We all know that often mouth calls do not sound quite the way we want them to right off the bat,...whether you make your own or buy from someone else. Here are some (hopefully) helpful hints as to how to get the most out of each mouth call you have.
1) If starting with an uncut call, go through a cut progression to find that turkey. Start with simple cuts and work toward the more complex cuts. Sometimes a single cut in a call will produce the sounds you want,...and sometimes it takes several cuts. Here's a simple cut progression that works for a lot of call designs: (try the call between progressive cuts)
> Start with a single angle cut in the center of the call (like half of a V-cut)
> Complete the V-Cut
> Pull one side-tab off to create a combo or reverse combo
> Pull other side-tab to create a batwing
> Alternate after V-cut: remove center tab to create a ghost cut
2) Reed shaving: one of the easiest ways to change the sound of a call is shaving the long reed along the front edge. Very small changes in the distance between the reeds can have big impacts on both the sound of the call and how easy it is to make those sounds. Using a combination of cut progressions in conjunction with reed shaving can make huge differences in the quality of sound of a call.
3) Secondary reed cuts and cautions: making significant cuts in the secondary reeds of a call will very often deaden the sound of the call. However, making a very small nick in the exposed secondary reed can really improve a call that isn't quite hitting the right tones or "roll-over".
What are some of the tricks you guys use to tune your calls?...
