Are calls prices getting out of hand?

[Bowguy]

The price of Woodhaven a mass produced call is crazy to me. Any time there is one in the classified it is lucky to fetch half of what you paid for it!

Not only can the price of calls is outrageous but consider what call makers ask for exotic wood striker?

t
Amen

[yelpy]

Maybe if they were stamped made in China they would be out of hand but a custom call made here in the US is worth what the makers asking price is. The production calls I can see being cheap cause a lot of them are made cheap.

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[MK M GOBL]

This goes with many things beyond brand/name, it does get into the quality of product you are buying (beyond turkey calls). Don't know this at all but I would believe some makers are a part-time business and for some it may be their livelihood. I have a few custom calls that had a bit of a price tag to them but for me were well worth the price.
When looking at any product there are always "grades" quality differences to those products, you can compare these quality differences and make your decision from there. What the demand for said products can increase the price as well (what the market bears) Of course the final choice comes down to you and what you feel you are willing to pay for said product. As for myself if I know I am looking for a certain quality of product and said product lives up to that expectation I have no issue with paying more to purchase it.

MK M GOBL

[Bowguy]

There's certain companies, woodhaven, Zink to name a few that are way too proud of their calls. Anyone who supports that hasn't thought things through IMO.
Custom makers, I mean real custom makers are putting out calls and often if you consider the stories guys tell when they call, the same story they retell next time they see the guy, the texts, calls, running calls, honoring a product by swapping things out if you're not happy etc. The fit finish and neatness involved as well as matching strikers, tuning box calls, etc all take time.
Than there's the calls that just don't sound right and get tossed. Who eats that?? Sounds like the calls are priced cheap. I don't see most of the guys driving Mercedes Benz.
I know it's a labor of love for most guys. A few bucks is way fair.

[RemingtonRules]

Everything has gotten too high in cost.   


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[Lonehowl]

Good materials, electricity, time,  taxes etc. factor in. SHIPPING  is a real killer when you buy materials, especially wood. Some guys have a place close by to buy their wood from, others have to order online. You have to pass that on in the price. Also, bigger companies can take advantage of pretty good discounts by buying in bulk, small timers usually do not. Website maintainance etc.  If you are retailing, they get 30-40%, so you have to price accordingly, and hopefully move enough calls to profit from it a little. All kinda stuff to consider as a call maker.

In the end, I love having lots of choices. It would be real boring to just have a few big companies selling calls. Handmade, custom stuff doesnt always mean its better, but its different at least?

Mark

[TauntoHawk]

There are many that have to adjust prices to trim the market demand.

It's then on the consumer to decide if the value is worth the purchase, for most of us it is some it will not be. They still have a customer base but can meet the demand and still make money allowing them to do it with less orders thus also cutting down wait time.

[southern_leo]

When I buy a call i generally don't like spending over $60 ish range. That's not to say I won't, and in fact very well may this week at the convention. I just haven't played one of the expensive ones yet that I personally felt like was worth an extravagant price. I'm not a name chaser and I buy calls to hunt with so having a call made by a specific person or that is very decorative isn't my thing.

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[Longbeardfever4ever]

I think that as call makers it's important to start your prices on the lower end of the spectrum. Once he has established a name for himself, sold calls and heard good things, and generally become in demand a little more, he has to raise prices in order to keep making calls. A $40 pot leaves someone with very little profit, as I imagine a $60 box would.
You've got wood, sandpaper, glues, surfaces and soundboards, electricity, gas when driving to stores, TIME, shipping, new equipment and tools when they wear out ,taxes if you are making enough calls to warrant them, etc.
For someone to sell pots for $40, he is making enough to buy more stuff to make calls, but not put any money in the bank. In the past I made everything with a lathe, and that is very time consuming compared to some other methods.
It really adds up!

[zeke632]

I know people who figure the more they pay for something the better it has to be, hence Woodhaven.  I suppose if you want to give $210 for a pot call or $16 for a mouth call and you're happy, more power to ya. I'm not buying anything from a company that IMO is way way to proud of what they're selling. And the audacity of them to include the word "custom" in their name is a mystery to me, hell you can go to any Academy store and find them in bubble wrap packs. 

The true custom call maker, from what I see are not over priced. Just my opinion