will also be a shell weight written in red and a blue color on the handle. 99.9% that I have seen have the red and blue shell weight but I have seen a handful that did not. This version is extremely rare NIW and I highly doubt any are truely left in the wrapper. If one were to ever be found and authenticated it would pretty much be the rarest Miken bat ever made.
2003 Ultra II Flat Paper Sticker Smooth Endcap with ASA Stamps w/Warranty Paperwork
This is the Ultra II most are familiar with. Weights were 27,28,29, and 30. At this point Miken had made the Ultra II a production bat and for a short time (about 6 months) was legal again in all the major associations. These came NIW with black and white warranty paperwork under the wrapper. This bat had the ASA 2000 stamps. The knob sticker was no longer recessed and instead was a flat paper sticker that had the older style M swoosh logo along with the length and the weight on it. These stickers DID NOT say Miken on them. The grip was a pebble grip. Under the grip there will be a production date along with but not always a serial number. The serial number will usually be about 6 digits long and is only numbers. Sometimes not always there will be a color code ring around the handle usually white or red. There should be the weight of the bat painted in white. Sometimes but not always there will be a shell weight written in blue, red or white. There was NEVER the yellowish green serial number on the taper of these bats. There were very specific stickers that were on the wrappers of these bats and if you are truely holding an authentic Ultra II you will see the stickers I am referring to. I cannot disclose the details of these stickers to help prevent counterfeiting but you'll know them when you see them.
2003 Ultra II Flat Paper Sticker Smooth Endcap with ASA Stamps with W Stamp Warranty Return
This bat was the W stamped warranty return of the bat above. All details are the same on this bat but most of the time not all there was not warranty paperwork under the wrapper. I have only seen a handful of warranty return Ultra II's NIW with warranty paperwork under the wrapper. So they did in fact exist but I believe most did not have the paperwork.
2003 Ultra II Flat Paper Sticker with Miken Swoosh Endcap with ASA Stamps
This version is not very common but did exist. Most were W stamped but it is possible some were not W stamped. The same details above apply to this bat except for the endcap of course.
2004 and 2005 Ultra II Flat Paper Sticker with Miken Endcap
These bats were produced in 2004 and 2005. Weights 27,28,29, and 30. These bats ALWAYS came NIW without warranty paperwork under the wrapper. The endcap on this version was the Miken M endcap and ALWAYS had the W melted into the cap.The knob sticker was a flat paper sticker that had the Miken swoosh logo with the length and weight below. Most 2005 Ultra II's did have the flat paper sticker Miken M logo with the length above the M and the weight below. The grip was a pebble grip. Under the grip there will be a production date. Sometimes not always there will be a color code ring around the handle usually white or red. There should be the weight of the bat painted in white. There will be the yellowish green serial number on the taper of these bats with the familiar starting digit representing the year made 4xxxx=2004 5xxxx=2005. There was a sticker that was usually on the wrapper of these bats but again you'll know it when you see it if it's authentic.
2006 Ultra II Bubble Sticker (not recessed) with Miken Endcap
These bats were produced in 2006. These bats ALWAYS came NIW without warranty paperwork under the wrapper. The endcap on this version was the Miken M endcap and ALWAYS had the W melted into the cap.The knob sticker was a bubble sticker (not recessed) that had the Miken M logo with the length above the M and the weight below the M. The grip was a pebble grip. Under the grip there will be a production date. Sometimes not always there will be a color code ring around the handle usually white or red. There should be the weight of the bat painted in white. There will be the yellowish green serial number on the taper of these bats with the familiar starting digit representing the year made 6xxxx-2006. There was a sticker that was usually on the wrapper of these bats but again you'll know it when you see it if it's authentic.
I hope this helps people identify what they are buying. It makes me angry to know these bats are being copied or altered and then sold to unknowing buyers. If I have missed something or listed something inaccurate let me know your thoughts for discussion.
These were all the versions of the Ultra II that did NOT have the senior stamp on them
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