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Can anyone shed some light on the current quality of Lonnie Sneed pot calls? Specifically, the Hot Hen and Outlaw Hen.  I see his calls are recommended by many and wondered if he's still got it?  Has anyone used his facebook page and ordered via text through his grandson?  Thanks in advance for the info! 

I have both. They are excellent calls. I would call Lonnie, he likes to talk turkey and has some great stories.

Outstanding!  Thanks for the info, guys.  Think I'll place an order for both!

Outstanding calls from an even greater call maker. Do yourself a favor and call mr lonnie personally -it will be a conversation you won't forget!! Highly recommended!

I got 2 of his calls about a month ago and I think they're as good as advertised.
Here's a video I made as they came right out of the mailbox.
I'm far from a top notch caller but at least you will have an idea of the sound

https://youtu.be/kO9r2e4AGpM


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I ordered an outlaw hen and hot hen about a year ago from Lonnie. Both calls came and both were great sounding calls. Absolutely no complaints. They were marked "hand crafted by Lonnie Sneed, Sr." and had the date on them. My dad liked the calls so much that i gave them to him and decided i would order me some more. About a month ago, I placed my second order with Mr. Sneed and received the calls quicker than my last order. These calls are not marked "hand crafted by Lonnie Sneed, Sr." and the date is not on them. The 2nd hot hen slate is a killer sounding call, but I'm not satisfied with the 2nd outlaw hen i received. It does not play like or sound like the first call i received. It's almost like the surface is not conditioned the same. I'm going to call lonnie and talk to him, but i just figured I would share my experience.

Quote from: blake_08 on February 06, 2018, 12:00:19 PM
I ordered an outlaw hen and hot hen about a year ago from Lonnie. Both calls came and both were great sounding calls. Absolutely no complaints. They were marked "hand crafted by Lonnie Sneed, Sr." and had the date on them. My dad liked the calls so much that i gave them to him and decided i would order me some more. About a month ago, I placed my second order with Mr. Sneed and received the calls quicker than my last order. These calls are not marked "hand crafted by Lonnie Sneed, Sr." and the date is not on them. The 2nd hot hen slate is a killer sounding call, but I'm not satisfied with the 2nd outlaw hen i received. It does not play like or sound like the first call i received. It's almost like the surface is not conditioned the same. I'm going to call lonnie and talk to him, but i just figured I would share my experience.

Good to know.  Curious to know if you received covers for your pots?  I communicated via text with his grandson for my order last night.  He told me they discontinued the covers.  I wondered if the overall quality would be the same and whether or not Mr. Lonnie was still an integral part of the call building process.  Please keep us updated on your conversation with him on the subpar Outlaw Hen. 

Quote from: raven105 on February 06, 2018, 04:36:48 PM

Quote from: blake_08 on February 06, 2018, 12:00:19 PM
I ordered an outlaw hen and hot hen about a year ago from Lonnie. Both calls came and both were great sounding calls. Absolutely no complaints. They were marked "hand crafted by Lonnie Sneed, Sr." and had the date on them. My dad liked the calls so much that i gave them to him and decided i would order me some more. About a month ago, I placed my second order with Mr. Sneed and received the calls quicker than my last order. These calls are not marked "hand crafted by Lonnie Sneed, Sr." and the date is not on them. The 2nd hot hen slate is a killer sounding call, but I'm not satisfied with the 2nd outlaw hen i received. It does not play like or sound like the first call i received. It's almost like the surface is not conditioned the same. I'm going to call lonnie and talk to him, but i just figured I would share my experience.

Good to know.  Curious to know if you received covers for your pots?  I communicated via text with his grandson for my order last night.  He told me they discontinued the covers.  I wondered if the overall quality would be the same and whether or not Mr. Lonnie was still an integral part of the call building process.  Please keep us updated on your conversation with him on the subpar Outlaw Hen.

I did receive pot covers on my latest order. I hate to hear they've discontinued them, they're pretty nice little covers. I tried calling Lonnie this afternoon but didn't get him. I'll try again this evening or tomorrow and i'll keep you posted on our conversation.

So I just got off the phone with Mr. Sneed. He basically told me tough luck. He said he's too covered up with orders to take any calls back to rework them and that he's so busy fulfilling new orders he had to discontinue his covers. He said all he can tell me to do is get a conditioning stone and try to condition the glass more. To be honest I'm kind of shocked and disappointed with our conversation. Oh well I guess. If I can't get it to sound right I'll just put the call up. Good luck with yours.

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Wow. I have talked to Mr sneed on numerous occasions. It is really surprising that he would tell you that. I would have bet anything that he would have told you to send it back. Oh well. Good luck.

Quote from: blake_08 on February 06, 2018, 06:30:02 PM
So I just got off the phone with Mr. Sneed. He basically told me tough luck. He said he's too covered up with orders to take any calls back to rework them and that he's so busy fulfilling new orders he had to discontinue his covers. He said all he can tell me to do is get a conditioning stone and try to condition the glass more. To be honest I'm kind of shocked and disappointed with our conversation. Oh well I guess. If I can't get it to sound right I'll just put the call up. Good luck with yours.

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Blake, I'm happy to help you with a custom order if you'd like to take a look at wildflowercalls.com . We are doing things a little differently with the new shop, and the calls are sounding, and looking great.

Quote from: blake_08 on February 06, 2018, 06:30:02 PM
So I just got off the phone with Mr. Sneed. He basically told me tough luck. He said he's too covered up with orders to take any calls back to rework them and that he's so busy fulfilling new orders he had to discontinue his covers. He said all he can tell me to do is get a conditioning stone and try to condition the glass more. To be honest I'm kind of shocked and disappointed with our conversation. Oh well I guess. If I can't get it to sound right I'll just put the call up. Good luck with yours.

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That's pretty disappointing. 

Quote from: raven105 on February 06, 2018, 09:36:24 PM

Quote from: blake_08 on February 06, 2018, 06:30:02 PM
So I just got off the phone with Mr. Sneed. He basically told me tough luck. He said he's too covered up with orders to take any calls back to rework them and that he's so busy fulfilling new orders he had to discontinue his covers. He said all he can tell me to do is get a conditioning stone and try to condition the glass more. To be honest I'm kind of shocked and disappointed with our conversation. Oh well I guess. If I can't get it to sound right I'll just put the call up. Good luck with yours.

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That's pretty disappointing.

Yes sir. It's pretty unexpected because I've had 3 or 4 phone conversations with him and he was super nice and helpful. Oh well, maybe he's stressed out or something. I'm not mad about it. I'll either get it to sounding good or I'll just put it in the cabinet. If you get a good one though they sure are good! Good luck

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Sorry off topic but I thought it was strange for another maker to piggyback on this tread to promote his calls, wildflower I went to your site nice calls but I saw no ones name attached to the site, I just thought it would be better to promote your product on its own thread!

Quote from: worth612000 on February 06, 2018, 10:17:56 PM

Quote from: blake_08 on February 06, 2018, 06:30:02 PM
So I just got off the phone with Mr. Sneed. He basically told me tough luck. He said he's too covered up with orders to take any calls back to rework them and that he's so busy fulfilling new orders he had to discontinue his covers. He said all he can tell me to do is get a conditioning stone and try to condition the glass more. To be honest I'm kind of shocked and disappointed with our conversation. Oh well I guess. If I can't get it to sound right I'll just put the call up. Good luck with yours.

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WOW, can't believe he told you that! This board has made the turkey hunting world seem really small. Word of mouth is everything.

I'm not trying to run his name in the dirt or anything like that, but that's honestly how our conversation went. Not the customer service I expected but he's over 80 years old and I think he stays pretty busy. Again I'm not trying to dissuade anyone from purchasing from Mr. Sneed, just wanted to update y'all on my experience with my last order.

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I did some digging on Facebook, from what I gathered his grandson is working in the shop with him. I read a few comments on the Lonnie Sneeds turkey calls page.

If I had to guess, I'd say his grandson made it with his help?

I'm on the fence about ordering one now

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Guys I don't wanna be a party pooper but the man asked an opinion. I feel like I'd be the cause of someone not getting the exact call they like if they don't know what I've seen.
Lots of guys love his calls. God bless them.
Here's what I've personally seen. Calls that were glued together. The bottom and top are seperate parts. Ok that may be his style. The striker tips I've seen were way crooked compared to the tops. Visible glue was showing around a not very neat hole drilled. It's was kinda anthill shaped and sticking out w visible finger impressions.
I also wasn't crazy about the sound but everyone likes something different. No snappiness to the call imo. This was perhaps 3 calls so not vast experience but was consistant in each.
My intent is by no means to sway anyone it's just to give another side. I wonder if some calls come in different sounding and that may be the difference. There's a post to that end already.
The man has a great following. I wish not to hurt him or that. The price is also cheap so you could expect maybe less clean. You have the info now do what you want I'll not elaborate again

Quote from: Bowguy on February 07, 2018, 04:17:25 AM
Guys I don't wanna be a party pooper but the man asked an opinion. I feel like I'd be the cause of someone not getting the exact call they like if they don't know what I've seen.
Lots of guys love his calls. God bless them.
Here's what I've personally seen. Calls that were glued together. The bottom and top are seperate parts. Ok that may be his style. The striker tips I've seen were way crooked compared to the tops. Visible glue was showing around a not very neat hole drilled. It's was kinda anthill shaped and sticking out w visible finger impressions.
I also wasn't crazy about the sound but everyone likes something different. No snappiness to the call imo. This was perhaps 3 calls so not vast experience but was consistant in each.
My intent is by no means to sway anyone it's just to give another side. I wonder if some calls come in different sounding and that may be the difference. There's a post to that end already.
The man has a great following. I wish not to hurt him or that. The price is also cheap so you could expect maybe less clean. You have the info now do what you want I'll not elaborate again

Bowguy I'm glad you brought that up. I didnt think to really go into the looks side of things because if it sounds good, I don't care what it looks like. But on this new call the work is much more sloppy. The striker is way crooked as you stated and there's a lot of visible glue on both the striker and the call. There was even quite a bit of glue on the outer edge of the calling surface. I was able to sand most of it off. I'll post a few pictures and then that's all I'll say on the matter because I'm not trying to trash his company, just give honest feedback. Striker and call on the right are new. Left hand stuff is the first order I made(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180207/96ff2eb87be723f1b29a27b951da1f4a.jpg)
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I don't know why those rotated. Sorry

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Wow that is alot of glue. Maybe he needs to do what Platz and Corder have done and hold off on taking anymore orders until they can get caught up.

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I also noticed in pictures of calls people posted on the Facebook page that the strikers looked crooked. I have been following the Facebook page and it seems as if he is training up his grandson to take over the business and is letting him make more and more calls by himself. Just last night his grandson posted that he was going to shop to make calls to get orders filled in the middle of the night, which makes me think he is making them and not Lonnie. I ordered 2 more calls about 2 weeks ago that are in the process of being made just to have some extras.  I was notified after I had already paid that I was not getting the covers and also that prices have went up. I think the publicity on Facebook has sent orders through the roof and quality may be lacking because of the pressure of putting out a high volume of calls. I will be able to check when they come in.  That being Said Lonnie's calls are awesome, I love the two that he made me in the early 2000's and I hope the two I get soon will be just as impressive. The Hot hen and outlaw hen are awesome calls!!! I am glad to see Lonnie doing so well and passing on his wisdom to his grandson.

Those first pictures look super messed up on a computer. Let me try this again :OGturkeyhead:

(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180207/37aba09b37a9fcf31ef1ba7b815c0c4d.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180207/bd770db9debe8504f48ed1f43d6252a2.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180207/4663b5dbf3ddd31d622fb17cce14765d.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180207/564e8a8b5a1e122068ade2b243922e3f.jpg)

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That's awful I don't even know how to make a pot call and that's awful man. I don't know this guy or don't know his calls but no way I would order anything that looks that sloppy.


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I've owned one Sneed call and that was all I needed. I was completely disappointed in the quality and sound of the call. Bowguy explained it perfectly. Everyone is different though and I by no means wish bad on the guy. But I was not impressed what so ever.

Lonnie is getting up there in age,and can only do so much. I have several of his calls,and they are all at
at least 3 or 4 years old.I have no complaints on what he did for me, and I have had many many conversations
with him over the years.
He can only build them so fast...

Blake, that Outlaw Hen looks like pure garbage. Thanks for posting those.  I'm having real buyer's remorse now.  I'll keep my finger's crossed that my calls turn out better than that 

I have to agree with bowguy and babs . I was never impressed with the calls that I got from him. Traded them all off. Lonnie is a super nice man and I really enjoy talking to him , but never was a fan of his calls.

Maybe his grandson will get there one day. Those calls look awful though. I'll be keeping my money. I would order if I knew Lonnie was going to build mine,  and that doesn't seem like the case. Thanks for sharing the pics. I feel bad for ya. Have you tried reaching out to his son and show him the pics?

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Spoke to the grandson 2 weeks ago and ordered 2 calls.   Kinda nervous now. 

Apparently his grandson is putting a call that was built by Lonnie in 2007 up for auction on the Sneeds Custom call Facebook page if anyone is interested. The original starting bid was $150 and people were making comments, so he lowered it to $100. Still pretty high IMO,  but you know what your getting.  Also,  there's a video of Lonnie running the call. Includes a straight striker. (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180209/c89df292566face2435190a812d105fa.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180209/db54d5d500c5452dbc8de3274a1f1ff1.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180209/1ccdcd8b0700606b69a8ea4cc1439f5a.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180209/8ba68fbcf11a185d98986ddf896bd2e4.jpg)

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Don't know that the grandson is doing any good for sneeds image/reputation from what I've read on there.

Its sad to see this mess of a situation. Mr. Lonnie was one of the best for a long time.

It's pretty clear what's going on there. Its very unfortunate.

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If that goes for 150, I have a new Corder I'll sell for 500

Man, maybe I should put my raspy boss up for sale...

Nervous as hell about ordering calls from him recently.

I got a hot hen from him late March 2017 ,11 months ago,, slate is tight to the pot and sides no gaps no glue spots,sounds terrific. The striker was off center with the handle but angle wise it was straight has an arrow. Value wise I'd trade it of course for a platz cherry slate but any other slate offer no thanks.
Recent must mean last couple months because I got a nice one 11 months ago and plan on keeping it for life.
Satisfied customer.

DIDNT LONNIES SON HELPING HIM A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO ......

Quote from: turkeynewb on February 08, 2018, 10:35:44 PM
If that goes for 150, I have a new Corder I'll sell for 500

someone here will pay it.

I just hope Mr. Sneed isn't getting hoodwinked by the grandson looking to make a quick buck.. I noticed on the auction the grandson is doing he said Paypal only, and Mr. Sneed has always been mail payment and we know he probably doesn't get on Facebook or the internet so he's going to be oblivious if it is happening.

Quote from: Happy hooker on February 09, 2018, 07:51:32 AM
I got a hot hen from him late March 2017 ,11 months ago,, slate is tight to the pot and sides no gaps no glue spots,sounds terrific. The striker was off center with the handle but angle wise it was straight has an arrow. Value wise I'd trade it of course for a platz cherry slate but any other slate offer no thanks.
Recent must mean last couple months because I got a nice one 11 months ago and plan on keeping it for life.
Satisfied customer.

I said I'd not post again but the ones I saw were about a year ago. It could be the difference is who actually made it for sure. We all have different work habits. Mr Sneeds name and reputation is on the line. If it's not him maybe he should reel in the problem.
All in all you can't continually put out inferior work and get repeat business. The problem itself will sort itself out. Hopefully no one here gets screwed and that was my only wish.

Looks like we're about to start a new collectors niche??? Sneed calls between what year and that year are now to be hoarded,bought,raised the price of but what were the prime years???

Sounds like pre 2017

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Quote from: KYHeadhunter02 on February 08, 2018, 10:32:38 PM
It's pretty clear what's going on there. Its very unfortunate.

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this is spot on. If you go to the Facebook page and read the posts pretty easy to see and now that auction... Wasn't a huge fan of his calls to begin with but now I will definitely steer clear. Pretty sad

Received this yesterday.   Grandsons name on cover with Lonnie.    Finish is rough.  Could have been sanded more.    Sounds decent

Quote from: Chad Snyder on February 09, 2018, 09:22:57 AM
Received this yesterday.   Grandsons name on cover with Lonnie.    Finish is rough.  Could have been sanded more.    Sounds decent

That's not Lonnie's handwriting though. Idk for sure who's building the calls, but the bad customer service I received came straight from Lonnie without a doubt.

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Saw a post today on facebook that Lonnie Sr won't be making any more ceramic calls.

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I'm a new guy and don't know very much about the Sneeds but what I read about them was all great.  I placed an order a couple weeks ago with grandson for a hot hen and an outlaw also. I did ask specifically about the covers and he told me they would come with covers. I was asking bc I wanted to purchase them if they weren't included.  I'm really hoping they come with the calls. I understand if you have to quit making them. That's nobproblem but I would like them to honor my conversation about the covers since we talked about it before the transaction. I did pay using PayPal with the grandson and I did kind of felt funny about doing that. I thought maybe it was just me. I don't know. I'm definitely not accusing the grandson of any wrongdoing but it did seem strange.  Anyway I'm looking forward to getting the calls and I hope they sound killer.


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Lonnie doesn't make you pay until calls are ready. So that sounds kinda fishy

Quote from: chuckward on February 09, 2018, 02:20:51 PM
Lonnie doesn't make you pay until calls are ready. So that sounds kinda fishy

This is true. Mr Lonnie is a great guy and I hate to see his grandson bring his reputation down with call quality and customer service. I bet Mr. Lonnie does not realize what is going on.

Quote from: chuckward on February 09, 2018, 02:20:51 PM
Lonnie doesn't make you pay until calls are ready. So that sounds kinda fishy

X 3

I bought two sets of calls after talking to Lonnie Sr. Both times he asked me to send a check before the calls were done to insure faster shipping.  The first order was before Thanksgiving and the second was right after Christmas. Mine all came with covers. The outlaw hen and hot hen from the first order both have pretty sloppy glue work, but the raspy hen from the second order looks great. All three calls sound great. I'll try to remember take and post a family picture when I get home from work.

Quote from: aclawrence on February 09, 2018, 02:05:15 PM
I'm a new guy and don't know very much about the Sneeds but what I read about them was all great.  I placed an order a couple weeks ago with grandson for a hot hen and an outlaw also. I did ask specifically about the covers and he told me they would come with covers. I was asking bc I wanted to purchase them if they weren't included.  I'm really hoping they come with the calls. I understand if you have to quit making them. That's nobproblem but I would like them to honor my conversation about the covers since we talked about it before the transaction. I did pay using PayPal with the grandson and I did kind of felt funny about doing that. I thought maybe it was just me. I don't know. I'm definitely not accusing the grandson of any wrongdoing but it did seem strange.  Anyway I'm looking forward to getting the calls and I hope they sound killer.


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This experience was similar to mine.  Based on recommendations of Sneed call quality on forums like this one, I communicated via text with the grandson to buy 2 calls and was sent a paypal request immediately for the 2 calls ($60 each plus $10 shipping).  This was his personal paypal account.  The whole thing made me feel uneasy, which inspired me to start this thread to see what others have experienced.  I placed an order anyway and now feel hosed, especially seeing what Blake shared about Lonnie telling him to pound sand after receiving a very low quality call.  To say the least, my expectations have been lowered

I ordered my first two calls from me sneed through the grandson 2.5 weeks ago. Received my calls yesterday. Now I don't know a whole lot about the business or how it used to be run but I received my calls in a timely manner and am very satisfied with the calls I received. Paid the grandson through PayPal as well. Not speaking for every situation but mine was at least favorable.

Honestly the reason I wanted to purchase one of Lonnie Sneeds calls first, was because of his age. There is obviously a ton of incredible call makers on the forum here and I'm sure you could not go wrong with any of their calls. After reading about Mr. Lonnie's calls and his reputation I discovered  that he was into his early 80s and I just assumed that he probably would not be making calls for a whole lot longer. So I really felt the urge to go ahead and buy a couple calls from him.  He definitely has kind of a legacy in the call making works and I wanted to have a part of that before he stopped making calls. It looks like I was just barely a little bit late to get one of his true genuine calls. I was never really under the assumption that he made like the prettiest or the most top quality calls but just that they were really great calls and had a unique sound. I'm hoping that the calls will come with his name on them and with the covers.  I think it's need is a grandson has a chance to learn a unique skill set and I hope that he can excel in that craft. Hopefully my calls will sound awesome and if they don't I'll just move on to some of the other builders here on the forum.


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It's to bad people are having quality issues with his calls.  I bought a hot hen in 2014 and a heartbreaker (ceramic) last March and both are great sounding calls.  I was thinking about ordering an Outlaw Hen this spring but will probably hold off now.

Quote from: aclawrence on February 09, 2018, 03:11:53 PM
Honestly the reason I wanted to purchase one of Lonnie Sneeds calls first, was because of his age. There is obviously a ton of incredible call makers on the forum here and I'm sure you could not go wrong with any of their calls. After reading about Mr. Lonnie's calls and his reputation I discovered  that he was into his early 80s and I just assumed that he probably would not be making calls for a whole lot longer. So I really felt the urge to go ahead and buy a couple calls from him.  He definitely has kind of a legacy in the call making works and I wanted to have a part of that before he stopped making calls. It looks like I was just barely a little bit late to get one of his true genuine calls. I was never really under the assumption that he made like the prettiest or the most top quality calls but just that they were really great calls and had a unique sound. I'm hoping that the calls will come with his name on them and with the covers.  I think it's need is a grandson has a chance to learn a unique skill set and I hope that he can excel in that craft. Hopefully my calls will sound awesome and if they don't I'll just move on to some of the other builders here on the forum.


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I ordered mine in January for the exact reasons you listed.
I called Mr. Sneed and talked with him on the phone and that was part of the process I was looking forward to.
My calls look good no bad glue joints but my calls and covers aren't personalized like so many I've seen.
I'm not letting go of them simply because of Mr. Sneeds legacy in the call making world.
I will pass them on to my Son someday.


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I think people are jumping to conclusions and making some awful assumptions here. Remember,  this is America and we are innocent until proven guilty

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Quote from: Terry on February 09, 2018, 04:46:09 PM
I think people are jumping to conclusions and making some awful assumptions here. Remember,  this is America and we are innocent until proven guilty

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Your right it is easy to make assumptions, and as humans we are quick to do so. BUT after speaking to Jason(grandson) about getting a call that was built solely by Lonnie,  I received some questionable info. Maybe he's trying to put together some money for Lonnie?  Who knows.

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I'm not defending anyone,  just saying the accusations some people are hinting at are not one's I'd make without solid proof

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(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180210/92057ef936124f11522b6caadbd7ec76.jpg)

Looks like someone finally caught on...

Good to hear the issue resolved itself!!! A little attention brought upon it was all it needed.


Edit: I actually think some funny business is going on here boys. Two new posts in the last two days saying Lonnie is sole call maker. And additionally all the old posts about Jason making calls and helping fill orders have been deleted.

Maybe whatever it was will get straightened out. Maybe it was nothing. It would be great if a family member was able to dive in and learn how the process works and keep it going. If they were really passionate about it.  I'm looking forward to trying out my calls. Hopefully they will be here soon!


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From y'alls posts it sounds like the grandson is thinking more of the business side of it as opposed to the hunting side. I, as many other call makers, started making calls because I LOVE TURKEY HUNTING!! if I'm able to make a few bucks doing something I love then that's fantastic, but I love getting photos of birds killed with my calls more than anything. And when someone calls you because they heard about your calls or saw photos from a friend it makes you feel good. If you start cutting corners just trying to make a buck I think you lose long term. Do it because you love it and the money will follow. I think Sneed Sr did this and his work showed his passion and love for turkey hunting. Then when the grandson got involved it seems like more business minded decisions were made.  Just a theory.

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I just received a hot hen slate Wednesday that I ordered. The finish was a little rough with some glue and fingerprints on the pot finish. The striker tip had some flat spots on it but the call sounds great. The striker makes all my calls sound better surprisingly.

What are the prices of his pots now? Just curious.... I know what I just paid and wondering if some was getting skimmed off the top

Quote from: chbarnha on February 10, 2018, 08:52:21 PM
What are the prices of his pots now? Just curious.... I know what I just paid and wondering if some was getting skimmed off the top

$55


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He must have went up. I thought they were around 40ish with the covers. Not saying that they are not worth it.

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Mine was $55 +$7.20 shipping. That was 3 weeks ago

Mine was 55 as well.... kept seeing the 40 number was just curious.  They are still worth the money

March 2017 I paid $45

They've went up quit a bit then.

Quote from: Cottonmouth on February 10, 2018, 09:25:20 PM
Mine was $55 +$7.20 shipping. That was 3 weeks ago

I just paid $60 each for a Hot Hen & Outlaw Hen with $10 shipping. That was dealing with the grandson this week through PayPal. 

He's been rolling you boys britches up!  Lol

I paid $55 also a few weeks ago.


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That's a bad business practice.. 45 last year, 55 a few weeks ago and now 60..... Next week 65?

I wouldn't pay his current prices IMO. There's a lot of other great calls around that price and in nicer woods.

Seems like call prices keep getting higher and higher in general.

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I find that odd as well I paid 55 for an outlaw hen and 15 for a tree talker three weeks ago.... what... or who is raising the prices???

I ordered mine 2 years ago, so it has been a while. The calls i received gave me no reason to complain. I believe they were $40- $45 then. I would expect a small increase but not $60. I think there was something going on with the inconsistency in price. Hopefully it is all worked out now.

interesting. I think I paid $35 just a few years ago. Alas, most call prices are going up now it seems.

I received a hot hen, raspy boss hen, and an outlaw hen this week. These are my first calls from Lonnie so I can't vouch for past quality. But, these calls are a little rough visually, not the best, but not terrible either. With that being said they sound pretty dang good. I don't really care how a call looks, if I can interact efficiently with the birds. Also, none of these calls have Lonnie's handwriting on them, for example, "handcrafted by Lonnie Sneed Sr."

I bought a lot of Lonnie's calls in the past 5 years. I always ordered 2 at a time and sent him a check for $100.

Worth every cent. I understand maybe his grandson is taking over. I'm sure Lonnie is thrilled that his grandson is doing it.

Maybe with time he will get as good as Lonnie. I'm sure Lonnie is proud of him.

As far as cost goes that's up to the individual...if you want one, pay the man.

Quote from: DBRANNON on February 15, 2018, 11:17:20 AM
I received a hot hen, raspy boss hen, and an outlaw hen this week. These are my first calls from Lonnie so I can't vouch for past quality. But, these calls are a little rough visually, not the best, but not terrible either. With that being said they sound pretty dang good. I don't really care how a call looks, if I can interact efficiently with the birds. Also, none of these calls have Lonnie's handwriting on them, for example, "handcrafted by Lonnie Sneed Sr."

This is only me. If the calls are rough but sound is what's important are they better in your opinion than other makers? At 60 bucks lots of makers, say Halloran makes a really nice clean call. He has one that won the DD Adams award for 65.. You think they're comparable?? It should actually be better if the fit/finish is "a little rough visually".
Where have you seen one that was rougher since they're "not terrible"?
I'm not inferring anything, only asking.
Now if Lonnie didn't sign and make it it'd not be a history piece either I'd not think??
Just inquiring. Please do not take me wrong here it's only a discussion piece

What a call looks like and what a call sounds like is up to the person who runs it or purchases it. Are Lonnie's calls better than say a Halloran call? Man, that's up to the person playing it. I have an old Halloran aluminum that's done it's job a lot more than my Clint Corder pot that's yet to have a notch to it. It's all subjective and whether you plan to use that call as a hunting tool or a mantle piece.

My previous post was to state the condition of which I received some Lonnie Sneed calls, as that's the title and question of this topic. I think the calls I received were made by his grandson, and yeah they could use a little work visually, but he's still learning and it's great that he is.  They still sound awesome. Will I use them this spring? I think they will definitely make a trip or two, potentially more.

I just received my calls today. A hot hen and an outlaw.  I wasn't expecting them to be perfect and they're not lol.  The construction is not that great. There are a few gaps between the bottom and side walls of the pots and the call surface sticks up a little above the sides. I also  thought the grandson told me the pots are made out of cedar. I know they've been posting lots of pics on their Facebook and they're are all cedar pots. Neither of mine are cedar and I think one is actually oak. I'm surprised if it is really oak since that's not a wood species I would consider to be a great tone wood.  I'm sure the bells are the strikers are oak. And I didn't get the covers he told me would come with the calls. I'll be honest I'm a little disappointed but I did also get a sweet Yingling copper in the mail today. Woohooo!


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Quote from: DBRANNON on February 15, 2018, 05:05:01 PM
What a call looks like and what a call sounds like is up to the person who runs it or purchases it. Are Lonnie's calls better than say a Halloran call? Man, that's up to the person playing it. I have an old Halloran aluminum that's done it's job a lot more than my Clint Corder pot that's yet to have a notch to it. It's all subjective and whether you plan to use that call as a hunting tool or a mantle piece.

My previous post was to state the condition of which I received some Lonnie Sneed calls, as that's the title and question of this topic. I think the calls I received were made by his grandson, and yeah they could use a little work visually, but he's still learning and it's great that he is.  They still sound awesome. Will I use them this spring? I think they will definitely make a trip or two, potentially more.

Hope you don't think I was putting you on the spot. I wasn't.
If someone is learning a craft and not even close to perfecting it do you think they should drastically raise the price??
The op asked if the quality is the same. Are they in every way or what are the shortcomings?

Nah, man I didn't think that. Raising prices is up to the callmaker, and the buyer to decide if it's worth their money. But if the demand is there and people are willing to pay it, more power to them. But the product should be what the customer expects as well. I wanted a Sneed for the sound and I am satisfied. The craft of the calls aren't world class but the sound is there. I'm content with that.

Quote from: DBRANNON on February 15, 2018, 06:39:12 PM
Nah, man I didn't think that. Raising prices is up to the callmaker, and the buyer to decide if it's worth their money. But if the demand is there and people are willing to pay it, more power to them. But the product should be what the customer expects as well. I wanted a Sneed for the sound and I am satisfied. The craft of the calls aren't world class but the sound is there. I'm content with that.

If you are satisfied with what you got for what you paid than that's a fair trade.

Oh yeah! I probably could have used a better way or wording it, but I like my calls.

All I've been hearing is how good his calls are and how affordable...I've listened to many sound clips and figured WTH I'll go ahead and get all three so I text his grandson and he tells me the calls are 60 bucks plus 10-12 dollars shipping? I heard 20-30-40 shipping included but 72 bucks?? I was going to call Lonnie today until his grandson text me that lastnite

I seen on his Facebook Lonny is making one piece diamondwood strikers if anyone is interested.

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Hey so what is the consensus now with his calls? I was literally about to give him a call today and place an order but now I don't know if I should as thee are so many good call makers now, if his quality of a call is down should I try elsewhere?

Would be interesting to see How Lonnie Sr makes his pots. They are obviously sides glued to a bottom. Definitely not turned on a lathe. Certainly never had the clean lines of turned pots. The cool part for me was how much like a turkey they sounded with the look of a vintage call when they were brand new. Some old school ways of building for sure. A little surprised to hear he wasn't willing to fix or replace the call from unsatisfied customer. Hate his grandson seems to be making it about the money. If you want a uniform, crisp clean striker and pot his calls probably are not for you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmtJaxAbOqg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFlnF5Dnhrc

Sorry some have had bad experiences.

So I am just going to go ahead and order one why not! But which Lonnie Sneed call is your favorite? I'm relatively new to turkey hunting but read a lot about him so I'm not sure which one I should go with to order.

Order one. They still sound great. Outlaw hen or hot hen.

I have a hot hen I got a couple of years ago and a heart breaker I got last year.  I think both sound good but if I was going with one personally I would go with the hot hen

The only thing I can say about a sneed pot call is,  Don't judge a book by its cover!  Because at first glance you are gonna think what have I bought.  But when you get it in the woods your gonna be glad you did.  i don't always use the stiker that came with the call,  I have found that yellow heart strikers work great on them.

Quote from: drenalinld on February 27, 2018, 08:35:54 AM
Would be interesting to see How Lonnie Sr makes his pots. They are obviously sides glued to a bottom. Definitely not turned on a lathe. Certainly never had the clean lines of turned pots. The cool part for me was how much like a turkey they sounded with the look of a vintage call when they were brand new. Some old school ways of building for sure. A little surprised to hear he wasn't willing to fix or replace the call from unsatisfied customer. Hate his grandson seems to be making it about the money. If you want a uniform, crisp clean striker and pot his calls probably are not for you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmtJaxAbOqg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFlnF5Dnhrc

Sorry some have had bad experiences.

This^^^! Lonnie's calls were never about appearance but about sound. To me he is a legend an pioneer of our sport. We are the the lucky ones since he is willing to make calls an share his experience with everyone.  As long as Lonnie comes first what difference does it make who makes the calls. JMO.


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Quote from: Goblue4016 on February 27, 2018, 02:12:07 PM
So I am just going to go ahead and order one why not! But which Lonnie Sneed call is your favorite? I'm relatively new to turkey hunting but read a lot about him so I'm not sure which one I should go with to order.

order both! :funnyturkey:

Love my hot hen! You won't be disappointed no matter what you do.


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Quote from: llauber79 on February 28, 2018, 10:08:32 AM
Love my hot hen! You won't be disappointed no matter what you do.


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Depending on if Lonnie makes it or not.

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I ordered a hot hen slate and a tree call last year and the convo was very short. I was told it $75 shipped and I said I would pay when they were ready. Here we are 11 months later and I haven't heard anything. I didnt say anything at the time because he seems like a nice guy, but I'm kinda glad I never heard back at this point.

I had both the glass & slate, nothing special, just a glass & slate. No better or worse than a lot of those type calls. There are better ones out there for less money IMO. They are a $40 call.  Mike

Quote from: mspaci on February 28, 2018, 12:50:35 PM
I had both the glass & slate, nothing special, just a glass & slate. No better or worse than a lot of those type calls. There are better ones out there for less money IMO. They are a $40 call.  Mike

Unfortunately pregrandson days like 2 years ago I think he still sold them for ~$35. Seems like they are going up monthly now. I was on the verge of buying until I heard quality complainants and the price going up so high

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This is an interesting read and it is a shame if anyone got less than a great experience with Lonnie. I talked with Lonnie in 2015, and after an hour plus conversation I ordered 2 sets of Hot Hen / Outlaw Hen for me and my son. Lonnie personalized the calls for us. He sold me the calls for $30 each or $40 if I wanted the cover.

Lonnie went on to tell me how he had recently lost his wife... and she was the one that usually did the covers.

When Lonnie found out I lived in Maryland, he asked if I had ever been to Annapolis? He went on to tell me his sister Joetta and her husband John own & operate a Bed & Breakfast there (http://theannapolitan.com/). He told me Joetta kept a supply of his calls on hand just in case any guests were interested. I stopped in to visit Joetta, and she was a lovely lady. She brought out a metal briefcase and opened it up showing me some of Lonnie's calls. I bought two more sets for a couple of buddies.

All calls sound fantastic. I won't ever sell them. Hopefully this "situation" gets worked out?

*Lonnie only did check / via snail-mail then

Mr. Lonnie has spent a lifetime hunting and making turkey killing calls, The outlaw hen i got from him years ago still gets used every spring. It just sounds like a horny ole hen.  its unfortunate that this post was necessary but nothing ever stays the same , i expect that with the social media explosion an internet forums, more people  have heard about his calls than he ever dreamed of.  And with his age and number of orders...........well nothing ever stays the same..Just dont let this tarnish the reputation of a fine callmaker and a finer Gentleman..

Well said yelpaholic.  I spoke with him about 3 weeks ago and ordered a call.  A nice gentleman who has earned the right to be treated with respect.  Scott Hatcher, Nashville, TN

I don't think anything here disrespects Lonnie. Actually it pretty much glorifies him and his work. It is more negative towards his grandson which is the suspected culprit of the call differences people are seeing now. I think this is a good post because regardless of the person or their legacy a consumer has the right to know if the product they are buying may not be what they expect. Especially with recent call price hikes and declining quality I appreciate people bringing up this post. Hiding a truth because of a legacy is dishonest. Honesty should come first.

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Quote from: southern_leo on February 28, 2018, 08:42:01 PM
I don't think anything here disrespects Lonnie. Actually it pretty much glorifies him and his work. It is more negative towards his grandson which is the suspected culprit of the call differences people are seeing now. I think this is a good post because regardless of the person or their legacy a consumer has the right to know if the product they are buying may not be what they expect. Especially with recent call price hikes and declining quality I appreciate people bringing up this post. Hiding a truth because of a legacy is dishonest. Honesty should come first.

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100% this right here. Well said leo


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Couldn't pry either of Lonnie's calls I've gotten from him out of my hands. Best sounding pot calls I've ever run...

It's not disrespect to say if you've had a negative experience with someone. I wish I would've been given the same treatment as others on here, but I didn't. I'm sure Mr Lonnie is great man but the experience I had was nothing near what I expected.

If there's a positive in this,,it's that the grandson is aware of this thread you can tell by his recent posts on the website. and knows that going forward quality is expected and demanded by people.

Quote from: Happy hooker on March 01, 2018, 03:47:20 PM
If there's a positive in this,,it's that the grandson is aware of this thread you can tell by his recent posts on the website. and knows that going forward quality is expected and demanded by people.

Good. I'd like to see Sneed calls continue successfully

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I got my Hot Hen from Mr. Lonnie in the mail today.  I'd post a sound bite if I knew how, but it sounds great.  I'll have it, a Sinclair crystal in maple and a Schaffer crystal in heart pine in my bag on opening morning here in TN.

For those that don't have Facebook... Cedar top and purple heart that they made. (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180302/3e74d1c857739937539d317e58be6338.jpg)

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Update - Received my Hot Hen and Outlaw Hen this week from Mr. Sneed. I have included pics below. Initial thoughts are, from a visual standpoint, these are rough. Glue everywhere, sound holes in the bottom are not clean, and there's no Sneed signature. No signature is my biggest disappointment. Having said that, man do they sound good! Purpleheart strikers have great sound/balance and work well with my other pots. I don't have a ton of pots, but these two will be in my vest opening morning.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180311/41cb18b44c54b9adbbe5c84dbcb3027d.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180311/eaa1e0ce035b4c93ae8f18c6d4696be7.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180311/cdbfde3e2dbb818a2ddf63a8ceed5996.jpg)(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180311/b441974803f804d5a557944ae98d96e3.jpg)


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That glueing looks like it does on every Sneed pot I've ever owned...

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Yes, they look like a Sneed pot minus his signature. Atleast the call is round ;)

They look pretty good IMO You will grow to like the trademark Lonnie puts on his calls like the stamp, extra glue, and turkey feet.

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These calls call turkeys!

After reading the posts about the quality, covers and who is making Sneed pot calls, I will have to say that it is more than appalling to me to read that some of you have jumped to conclusions and assume that Mr. Lonnie Sneed Sr, is not making his calls instead of knowing the facts.  I know the facts because I live in the same town in West Virginia as Mr. Sneed and sometimes have helped him carry calls to the post office to mail to the new owners.  I have know Mr. Sneed for many, many years and I have been to Mr. Sneed's home on numerous occasions for many hours playing calls and watching a veteran callmaker and master caller play calls.  I know for a fact that Lonnie Sneed Sr. is the integral part and sole craftsman of his calls.  He spends many hours each day crafting these calls and trying to keep up with his orders.  He is a one man operation.  His grandson, Jason takes care of his facebook page because Lonnie Sr. does not have time to make calls and take orders and talk on the phone.  Lonnie Sr. tries to talk to each and everone of his customers, but it takes time away from his call building. I have watched him work at his craft cutting, drilling, sanding, glueing and so forth like a true craftsman.  As to the covers, he quit making them because it was becoming to difficult and time consuming to construct them. Also, to the questions about some of his calls that have not been signed and dated by him are still made by him.  I have some of those calls also.  So, I would like to end the post or questions about Lonnie Sneed Sr. not crafting his calls. As I said before, I know for a fact and have witnessed his callmaking with my own eyes.  Lonnie Sneed Sr. is a gentleman, craftsman and a true friend.  He makes great sounding calls and has the experience to prove that his calls work. As the old saying goes, "The proof is in the Call".

Quote from: dwcim on March 12, 2018, 10:14:01 PM
After reading the posts about the quality, covers and who is making Sneed pot calls, I will have to say that it is more than appalling to me to read that some of you have jumped to conclusions and assume that Mr. Lonnie Sneed Sr, is not making his calls instead of knowing the facts.  I know the facts because I live in the same town in West Virginia as Mr. Sneed and sometimes have helped him carry calls to the post office to mail to the new owners.  I have know Mr. Sneed for many, many years and I have been to Mr. Sneed's home on numerous occasions for many hours playing calls and watching a veteran callmaker and master caller play calls.  I know for a fact that Lonnie Sneed Sr. is the integral part and sole craftsman of his calls.  He spends many hours each day crafting these calls and trying to keep up with his orders.  He is a one man operation.  His grandson, Jason takes care of his facebook page because Lonnie Sr. does not have time to make calls and take orders and talk on the phone.  Lonnie Sr. tries to talk to each and everone of his customers, but it takes time away from his call building. I have watched him work at his craft cutting, drilling, sanding, glueing and so forth like a true craftsman.  As to the covers, he quit making them because it was becoming to difficult and time consuming to construct them. Also, to the questions about some of his calls that have not been signed and dated by him are still made by him.  I have some of those calls also.  So, I would like to end the post or questions about Lonnie Sneed Sr. not crafting his calls. As I said before, I know for a fact and have witnessed his callmaking with my own eyes.  Lonnie Sneed Sr. is a gentleman, craftsman and a true friend.  He makes great sounding calls and has the experience to prove that his calls work. As the old saying goes, "The proof is in the Call".

I don't believe anyone was questioning the man but there were some issues. That was the intent of the poster. To find out. Some guys like the calls even w the workmanship. You can see the pics. Just look.
Maybe his grandson if he isn't the issue could be a control guy to help w these. I'd stick up for a friend too so props to ya for doing so.

THERE IS OR WAS SOME ISSUES WITH THE QUALITY OF THE CALL ..
INSTEAD OF CONCENTRAT ON A GOOD QUALITY CALL
THEY WHERE JUST SLAPPING M TOGETHER
I HAVE A FEW OF HIS CALLS FROM YEARS AGO AND I CAN SEE THE DEGRADING WORK DECLINEING

The grandson posted on Facebook a while back, headed to the shop to make calls. He posted it several times, even like he'd been building calls all night. I have some of his calls and like them, but if it walks like a duck!

 Nah he just sloops the glue on and write poems on em..Piss poor ordeal glad I got my calls years ago


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Ok folks.  I talked to Lonnie at length about 10 days ago and he was a delight to talk to.  I ordered an Outlaw Hen, which I received today.  Is there some glue visible?  Yep.  The man is 82 years old and doing what he loves!  Most of us on here will be toes up at 82.  My sense is that there just might be some jealous call makers on here.  I can live with  a little glue.  The call plays lights out!

Quote from: shatcher on March 14, 2018, 09:42:57 PM
Ok folks.  I talked to Lonnie at length about 10 days ago and he was a delight to talk to.  I ordered an Outlaw Hen, which I received today.  Is there some glue visible?  Yep.  The man is 82 years old and doing what he loves!  Most of us on here will be toes up at 82.  My sense is that there just might be some jealous call makers on here.  I can live with  a little glue.  The call plays lights out!

This is a ridiculous post. Not one call maker responded.  Insinuating this nonsense makes me suspect this could be a smokescreen.

Calling it a smokescreen is ridiculous.  We're states away.  You're obviously not a very compassionate person.  Oh well, you know what they say about opinions!

Quote from: shatcher on March 15, 2018, 07:28:57 AM
Calling it a smokescreen is ridiculous.  We're states away.  You're obviously not a very compassionate person.  Oh well, you know what they say about opinions!

y
What does states away have to do w outright assumptious lies? Listen the guy is older. The op wanted opinions. Some guys still like his calls. It is what it is. You can buy and like whatever you want. Misleading someone is the problem. Not the man who made the calls. Saying I am not compassionate isn't correct either.
Let's put this another way. Compassion for a man does not include lying about something. The man is a legend. He made calls guys like. Whether that's past tense or not isn't up to me. I'm not buying them. Saying not what I've seen or ran and saying nothing would be almost a lie too. I'm trying to persuade no one, just expressing what I've encountered. Obviously the problems aren't limited to the calls I've run and seen as expresssed in this post.
I for one like fit and finish to be on the money. Lots of makers do that. I like the sound to be a certain way. Lots of guys do both. I personally say better. That's my opinion. And they do it for now the same or sometimes less. That'd be a fact. Does that mean lack of compassion or outright truth to the other members that work hard and could be older too???

Anyone order from him recently? Was thinking about getting a outlaw hen but after reading this post not quite sure if I will place a order. I bought a hot hen a few years ago from him and its pure turkey.

Quote from: WV TURKEY THUG on April 21, 2018, 02:38:45 PM
Anyone order from him recently? Was thinking about getting a outlaw hen but after reading this post not quite sure if I will place a order. I bought a hot hen a few years ago from him and its pure turkey.

I have an older one (cover, signature, etc.) I'll let you have it for $900.00 + shipping.
LOL............ :funnyturkey:

In terms of sound, the calls that I ordered in February were pure turkey and the Toms loved it. The Outlaw Hen is the first call out of my vest... and my vest is heavy!


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glad i picked mine up in 2011

the last calls I ordered from Lonnie were 2-3 years ago and I bought 6 outlaw hens as gifts for my kids and friends.  They were perfect.  I also spent several hours on the phone with Lonnie telling him my first Tom shot with a bow was brought in using his outlaw hen. I have other calls I like to use more often but that outlaw hen stays in my vest/pack the entire season. I have to believe even if he's peripherally involved, the calls will continue to be outstanding.  I hate to hear anything negative associated with Lonnie's name or calls as he is one of the finest gentleman around.   If you ever get the chance to talk to him, you will understand he cares tremendously about his calls. 

 Blake, That is not an acceptable response. He should  have offered to look at the call after the season if you could not get it to sound right. I have his Outlaw Hen and his Hot Hen that I purchased in 2015. I like them, but if he does stand behind his work that will be my last purchase from him. I WAS going to purchase his Cermanic Call, but now I have 2nd thoughts.

he doesn't make the ceramic call anymore

I'd say the quality is just fine..longbeards absolutely love this call. (https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180519/0b571b1eda65f5174c7178a62f435c2a.jpg)

I'd say not much more needs to be said after Snoodsniper's post, but I just wanted to add that I received a Hot Hen and an Outlaw Hen in the mail today, and they both sound absolutely awesome. Pure turkey. Can't wait to hunt with them!

I plan to order a glass call from Lonnie and I'm gonna bring up the issues/concerns that I've read hear.

The way I see it his calls are made to work. I'll take utility over pretty any day...well except for women and guns they gots ta be hawt..

Lonnie is a great guy, turkey hunter, and call maker. I own his hot hen and Outlaw hen. Both great sounding calls.

Quote from: KYHeadhunter02 on February 12, 2018, 08:48:52 PM
That's a bad business practice.. 45 last year, 55 a few weeks ago and now 60..... Next week 65?

I wouldn't pay his current prices IMO. There's a lot of other great calls around that price and in nicer woods.

Seems like call prices keep getting higher and higher in general.

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I'd disagree.  Supply and demand.  Less supply and more demand normally means your pricing your product too low.

I bought a used Outlaw Hen off of OG a year or so ago and I really like the sound of it but I will say the craftsmanship and attention to detail is definitely lacking.  I assume this is a newer one because of it is not signed on the inside of the cover.

According to facebook it seems like his grandson is becoming a big part of the picture again which is disappointing to hear especially with the obvious past issues.

I was seriously thinking about ordering a Hot Hen but have reconsidered especially after seeing a little history about grandson and the terrible quality of the calls some of you guys have posted.

I just got an Outlaw Hen that was signed by Mr. Sneed, and it is a very nice call that sounds great. It will be in my vest this spring. I got a Hot Hen a couple of years ago that was not signed - it is also a nice call. Not sure why some are signed and some are not. I ordered the Outlaw through Mr. Sneed's grandson from their Facebook page. I got the Hot Hen by calling Mr. Sneed directly. The service was great either way.

Quote from: merriamsman on January 30, 2020, 01:44:00 PM
I just got an Outlaw Hen that was signed by Mr. Sneed, and it is a very nice call that sounds great. It will be in my vest this spring. I got a Hot Hen a couple of years ago that was not signed - it is also a nice call. Not sure why some are signed and some are not. I ordered the Outlaw through Mr. Sneed's grandson from their Facebook page. I got the Hot Hen by calling Mr. Sneed directly. The service was great either way.

Post some good pics of the call n striker so we can see if the quality has tightened up. Post a sound file too. Only way we'll know

I just trust the man if he says they are better.  Mr. Lonnie always made a hunter's call anyway.  They never were about looks.

i got some older calls of his that all look the same as posted i can respect the man for the way he makes a call by the looks their not made with a lathe i would assume  and they are turkey

Call the fellow if your worried about sound and look of a call  hear it see it before u pay pretty simple ,, hell at 82 or so i hope i can get up to go to the bath room ,, besides running around mountains turkey hunting LOL   ,, to me i would say his work is more old time and i like that in his calls

so the guy raised his prices so what ,, some of u all worry about whos list your still on paying for 200 calls  and that maker  wont give you the time of day  ,,

Quote from: M,Yingling on January 31, 2020, 07:58:34 AM
i got some older calls of his that all look the same as posted i can respect the man for the way he makes a call by the looks their not made with a lathe i would assume  and they are turkey

Call the fellow if your worried about sound and look of a call  hear it see it before u pay pretty simple ,, hell at 82 or so i hope i can get up to go to the bath room ,, besides running around mountains turkey hunting LOL   ,, to me i would say his work is more old time and i like that in his calls

so the guy raised his prices so what ,, some of u all worry about whos list your still on paying for 200 calls  and that maker  wont give you the time of day  ,,

Well said Mike.
I don't know anything about recent quality of Lonnie's calls. I do understand concerns though.

I can tell you this, I will never, ever part with any of my Sneed calls, for many reasons.

This man should be in the Turkey Hunters Hall of Fame. Back when I started getting serious about hunting turkeys (early 80's) Lonnie Sneed Sr. and Lonnie Sneed Jr. were names I knew,(even without the internet), usually because they were the top names in State turkey calling contests. And they were know as the turkey hunter's turkey hunter.

Not sure when I bought my first calls from Lonnie Sr., but it started with a phone call that lasted for well over an hour. The knowledge and passion that man had for turkey hunting was exhilarating and spoken like a true gentleman. I believe we did a trade.

When I got my calls they reminded me of true folk art. I loved the look and I loved the cover, that he said his wife made. When I ran the calls, that told the story....pure turkey. Those calls are a piece of West Virginia legendary Turkey hunter history and I was proud to own them. 

I hope what ever problem folks might be having is rectified. I would absolutely call Lonnie himself and have a talk. He's forgot more about turkey hunting than many of us will ever know.

Well said
AMEN

Quote from: davisd9 on January 31, 2020, 07:04:03 AM
I just trust the man if he says they are better.  Mr. Lonnie always made a hunter's call anyway.  They never were about looks.

Don that would def be a consideration. Add the price that matches much better calls and you'll see the issue. If it's only a standard run of the mill, easily assembled, sloppy built call the price should match that imo.
Again my point as always is I'd be ticked if these were calls showed up at my door. Not knocking anyone else's likes just giving them info to make a good decision so they can decide. If they're happy w it, God bless em and I mean that.
Most good makers guarantee you're satisfied w the calls or they can be exchanged or returned. Not sure the policy on that but if that is there's no question it's a good one

I got one today and I like it.

I have one of each with the covers.

They are always in my vest.  I need to start venturing out, but these always seem to find their way into the woods.

You won't be disappointed with either one of them.

Whoever said call him directly was right.  It will be a conversation you won't forget.  Grab you a glass of tea before you call.  You will be on the phone for a while.

I have five or six of Lonnie's calls now and couldn't be happier. Would like to find one in ceramic though. Sold off most of my other stuff.

how do you purchase these?

No reply from them

Nothing wrong with his calls, you sure want find any like them anywhere else, but from Mr Sneed

X10, great guy, and the quality of the call I got last month with the alligator cover is fantastic and sounds great.....Go it in about 2 weeks.

No response from them.  They still selling calls??

March 29 he posted this

"Pot calls going up 5 bucks. 75 and 10 sh. Thank you all very much."

Quote from: 76chevy on April 07, 2021, 09:56:20 AM
No response from them.  They still selling calls??

March 29 he posted this

"Pot calls going up 5 bucks. 75 and 10 sh. Thank you all very much."

Yes, they are still in business, it's that time of year and they are big turkey hunters.. His number is 304 425 3021

the one I had was ok sounding at best, I got it used to see what all the fuss was about. Id never pay $75 for one. There are better looking & sounding calls out there IMO.

Picked up a hot hen slate a two weeks back from someone on the forum. It may not be the most highly finished call or striker that I have own but it sure does talk some nice hen talk and will see some vest time. As others have said his striker may not be pretty but it runs about anything I have tried it on. More than happy with the call and the history behind it.

I bought two calls from Mr. Sneed and can say nothing but good things about his calls and customer service.

Quote from: mspaci on April 07, 2021, 08:44:52 PM
the one I had was ok sounding at best, I got it used to see what all the fuss was about. Id never pay $75 for one. There are better looking & sounding calls out there IMO.

I've had plenty of beautiful calls that weren't worth 2 cents in the woods. Everyone has a preference, lonnie's calls work great for me. I think a lot of it has do with calling style.