I'm Really Confused...

[BusterMcThunderstick]

I am relatively new to turkey hunting and brand new to this site.  After a few days of looking on from the sidelines, I have become more confused about calls and calling.  I've always known about slate pot calls, box calls, and diaphragm calls, but this site has mentioned several things that I haven't heard of before and don't understand.

I want to get a new custom pot call but I see that you can get them in different kinds of wood, plastic and/or corian combinations.  It seems to me that the pot itself is only a container for the playing surface.  Am I wrong on this?  What benefit would one pot material have over another?

Also the playing surfaces can be slate, glass, or aluminum.  Does one sound better than the other?  Is one more weatherprooof than the other?  Is one higher maintenance than the others?

What on Earth is a trumpet?  Is it different than a striker? 

Is there a benefit to having different strikers made of different materials for certain calling situations?  Does one striker material resonate better than the others?

What in the world is a soundboard and what is its function in the call?  I always was under the impression that the playing material is encased in the pot, which is hollow or semihollow in nature, and that amplifies the sound being emitted..sort of like a drumstick being struck against an upside-down empty bucket.  How does a soundboard play into the equation?

I apologize for my ignorance, but I am trying to learn the ins and outs of turkey hunting.  I am a research geek to the extreme.  I always wnat the most and best information possible before I set out on an adventure.  OG is the best site I have found on the subject, but reading the forum makes me feel like I'm in over my head.  Any help on this subject would be great and thank you in advance.

Buster

[pappy]

PM sent

[VanHelden Game Calls]

 

  Hang on its going to be a fun ride for ya.

Oh and open your wallet its going to get expensive to

[drenalinld]

Each wood type will have different sound characteristics defined by it's density and grain patterns and harmonic qualities which are changed by how physical dimensions of the pot. Glass in a corian pot will sound way different than glass in a cedar pot which will be different than glass in a walnut pot. Even calls built with the same dimensions and materials can sound quite a bit different because no two pieces of wood are the same. The pot is way more than a container for the playing surface. The benefit of one material over another is simply in the satisfaction of the end user. Part of it is appearance. Many like a pretty call. The bigger part for most is sound. Everyone has their own idea of what sounds best and the beauty of all the choices is there will be one that sounds great to almost any taste.

A trumpet has a hole in the middle and is operated by making a sucking action on the small end. It has been around for a long time and when in the right hands can make some the most realistic turkey calls man is capable of. In my hands it just makes noise.....lol

Absolutely there is benefit in having strikers from different materials. Each will produce a different sound. Sometimes changing strikers will get a bird to respond when he was ignoring the first calls. Again it is about personal preference and trying them out on real turkeys. You tend to like the ones they respond to.

A sound board is attached to the floor or bottom of a pot call and has a huge impact on the sound of the call. Yes two calls made the same with the only difference being the sound board material can sound quite different. The sound board totally changes the harmonics and amplifies the sound. Some calls are made with an opening on the bottom to use the sound board as a second calling surface. I don't know enough about acoustics to give a good answer other than every dimension of the soundboard as well as the material has an effect on the sound of the call.

The best research on turkey calls is to listen to and run as many as you can. You will start to develop a general feel for what each surface and pot material will sound like and what you like as a caller and hunter.

Welcome to OG. I hope you are not spamming me........lol

Also, pappy is a wealth of knowledge.

[turkey slayer]

 

  Hang on its going to be a fun ride for ya.

Oh and open your wallet its going to get expensive to

That wallet is about to lose some weight.

[BusterMcThunderstick]

Thanks for all the info, Dren.  I have hunted them for two years now, last year more seriously than the first, but neither year with any luck.  I was using a Primos plastic slate call.  I look at the craftsmanship of some of the custom call makers on here and I am more than impressed.  I would have to believe that in the right hands, a custom call would outperform my Gander Mountain bought one anyday. 
Luckily I have been acquiring turkey hunting items over the past few years and alot of my deer hunting gear can serve the dual purpose of turkey hunting.  The two main things I want to get this year before season is a good custom pot call and a ground blind, as I will be taking my 8-year-old daughter in the woods with me and I don't think she will be able to sit still up against a tree in front of God and all the toms
I have the blind picked out that I want.  Now I just need to research the call makers and spend the dough!  Thanks again for the help.
If anyone has any more to add or can recommend a surface/pot/striker material combination that might work well for a beginner like me, I'm all ears!

[BusterMcThunderstick]

PM sent

I never received the PM, Pappy.  I look forward to hearing from you, though, as you seem to be a go-to guy on here.  I could definitely learn a lot from you.

[VanHelden Game Calls]

While I am all for fancy top end custom calls. There is a place for economically $ calls, and you my friend are in that place - Don't overspend, there are plenty of good calls on the lower end in $.

Why do I say this?  Because the only way to know what works for YOU is YOU.  As callmakers we can build a call to what YOU like, but we need to know what YOU like.  and the only way is to do what was mentioned above, try as many calls as possible, all different surfaces.

I am an odd duck, I don't have much success with glass or aluminum.  I love copper and its hard to beat the sweet slates.  Ceramic has grown on me.

My best suggestion would be to join the local NWTF.  There you will get a hands on lesson of many calls and techniques with little invested.  Nothing can beat hands on.

[Cut*N*Run]

Here's my suggestion for you- double sided aluminum over slate. The aluminum side will get loud so you can reach out and the slate side will give you quiet, content, soft talk. If I had to limit myself to one call, that would be it.

[BusterMcThunderstick]

Thanks, CutNRun.  That is exactly the kind of info and advice I am trying to get.  I will look into that type of call.

[pappy]

Buster, call me I'll send you a pm with my number.....so many variables, so little time....lol

[WillowRidgeCalls]

Buster, if at all possible try to attend a call show. The two main reasons for this, is that you can run the calls at the shows, and you'll see what catches your eye for looks and most importantly you will see what calls run the best in your hands. Everybody plays a call a bit different, and what runs great in my hands may be a nightmare for you to run? It also gives you a chance to see what sounds the best to your ears, meaning a glass call or a slate call, etc etc, if you like the sound of one surface, that's great but the next surface you may hate the sound of it. Confidence is 90% of killing a turkey, if you don't care for the sound of the call your running, you won't play it very good. It is well worth the trip to try and make it to one of the shows, it will open your eyes about calls.

[bcc2011]

 Welcome to the brotherhood. Your gonna get hooked quick

[BusterMcThunderstick]

OK, thanks for the suggestion on attending a show.  I looked online and the Indiana Deer & Turkey Show will be in town Feb. 17  I think it was.  I remember there being call booths there from attending in the past.  Do any of you custom callmakers set up at that show, by chance?  I would love to stop by a fellow OGer's booth and give him my business, all things being equal with the call offerings there.

[paturkeyhntr]

Buster, if at all possible try to attend a call show. The two main reasons for this, is that you can run the calls at the shows, and you'll see what catches your eye for looks and most importantly you will see what calls run the best in your hands. Everybody plays a call a bit different, and what runs great in my hands may be a nightmare for you to run? It also gives you a chance to see what sounds the best to your ears, meaning a glass call or a slate call, etc etc, if you like the sound of one surface, that's great but the next surface you may hate the sound of it. Confidence is 90% of killing a turkey, if you don't care for the sound of the call your running, you won't play it very good. It is well worth the trip to try and make it to one of the shows, it will open your eyes about calls.

I agree with this 100%.  I was in your position a few years ago.  Asked the same questions as you have and was at least as confused as you said you are .  The only way to figure this out is to play as many calls as you can.  Some will work for you and others will not.  As for my journey, I found a slate call is the easiest call surface to run.  Copper is my second favorite for cleaner, high pitched calls.   Please take up the call maker's offers to talk to them.  They are a wealth of info and really great guys.
Ray