Bad experience for Glovesmith Custom Glove

mycowbay

New Member
Hi all,

Thanks for all of your opinions for my first custom glove and finally I decide to reach Glovesmith. We have at least over 10 emails back and forward, and every time it is the same man help/reply me. I'll call him as M for this post.

At first I send couple emails to M ask questions and used Rawlings' simulator (because this is the only simulator which I found online) to create a file for discussion, because I thought it would be clear for both of us. Since I'm not native speaker and worry about if I call M, there would be some problem because of my oral speaking. I also mentioned this in my email. Anyway, it seems like made a phone call would be a good choice for him, then I called M and discussed details of my glove. I asked M whether it's OK for me to use files to communicate with him in order to make sure everything is good. (I asked the same question before in the email). M said yes. Then I made a final draft and send to him couple days after the phone call. He wrote in email "Your order form came through completed this time". I thought it's great and time for make a payment.

I called M this afternoon and want to make final check. However, when I asked whether I can use the fold over crotch and he said no. I asked whether the color could try to help me choose similar one, he said they don't have the color which I showed in my draft. I thought it's OK. I asked do you have the blue color which is more dark one? He said no. I ask whether can I choose the stamping color, he said normally they did not do that but they can help me do the color which I want. I said again that you cannot do the fold crotch and don't have dark blue rather than bright. M cut off me and said you know what, I think we cannot make the glove you want. It's impossible to have the glove which you want. His tone was impatient and don't want to talk to me anymore. I said what you mean is that you don't want to build my custom glove? He replied yes. it's no way we can customize your glove. Then I said thanks anyway, I appreciate your help. He said noting but hanged off my phone.

I really don't know why he did that and acted don't want to talk to me anymore. I tried my best to let M understand what kind of glove that I want, and I tried to know what kind style/shapes glove which they can built. In my email I gave him all my drafts and modified the drafts after he replied my email. He said nothing but in last email "Everything on the order looks good. If M saw my drafts and agreed everything is good, why he said they cannot build my glove when I call him made double check. I fell so frustrated and said for all these things and I would say even Glovesmith's glove is good, I do not suggest anyone buy it's custom glove because of it's staff's attitude.

Below is the email records for reference:
http://imgur.com/a/srugF
 

Rous

Addicted to Softballfans
A PRO302 has a welted "crotch" while a PRO303 has a fold over. On the 302 there is a welted seam that runs down the side of the index finger, and then under the base of the web and up the thumb. On the 303, the palm piece folds at the base of the web and it is sewn to the back side.

This was a discussion in a thread mycowbay started about a week ago. Why, after Mike explained they could not do it and I had posted in your thread that they cannot do it did you ask him one more time?

After reading the exchange, I sort of understand why they hung up on you. You might not be a super high maintenance perfectionist, but you come across that way. I am sure Mike suddenly came to the conclusion that the likelihood you would complain about some flaw in the glove (color, stitching, fit, etc) was pretty high.
 

mycowbay

New Member
A PRO302 has a welted "crotch" while a PRO303 has a fold over. On the 302 there is a welted seam that runs down the side of the index finger, and then under the base of the web and up the thumb. On the 303, the palm piece folds at the base of the web and it is sewn to the back side.

This was a discussion in a thread mycowbay started about a week ago. Why, after Mike explained they could not do it and I had posted in your thread that they cannot do it did you ask him one more time?

After reading the exchange, I sort of understand why they hung up on you. You might not be a super high maintenance perfectionist, but you come across that way. I am sure Mike suddenly came to the conclusion that the likelihood you would complain about some flaw in the glove (color, stitching, fit, etc) was pretty high.

Hi Rous, it's so happy to see you reply my post again, and I would describe myself as conscientious careful person.

I know they do not have the colors same as the Rawlings draft I gave to them, so after a phone call I changed the colors to what they have. Also I have a note in my draft describes "Colors can be adjusted to similar one, if you don't have these colors."I think I did not notice that you told me they cannot do the fold over crotch, and ask them again. I ask them twice in the phone call and I could understand this might be my problem.

What really makes my unhappy is that I did a lot of drafts with pics, which combined Glovesmith order form, in order to discuss with M. I emphasized that I would need these drafts to communicate with him, no matter in email or phone calls, and he agreed with that. In the final email, he wrote "Everything on the order looks good". For me this sentence means that he confirmed that my drafts were good and they could make it. This why I were not happy for the last call.

For me I would say if M can check the drafts I give to him and tell me what they can do and what they cannot. Today's things would not happen. But thanks him anyway, he helped me a lot.
 
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mycowbay

New Member
Another thing I found would be a misunderstanding is that on 5/9 email, M wrote "One other thing in your pictures the glove has a fold over web crotch, out gloves would be a welted web crotch"

I misunderstand that he meas "outfield" (outfield abbreviation as out) gloves would be a welted web crotch. I think what he really meas is "our" gloves would be a welted web crotch. So that's why I think they have another choice for the crotch.
 

dttruax

Addicted to Softballfans
A PRO302 has a welted "crotch" while a PRO303 has a fold over. On the 302 there is a welted seam that runs down the side of the index finger, and then under the base of the web and up the thumb. On the 303, the palm piece folds at the base of the web and it is sewn to the back side

Looking at pics, don't you mean the other way around?
 

Phantomblack

Addicted to Softballfans
Looking at pics, don't you mean the other way around?

Rous is correct. The Pro303 has welting running between the fingers on the back of the glove. I thought OP was initially referring to the Mizuno style crotch fold where the welting isn't exposed between the index and middle finger in the pocket. Didn't know there was lingo for that.
 

Crusty

Addicted to Softballfans
What is the benefit or lack of a fold over vs welter crotch? Every glove I have purchased has been fold over.
 

Rous

Addicted to Softballfans
What is the benefit or lack of a fold over vs welter crotch? Every glove I have purchased has been fold over.

You have to consider the entire design. Welting doesn't stretch, but leather can. So over time, gloves with the fold over will change more (get deeper) than those with the welting. But if you design a glove with the welting to be deeper from the start, they will eventually be the same. I have relaced a couple Mizuno gloves (GCP51s I think) that just had ridiculously deep pockets, but Mizuno outfield gloves are designed to be deep to start. The PRO303 pocket starts out a bit narrower than a PRO302, but I think a 303 might eventually be a bit deeper after a couple years of use.

None of the Glovesmith patterns have the fold over design.
 

Felks32

Addicted to Softballfans
You have to consider the entire design. Welting doesn't stretch, but leather can. So over time, gloves with the fold over will change more (get deeper) than those with the welting. But if you design a glove with the welting to be deeper from the start, they will eventually be the same. I have relaced a couple Mizuno gloves (GCP51s I think) that just had ridiculously deep pockets, but Mizuno outfield gloves are designed to be deep to start. The PRO303 pocket starts out a bit narrower than a PRO302, but I think a 303 might eventually be a bit deeper after a couple years of use.

None of the Glovesmith patterns have the fold over design.

See...now you're gonna make me look more carefully at my 303 and 302 when I get home. :D
 

mycowbay

New Member
You have to consider the entire design. Welting doesn't stretch, but leather can. So over time, gloves with the fold over will change more (get deeper) than those with the welting. But if you design a glove with the welting to be deeper from the start, they will eventually be the same. I have relaced a couple Mizuno gloves (GCP51s I think) that just had ridiculously deep pockets, but Mizuno outfield gloves are designed to be deep to start. The PRO303 pocket starts out a bit narrower than a PRO302, but I think a 303 might eventually be a bit deeper after a couple years of use.

None of the Glovesmith patterns have the fold over design.

umm... For what I learned from my university coach long time ago, I remembered that he said "deep pockets can help you catch the ball easier and would not let the ball jump out of your glove if you don't catch the ball in right position." I don't know what's you mean about ridiculously deep pocket, or I misunderstand my coach's meaning. Could you please explain more?
 

Rous

Addicted to Softballfans
Haha, language nuance. I don't mean "laughable" or "deserving of mockery" but the more slang meaning of "unbelievably."

In the Glovesmith world, if you want a very deep pocket, you'd need the closed back 1300USA. It is a big glove with a welted seam, but the design creates a very deep pocket.

At this point, maybe a PRO303 is your best bet. Check with Milocoman for a special SBF price.
 
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edvedsfb

Addicted to Softballfans
Sorry for your bad experience. However, I don't think I can deduce anything from this thread that would make my shy away from using Glovesmith in the future.
 

mycowbay

New Member
Haha, language nuance. I don't mean "laughable" or "deserving of mockery" but the more slang meaning of "unbelievably."

In the Glovesmith world, if you want a very deep pocket, you'd need the closed back 1300USA. It is a big glove with a welted seam, but the design creates a very deep pocket.

ha, I know what you mean and maybe it's my expression makes you misunderstand my meaning. I search the model you mentioned in your post, thank you :)
 

mycowbay

New Member
Sorry for your bad experience. However, I don't think I can deduce anything from this thread that would make my shy away from using Glovesmith in the future.

Well, I have to say if it's possible, I would want to use Glovesmith custom glove, because it's made in USA and the price is close to my budget. I'm not talking about the quility or anything of it's glove are bad, defect or awful, etc. The thing which makes me unhappy is the attitude of M. If he did check the file, which he agreed let me use the it to communicate with him, and let me know what can he do or cannot. We would not end up like this.

I really want a costom glove which is like Glovesmith, seriously.
 

Rous

Addicted to Softballfans
New York Times recently had an article on the most cringe-worthy words and "crotch" was near the top of the list.

Found online:
"What is the space between your thumb and forefinger called?"
enhanced-7156-1401375181-1.jpg


Perlicue /ˈpəːlɪkjuː/ The space between a person's extended forefinger and thumb.

So I will now call it the "perlicue" seam of the glove!!!
 
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