its just not right or is it? makers selling calls while you have an order placed

[yelpy]

Yelpy
That's why I rent a cheap P.0. Box,,your ordered items are safe,,,if you have access to one.

Thanks for the idea. I might look into it but is it worth the cost for the po box?

[Sir-diealot]

I have to agree with Haymarekt they have to show up at these conventions with product in order to sell so they can get word of mouth sales to people in area's they may not normally sell to.

It would be nice if they would tell you there is going to be a delay though. My advice would be not to order at convention times, order in say late Summer or fall for turkey stuff and Spring and Summer for say deer stuff.

[turkeyfoot]

It's all in the communication.   As long as I was told up front it's going to be X number of months, then no problem.  I figure the reason it's going to take X number of months is because he has several calls to build to take to the show, even calls like what I ordered.  A commitment he made before I placed my order.   Now if thy told me 2 months, and 4 months later I still don't have my call then there's an issue that needs to be discussed.

well said and way I am

[quavers59]

Very good post. I guess it is possible that --THE JAKE Box went with others to a convention. I start hunting in the 3rd in April-- so perhaps I ordered that box in Early March of 96 or 97. I don't know much about convention dates.

[J Lacey]

As a small time call maker I'll chime in. Most of us work at least one full time job (I'm a self employed custom builder) so my full time job is more full time than some folks. Most of us have wives and kids, grand kids etc. Most of us have other functions we take part in such as church , lodge, or maybe sports. Most of us spend as much time hunting as we possibly can. Most of us spend as much time in the shop as we can which is never enough and is most times the last free time we spend after everything and everyone else has been addressed.  When building calls becomes a burden rather than a joy we are not doing it for the right reasons and our customers are not getting our best work.  Again I'm a very small time builder. I keep around 20 people on my list at all times most of which simply say they're in no hurry. I build around a dozen boxes for Unicoi and around two dozen for Nashville. That is in addition to 40/50 pots, 70 strikers and we have added trumpets recently that Clay and I build together. It is a task but a labor of love. Call builders enjoy these shows as much as any visitor could ever imagine. It's our time to be in the spot light. We are a very tight knit bunch and we enjoy these chances to be together and celebrate our craft as a whole. I welcome the chance to have my list customers stop by my table and run calls, picking out their own rather than me sending them what I like. That makes them happy and it clears them off the list. That happened three times at the convention this past weekend. It also gives us a chance to make personal contact and sometimes begin a lasting friendship. I feel that it is normal for a good call maker to have a wait list as well as sell at several shows each year. If someone had the attitude that hey I'm on his list and he's selling calls at the show and its BS then that's probably a guy I couldn't make happy regardless.  I refuse to take money beforehand. I feel that some buyers insist on sending the money up front. Maybe they think that will speed up the process.  That's not a good idea. If its a click and pay deal on a website Id skip it and deal personally with the builder.   Ive always said Id rather have 12 good boxes on my table than a hundred in my shop for sell or a hundred on my table. It can be a slow process..  Hope everyone gets what they ordered from whoever they ordered from.  Have a great spring .

Jeff

Shag Hill Custom Calls