Best Cut for Soft Calling?

[heartofdixie]

Not sure if this is the right place to post these questions or not...

-What is the best cut for making soft-ish yelps, feeding yelps, tree yelps, purrs/clucks.  Simple V cut?  Or something else?

and

-Who makes the best one?


Thanks guys

[GobbleNut]

From my experience, thicker latex and tighter stretches in calls usually make it more difficult to call softly.  Conversely, thinner latex (.003, proph) and less tension usually will allow for softer calling while still maintaining the ability for the user to make crisp, realistic calls. 

As for the reed cut, everyone is different in how they call and what works best for them.  I agree that most callers do better with the V-cut or some modified version of it.  In these conversations, I always encourage people to learn to modify their mouth calls to find the "turkey" in each one.

[Jbird22]

IMO a Combo Cut or Batwing will be tough to beat. As for who makes the best one, you will know when you run it.

[Gooserbat]

For soft calling a 2.5 or 3 reed built with .003 or .003 over proph and either a ghost or batwing. 

[TRKYHTR]

For soft calling a 2.5 or 3 reed built with .003 or .003 over proph and either a ghost or batwing.

I agree with Sam. Make sure there is minimal to no overhang on the top reed.

joe

[Jbird22]

I built a 3 reed Ghost last night that'll get as soft as you'd want. The rain drop clucks and soft yelps are spot on and it'll call with volume without squeaking out. So yes, the Ghost cut is a good choice for sure.

[LBA]

A well built call no matter the cut can do it.

[GobbleNut]

A well built call no matter the cut can do it.

I suppose it depends on what ones definition of "well built" is. 
Not wanting to be disagreeable, but the fact is that you may be able to take a call that you define as being "well built" and call softly, but the great majority of "average callers" cannot.    Having  tried to teach dozens, if not hundreds, of people how to use a mouth call over the last four decades, I can say without hesitation that it is easier to fit the call to the user than it is to fit the user to the call.
That "average guy" needs to be looking for a certain type of call to fit his personal calling mechanics.  Admittedly, over time, the guy that works on his mouth calling faithfully in an effort to improve will be able to adjust to different calls, including "well built" ones or "lousy built" ones and make acceptable turkey vocalizations with about any of them.  But the fact is that some well built calls are lousy at making soft calls for all but the most accomplished of mouth call users.

[TRKYHTR]

A well built call no matter the cut can do it.

I suppose it depends on what ones definition of "well built" is. 
Not wanting to be disagreeable, but the fact is that you may be able to take a call that you define as being "well built" and call softly, but the great majority of "average callers" cannot.    Having  tried to teach dozens, if not hundreds, of people how to use a mouth call over the last four decades, I can say without hesitation that it is easier to fit the call to the user than it is to fit the user to the call.
That "average guy" needs to be looking for a certain type of call to fit his personal calling mechanics.  Admittedly, over time, the guy that works on his mouth calling faithfully in an effort to improve will be able to adjust to different calls, including "well built" ones or "lousy built" ones and make acceptable turkey vocalizations with about any of them.  But the fact is that some well built calls are lousy at making soft calls for all but the most accomplished of mouth call users.

I agree.

[Dr Juice]

Plain double reed without a cut works for me.

[mspaci]

no cuts