Where do you rank Bally Scribes ?

[countbaron]

Full disclosure: I am planning to put a pair of BNIBs Bally Scribes for sale in B&S this week

I have had two pairs of Bally Scribes (Charles model but different colors) with double soles for a year or so

Since my 'rotation' is pretty long I must have worn each pair some 7-8 times only- but I have been truly impressed ( really, no BS /B&S). I took a pair for a business trip and wore them 4 days in a row and they were crisp every morning. It reminded me of the solid, reassuring sound you hear when you close the door of a nice Mercedes.

I haven't seen any for sale in SF for ages (maybe I missed it) so I am somewhat unsure of what is the SF 'official position' on them relative to better known similar priced (specially with the present Swiss franc bubble) shoes like EGs, and CJ Handgrades.

While clearly there many differences between UK made top shoes and central European (Swiss included) made top shoes -which makes direct comparisons pretty awkward, I am inclined to ask top $ for them since overall I believe a significant number of 'discerning' SFers would rather have them than CJ Handgrades.

Bottom line, taking all aspects into account I personally put Bally Scribes in between CJ Handgrades.and EGs- what about you?

CB

 

[countbaron]

PS: The Barker Blacks have been sold but somehow my editing of the associated B&S thread did not 'propagate'

 

[jreigen]

I have one pair of Scribes and have handled quite a few. I've found them to be extremely well made construction wise, but as you say, a different beast than most English shoes. Styling and finish wise, I prefer the elegance of my EG's and even C&J handgrade's. The market will dictate what the Scribes are worth.

 

[Newcomer]

Below Carmina

 

[Holdfast]

IMO, they're very nicely made shoes. However, they are not really my cup of tea as all the ones I've tried on are driven by quite a sturdy/heavy aesthetic, to the point of feeling heavy on the foot, which is not what I'm after in a pair of dress shoes. If you dig that, though, they're certainly worth taking out for a spin.

I think they're a bit of a "love em or hate em" sort of shoe, though obviously not as much as something like a budapester or an old-fashioned American gunboat.

YMMV, of course.

 

[countbaron]



Below Carmina

yes, I forgot about that other classic shoe.

Apologies for that, I am however waiting for Spain to leave he eurozone so that I can buy those awesome shoes for wo million pesetas

I am sure that Spo will get the best deals since he lives in the same island where Carmina was founded (They are probably operating out of Morocco these days though )

PS: For the US audience that does not holiday in Spain: peseta was Spain's currency before they joined the euro. The bills were then full of zeros

 

[countbaron]



IMO, they're very nicely made shoes. However, they are not really my cup of tea as all the ones I've tried on are driven by quite a sturdy/heavy aesthetic, to the point of feeling heavy on the foot, which is not what I'm after in a pair of dress shoes. If you dig that, though, they're certainly worth taking out for a spin.

I think they're a bit of a "love em or hate em" sort of shoe, though obviously not as much as something like a budapester or an old-fashioned American gunboat.

YMMV, of course.

I must confess I prefer the sturdy feel relative to the lightweight feel of C&Js (specially bench grades) -that is why I always go for double sole on the Scribes and why I often prefer top-line custom grade Church's over C&Js. Again it is that Teutonic Mercedes feeling You get something similar in John Lobbs (when I wear double soled double monks i fell unstoppable ) and some EGs

 

[PipersSon]



I must confess I prefer the sturdy feel relative to the lightweight feel of C&Js (specially bench grades) -that is why I always go for double sole on the Scribes and why I often prefer top-line custom grade Church's over C&Js. Again it is that Teutonic Mercedes feeling
You get something similar in John Lobbs (when I wear double soled double monks i fell unstoppable ) and some EGs

Caveat: I haven't yet tried an EG, but have a Lobb, C&J, and a Bally Scribe in my rotation.

The Lobb is a different animal, elegant, just flat out beautiful. But all things considered the Scribes are my favorite shoe of all (thanks isshinryu101). They're solid, built like a tank, but - and this is hard to explain - but they're like a particularly elegant tank.

 

[countbaron]

Not many answers so it seems I would be wasting my time listing Sribes on SF

Still astonished at how strong group think and ignorance is here.

I will be keeping for myself the BNIB (with MTM shoe trees, etc, etc) Sribes which I purchased for £130 from Bally's outlet. It would be idiotic to score £50 on something worth so much more than £180

I will keep SF members on a steady diet of stuff they have been conditioned to blindly like in particular C&Js. No point to throw pearls to pigs.

 

[Pembers]



Not many answers so it seems I would be wasting my time listing Sribes on SF

Still astonished at how strong group think and ignorance is here.

I will be keeping for myself the BNIB (with MTM shoe trees, etc, etc) Sribes which I purchased for £130 from Bally's outlet. It would be idiotic to score £50 on something worth so much more than £180

I will keep SF members on a steady diet of stuff they have been conditioned to blindly like in particular C&Js. No point to throw pearls to pigs.

Your approach to building up buyer awareness of yourself as a seller on SF is an interesting one. "The customer is always wrong" mixed with what seem to amount to shoe conspiracy theory.

 

[meister]

If you got them for that price (incredible deal IMO) why would you be wanting to sell them unless they are a flip. Presuming they are why insult your potential clientele and their (proven exquisite) taste in shoes?

 

[PipersSon]



Your approach to building up buyer awareness of yourself as a seller on SF is an interesting one. "The customer is always wrong" mixed with what seem to amount to shoe conspiracy theory.

Including insulting other brands and people. A highly unpleasant persona.

 

[countbaron]

My prices speak for themselves, I list my items honestly and anyone that has contacted me for business was always well treated
That is what matters if you are an intelligent buyer.

I don't sell because I need to, so I can afford to say what I want instead of going around kissing ass or lying. Take my FS for the Barkers Black, it includes the following paragraph:

"In my personal opinion the leather quality of BBs could be improved but then you would have to pay a higher price"

They still sold

I wish there were more sellers like me in SF, instead you get people advertising well worn shoes as 'used twice'

 

[PipersSon]

I'll bite.

As for your offering good deals or your prices are great - I'll respect that.

But there are others here who also offer great deals.

As for knowledge about shoes, there are people like Ron Rider and DWFII who know more about shoes than most of the rest of us put together, indeed they make shoes, but who consistently display humility.

So why put down another brand or shoe, or even customers?

 

[countbaron]

There are two answers to that

- Often it is deserved
- One tries to liven up the place

On the second issue I must bow to Patek as I was 'shocked' to find out that his thread on the Edward Green - Leffot nexus was in the first page when i googled Edward Green a few days ago
It could be a result of my Google (unbeknownst to me) profile- as some of you might know Google does not cough up the same search results to everyone . In any case it is not there anymore
The £130 pounds Scribes are also not 'there' anymore so I guess someone is reading my posts- but that is just me conspiring