Trouble with trumpet and wingbone calls

[MattM]

I have never been able to use a trumpet or wingbone call. Now I must say that I have only tried using cheap calls,but I was SOOOOOOOOOOOOO bad. Maybe I need to buy a good one and try again one day.

[ChesterCopperpot]

A couple advantages of buying a good call, 1) much easier to play, 2) can resell for about what you paid if you decide you hate suction calls. That said if you're wanting to try again I'd give a good Jordan yelper a try, maybe one from Ralph Permar or Anthony Ellis. Not super expensive but banger calls and easy to play.


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[howl]

Agree Jordan's are easier to start. Good calls make it easier to find tune your playing, but the sound comes from you, not the call. You can figure it out on a coffee stirrer.
https://youtu.be/4qPky6GrCrs

[EZ]

Expense and/or style of call have very little to do with ease of use. It's ALL internals, from the mouthpiece to the end of the call as well as the ability of the user.

One of the easiest Trumpets to run is a Penns Woods Turpin.


If the OP hasn't watched Marlin Watkins Trumpet lesson #1 on YouTube, you need to do so.

[larry9988]

Bought a cheap Penn woods back in the eighties. I have many high dollar trumpets now and have killed just as many with the Penn Woods. Watch videos and practice and you should get good enough to call turkeys. I am not saying that some of my calls are not better than the Penn Woods, just saying it has more to do with the one calling than the call.

[Chris O]

What others have said you don't have to spend a fortune to buy a great hunting call. You have gotten some good advice. Practice whenever you can. Enjoy

[dixiemagnum80]

I read a lot about suction calls before I jumped into them. If I wouldn't have had the drive to "get over the hump", I would've sold that trumpet months ago. However, I bought a Brian Mero trumpet, wore it around my neck every chance I had, and now feel more than comfortable I could kill turkeys with it. I've since purchased a couple others and Im now really enjoying a new dimension of turkey hunting/calling. I wished I would've tackled these calls much earlier in life. Don't get discouraged....it takes A LOT of practice just to get the right sound out of the call.
Chuck

[davisd9]

The call matters when you are learning to use the call. There are lots of trumpets, I have played about all at Unicoi a few times. Some work better for me and some better for you, but there are a few that work great for anyone. I can run any trumpet, but some are fun to play and some are work to run.

[paboxcall]

If you're beginning to learn how to run one, then learn how to run one. Just one.

Spend your first couple years with just that one single trumpet, wingbone or Jordan, until you master air flow. Then branch out to other callmakers. That will shorten your learning curve because as mentioned, they are all very different.

[ChesterCopperpot]

The call matters when you are learning to use the call. There are lots of trumpets, I have played about all at Unicoi a few times. Some work better for me and some better for you, but there are a few that work great for anyone. I can run any trumpet, but some are fun to play and some are work to run.

I think that's absolutely right that once you get to where you can run one well you can run all of them decently. I'm by no means all that great but I consistently get birds to the gun with one. That said I'm horrible horrible horrible with a mouth call. Kept trying and trying and never could get it dialed in (think my mouth's too big or something ). Main reason I wanted to be able to use a mouth call was for when they're close. So instead I just use a small segment of river cane under my mask. It's about 2" long. I can cluck and yelp on it real soft. Point being, the earlier comment about being able to use a coffee stirrer once you get to where you can make those sounds is absolutely true. Just keep at it. There's some great videos online. Like EZ said those Marlin Watkins videos are great. I personally really like the Ralph Permar video as well. Watch those over and over and try to play along with them. Get some Lovett Williams recordings and try to play along with those. Just like any other instrument. Just takes time.

[Terry]

If you're beginning to learn how to run one, then learn how to run one. Just one.

Spend your first couple years with just that one single trumpet, wingbone or Jordan, until you master air flow. Then branch out to other callmakers. That will shorten your learning curve because as mentioned, they are all very different.

The more I play the more I believe this is extremely beneficial even to experienced players.

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[boatpaddle]

If you're beginning to learn how to run one, then learn how to run one. Just one.

Spend your first couple years with just that one single trumpet, wingbone or Jordan, until you master air flow. Then branch out to other callmakers. That will shorten your learning curve because as mentioned, they are all very different.

Well said....

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[paboxcall]

If you're beginning to learn how to run one, then learn how to run one. Just one.

Spend your first couple years with just that one single trumpet, wingbone or Jordan, until you master air flow. Then branch out to other callmakers. That will shorten your learning curve because as mentioned, they are all very different.

Well said....

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From the guy who first said it to me many years ago. It was Boatpaddle himself who gave me that advice. Do you want to collect trumpets, or learn to hunt with a trumpet he asked me. Light bulb.

[davisd9]

If you're beginning to learn how to run one, then learn how to run one. Just one.

Spend your first couple years with just that one single trumpet, wingbone or Jordan, until you master air flow. Then branch out to other callmakers. That will shorten your learning curve because as mentioned, they are all very different.

Well said....

Sent from my SM-A600P using Tapatalk

From the guy who first said it to me many years ago. It was Boatpaddle himself who gave me that advice. Do you want to collect trumpets, or learn to hunt with a trumpet he asked me. Light bulb.

Why not both? I stick to three though.

Edit: I misread the post. I agree to stick to one while learning. I will add to make sure you choose a good one to learn on as it will help with the learning curve and not all are the same.

[Turkeyman]

I've got two trumpets...which I've had for several years. Both are very good...an Austy Bott and a Heglar. I keep telling myself to practice, which I don't do enough. So, since this season ended I've been practicing almost daily...primarily with the Heglar. I'm actually sounding half decent! My tree yelps are quieter and softer than I can make on any other call e.g. a slate or glass call. My goal is to hunt with it come fall, then again in the spring of '01.