Custom calls... how do they rate?

I haven't purchased a custom call since I first started calling in 78. I know that there are some very excellent customs out there that are far superior to the store bought flutes. In my opinion it all starts with your first few minutes on the stand. Your first blows of the call will determine if you are gonna have critters coming in on you. You can put a high pitch in it or a squaller, yelp or just a flat out scream. It all depends on weather you think that area has been hit hard in the past and if you should give it a new vocal sound with your calling prowles. This can be done with any call, its all up to you on how you use your imagination and heart into the output of the sound... Custom calls are a very good advantage in that first set on the stand. It'll give you that added edge of being that different sound if you use it right... it all depends on how you use that call...
 
Eddiev, I am interested in one of your Butten calls. If you have a extra would you be interested in a trade? I have a soft spot in my hart for a good trade. If you are interested in one of my K-Kalls send me a button call and your address my address is on this thred, and I will send you a K-Kall in return. Rich Higgens When you have time give me a call, havent talked to you latly. Hows my short howler coming? As for stock calls I try them then customize. I do not use non custom calls any more. I have calls made by Jay N. Rich H.Lance H. slydog and Rich C. ALL are QUALITY good sounding calls that I charish in my collection and calling bag. I have made closed and open reed calls and enjoy them all. Regardless who custom made them. My .02 worth Thanks Kevin Maker of K-Kalls
 
My old friend Jay pointed out the fact that most mass produced calls are not "reliable". What he means is that the original call that the maker sends to his "factory" people is probably top notch in every way, but once the mass production begins then things seem to go down hill after that. I can't argue that point. I believe that this happens more with the enclosed reed calls than it does with the open reed models. Since the mass produced "open" reed models are injection molded, they tend to be either all good or all bad. Me? I have never been able to leave anything alone, so have been messing with the reeds on my calls since day one. I guess that almost every call I own became "custom" after I owned it for five or ten minutes. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
I am VERY new to this predator calling thing. I dont't get to hunt near as much as I'd like to, but does onybody? I stared buying calls about 8 months ago. I don't have alot....yet. I just ordered a call from Mr. Lux and I am preparing to buy two K-Kalls. Being new to this, I don't feel compelled to buy customs. There seems to be an allure to it though. It's kind of like wanting a Nightforce scope. If your not a benchrester or full time pro hunter or guide, do you really need it. Probably not but that's not ging to stop you from getting the equipment you want. Just from a newby perspective. I am a collector to some degree at heart no matter what I'm into! Maybe I'm just obsessive/compulsive or impulsive. I'm not too concerned with it, I am just patiently waiting for my Lux to arrive so I can start practice singing tunes through it. Remember it's not always the instrument your playing, but the song. Take care every one. Enjoy calling and enjoy life. God Bless!
 
Krusty, you are an arrogant one, aren't you? I cannot believe you think you can place yourself among these great call makers.

Get off the pedestal you've put yourself upon, because you do not deserve it.

I have not seen anyone on PM this full of himself since the likes of QWagoner or Wiley E.
 
I agree that the Al Lux call is good. The Green ones produce really good tones and are easy to blow, but Lux's new Blue Call Specials are about the best I've ever seen.
 
First I want to thank Rich and Jay for their honesty. Yes there are some piss poor factory calls out there that I plain just don't care for and don't use. But there are some factory offers out there that will do as well as a custom. When most of us get a coyote in sight we switch to a lipsqueak to bring him in the rest of the way. I think the sound you are making has much less to do with your success than several other factors.

Does that mean there is no need for a custom call? Certainly not! Custom calls are a piece of art that someone has poured his heart into. They are pleasant to look at and don't have the occasional flaw you might have in a lot of factory models. Someone has spent time making sure it is perfect before sending it out. When I have a custom call around my neck I find myself showing it to my friends or getting asked about it. Kind of like driving a Corvette around. Doesn't really perform any better than a Honda accord but sure turns more heads! lol!

Custom calls are a thing of beauty and I recommend buying each and every one you can afford. I feel fortunate to own the ones I do. One of the main things that has held my interest about predator calling is all the different calls available. I even buy the ones I know are crappy ones just to have them. I would be tickled if I had half of what Todd has in his stash. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

I have one of Jays calls on it's way right now and can hardly sleep thinking about using it the first time. But Jay and Rich are both way too knowledgeable and honest to suggest that a good Critr-Call or worked over Tally Ho or several other factory calls will not perform as admirably as a custom most of the time. Take Quinton for instance. Nobody on these boards takes as many coyotes as that man that I know of and all he uses a simple plastic $10 call.

The main advantage to custom calls is pride of ownership, having a unique calling instrument you won't see hanging around every regular Joe's neck, confidence in it's reliability because someone put the time and effort into making sure it works and sounds right.

Again thanks Jay and Rich for coming forth with honest insight.

Take care, Curt
 
Interesting post Curt. I don't often disagree with you, but I certainly do with some of your statements. I didn't see anyone claim that switching to a custom call will triple their take. Where did that come from? I thought it was interesting that you thanked Jay twice for apparently being objective about the relative merits of factory calls after he stated that, in his opinion, the best call out there was a custom call by Al Lux. In the event that my post was one that you criticized as "hype", permit me to direct you to the title of the thread "Custom Calls- How Do They Rate?" If the subject were factory calls I would have been just as enthusiastic in offering my opinion of the superiority of the Sceery calls.I have the best of both worlds, Sceery AP6 and AP7 mouthpieces in K-Kall aluminum bodies. That is not hype, that is conviction based on experience. Hype is stating that a 25 thousand dollar Honda Accord that was designed to transport families performed as well as a 60 thousand dollar Corvette that was specifically designed and engineered as a high-performance auto. A logical guess would be that you have never driven a Corvette nor called with a K-Kall.
 
I tend to agree with Curt.....which I seldom do:). All call makers, factory or custom, stuff the same damned reed into the call body. To my mind, it's the call body that separates the custom from the factory, instead of delrin, plastic or some non-discript cheap wood, a nicer treatment is given to the call, by using exotic wood and some carving or etching. Upon hearing that dreaded word "tuning" I giggle profusely;come on now, it's a fifteen cent reed, not the elaborate mouthpiece of an obo:) I will qualify my statement by saying open reed calls might have more dramatic tonal qualities given them than the closed reed type. Ive got a drawer full of mouth calls of every kind, custom,prototype and factory, can't honestly say one is any better than the other. I enjoy the customs mostly for their pride of ownership, some are lovely creations in wood, Im not particularly fond of metals or synthetics, but nice wood or natural horn material calls are indeed handsome.
 
The majority of closed reed calls utilize the J.C. reed as the voice. If you believe they cost 15 cents you obviously have never bought them and if you "giggle profusely at the dreaded word" you obviously don't know how to tune one. There are 5 different J.C,.s that I know of, Jay would know if there are more, and each one can be tuned by sanding the metal ,brass or mylar reed at the edges, or creasing the reed longitudinally, and/or manipulating the reed seperation with a razor blade. It is a sufficiently complex procedure that Jay wrote an article on the subject that was published by Trapper and Predator Caller magazine a couple of months ago. A good custom call maker knows how to tune these reeds to maximize the tonal qualities of the wood or other material he is working with. And a good caller should know how to tune the reed in any call to achieve a clear squeal or a raspy squall. Hope no one hurts themselves giggling over this.
 
Chile,

I think I can address your questioning of "tuning" reeds, both open and closed.

Open reed calls respond drastically to even a small amount of shape or thickness change, and the bridge curvature has a great effect as well.
Jon El Paso and I had a long discussion about wavelength formation and frequency due to distance between a reeds bridge and the top of it's oscilation... or the changes the width, or thickness, of said reed can have a seperate and also great effect on that.
It's all physics!

From my limited experience working with closed reeds there is quite a bit of variability in the sound, relative to the amount or "pressed fit" into the call body or reed holder, a couple passes with a round file can lower the pitch dramatically, as can a wrap or two of teflon tape raise it.
And luck has had it that I have wrinkled the reeds on a call or two and came out with a really raspy version of that same call (but bad luck/poor skill and tools has allowed me to ruin as many /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif ).

I hope this helps explain what is up with tuning,

Jeff
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Rich, I've only been reading bit's and piece of this thread. My post wasn't directed at you. I honestly didn't even see your post.

Basically all I was trying to say was I agreed with what Jay and Rich said about a custom call not being necessary to call coyotes. I wasn't trying to address each sentence of their posts. "Tripling" was a figure of speech pulled out of thin air. Custom calls are darn nice.

Forget I said anything.
 
Sorry Curt, can't forget that you said anything 'cause I agree with you that a custom call isn't neccessary to call coyotes. Truly love my Sceerys and for our video we're filming coyotes coming in to a yellow squeeky bathtub rubber ducky.
 
Okay, back from the little league game. After re-reading my first longwinded post, it appeared a little inflammatory. Didn't mean it to be and wasn't directed at anybody. Didn't intend to offend any call makers. Hope I didn't, as I have nothing but respect for all who make calls. Sometimes I come off wrong.

Oh yeah, Rich AZ, I like Sceery calls too.

Take care, Curt
 
OK, since the title of this thread is custom calls...how do you rate them, I thought I'd rate one for ya. I just picked up my new Rhino from Jay Nistetter and I'd rate it a 10. What do you think?
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I had a long chat with Jay and his experience and knowledge of predator calling is impressive to say the least. I thought I blew a passable tune until I heard him play a little and then realized how far I still have to go. By the way Jay, which airport did you get that flying jackass at, I think that might be a gotta have /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

This might just start a new addiction that my wife will no doubt have something to say about.
 
Tony,

That is indeed a beauty!! I am waiting to get my call in the mail from Mr. Al Lux. I am definitely going to have to put one of Jay's calls on my must have list. Unfortunately, military pay limits the "fun" money. Rest assured I will have one though. Enjoy your new call!!!!

Jay,

If you're reading this, the call is beautiful! Hopefully you will be hearing from me in the not too distant future!!
 
tonlocus,
I have a brass Rhino too, so I know that they are top quality. On scale of 1-10 I would score yours at a strong 12!

To the above member who has an Al Lux call on the way, you will love that thing! Al has a zero tolerance for anything but perfection in his machine work on those little gems. I know because I have one of those too! LOL I need an open reed voice for mine though. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Rich-As you know, Jay has quite an assortment of calls (to say the least). I got to handle one of the Al Lux beauties and that is definately on my wish list. It is truly a beauty. Like I said, my wife is not going to like my new addiction /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
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