slate calls "the good and the bad"

[Bowguy]

I'm not a slate guy per se but I've killed lots as a kid w a Cody slate.
As I aged I thought many sounded dulling too. Some of the newer skates do sound great. So far I've only got two but I def like green slate. It pops and that's  what I like. I have a Mac n Lonzo and I don't think you'd be disappointed. I'd use them both before many glass

[JLH]

There are several call makers that can make any call do what ever you want. Wether you want it to scream or play soft...is just a matter of messing with different woods and surfaces and soundboards.
I have heard quite a few slates that you would swear are glass or crystal if you listened to them from a distance

[Missouri hunter]

I play both guitar and Dobro in bluegrass music. People have preferences in sounds. Some like this kind of wood or that on their guitars or it as to be a Martin or whatever. Truth is they all sound fine to the audience. Sure some are louder and some have different tone but it's in the way that you play them as well.
I think turkey calls are this way as well. They'll all sound good to the turkeys if we play them right. We as the player of the call have certain sounds we want or like. I like slates early in the morning when it's crisp out, or when there's not much foliage on yet, the winds not blowing. I like glass when I need to cut through wind, foliage or strike a bird at distance. I have box calls that I feel are the most versatile being able to play soft or loud. Many times I use a slate with a glass or box call as I feel you can give the illusion that you are moving around through different tones, when your setup working a bird.

[Greg Massey]

I will add this , some people CAN build good pot calls , and LOT of builders think , they can build good sounding pot calls .. Words of Wisdom...

[Chris O]

I like glass over aluminum, it's my favorite pot. Some of my favorite slates are Scott Hock slate over slate, Misfire slate over aluminum, Lonnie Mabry slate over glass I think. Yingling slate over slate in walnut and a Chris Brumfiel slate over glass in walnut. I don't feel I would ever need anything different but I will probably buy more. The one that really pops to my ear is the Scott Hock it's in black limba. Pm me your number and I will send you a sound file. You may or may not like it but I sure do

[Chris O]

Have you tried a Buster Halford red slate yet?

[va longbeard]

I like glass over aluminum, it's my favorite pot. Some of my favorite slates are Scott Hock slate over slate, Misfire slate over aluminum, Lonnie Mabry slate over glass I think. Yingling slate over slate in walnut and a Chris Brumfiel slate over glass in walnut. I don't feel I would ever need anything different but I will probably buy more. The one that really pops to my ear is the Scott Hock it's in black limba. Pm me your number and I will send you a sound file. You may or may not like it but I sure do

Hi Chris the Mabry cedar slate I got you is slate over a wooden soundboard most of his slates are over a wooden soundboard.

[va longbeard]

My favorites are either glass over slate or slate over glass.

I really like some of the older grey slates I have they get real aggressive just like a glass but can mellow easier than glass. 

I have noticed on most current calls the grey slate doesn't seem to have the sound that they use to (even from same makers not sure if it is the quality of the current grey slate or what) so new calls I like green better and red if you want a raspier different tone but I would have to say overall I like green slate better than red.

My favorite grey slates that I have are from Platz, Corder and Dawkins.

My favorite green slates I have are from Mark Cornelius, Clay Townsend and Paul Durham.

[goblr77]

I feel the same way OP. The only slate pot that frequented my vest was a Platz Cherry. It sounded awesome with a certain one piece striker. I killed a few birds with it and now keep it as a shelf queen. I currently carry a ceramic at all times and alternate a crystal and aluminum. The ceramic offers a happy medium between glass and slate calls. Having the right striker makes a world of difference as well.

[Chris O]

I like glass over aluminum, it's my favorite pot. Some of my favorite slates are Scott Hock slate over slate, Misfire slate over aluminum, Lonnie Mabry slate over glass I think. Yingling slate over slate in walnut and a Chris Brumfiel slate over glass in walnut. I don't feel I would ever need anything different but I will probably buy more. The one that really pops to my ear is the Scott Hock it's in black limba. Pm me your number and I will send you a sound file. You may or may not like it but I sure do

Hi Chris the Mabry cedar slate I got you is slate over a wooden soundboard most of his slates are over a wooden soundboard.
Thanks I never really looked that hard at it.

[dzsmith]

I played with my new red slate today, and I found a sweet spot on it that if you play it very very hard with good pressure it will pop pretty good. So....compared to my others it will at least do it, but its not effortless to say the least. My glass is effortless....I think I will keep the red slate and see how I like it over time and in the woods. Havent used it in the woods yet "hunting" that is....ive played it outside. My glass call is floated over a cherry soundboard in a walnut pot..... the best ive heard hands down. By the way its a magnolia game calls one. an older one. The red slate is directly on top of an aluminum sound board. its a dense pot, heavy. Appears to be finished heavy to.....I know when making box calls in my experience you can ruin a one with too heavy of a finish. It can totally change the call. Not saying a heavy finish isn't necessary, and cant work ....but I do know it can alter sound.

[dzsmith]

Have you tried a Buster Halford red slate yet?

not that particular one but I do have a red slate I just purchased. I guess that's kinda my point in the post. Are there really "only good" ones out there ...because ive played and owned several and have yet to run into one that stands out to me. Ive been in the game a long time now to not run into a good one that I thought was worth taking to the woods. Im starting to like my new red slate as time goes on. Ill keep at it and see.

[dzsmith]

I play both guitar and Dobro in bluegrass music. People have preferences in sounds. Some like this kind of wood or that on their guitars or it as to be a Martin or whatever. Truth is they all sound fine to the audience. Sure some are louder and some have different tone but it's in the way that you play them as well.
I think turkey calls are this way as well. They'll all sound good to the turkeys if we play them right. We as the player of the call have certain sounds we want or like. I like slates early in the morning when it's crisp out, or when there's not much foliage on yet, the winds not blowing. I like glass when I need to cut through wind, foliage or strike a bird at distance. I have box calls that I feel are the most versatile being able to play soft or loud. Many times I use a slate with a glass or box call as I feel you can give the illusion that you are moving around through different tones, when your setup working a bird.

I do the same thing......just when I pull out that slate im always like ....UHG.....put that back up.....

[HookedonHooks]

I will add this , some people CAN build good pot calls , and LOT of builders think , they can build good sounding pot calls .. Words of Wisdom...

For the last two day's at the NWTF, i heard as good of pot call's, that a person could play in the 50 - 100 dollar price range , just as good if not better than some of these 350 dollar pot call's that posted for sale .. I'm telling you a lot of these builders are matching these guy's in building great pot calls .. and i'm sure a lot of other people at the show , saw the same thing i did , in the quality of these other builders.

So last month it was LOTS of guys building GREAT pots, now it's just some can build them as implying it's only a few guys? Not throwing any shade here, because I agree with last months sentiment, more guys than ever are building an absolutely jam up call.

[EZ]

I guess that's kinda my point in the post. Are there really "only good" ones out there ...because ive played and owned several and have yet to run into one that stands out to me. Ive been in the game a long time now to not run into a good one that I thought was worth taking to the woods. Im starting to like my new red slate as time goes on. Ill keep at it and see.

I've been in the game a long time myself. Besides air operated calls (diaphragm and yelpers) I've been a pot call aficionado for 35 years. I like them all if they're well made...they're just different sounding turkeys. Funny how we all have a different "turkey" in our heads. I think it would be a great mistake to think "good" is the best a slate can be. I can run a pot call, any surface and I am very partial to a slate call when it comes to realism. I ALWAYS have a slate in my vest.