Looking to upgrade, differance?

[beardwacker]

I have been turkey hunting for over 20 years.  I cut my teeth on call's from Primo's and all I have used for the whole time.  I have experimented with quaker and H.S. but come back to Will's just sounds right.  Now, looking at getting more of custom call's, slate, tube, scratch box, and box.  Question is this is there a huge differance in the quality of the sound coming out of custom's?  I mean no disrespect just curious if there really is a differance, I would imagine there is.  thanks.

[USMC0331]

Sound quality is much better and they're usually a lot more durable.Easier to run all of the turkey sounds with consistency.

[lightsoutcalls]

   You said you have used Primos calls and find yourself coming back to them over the years.  Most folks have a particular sound in their head of what a turkey call should sound like.  You can run a dozen calls, production or custom.  Chances are, you are going to use the call that most closely resembles the sound you think a turkey call should make. 
   Thing is, on a given day, a particular turkey may or may not agree with you on which call sounds best.   

   Buying a custom turkey call can allow you to have some input as to what kind of sound you want from a call.  Just remember that all calls are not built the same, and all materials (pot call wood, surface, soundboard) do not produce the same sounds.  Try to let the callmaker know what kind of sound you are after and allow him to help you decide on what combinations may be able to most closely produce that sound.  Good luck in finding the call that is right for you.

[pappy]

The thing about buying custom made calls is communication, I really doubt you can pick up the phone and talk to Phil about a call's sound, with a custom maker, you have the opportunity to voice your needs, and most of these guys here can surely fill them. I just got off the phone today with a fella from Kentucky, and a guy from Louisiana and one from Virginia....we spent the better half of an hour talking turkey and calls, each one was looking for something different, each one ended up buying a call....as with most call makers it is important to specify what it is you are looking for, other wise, they are going to make you a call that they believe will call in a Tom, and they will, but it may not sound like the sound you are looking for. Like Wendell says, it is all up to the Tom's attitude for that day that determines if he will come to you or not, no matter if you're using a tin can and a piece of flint or a two hundred dollar turkey call.

[M Sharpe]

Both of the above post are correct. But I will reiterrate, it's not about what we like or want to hear, but what the turkey wants to hear. I had a guy that bought a Jordan yelper from me. He had never played this particular type of call before. Infact, he had never played any suction type call before. He called me and wanted to know how he sounded. He sounded just like a guy that needed more time practicing playing the call. He said he sounded squeaky to his ears. I assured him that would go away after he learned more about lip stop adjustment and how to actually play the call, because I knew how it sounded when I played the call. The very next day, he called me all excited to tell me he had called up and killed a gobbler that morning and called one up for his Dad that afternoon.
I told him not to change anything he was doing!!

[Uvagobbler]

I was in the same boat. I used a lot of primos friction calls and had excellent results with their Lil heart breaker box. I just started using custom pot style calls this year. I don't know if Dave Halloran is considered custom or not but I have his glass call and the turkeys have responded to it better than anything in my vest so far. I also bought a tube call from Barry. He makes them out of old Doan's pill bottles. The best tube call I have. Just like the guys have already said, it's what the turkey likes not us. In most cases you get what you pay for but call makers who will run a call over the phone for you are going to be top notch. I don't mind paying more for great customer service. Good luck.