InfiniteSB1
Banned User
The Pre 2006 OG Miken Ultra Buyers Guide
This thread is to inform those that don't know what to look for when buying an Ultra. There are many things to look for when buying an Ultra 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 2006. My goal here is to help people recognize what they are buying but also help prevent getting scammed into buying an Ultra that was made to look authentic or an Ultra 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. 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. There is no way to tell if the Ultra you buy has been sleeved. The only precaution you can take is to make sure the wrapper of the Ultra 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's popping up that have been painted to look like Ultra's and wrapped to look NIW. Again 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's....quite simply you're on your own. Every time a used Ultra changes hands it's nothing but a gamble that it is authentic.
2002 Original Ultra Recessed Bubble Knob Balanced with ASA Stamps.
When this bat was introduced in 2002 it was available in weights 26,27,28,29 and 30 ounce. Tho 26oz were made but they were difficult to find in the beginning due to testing requirements and are still very difficult to find today. The ASA 2000 stamps were on this bat. These came NIW with black and white warranty paperwork under the wrapper. The grip was a smooth grip very similar to an OG Easton 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.
2002 Original Ultra Recessed Bubble Knob Maxload with ASA Stamps
This bat was the maxload version of the bat above. It will have maxload around the barrel up near the endcap much like maxload is seen today on current Miken bats. All the details listed above are the same on this bat.
2002 Original Ultra Recessed Bubble Knob Balanced and Maxload WITHOUT ASA STAMPS
These bats will only be found used. Every detail above will be found on these bats except they the WILL NOT have the ASA 2000 stamps. When the Ultra was banned in ASA Miken offered an option for a short time for a fee to send in your Ultra to have the ASA stamps removed and sent back to you. In some cases but not all Miken did W melt stamp the endcaps of these bats.
2002 Original Ultra Recessed Bubble Knob Balanced and Maxload WITH STAR WITH ASA STAMPS
I have never seen a NIW Star Ultra but I also can't say they don't exist. I have heard there were some NIW. All that I have seen were out of the wrapper. These bats should also have the same details as above but they had a 5 point star on the barrel. There are a lot of stories and rumors of what this bat is. I'm not gonna voice my opinion on these and simply just acknowledge they exist.
2003 Ultra Reissue Flat Paper Sticker Smooth Endcap MAXLOAD ONLY
These bats were produced very shortly after the Ultra 2 was banned. Some believe these were the hottest of all the OG Ultra's ever made. These bats ALWAYS came NIW without warranty paperwork under the wrapper. The wrapper had a large white warning/disclaimer sticker wrapped around the barrel. The endcap on this version was smooth but ALWAYS had the W melted into the cap. At this point Miken was not allowing warranty on the Ultra. 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. There was NEVER the yellowish green serial number on the taper of these bats.
2004 and 2005 Ultra Reissue Flat Paper Sticker with Miken Endcap MAXLOAD ONLY
These bats were produced in 2004 and 2005. These bats ALWAYS came NIW without warranty paperwork under the wrapper. The wrapper had a large white warning/disclaimer sticker wrapped around the barrel. 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 M with the word Miken across it along with the length above the M and the weight below the M. The grip was a perforated synthetic type 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.
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. Good luck and be sure to watch for the Ultra 2 buyers guide coming shortly.
This thread is to inform those that don't know what to look for when buying an Ultra. There are many things to look for when buying an Ultra 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 2006. My goal here is to help people recognize what they are buying but also help prevent getting scammed into buying an Ultra that was made to look authentic or an Ultra 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. 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. There is no way to tell if the Ultra you buy has been sleeved. The only precaution you can take is to make sure the wrapper of the Ultra 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's popping up that have been painted to look like Ultra's and wrapped to look NIW. Again 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's....quite simply you're on your own. Every time a used Ultra changes hands it's nothing but a gamble that it is authentic.
2002 Original Ultra Recessed Bubble Knob Balanced with ASA Stamps.
When this bat was introduced in 2002 it was available in weights 26,27,28,29 and 30 ounce. Tho 26oz were made but they were difficult to find in the beginning due to testing requirements and are still very difficult to find today. The ASA 2000 stamps were on this bat. These came NIW with black and white warranty paperwork under the wrapper. The grip was a smooth grip very similar to an OG Easton 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.
2002 Original Ultra Recessed Bubble Knob Maxload with ASA Stamps
This bat was the maxload version of the bat above. It will have maxload around the barrel up near the endcap much like maxload is seen today on current Miken bats. All the details listed above are the same on this bat.
2002 Original Ultra Recessed Bubble Knob Balanced and Maxload WITHOUT ASA STAMPS
These bats will only be found used. Every detail above will be found on these bats except they the WILL NOT have the ASA 2000 stamps. When the Ultra was banned in ASA Miken offered an option for a short time for a fee to send in your Ultra to have the ASA stamps removed and sent back to you. In some cases but not all Miken did W melt stamp the endcaps of these bats.
2002 Original Ultra Recessed Bubble Knob Balanced and Maxload WITH STAR WITH ASA STAMPS
I have never seen a NIW Star Ultra but I also can't say they don't exist. I have heard there were some NIW. All that I have seen were out of the wrapper. These bats should also have the same details as above but they had a 5 point star on the barrel. There are a lot of stories and rumors of what this bat is. I'm not gonna voice my opinion on these and simply just acknowledge they exist.
2003 Ultra Reissue Flat Paper Sticker Smooth Endcap MAXLOAD ONLY
These bats were produced very shortly after the Ultra 2 was banned. Some believe these were the hottest of all the OG Ultra's ever made. These bats ALWAYS came NIW without warranty paperwork under the wrapper. The wrapper had a large white warning/disclaimer sticker wrapped around the barrel. The endcap on this version was smooth but ALWAYS had the W melted into the cap. At this point Miken was not allowing warranty on the Ultra. 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. There was NEVER the yellowish green serial number on the taper of these bats.
2004 and 2005 Ultra Reissue Flat Paper Sticker with Miken Endcap MAXLOAD ONLY
These bats were produced in 2004 and 2005. These bats ALWAYS came NIW without warranty paperwork under the wrapper. The wrapper had a large white warning/disclaimer sticker wrapped around the barrel. 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 M with the word Miken across it along with the length above the M and the weight below the M. The grip was a perforated synthetic type 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.
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. Good luck and be sure to watch for the Ultra 2 buyers guide coming shortly.
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