I looking for an additional call. I have several inexpensive slates, an inexpensive glass and a Woodhaven Cherry Classic slate. You probably already guessed, but my favorite is the Woodhaven and I'm looking for something to compliment it. I'm looking for something to reach out to those distant Toms & for those windy days. I'm not so concerned about call maker as I've pretty much decided what "brand" I going to buy. I'm more interested in call surface, soundboard, and pot combinations. I do have a little trouble running the glass call that I have, but that could just be the fact that it is a mass produced $15 call (or just the operator :o).
If you want to talk to a long distance tom on a windy day get yourself a 3 1/2 aluminum over glass call. I made one for a guy last spring and the first time he used it was on a pretty windy day and his buddy after hearing it promptly name it the 9 mile call cause he was convinced they were calling birds at least that far out in the wind. A little over exaggeration on his part I am sure but it will get out there yet you can still soft talk with them.
Yep, aluminum over glass. Usually a padauk pot will get the aluminum to scream. Padauk and dymondwood will make a good striker. Copper can get loud too.
As far as the glass, it can be finicky. I like to condition mine by sanding with a rough grit to make grooves and then smoothing it down some with a conditioning stone. I like to wipe every bit of the glass dust away because I feel that if you leave the dust it will just fill in the grooves and cause the striker to start slipping much faster.
Copper over slate is a great combo, loud and nasty. I agree with the paduak or laminate striker as they both work well on copper as well as aluminum.
I agree with the alum being a long distance call, it will reach out and touch em.
Stumpy
I would go with bead blasted anodized aluminum, the surface can get soft or really loud.
How easy is the aluminum to run? I had a cheap aluminum call....most of the sounds I got out of it didn't make me think turkey when I heard them. I also didn't care for the fact that if you were sitting in the sun it was easy to get a glare off the surface of it. It wasn't shiny by any means, but I was very careful where /when I used it.
What about the copper...ease of running it??
I agree with what some others have posted. A Paduk Call Aluminum over Glass. I think running an aluminum call is much easier and sounds better using a laminate striker.
Quote from: captpete on February 03, 2012, 10:23:40 PM
How easy is the aluminum to run? I had a cheap aluminum call....most of the sounds I got out of it didn't make me think turkey when I heard them. I also didn't care for the fact that if you were sitting in the sun it was easy to get a glare off the surface of it. It wasn't shiny by any means, but I was very careful where /when I used it.
What about the copper...ease of running it??
If you get anodized, powder-blasted aluminum the surface will be a dull black (or green) and very easy to run. It has just about the same feel as slate. Out of all the calls I've made, there are a couple of aluminum ones that I would put right up there as the most realistic sounding. It's a good surface.
Depends on conditioning, striker choice, and a bit of practice, but when all that happens copper is easy to run.
Thanks for the info....looks like I'll be checking out the aluminum calls.
i have a mike yingling 3 inch copper over glass in a flamed Osage pot that is super loud, i also have a last strut calls 3.5 inch aluminum over glass in a walnut pot that screams, IMHO you cant go wrong with either copper or aluminum.