Help can't get a front end on diaphragm

[milertyme03]

Guys,

I am have been using mouth calls and killing turkeys for a while.  I have used ghost cut calls with good success in the past but I cant cut the best on them.  This year I bought a combo and reverse combo call to see if i could get a wider range of sound.  The weird thing is I can't hit the high note on either of them. I can cut really well but I can't get a high end on them matter what position or tongue pressure I put on them.  Can modify these to help get the high note?  Does this mean I have more of a center flow of air?  Also if anyone can recommend a good type of cut or call to get I'd appreciate it.  I'm taking kids out for a youth hunt in a week and I need to find a goodouth call

[coyote1]

It sounds like you do have more of a center air flow. Try a batwing cut, it should work for you. I would try to make one of your combo cuts a batwing to see if it works before buying one. I like hooks calls but can't recommend a specific one because I use their small frames.

I have the same problem, just different air flow. Batwing and reverse combo work best for me.

[Sir-diealot]

Last year I bought the Mouth Call Mechanics kit and it really was an eye opener for me, it taught me that not all people can call with every mouth call well and some are better suited to some people while others are better for other people. Here is the info from their site.

"The Award Winning "Mouth Call Mechanics" kit. - This quality product is manufactured by Hook's Custom Calls.
Learn the proper way to develop the "front end" of a yelp with this 4 call kit. Watch the instructional video in conjunction to this kit and you'll be producing professional sounding calls in no time. Only $21.99. Kit includes a 2 reed uncut, 3 reed ghost cut, 3 reed combo cut and a 3 reed reverse combo cut."

I found I can't call to save my life with the 3 reed combo cut and a 3 reed reverse combo cut but with the ghost Cut and the 2 reed uncut that came with the call I call much better. (Thanks to Savduck sending a batwing call when I bought a lanyard from him I now know I can use a batwing as well) Here is a link to the video for the kit, it may make some things easier to understand as to why not all calls are for all people. Hope it helps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFs--tKA46I&t=629s

[Greg Massey]

I use mostly 2 reed uncut to get the high pitch front ..

[maxbo36]

Try making a few Batwings or combo cuts with 3 reeds.  Make the top reed thicker .004 and the bottom two reeds thinner .003 or Proph.  Once you build the calls, try them, if they are too raspy and flat toned, begin trimming back the tip of the batwing and the wings and tip of the combo cut.  Shaving away little by little the tip and wing should give your call a higher two note yelp.  Take it slow and do NOT over trim, it takes a minute amount of reduction to change the sound.  99% of all the calls I make for myself,  I have to tune in this fashion.

[milertyme03]

Can anyone recommend a jig to start out with?  I'm spending too much trying to match calls to what ivwant

[LaLongbeard]

Check out the calling all turkeys website. Shane Simpson has several videos explaining and demonstrating the mouth call basics. Not everyone can get turkey sounds from any call, your air flow determines which cut you should use. Shane's videos explains it a lot better but a lot of people get frustrated trying to use the wrong type call for their air flow.   

[EZ]

IMHO, the average guy will learn and control a plain two reed or two reed with notches on each side (Old Boss Hen or Raspy D) much better.

[GobbleNut]

  Can I modify these to help get the high note? 

Absolutely!  One of the biggest mistakes I think mouth call users make (I know I did for years) is to scrap calls that they don't like.  They just assume it is not going to work for them.  Very minor changes in the cut configuration of a call can make big differences in how they sound. 

For the high/low rollover on the yelp, the fix may be as simple as exposing more of the secondary reed by trimming the top reed a bit.  Regardless, there are a number of things that can be done to "tune" mouth calls. 

Just remember to make those modifications in very small increments and try the call between each.  However, another solution is to make larger modifications by just changing the overall call design.  By this I mean, for example, changing a V-cut into a combo cut,...or a batwing,...or a ghost cut,... by removing tabs/wings.
 
I have found that it is the rare mouth call that does not have a "turkey" in it somewhere. You just have to find it.  Bottom line is that if you have a call that you don't like and know you will not use, rather than throwing it away, why not mess around with that call to see what happens to the sound if you change it a bit?...