How much extra.....????

[Sir-diealot]

Because of the reasons mentioned above I would just assume pay extra for the trumpet AFTER it has been made and I know what it is going to look like. Of course if it does not sound good first than you need to know it will just be a display call and accept that. I have a striker that is just for display, I have used it but does not perform well everywhere so I do not use it. (Nice clucks and purrs but horrible yelps)

[Ranger]

No decent callmaker is going to send you a "display call" and expect you to accept it. And most don't take payment until the call is finished and ready to be shipped, for many reasons.  One being they shouldn't want to send you a call they themselves wouldnt hunt with, and most would make that call over. They don't call it "display quality" but instead firewood.
       If a particular wood is costing the maker more then I expect to pay more of course, but most times I'm looking for the makers choice and not my own.  Then again thats only with a few reputable makers. Hunter in me wants the best sound, and the traditionalist in me wants domestic woods and not so caught up in the "tonal woods.". Walnut has probably killed more turkeys than any other wood, and it sure looks way better than plastic when laid on top of feathers.

[Tarheel]

Over the years, I've spent a lot of money for wood...and I've paid dearly for the education I've received.  Too many times I've been disappointed in the color and figure of the wood in the finished call.  Too many times I had opted to spend the extra money for the expensive blank of wood, and I ended up disappointed.  Not to long ago, I was talking to my desert ironwood supplier, and we were discussing how too many times the more expensive blanks were a disappointment.  He said, if asked, he always recommended the buyer make their purchase choices based on the end grain of the blank vs the face grain....resulted in less disappointment.  Anyway, I much prefer good surprises.....

[Sir-diealot]

No decent callmaker is going to send you a "display call" and expect you to accept it. And most don't take payment until the call is finished and ready to be shipped, for many reasons.  One being they shouldn't want to send you a call they themselves wouldnt hunt with, and most would make that call over. They don't call it "display quality" but instead firewood.
       If a particular wood is costing the maker more then I expect to pay more of course, but most times I'm looking for the makers choice and not my own.  Then again thats only with a few reputable makers. Hunter in me wants the best sound, and the traditionalist in me wants domestic woods and not so caught up in the "tonal woods.". Walnut has probably killed more turkeys than any other wood, and it sure looks way better than plastic when laid on top of feathers.

I have seen calls that are clearly display calls, calls like some  from Castadine* or Castatine* are meant to be displayed, that is what I was trying to get at bud. I have this box call not meant to be played and can't be played, just a piece of art.

[Ranger]

We're talking about commissioning hunting calls from custom makers, what the whole post is about.

[Meleagris gallopavo]

Over the years, I've spent a lot of money for wood...and I've paid dearly for the education I've received.  Too many times I've been disappointed in the color and figure of the wood in the finished call.  Too many times I had opted to spend the extra money for the expensive blank of wood, and I ended up disappointed.  Not to long ago, I was talking to my desert ironwood supplier, and we were discussing how too many times the more expensive blanks were a disappointment.  He said, if asked, he always recommended the buyer make their purchase choices based on the end grain of the blank vs the face grain....resulted in less disappointment.  Anyway, I much prefer good surprises.....

Good point.  The guy I buy most of my blanks from always had good pictures of the endgrain.  Typically when I get the wood it looks better than the pictures he uses. 


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[GregGwaltney]

I always look at end grain when choosing blanks and determining what end of the blank will be the bell.

[ncturkey]

The cost of wood blanks are really driving up the prices on Trumpets.

[Tarheel]

I called a wood dealer a while back about some Honduras Rosewood Burl call blanks he had advertised.  The blank I was most interested in trying to buy the wood dealer wanted $150 for the blank...and he told me that wasn't his best and most expensive blank of HRB.  If you hunt a trumpet made from a rosewood, you have to accept the reality the wood will darken, and the colors and figure will go dark.  CA may impede or slow the darkening on rosewood.... but I personally don't know because I don't use a CA finish. Maybe someone that does know will speak to that. Regardless, the people chasing the highly figured and rare call blanks are having an impact.  I told the wood dealer the price of the HRB blank was way above my budget. There was no way I would be comfortable I could cover the price of that blank in the price I would be able to sell a trumpet call.