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Just curious to see what the preference is between balanced and end loaded bats and why. I've been swinging a balanced M1110 and have been considering going to a an end loaded bat.

I've been swinging a Mizuno MZP51 (Ichiro model) for about 6 months. I like how balanced it is, but wish it was a little bit more end loaded.
My favorite profile is the C243. It is on the end loaded side, but has the relatively thin handle and is well balanced.

I personally will only swing a balanced bat. I feel like I have more control over the bat when its balanced.

Usually, as you go up through older/higher levels of ball, players move up to bats with more barrel. Since those higher levels all use wood, more endload comes with the territory... although the 110 is definitely one of the more balanced turning models you'll find, many of your better hitters opt for something with a little more barrel/EL. You just have to make sure you're strong and quick enough, to get the bat around.
Just got a box of S318's (one of the most popular turning models in pro ball this season), and really like them... they definitely don't lack, in the barrel dept.

I prefer using a balanced bat for the bat speed.

The best way that I've been able to learn about the form and function of bats was to actually make them myself and then test the different results in the wood bat league that I play in. One fascinating thing that I learned came from a tip that a bat company owner gave me to determine where I place the denser (heavier) wood on the bat. Wood density is not to be confused with "balanced vs. end loaded" which refers to the bats profile. Before you turn a bat on a lathe you start out with a "billet" which is a straight cylinder of wood about 38 inches long. First, you mark the center of the cylinders length. On a level table you place a pen down and then balance the center mark of the billet across that pen to see which half of the cylinder is the denser, heavier wood. Wood is not uniform and will often have areas that are heavier and lighter within a 38 inch span. The end of the billet that is denser, heavier you use for the handle of the bat, the lighter wood you use for the barrel. This allows for a larger barrel without as much weight and it allows for more density and strength in the handle where you want it. If you have swung certain metal softball bats you may notice that they add weight to the handle and the barrel feels hollow and light. You want a similar distribution in wood bats.

You can sometimes tell just by looking at the wood grain of a finished bat if the denser wood is in the barrel versus the handle.

It sounds like choosing a bat comes down to personal preference. I can see contact hitters opting for balanced bats and power hitters more EL. Somebody should make a sticky in this sections about the various turning models and how they swing in regards to balanced/EL.

While contact hitters will usually be more inclined to go with a balanced bat and power hitters more likely to go with something with more barrel, that has changed somewhat in the recent past as even smaller MI are spending more time in the weight room and can handle more bat. Pretty much why you'll see some pretty decent HR numbers put up by positions that used to be average only, for the most part (Robinson Cano definitely comes to mind).

The sticky idea sounds good, but what makes that a little tricky is that the balance of the same turning model bat can change quite a bit depending on the manufacturer, ash vs. maple, and pro timber vs. retail wood. You might swing a retail ash 271 that feels pretty balanced, then pick up a 1XX pro timber 271 that feels like it's got a pretty healthy EL.

I prefer balanced, you can swing them faster and despite what you'd think, you can generate more power with them
http://www.physics.usyd.edu.au/~cross/P ... edvsSW.pdf

I would say go with a model 73 wood bat, they feature the big knob that balances the whole bat & a big barrel which is always great. Some people are always skeptical on the 73 but once you give it a try, you'll never want to switch.

When this thread started, I was swinging an M110. Since then, I have moved to swinging bats with bigger barrels such as the C243 and I13. I have finally settled on a Marucci custom DW5 which gives me a M110 handle and a C243 barrel. Although by batting average has gone to sh*t, I am starting to like the feel of end loaded bats after using the M110 exclusively for about ten years.

Moving towards bats with a bigger barrel/more EL, is just the natural progression of hitting. Most kids start with a 2 1/4" barrel alloy/composite youth bat that's usually a -10/-12 and pretty balanced, then move to a 2 5/8" barrel alloy/composite -5/-10 youth bat that has a little more EL to go along with the bigger barrel, then to a -3 BBCOR with even more EL, then to wood which has more EL than pretty much every alloy/composite bat. As you get stronger, your hands get quicker, you can handle more bat, and most hitters want more barrel.

Been hitting the cages lately using my old Wood bats.
Love the feel.

I always liked the C271...But now love the M110 (Maple version-little heavier)
Also just picked up a Mizuno MZC-62 Wood Composite. This feels nice too.

I need to post some picks of my old Worth Wood bats.
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I'm going back to the M110 tomorrow. I feel like it gives me more time to react than a top heavy bat like the C243. I hate the C271 because of the cone taper. Admit it, the only reason why you use it is because Griffey used it

^^^^^^^ MOSTLY TRUE^^^^^^^
I do think the M110 is probably my favorite to swing
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i like an endloaded bat, i have been using balanced bats my entire life but got a demarini voodoo this year and my batting average actual shot up and i started hitting for a little more power, bottom line i like top heavy bats better