Niles Oesterle question

[SnozzBox]

Sorry about that, my first pic was the holly and ebony call I already posted.

BTW - I'm not the real Snozz, although he is my turkey hunting mentor.  I've lived in Northern Virginia for 25 years now but grew-up about an hour north of Ralph, just southwest of the Pocono Mountains.  I've been honored and fortunate to call up a few turkeys over the years with a Snozz Box . . . . and watch Ralph work his magic a little as well . . . .   : )

[SnozzBox]

This one is another "Special Reserve Grade" one of one call, this one also from 2014.

Box:              "Knotty" African White Pear
Box Inlay:      Handmade Parquet-style inlay of Holly, Gabon Ebony and Honduran Mahogany
Base:             Missouri Crab Apple
Lid:                Missouri mud-cured Green Osage
Lid Inlays:      W. African Padauk

Here is a perfect example of Niles' use of rare and offbeat woods in highly unconventional combinations.  As always, the quality of the woods is first rate, dare I say "Instrument Quality?"  The quality of the woods used by Niles has always been first rate and much of his stock has been cut and aged by Niles for decades before being made into a call.  And how about that green osage??  Incredible.

[SnozzBox]

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[SnozzBox]

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[pinebark]

SnozzBox, Awesome collection of boxes that are definitely in a "league of their own." That is exactly why I started this thread. Holding and running one of these boxes has a whole unique feeling to it that is outside of the norm. Thanks for posting some pictures of some legendary works of art.

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[SnozzBox]

Here is an older example.  This is a "Presentation Grade" Limited Edition call made in 1999 for the 23rd Annual NWTF Convention in Charlotte, NC.

Box:             Extra Wormy Butternut from Shaftsbury, VT
Box Inlay:     Birdseye Maple
Lid:              Birdseye Maple
Lid Inlays:    Wild Black Cherry from Tipmouth, VT and Red Cedar from Eminence, MO
Base:           Birdseye Maple

An exceptional call with butternut so wormy I nicknamed it the "Swiss Cheese Butternut" call.  The worm holes are so numerous and of so many different sizes it looks almost like it was blasted with a load of early heavy shot where the pellets are of many different sizes.  The call also has a large knot in the right soundboard, with a genuine knothole in the middle that goes clear through the soundboard.  In true Oesterle fashion, however, it plays like any other of Niles short boxes.  It has the typical ring of Niles' butternut and maple calls which I always viewed as his signature woods in a short box. Niles grew-up in Vermont and the quality of his Vermont butternut is well known among the insiders.  Leave it to Niles to take a block of wood that most makers would discard on sight and turn it into a stunning looker that plays like a top on both sides. 
This call was seen and played by a few well-known call makers at the convention, whom initially looked upon it as some kind of joke or perhaps that Niles had surrendered his standards for the instrument quality of his calls in exchange for a call that would be desirable simply for it's unconventional looks as there was no way a call with so many holes could actually be a working-quality call from a playability perspective.  How wrong they found they were, when they picked it up and ran it!
Just one more example of Niles' unconventional approach, and one of my favorite Oesterle calls.

[SnozzBox]

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[SnozzBox]

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[SnozzBox]

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[SnozzBox]

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[packmule]

Awesome!

[paboxcall]

This thread - definitely in the top 3 favorite threads on OG for me. Those are awesome, congrats on the nice collection!

[SnozzBox]

This is "The Knotty African" box.  Made as a "Special Reserve Grade" one-of-one call in 2014. 

Box:             "Knotty" African Mountain Cypress
Box Inlay:      Mexican Bocote
Base:            African White Pear
Lid:               South African Pink Ivory
Lid Inlay:       Sterling Silver Bezel

Another work by Niles that is as unconventional as it is spectacular and unusual.  Incorporates a prominent knot like many of his high-grade calls.  As always, the fantastic playability on both sides is there.  I've owned and played them all over the years, and for me there is no contest - Niles' Special Reserve Grade calls are the finest short boxes ever made.  You can also search high and low and will not find a more humble and down-to-earth person.  I believe the only contemporary maker that may have been doing it as long is Billy Buice, and that says a lot.

[SnozzBox]

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[SnozzBox]

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