Gents,
What is the difference in use? Is one a LOT easier than the other?
Is an old (I came home from the war in 1970-) beginner like myself better learning the open reed technique or using the closed reed?
I did use duck/goose calls for 20years, but this is different.
Thank all of you on the Masters for your help and first-hand knowledge sharing.
Semper Fi,
Soup

Closed reeds blow just like your duck call pressure and cupping your hands change sounds.
Open reeds takes a little more effort because your lips apply pressure on and off the reed while moving your lip placement forward on reed to make a deeper tone and back on the reed to make the pitch higher. Then cup your hands around end to add some muffled sounds in also. Just imagine a rabbit getting ripped apart by a coyote and give it that excitement! You’ll do fine just watch out for wife if you practice in house!!! They don’t like it!!!!!

Viper,
Thank you.
Hard to believe that you're the only one on PM that knows the difference between the open and closed reed calls.
I appreciate your time and help.

Viper said it pretty well. Practice goes a long way obviously I’m sure you know this. There use to be plenty of superb custom call makers on here that could get you about anything you wanted. If you haven’t got any predator calls, I would direct you towards Kerry Carver’s website. He’s got an entry set that’ll be all you ever need, but likely not all you ever want. His stuff sounds great and is easy to use. He’s got standard wood turned calls, rubber calls, the strictly business synthetic material starter set, and custom pieces. Great guy as well, just like many of the other call makers that use to be here.

https://carverpredatorcalls.com/

I second Carver calls are nice!!

Viper hit it right. Closed reeds will always have a place. Easy to run without much thought when a lots going on in the field. While open reeds can sometimes take a little more work, they have a lot more to offer in a variety of sounds in one call. Best advice is to get a couple different calls to keep in the truck and when you’re driving alone and bored, start practicing. I’ve spend many hours and traveled many of mile behind the wheel whaling on calls.
And yes, Carver calls are top notch calls. I own many. And Kerry is a great dude

I started on Crit'r calls & still use them + several of my own custom calls. Open reeds are a little harder to control & take more practice. They are indispensable & alot more versatile IMO.

Good Luck! Hand calls can become addictive.

Closed feed calls usually take less air to use, big deal? I suffered from asthma until I retired, still have some problems but not bad. It was easier to use a close reed call without going into a coughing fit. Down side to a close reed as they are usually metal reeds in them and in cold weather they freeze up and I had to keep a few on lanyards keep them inside my coat and rotate them as they froze.

Open reed calls usually take more air but are more versatile as to getting more varied sounds and some even make decent howls, plus their reeds are plastic, more open and less prone to freezing.

Most people that use mouth calls have whole drawer full of them, I do. We keep trying different ones untill we find ones that are easiest to make the sounds we want.

I usually keep close reed calls in my e-caller bags as back ups as they are less prone to damage getting jammed between the equipment there. I have open reeds around my neck.

I like open reeds from Carver and TT. Close reeds from RR and Sceery. Plus a Sceery bite call.

Double post

A good open reed can replace a lanyard full of calls with some practice,takes time to figure out which one that is though.