Record yourself.....

[OldSwamper]

most everyone has smart phones these days.  so, for those who love messing with pot calls like I do, do yourself a favor and record the call/striker combinations you like, as well as the ones you don't think sound good.  you may be surprised what you hear.  I'm sure it is just me, but i have yet to understand the love for persimmon strikers.  i have 2 from different reputable call makers and they just sound flat to me.  But, i like good rasp on the backend and persimmon, i guess, is not known for that.  my favorites at this point are dymondwood, yellowheart, and purpleheart, and the tulipwood is growing on me.

[KentuckyHeadhunter]

I have a Mabry persimmon striker that sounds awesome on almost anything.  I think the pot, the way its held, and most importantly, where on the pot you play is more important for that rasp.  It depends on how the pot was designed and the type of soundboard it contains.  Also strikers can be short, long, one piece, two piece, etc...too many variables.  I have four different cherry strikers that all sound different because of the shape, size, tip, and density of that particular chunk of wood. My favorites for now in striker wood is canarywood, yellow heart, osage, persimmon, and rosewood.  But that's just this week! 

[mossyhorn2]

Strikers seem to be an interesting animal. I have made several walnut strikers and while some play well on certain calls there is one that seems to sound awesome on everything. I've noticed this with other woods as well. I know this has been discussed before but I think weight has a lot to do with it. It just seems that strikers are a very important part in the sound of pot calls. Now if I could just keep from losing the good ones!

[outdoors]

I THINK WHEN THE WOOD IS GRAINY @ SOLID YOUR GETTING A GOOD STRIKER
AND THE WAY YOU HOLD THE STRIKER
I JUST MAD A 3" SLATE /GLASS AND I TRYED A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT STRIKERS THAT I HAVE
AND THE ONLY ONE THAT MADE THE CALL SOUND ALIVE IS A BLOODWOOD STRIKER   

[Houndstooth Game Calls]

I have never heard a persimmon striker I really liked! Diamond wood, yellow heart, purple heart, hickory, tulipwood and monkey wood will walk all over persimmon in my eyes. JMO

[mmclain]

Some like the less raspy tone of persimmon. 

Black walnut ....Just my opinion ...is about as bad a wood for all purpose strikers as I've ever made.  And that's a lot of different woods

[Spring Creek Calls]

I have a couple persimmon strikers and both get the most out of my slate calls. Here's a short file on a Mabry chestnut slate played with a Halloran persimmon striker.


Listen to Mabry slate, Halloran striker.amr by Spring Creek Calls #np on #SoundCloud
https://soundcloud.com/spring-creek-calls/mabry-slate-halloran-striker

[KentuckyHeadhunter]

That great Mike, and kinda funny. I was gonna post a sound file of mine on a couple of Lonnie's pots too just to prove it sounded good.  I'm still trying to get the hang of the SoundCloud thing.

[KentuckyHeadhunter]

Here is a quick sloppy run with a Mabry persimmon on slate and then on glass.

Listen to Persimmon striker on slate and glass by Allen Dunfee #np on #SoundCloud
https://soundcloud.com/allen-dunfee/persimmon-striker-on-slate-and

[OldSwamper]

thanks for the responses guys.  obviously, there are some persimmon strikers that will draw some rasp from a call, mine just do not.  Like a pair of newlyweds on their honeymoon, i tried every way i could think of.  Anyways, guess we all have strikers we like and don't like.  The striker i've had the best luck with is a cheap two piece purpleheart.  there's just something about it they like.  anyways, happy hunting....

[Gobbleandgrunt]

I love strikers. I own too many. I will say I think it has everything to do with wood. I have a pecan from a guy on eBay. It is amazing. I ordered another one for a friend from the same fellow.  Sounds great, but it's not the first one I got. That has happened twice, two different makers. Pecan once and Wenge.