How about these woods for box calls?

[notsob17]

Has anybody used Catalba, Hackberry, Holly, Mimosa, Hickory, or Hawthorn tree for either the body or lid of the box call?  I know they aren't ideal, but I have access to some of the wood and was curious.

[Will]

I have a Watkins box call made out of Holly. The lid and base are Snakewood and the body is made of Holly. Killer call and has a few kills to it.

[Sir-diealot]

Mr. Watkins had a call that I am 85% sure was holly and apply last year at Turkey Trot Acres during the Northeast Call Makers Summit, it I am correct I played it and it sounded very good. I know he had holly and I know he had apple it is just with my medication I question my memory and I am not 100% it was on the same call. I seem to remember tell that he had some Hackberry calls that were quite something several years ago, though I had never seen one myself as I did not get into the custom calls until after that time.

[gonehuntin982]

Has anybody used Catalba, Hackberry, Holly, Mimosa, Hickory, or Hawthorn tree for either the body or lid of the box call?  I know they aren't ideal, but I have access to some of the wood and was curious.

notsob17, Catalba, hackberry and holly are a definite for the box i have never used mimosa or hawthorn so i can't help there but hickory i have used for lids Good luck building your boxcalls!!!

gonehuntin982

[Greg Massey]

Holly for sure ... I have a macassar over holly fiddle box ...

[Paulmyr]

I used Catalpa to make a couple boxes with Walnut lids late this last winter. It's a tricky wood to work with. The dark grain in the wood is softer than the light. You need to be careful to keep it off of the playing section on top of the rail or the sound isn't consistent.  You also need to be careful when sanding it as it wears away quicker than the light grained wood.

I've got pics posted in this section under the title "A few more" along with a sound file. The wood has a cool golden sheen to it. I have 2 Catalpa trees in my front yard that are killing the grass. They are getting cut down this spring and run through the sawmill along with a Hackberry for future calls. Might try to spalt some of the hackberry.

[Badger]

I have a Holly and Malawi short box.