Never owned or played a slate call but that will soon change with the arrival of a red slate/glass in a redheart pot from John Sinclair. I`m very interested to know what some of you veteran slate players think are your fav strikers. Looking to get a little deeper and raspier sound to compliment my higher pitched crystal and aluminum pots. Thanks everyone in advance.
Experimenting with the call will be the ultimate test. Slate will definitely give you that deeper sound you are looking for. My Go To, on my gray slate, is a laminated birch striker. Hickory, purpleheart and dymondwood are also right up there IMO. You'll probably get a ton of suggestions but ultimately you'll have to experiment and decide what you like best. Good luck with your search.
My absolute favorite striker that will play on anything I have & I have ALOT is a Clay Townsend snakewood striker with persimmon top. Not only is it beautiful but it will play on any surface I own. And sounds good on them all! Shag Hill Calls on facebook is where you'll find him. My second & third favs are by Neal Herman & they are his dymalux or tulipwood. Those 3 strikers are the ones I used exclusively this past year. The snakewood will probably give you the deepest tone. Tulipwood will be give the softer sound.
Thanks guys. Is there ANYTHING that hickory, snakewood, tulip or dymondwood WON`T play and play well on?
Matt McClain makes a Black Locust striker, Jeff Harrison makes a great Heavy Hickory and Clay Townsend makes a Tulipwood. All three play exceptionally well on a slate call.
JLH frogwood, Granadillo, and hickory are also Great on slate. Jeff makes great strikers. He recently made me a Two piece striker, Spalted maple on top, Macassar Ebony stick. Not only looks good, but plays well on slate.....
Of all the Red Slate Pots I have played, my opinion is they are higher pitched, similar to a glass or crystal pot, they are not mellow or have a raspier sound to them. I'm sure with a few different strikers you might get the tone your looking for.
With the grey slate pots I have found that hickory and persimmon are hard to beat on them and sound the best to me.
Mr Sinclair makes great calls and The two I got both sound great With the striker he sent with it.
Persimmon, purple heart, black locust, hickory and pecan are my favorites on gray slate. Frogwood is quickly moving to the front of the line as well. I also like a bloodwood striker on higher pitched slate pots.
Quote from: Yelper on June 03, 2020, 02:45:15 PM
Of all the Red Slate Pots I have played, my opinion is they are higher pitched, similar to a glass or crystal pot, they are not mellow or have a raspier sound to them. I'm sure with a few different strikers you might get the tone your looking for.
With the grey slate pots I have found that hickory and persimmon are hard to beat on them and sound the best to me.
That`s interesting. I listened to a soundfile on the red slate I ordered. Sure sounded deeper than my Crystal Mistress or aluminum call, at least the way it was being played. I also think that the pot density and hardness of the wood make a difference, not to mention the striker. A less dense and less hard wood have a tendency towards a lower pitch. That`s one of the reasons I picked the redheart pot as opposed to a canarywood.
Quote from: Tom007 on June 03, 2020, 02:37:02 PM
JLH frogwood, Granadillo, and hickory are also Great on slate. Jeff makes great strikers. He recently made me a Two piece striker, Spalted maple on top, Macassar Ebony stick. Not only looks good, but plays well on slate.....
Agree in spades on Jeff`s strikers, I have several. Looking forward to hearing his frogwood on the slate.
Jeff's sticks are great, but his Black and White Ebony is my favourite for low tones husky yelps and it's stellar for soft calling.
Quote from: Turkeytider on June 03, 2020, 03:57:37 PM
Quote from: Yelper on June 03, 2020, 02:45:15 PM
Of all the Red Slate Pots I have played, my opinion is they are higher pitched, similar to a glass or crystal pot, they are not mellow or have a raspier sound to them. I'm sure with a few different strikers you might get the tone your looking for.
With the grey slate pots I have found that hickory and persimmon are hard to beat on them and sound the best to me.
That`s interesting. I listened to a soundfile on the red slate I ordered. Sure sounded deeper than my Crystal Mistress or aluminum call, at least the way it was being played. I also think that the pot density and hardness of the wood make a difference, not to mention the striker. A less dense and less hard wood have a tendency towards a lower pitch. That`s one of the reasons I picked the redheart pot as opposed to a canarywood.
You can also go with a softer wood for your striker as well to get that deeper lower pitch you are looking for. Jeff Harrison makes a weighted cedar striker that many Rave about. I know several call makers that make their purr pots out of cedar for that soft mellow tone.
Quote from: bbcoach on June 03, 2020, 06:30:45 PM
Quote from: Turkeytider on June 03, 2020, 03:57:37 PM
Quote from: Yelper on June 03, 2020, 02:45:15 PM
Of all the Red Slate Pots I have played, my opinion is they are higher pitched, similar to a glass or crystal pot, they are not mellow or have a raspier sound to them. I'm sure with a few different strikers you might get the tone your looking for.
With the grey slate pots I have found that hickory and persimmon are hard to beat on them and sound the best to me.
That`s interesting. I listened to a soundfile on the red slate I ordered. Sure sounded deeper than my Crystal Mistress or aluminum call, at least the way it was being played. I also think that the pot density and hardness of the wood make a difference, not to mention the striker. A less dense and less hard wood have a tendency towards a lower pitch. That`s one of the reasons I picked the redheart pot as opposed to a canarywood.
You can also go with a softer wood for your striker as well to get that deeper lower pitch you are looking for. Jeff Harrison makes a weighted cedar striker that many Rave about. I know several call makers that make their purr pots out of cedar for that soft mellow tone.
Indeed. I have one of Jeff's weighted cedars. I've got what's developed into a fist full of strikers to try. I 'm confident that I'll have more than one that will give me the sounds I'm looking for and expecting.
Clay Townsend persimmon snakewood or Fowler Osage top snakewood ...
Quote from: Greg Massey on June 03, 2020, 07:22:29 PM
Clay Townsend persimmon snakewood or Fowler Osage top snakewood ...
I have a Fowler osage/snakewood. An absolutely GREAT striker from one of the greats. I bought two of them, the other going to my friend and hunting buddy of over 50 years.
Jeff's heavy cedar or black walnut yelp and purr nicely on slate.
I am not an expert but somebody here mentioned black locust a few times in threads like this in the past so I went out and got one and I am glad I did. I also like persimmon and hickory.
Quote from: Sir-diealot on June 03, 2020, 11:32:35 PM
I am not an expert but somebody here mentioned black locust a few times in threads like this in the past so I went out and got one and I am glad I did. I also like persimmon and hickory.
I have a Halloran hickory and a Stuckey persimmon that I`m looking forward to trying. From the very soft to the hardest, I`ve got various representatives to try on my new red slate/redheart Sinclair pot. I really appreciate all the input. It`s helped me to select out those that I`ll try.
Here is one Jeff from JLH made me a few weeks ago. Spalted maple top, Maccasar Ebony bottom. Sounds great with slates, especially green slate. Jeff is a good guy too.
Quote from: Turkeytider on June 04, 2020, 08:02:00 AM
Quote from: Sir-diealot on June 03, 2020, 11:32:35 PM
I am not an expert but somebody here mentioned black locust a few times in threads like this in the past so I went out and got one and I am glad I did. I also like persimmon and hickory.
I have a Halloran hickory and a Stuckey persimmon that I`m looking forward to trying. From the very soft to the hardest, I`ve got various representatives to try on my new red slate/redheart Sinclair pot. I really appreciate all the input. It`s helped me to select out those that I`ll try.
I have a couple of persimmons I like including a Stuckey and I have 4 of Halloran's and like them very well (2 Ipe, 1 Jatoba, 1 Purpleheart) and intend to get his other 1 piece strikers. If you have not checked out JLH here yet then be sure to do so, he makes excellent strikers at a fair price and is good to deal with as well. I actually intend to order a black locust from him just to compare it to my other one as each maker had a different sound.
Quote from: Sir-diealot on June 04, 2020, 09:29:28 AM
Quote from: Turkeytider on June 04, 2020, 08:02:00 AM
Quote from: Sir-diealot on June 03, 2020, 11:32:35 PM
I am not an expert but somebody here mentioned black locust a few times in threads like this in the past so I went out and got one and I am glad I did. I also like persimmon and hickory.
I have a Halloran hickory and a Stuckey persimmon that I`m looking forward to trying. From the very soft to the hardest, I`ve got various representatives to try on my new red slate/redheart Sinclair pot. I really appreciate all the input. It`s helped me to select out those that I`ll try.
I have a couple of persimmons I like including a Stuckey and I have 4 of Halloran's and like them very well (2 Ipe, 1 Jatoba, 1 Purpleheart) and intend to get his other 1 piece strikers. If you have not checked out JLH here yet then be sure to do so, he makes excellent strikers at a fair price and is good to deal with as well. I actually intend to order a black locust from him just to compare it to my other one as each maker had a different sound.
I have several of Jeff`s that I`ll be trying. Great guy, great strikers.
Turkeyrider, I'm a pot guy. I normally carry 4 or 5 different kinds with me at all times and twice that many strikers. I pull my pots out the first of January and start practicing. I play every pot with multiple strikers daily and decide by our opener which ones I have the most Faith in and sound the best to me. When I hit the woods, multiple pots and strikers will get used everyday. With each pot and striker combo, I sound like a different hen. I let the birds tell me what they like for that particular day. For me, practicing and experimenting with different sounds will normally get the JOB done. My 2 cents!
Quote from: bbcoach on June 04, 2020, 05:33:49 PM
Turkeyrider, I'm a pot guy. I normally carry 4 or 5 different kinds with me at all times and twice that many strikers. I pull my pots out the first of January and start practicing. I play every pot with multiple strikers daily and decide by our opener which ones I have the most Faith in and sound the best to me. When I hit the woods, multiple pots and strikers will get used everyday. With each pot and striker combo, I sound like a different hen. I let the birds tell me what they like for that particular day. For me, practicing and experimenting with different sounds will normally get the JOB done. My 2 cents!
Exactly what I do, religiously, every year !! This year I went heavy on the glass, ceramic & red slate !!
Hickory, black locust and Snakewood run well for me on grey and red slate.
You want a raspier deeper sound order a Blackstone green slate in cedar pot. It deep and raspy. Deeper than any other that I have had in a slate call.
Depends on whst sound your going for. I mainly run diamond wood, hickory, cedar, and yellow heart
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Like alot of the previous mentioned though I didn't see anyone mention (could be wrong) walnut, I really like walnut strikers on slate, have a Bill Lyman in particular that is awesome.
Received my Sinclair Redheart pot red slate. Still trying a variety strikers but I`ve heard enough to know that it`s going to give the deeper tones to compliment my higher pitched aluminum and crystal pots. Slate is definitely a different sound.
Quote from: Turkeytider on June 07, 2020, 06:29:45 PM
Received my Sinclair Redheart pot red slate. Still trying a variety strikers but I`ve heard enough to know that it`s going to give the deeper tones to compliment my higher pitched aluminum and crystal pots. Slate is definitely a different sound.
It does sound different, and heck to me I like it the most of my pots love the slate pots the best. A double sider is really good as well have a Mark Cunningham glass with slate back I really like and have a Ernie Fetters glass front with slate on the back being made as we speak I am looking forward to getting.
Lots of good advice above. All around hard to beat Purpleheart, Hickory, Tulipwood and Canarywood to name a few. The HD material I use for my "Orion" strikers play on all surfaces and can get nice and raspy.
I received four of Jeff's strikers about a month ago. Finally yesterday I got around to pulling out a few pots and running the strikers. They were all good but one was Cumanu wood and it was incredible, Ran that striker on slate two colors, crystal, glass, and two ceramics and it loved them all.
Have been going through some of my strikers on my red and grey slates. One that's really growing on me is a Fowler walnut/ tulipwood. Purrs, clucks and rolls into a soft yelp really well.
Black locust or walnut for two slates ( red and grey )?
Enticer Laminated or Ramin cob . That is all I have used on my slate for 40 yrs. Deep & Raspy.
Alot deepends on how the call is built....generally a softer lighter wood will give you less rasp and a more high pitch sound....a denser hard wood will give more rasp...heavier the striker usually the deeper the pitch...my go to is my bloodwood....runs good on everything...but im a striker nut....one call and six strikers will give you 6 diff birds...never know what ole tom wants to hear...