Hello: as you know I don't post much. I really appreciate all the fine folks on this forum and just want to clear up the facts about me not keeping a list anymore. When I kept a list I would go to the shop and look at list and feel obligated to make the calls people were asking for. My dislike for this was that someone would want a particular wood combination that in the past I had made some killer calls from. However once I had used the last of that wood the next tree I worked from did not have the same tonal quality. I would spend endless hours trying to make a world class call and it just wasn't going to happen. Therefore I did away with list. I'm making as many calls as ever and I'm using the woods that are making the best combinations I can make. I have lots of calls built from wood combinations that I want to make and when someone contacts me I can give them many combinations that I have on hand. This works a lot better for me and I think results in better quality of calls. I hope this ads clarity to where I'm at in my call making hobby. Thanks much
Makes complete and total sense to me.
Sent from my moto z4 using Tapatalk
Awesome! Was assuming you didn't want bothered with selling calls unless at shows, thanks for clarifying Mr. Marlin!! I'll be burning your phone line up again real soon!!
Totally understand , and your always making some killer calls. It's all about enjoying what you do in making calls and putting the best calls in our hands. Thanks Marlin ... Have great spring turkey season.
I totally understand what he is saying. I live a few hours away and just visited his shop with combos in mind. When you open that cabinet drawer and see those calls it's so amazing. I walked away with two totally different combos than what I thought I wanted. Mora/persimmon and a beautiful ironwood/ blue mahoe. But the best part just like a lot of you have said in the past is just sitting there talking with Mr Watkins's.
Thanks marlin. Your calls are outstanding
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thanks for the update. I will see you in August at Turkey Trot Acres
Marlin has taken the perfect path in box call making, in my opinion. Match the lid to the box by ear not by a predetermined wood choice. He is the Godfather of call makers!
Quote from: Spring Creek Calls on March 21, 2020, 04:46:19 PM
Marlin has taken the perfect path in box call making, in my opinion. Match the lid to the box by ear not by a predetermined wood choice. He is the Godfather of call makers!
Marlin just called me about an hour ago. We had a nice little discussion about the individuality between 2 pieces of the same kind of wood and how it's nigh impossible to meet expectations when starting into a new stick of wood. The reality is............you may get a half dozen KILLER calls from one piece of "X-wood" when using a "Z-wood" paddle. The problem is............the next piece of "X-wood" may not work with a "Z-wood" paddle. It might like "Y-wood". Now folks' expectations of a "Z over X" call are dashed.
The way Marlin is doing things now............EVERYONE who lets HIM do HIS thing is going to get a world class turkey caller.
Kudos to a master call builder and an all-around good guy !!!!!!!!!
Quote from: Mathews.1 on March 21, 2020, 01:59:49 PM
I totally understand what he is saying. I live a few hours away and just visited his shop with combos in mind. When you open that cabinet drawer and see those calls it's so amazing. I walked away with two totally different combos than what I thought I wanted. Mora/persimmon and a beautiful ironwood/ blue mahoe. But the best part just like a lot of you have said in the past is just sitting there talking with Mr Watkins's.
. This exactly...I'm fortunate to live only about a little over an hour from Marlin and every time my number came up I would go and visit him. I always had a combo in my mind and would leave with something else to be honest I go home with a awesome turkey call but the time time spent with Marlin is priceless he's one of the best call makers out there and one nicest guys you can meet.
Thanks Marlin....Ken
Quote from: OHturkey85 on March 21, 2020, 07:59:57 PM
Quote from: Mathews.1 on March 21, 2020, 01:59:49 PM
I totally understand what he is saying. I live a few hours away and just visited his shop with combos in mind. When you open that cabinet drawer and see those calls it's so amazing. I walked away with two totally different combos than what I thought I wanted. Mora/persimmon and a beautiful ironwood/ blue mahoe. But the best part just like a lot of you have said in the past is just sitting there talking with Mr Watkins's.
. This exactly...I'm fortunate to live only about a little over an hour from Marlin and every time my number came up I would go and visit him. I always had a combo in my mind and would leave with something else to be honest I go home with a awesome turkey call but the time time spent with Marlin is priceless he's one of the best call makers out there and one nicest guys you can meet.
Thanks Marlin....Ken
Where are you at? I'm in stark county
Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
Quote from: BigSlam51 on March 21, 2020, 08:13:10 PM
Quote from: OHturkey85 on March 21, 2020, 07:59:57 PM
Quote from: Mathews.1 on March 21, 2020, 01:59:49 PM
I totally understand what he is saying. I live a few hours away and just visited his shop with combos in mind. When you open that cabinet drawer and see those calls it's so amazing. I walked away with two totally different combos than what I thought I wanted. Mora/persimmon and a beautiful ironwood/ blue mahoe. But the best part just like a lot of you have said in the past is just sitting there talking with Mr Watkins's.
. This exactly...I'm fortunate to live only about a little over an hour from Marlin and every time my number came up I would go and visit him. I always had a combo in my mind and would leave with something else to be honest I go home with a awesome turkey call but the time time spent with Marlin is priceless he's one of the best call makers out there and one nicest guys you can meet.
Thanks Marlin....Ken
Where are you at? I'm in stark county
Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
Ashtabula county
This one liked his masscar butternut today. (https://i.imgur.com/nAv19FY.jpg)
Quote from: BigSlam51 on March 21, 2020, 08:13:10 PM
Quote from: OHturkey85 on March 21, 2020, 07:59:57 PM
Quote from: Mathews.1 on March 21, 2020, 01:59:49 PM
I totally understand what he is saying. I live a few hours away and just visited his shop with combos in mind. When you open that cabinet drawer and see those calls it's so amazing. I walked away with two totally different combos than what I thought I wanted. Mora/persimmon and a beautiful ironwood/ blue mahoe. But the best part just like a lot of you have said in the past is just sitting there talking with Mr Watkins's.
. This exactly...I'm fortunate to live only about a little over an hour from Marlin and every time my number came up I would go and visit him. I always had a combo in my mind and would leave with something else to be honest I go home with a awesome turkey call but the time time spent with Marlin is priceless he's one of the best call makers out there and one nicest guys you can meet.
Thanks Marlin....Ken
Where are you at? I'm in stark county
Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk
I'm in WV
That makes perfect sense to me...all my calls have been outstanding!
Thanks for the update/communication mr. Watkins. Any decision that allows you to enjoy you're hobby more makes sense to me.
Marlin, you just keep doing what you are doing. You are a brilliant callmaker-your produce consistently amazing calls, it is my pleasure to have them in my arsenal. Your calls will be passed through generations.
Makes total sense to me and I am happy with my last fiddle box. Build what you like, I am sure we will like it too.
And THAT'S exactly why you're one of the best makers at work. Most of us are just consumers. We love turkey calls but we don't understand what constitutes getting that sound. Perfect example, I recently asked Jeff McKamey to make me a walnut over mineralized poplar box. He told me he wouldn't do it. Said he wasn't happy with any of the walnut he'd been getting. Said he'd make me one with mora and mineralized poplar instead. Of course I trust him and said have at it. He knows boxes. I just play them.
Quote from: sooner on March 21, 2020, 12:19:24 PM
Hello: as you know I don't post much. I really appreciate all the fine folks on this forum and just want to clear up the facts about me not keeping a list anymore. When I kept a list I would go to the shop and look at list and feel obligated to make the calls people were asking for. My dislike for this was that someone would want a particular wood combination that in the past I had made some killer calls from. However once I had used the last of that wood the next tree I worked from did not have the same tonal quality. I would spend endless hours trying to make a world class call and it just wasn't going to happen. Therefore I did away with list. I'm making as many calls as ever and I'm using the woods that are making the best combinations I can make. I have lots of calls built from wood combinations that I want to make and when someone contacts me I can give them many combinations that I have on hand. This works a lot better for me and I think results in better quality of calls. I hope this ads clarity to where I'm at in my call making hobby. Thanks much
I'd love tp get Mr. Watkins phone number if somebody could pm it to me.