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     I dont know why pot call makers don't write the wood type of the pot on it when they sign and date the call. Some woods are obvious but I can't always identify or remember all the wood types on my pots and strikers. I can't always tell a canarywood from a genadillo from a hormigo from a canarywood etc.
      My question is if I carefully write the wood type on the call in a fine tipped marker how much do you think that hurts the resale value? Would you not buy a pot you really wanted because it was written on? I've already done it on a number of my strikers but never on a pot yet. Obviously I don't have this problem with box calls!

I have seen one maker that writes a bunch of stuff on the call and because he does that I will no longer buy from him. I know it is sound first but I want my call to also look nice regardless of the wood. I have a album on Facebroke that I put all my calls and the strikers and how to condition them in so that I can remember as well as it serving for insurance claim if my house is ever broken into.

I used Tupperware containers for each of my pot calls...I cover the bottom of the container with the material used to line your toolbox drawers..

I use a sticky note to write the maker, wood type, surfaces, & the date, I got the call, which I put under the bottom cover material...

My memory is terrible...

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I wouldn't take a marker myself and write on my pot calls.. What you need to do is start you spread sheet or just get you log book of some kind and keep up with all your calls with purchase date, price, wood type and builder . I know lot of guys do spread sheet on the computer, i just use log book..  I do think you will hurt the value of your pot calls etc.. IMO

I write the call/maker info on a piece of tape and stick the tape on the koozie that the pot is stored in.

Upon purchase I immediately write down the call specs.  As long as I know who it's from I can figure out what it's components are.  I list the wood, surface, and soundboard.  I had one pot I got a while back from Steve Morgenstern and I couldn't figure out the wood.  I sent him pictures of the call and he confirmed what it was, which was pretty cool because it was Curupay.  Don't see that very often. 


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At first I thought I'd just search my old gobbler history to identify the call I purchased. Quickly learned that people delete most of the info from their sale. Any insight as to why sale price and other info is deleted/edited?  Is that a forum rule?  It would be helpful to see past pricing on calls.

Currently just keep a spreadsheet.


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Keeping a spreadsheet or log book is a great idea for an organized and conscientious individual who has his act together. I unfortunately am usually disheveled, forgetful and often distracted by unruly children and too many pets. So, this tape idea seems right for me. Can I put a small piece of tape on the bottom of the pot or will that affect its sound?

I wouldn't put any tape on the call. I hate when I buy a call from one of the competitions out there and they have the white sticky label on it. Try and pull one off without leaving sticky crap on the call.

Quote from: Zobo on July 18, 2021, 09:36:09 PM
Keeping a spreadsheet or log book is a great idea for an organized and conscientious individual who has his act together. I unfortunately am usually disheveled, forgetful and often distracted by unruly children and too many pets. So, this tape idea seems right for me. Can I put a small piece of tape on the bottom of the pot or will that affect its sound?

Don't confuse being organized and having an act together with being OCD lol.  I'd say I'm OCD but most folks might tell you I don't have my act together.


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I like to take pictures of the call and striker and add a note about what they are made of also the date and contact information for the call makers  and keep it on a thumb drive.

This interesting. Many top box call makers very often, if not always, write the woods and even where they got them on the call. I always thought that was pretty cool because it adds to the history of the call. I certainly wouldn't mind a pot call maker doing the same thing and it sure as heck wouldn't keep me from buying a great call.

Quote from: EZ on July 26, 2021, 12:04:57 PM
This interesting. Many top box call makers very often, if not always, write the woods and even where they got them on the call. I always thought that was pretty cool because it adds to the history of the call. I certainly wouldn't mind a pot call maker doing the same thing and it sure as heck wouldn't keep me from buying a great call.

Completely agree with this. Pot Call makers take note!

Quote from: Zobo on July 26, 2021, 10:31:08 PM

Quote from: EZ on July 26, 2021, 12:04:57 PM
This interesting. Many top box call makers very often, if not always, write the woods and even where they got them on the call. I always thought that was pretty cool because it adds to the history of the call. I certainly wouldn't mind a pot call maker doing the same thing and it sure as heck wouldn't keep me from buying a great call.

Completely agree with this. Pot Call makers take note!

I like it on the bottom of the box calls but there is much less of that beautiful grain to be seen on a pot call and I do not want anything other than the makers name and date on those, tastefully done of course.

Quote from: Meleagris gallopavo on July 26, 2021, 06:54:45 AM

Quote from: Zobo on July 18, 2021, 09:36:09 PM
Keeping a spreadsheet or log book is a great idea for an organized and conscientious individual who has his act together. I unfortunately am usually disheveled, forgetful and often distracted by unruly children and too many pets. So, this tape idea seems right for me. Can I put a small piece of tape on the bottom of the pot or will that affect its sound?

Don't confuse being organized and having an act together with being OCD lol.  I'd say I'm OCD but most folks might tell you I don't have my act together.


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Lol!  Good point!

Quote from: Zobo on July 26, 2021, 10:31:08 PM

Quote from: EZ on July 26, 2021, 12:04:57 PM
This interesting. Many top box call makers very often, if not always, write the woods and even where they got them on the call. I always thought that was pretty cool because it adds to the history of the call. I certainly wouldn't mind a pot call maker doing the same thing and it sure as heck wouldn't keep me from buying a great call.

Completely agree with this. Pot Call makers take note!

Not enough room for all that on a pot call.

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     I dont think writing  something like "John Smith 2022 Missouri Poplar" would be a problem fitting on a call or how it would hurt the looks too much but I understand some like a minimalistic aesthetic.
     So that leads me to wondering how much does the wood type of a pot actually matter for its sound? I know obviously the surface and striker woods matter a lot. I've been told the sounding board surface matters a lot too and I'm sure how and where the pot is contoured, shaped and thinned out must affect sound.  But does the  wood species matter as much as we think?

Lonnie Mabry writes the wood type on all of his calls and I've never thought it took away anything from his calls.  He does not go into details, but it might read "Hackberry" or "Cedar-W" with the W denoting the wood soundboard with his signaturr below the wood

    Pat Strawser has done it on some pots and David Halloran etches his one piece strikers now indicating the wood types and makers mark. That's a really good idea if you ask me.

My question is, Why does the call builder have to do everything with writing all the information about the pot call, why don't you as the buyer keep up with your calls and type woods. Just my opinion.  All i want to see on the back of the pot call is his date and signature, I think after that it's my responsibility to keep up with my calls as to the date i purchase the call, wood type and sound board in my logbook or spreadsheet ...Again IMO....

     I dont know that any of it ultimately really matters. I just always thought that the info the old time box call makers put on their calls was kinda cool and made the calls more interesting, with the provenance of the woods, its history and all.
     Of course records can be kept of pot woods types and which strikers came with the calls, dates, and so on, but records get lost and calls get passed on to future generations and will "outlive" callmakers and original owners.