Box Call Advice Needed UPDATE

[GunRunner]

I have a beautifully crafted box call that looks great on the shelf but sounds horrible. I, nor my hunting buddies, have been able to tune it. It has a mahogany box and cherry lid and is about 18 years old. It was made by a fairly well known call maker at the time, however I do not see his calls on forums or eBay these days so I am not sure if he still is in business. I bought it on-line, judging it only from its exterior beauty, and not hearing or playing it first.  Lesson learned.....that will not happen again.

I talked to the call maker at first and now do not remember much about what he recommended. He did suggest that we adjust the screw in small increments, which we did with no significant improvement. He also recommended that we remove all the chalk and condition the lid with green scotch brite....again no improvement. We have also tried different chalks including white and blue Dixon RR chalks, RainChalk, Primos reddish brown chalk, and even no chalk.  Nothing seems to help it.  I have thought of sanding the lid but I am reluctant to do this without getting thoughts from some of you. I have even  thought about asking Mr. Albert Paul of Paul's Calls to try tuning it, but not sure he would be willing to work on a competitors call.

I have pulled it out every season now and admire it but put back in storage. Not sure what to do next or to just write it off. One thing I did notice....the lid does not seem to "hold" chalk like other box calls... the majority of it seems to slide off.

Any thoughts or recommendations would be much appreciated.

GunRunner

[Sir-diealot]

Only commenting on the chalk coming off the lid, I once had somebody here tell me that that could happen if somebody had used an oil based chalk on it. I have not clue how to tell you what to do to fix it and will leave it to those that know far more than I do.

[vt35mag]

Some boxes just like to eat chalk, I wouldn't worry about it. A well made call should run well with zero chalk anyways. Might be a long shot to get someone else to try and tune it, but you just never know I guess.
If you have no luck getting someone to tune it up for you, you might get some satisfaction out of watching it burn in the fire pit while having a beer.

[Greg Massey]

Some calls are just not meant to be played. If it's that bad, you will never hunt the call.. i would say after sanding on the call your not going to get much improvement out of it.. it's time you buy you better call IMO.... or burn it in the fire pit while drinking 6 pack of beer at the end of the 6 pack you will feel better regardless .. LOL...

[paboxcall]

Do not sand it and change the radius. Do not burn it. Lots of variables not addressed: gripping too hard, does it have a spring, run it with lid flat or canted, gripping the sidewalls, is it a long box, short box, lifting the lid, on and on.

The bottom of the lid could be heavily burnished and that is why the chalk won't grab or the call won't vibrate. Suggest using 220 grit and ever so lightly BRUSH with the grain on the bottom of the paddle to get that 18+ year old chalk residue and oil off. Lightly rechalk with something of quality. If you have rain chalk start there, bit more grippy. After that, if you can run a box and have an ear for it, go about adjusting your screw 1/8" or less at a time.

If you don't have an ear find someone who does, but note, just because a guy carries a box in his vest that fact doesn't qualify him as a box caller let alone qualified to task with tuning it.

I've said it before I'll say it again. There are paddle callers and paddle draggers. I can count on one hand of all the guys I've hunted with in 25+ years who can really run a box. Most guys hold it like its radioactive, a fresh pile of cow dung, or the box is so fragile it they breathe wrong it will come apart. Then with great apprehension they go about dragging the paddle across the box, and too often pleased with the two-note screech coming out of it.

Hand that same call to a guy who can run one, and it jumps to life, hard to believe its the same box. Of all the guys I know and hunted with, box call makers aside, there's just three I would trust to tune one correctly.

In the end, there are box call makers and there are guys who at the end of the day built something that looks like a box call. So I am assuming you bought from the former, someone at the time who was reputable. Or maybe not, and it is worthy of the burn barrel. But lots of steps to go through first.

 

[GunRunner]

Thanks guys.

Probably should have mentioned that I moved on from that box 17.5 years ago. I probably have 25 box calls from cheaper production calls to Woodhaven Real Hens and Lynch calls, a signed Ben Lee box, Albert Paul calls, 3 David Halloran calls, a Doug Camp, and other custom calls.

I do not profess to be a great box caller or box call expert, but I typically favor box calls on the front end of a hunt and finish up with diaphragms. So I know to not lift the paddle and smack it down on the rails when yelping, not to use oil or polymer based chalks, effects of gripping call box sides, tuning calls in 1/8 inch increments, and other box call basics.

I think my best bet is to try light sanding of the lid......just never have done any modifications to a call and do not want to change the paddle radius. I think paboxcall is probably correct that there is a burnished spot on the paddle radius

In reality it currently is only good to look at....so I guess I have little to lose in trying to make it functional.

Thanks again.

[paboxcall]

 

Keep us posted, and good to know you have an ear for the box call. Anxious to learn if you can get this box to come to life. Bet if you get that grain cleaned up, get it to vibrate, you'll have the screw dialed in right quick.

[Yoder409]

The bottom of the lid could be heavily burnished and that is why the chalk won't grab or the call won't vibrate. 

^^^^^^^

Likely this.   

Combine that with burnished sound boards and it only gets worse.

I've noticed over the years that mahogany boxes require more attention than about anything else to keep them in "the zone".  I've also noticed that cherry paddles (although some of my favorite sounding boxes have them) don't always like to hold chalk well and also take some maintenance.  So you're, potentially, dealing with the worst of both worlds.

Try, also, scuffing the sound rails EVER SO GENTLY with a super-fine sandpaper or Scotch Brite.  You're only attempting to scuff the burnishing.  NOT the wood itself.

I wish I could monkey with this call for a spell.  Let us know how things turn out.  But DON'T burn it.  If it pi$$es you off that much............sell it to me.  If I can't make it run....... I'll send it back to you and THEN you can burn it.   
   

[GunRunner]

I may not ever get it in shape to help me kill turkeys ..... but I will never burn it.

Thanks guys

[EZ]

I would tend to ask Mr. Paul if he would give it a try. I've watched a VERY talented box call making friend take an OK call to excellent with a pocket knife.....just sayin.

[outdoors]

I would tend to ask Mr. Paul if he would give it a try. I've watched a VERY talented box call making friend take an OK call to excellent with a pocket knife.....just sayin.

I've seen a video on YouTube a guy bought a cheap call worked on it. .. played it before and after night and day difference

[GunRunner]

Very glad to have Mike Crooks of Spring Creek Turkey Calls volunteer his time and expertise to try to tune this call and make it a functional box call.

Thanks Mike !!

[paboxcall]

Very glad to have Mike Crooks of Spring Creek Turkey Calls volunteer his time and expertise to try to tune this call and make it a functional box call.

Thanks Mike !!

Excellent! If the original builder put a turkey in it, Mike will definitely find it!

[Happy hooker]

Id bet a million bucks Marlin Watkins could tune it!!! is there anybody out there who uses more different varieties of wood so you know he can finesse a sound eventually out of anything.
give him a call or combine it sending it to him with ordering one from him too. that way you get a great call and a restored call at the same time.

[Happy hooker]

heres the other option,,,this gives you an excuse to go to the Unicoi or NWTF convention shows and bring it with you,,you would for sure get it tuned or at least have an answer on its current state from all the call makers there,,,and combined with a fun trip!