Trough calls

[Bwright8]

Hello guys I'm new and this is my first post, but what I was wondering and could not get enough, useful, or the right information on making a trough call. I am curious on how wood type affects sound is it better to do single pieces or glue two together, how the thickness of the wood on sides bottom and under the playing material affect the sound as well as how much open space in the middle you use. And how does putting a sound board in the middle affect the sound. I know this is a lot to ask I am just very new to this and I know it will take a lot of trial and error but just trying not to mess up a whole lot of wood quite yet. I have made one call and one box call the trough is black walnut with a brass strip and I ordered copper, aluminum, titanium, slate, and glass

[mastevt]

As in with making a pot call, box call, or any other kind of call, everything you do to it will effect the sound.  Even down to the selection of wood.  Every wood has its own acoustics, therefore, knowing and choosing a particular wood species is important.
Stay away from spalted material, unless your gonna stabilize it.  Spalted, or soft wood will kill your sound.  As for your design, keep in mind that a trough call is hollow in the middle.  That said, I dont know of a way to make it a 1 piece call, and remove the material inside.  Maybe it can be done, but that is beyond my knowledge.  As in a pot call, the soundboard will greatly improve your sound of the call.  As for your design, thats gonna be up to you.  That means, width, height, length, trough depth, wall thickness, etc.  If I tell you how thick to make it, length, or anything else, it would effectively make it my call, not yours.  Design your call, build it.  If you dont like it, change something, and build another one.  You keep doing this untill you like it.  It takes time and material.  Just like getting into pot call or box call building.  Its taken me over 6 years to perfect mine, and literally hundreds of calls..  I don't make box calls.  Why?  Because I devote my time into 2 types of calls.  I don't have time to put in the RnD into making another call with all the orders I have for the 2 designs I have.  Please don't take this as any kind of criticism, but encouragment to gain knowledge.  Knowledge that only you can obtain by building a call.  There is no easy way.  Just time, Materials, and equipment.  And when I mean equipment, it means everything your gonna need to make it.  So when you come to a point where you you cant do something because you dont have a particular piece of equipment, then you you step up and buy it.  If you cant buy it, then you make it.  Its what I did, and every other call maker out there has done.  Trust me when I say your gonna need equipment.  It will make your life easier.  Good luck in your endevour, hope this helps. 

[Bwright8]

Thank you alot for your advice! it is very helpful and i can't wait to learn more about it. To make the call i made a jig to use a forstner bit and hollow out the inside of the wood and it does sound pretty good but i know i can get better with time and experience

[mastevt]

Thank you alot for your advice! it is very helpful and i can't wait to learn more about it. To make the call i made a jig to use a forstner bit and hollow out the inside of the wood and it does sound pretty good but i know i can get better with time and experience

Remember what I said about equipment and making whatever to achieve a goal.  This is my custom built router table that I built, with an Incra Lift, and attachment for the dust collector.

https://youtu.be/4l6GJmMfUZo

[Bwright8]

here is a picture of what it looks like

[Bwright8]

i have a pretty decent work shop from building tables and blacksmithing for people i have just never tried to do anything like this. i hope to buy a lathe soon.

[Bwright8]

As in with making a pot call, box call, or any other kind of call, everything you do to it will effect the sound.  Even down to the selection of wood.  Every wood has its own acoustics, therefore, knowing and choosing a particular wood species is important.
Stay away from spalted material, unless your gonna stabilize it.  Spalted, or soft wood will kill your sound.  As for your design, keep in mind that a trough call is hollow in the middle.  That said, I dont know of a way to make it a 1 piece call, and remove the material inside.  Maybe it can be done, but that is beyond my knowledge.  As in a pot call, the soundboard will greatly improve your sound of the call.  As for your design, thats gonna be up to you.  That means, width, height, length, trough depth, wall thickness, etc.  If I tell you how thick to make it, length, or anything else, it would effectively make it my call, not yours.  Design your call, build it.  If you dont like it, change something, and build another one.  You keep doing this untill you like it.  It takes time and material.  Just like getting into pot call or box call building.  Its taken me over 6 years to perfect mine, and literally hundreds of calls..  I don't make box calls.  Why?  Because I devote my time into 2 types of calls.  I don't have time to put in the RnD into making another call with all the orders I have for the 2 designs I have.  Please don't take this as any kind of criticism, but encouragment to gain knowledge.  Knowledge that only you can obtain by building a call.  There is no easy way.  Just time, Materials, and equipment.  And when I mean equipment, it means everything your gonna need to make it.  So when you come to a point where you you cant do something because you dont have a particular piece of equipment, then you you step up and buy it.  If you cant buy it, then you make it.  Its what I did, and every other call maker out there has done.  Trust me when I say your gonna need equipment.  It will make your life easier.  Good luck in your endevour, hope this helps.

What material do you recommend starting with for a sound board first?

[mastevt]

Ive made them out of wood, aluminum, and glass. 

[Lcmacd 58]

The info here is limitless and everyone is more than willing to help....

[Bwright8]

Can you provide me with any information on when playing with making Trough calls how does changing wall thickness vs making the call bigger but with the same thickness walls but having a more open space in the middle affects the sounds?

[mastevt]

Can you provide me with any information on when playing with making Trough calls how does changing wall thickness vs making the call bigger but with the same thickness walls but having a more open space in the middle affects the sounds?

Think of it as a musical instrument.   Example, trumpet vs Tuba.  Which one has a higher tone? And Why? As for wall thickness,  as it does play a part in sound, it's not as much as your air chamber.  If your making a 2pc.  Your gonna want enough material to glue the 2 halves together,  but you don't need excessive amount.  It's a musical instrument,  not something that needs structural strength to hold something heavy.

[Bwright8]

I'm still having trouble figure out what changes the sound, I've made about 35 and gotten calls that will and have called in a few birds with but I'm not getting the exact sound I want. I've changed size and tried making the area under the sound board different thicknesses but they all sound extremely similar even with different woods (I've used wenge, walnut, cherry, and Purple Heart). I made a walnut call that sounds absolutely amazing but when making the same exact call I can't figure out why it sound's completely different even with same sizes and grain direction? When trying to change the sound of a call do you mess more with thickness under the sound board? I haven't experienced any difference in loudness with a larger air chamber in the middle. the glass I am using is 1/8 maybe perhaps that is too thick? I ordered some green slate and aluminum brass and titanium to experiment with as well. I am trying to make the sound a little louder and slightly deeper as the majority or my calls have a kind of soft noise but has a kind of weird sound too it which is good for some situations but not exactly what i intend to make. I will make a YouTube video and post the call that is good and what I keep ending up with soon for some possible help.

[runngun]

It's all in the wood. That's the biggest factor with "tone" in my opinion. Keep whittling away, and you will find what you like. I seal the ends of mine, sometimes I drill different size holes in the "Soundboard", and in the ends.

Sent from my SM-S908U using Tapatalk

[mastevt]

Each and every wood species had its own acoustics.
That said, a harder wood on the Janka scale with have a higher pitch than a softer wood.  So similar hardness of woods with the same dimensions will have a similar sound.  If your wanting to change your sound but trying different woods that are similar, your gonna have similar sounds.  I would suggest in choosing 1 wood to work with.  Make a call.  Document your specs.  Make a Second call, same wood, same friction material, same soundboard, but change something in your specs.  Then make a 3rd.  Same everything,  but change something in your specs.  Compare the 3 or 4 or how many you make in the testing.  This way you learn what is changing and why without different woods factoring in the equation.