Molded Tone Boards

[Todd Rahm]

I'm not sure if its the tone board, the fact the tone board is longer due to lanyard groove, or if its just a poor transition from the board to the call body, but I have noticed some real cherry calls as of late that lose a lot of eye appeal because of some of the new tone boards. It looks like a $35 call running into a $2 tone baord. Akin to putting a Tasco scope on your $1200 custom rifle or having Maaco paint your $65,000 rig for $300.

Is it just me?

[bigben]

nope I have seen it also.  it is a double edged sword.  for call makers that do not have the money to put into a die to sand there tone boards to shape this is a cheap alternative.  they make a custom call body and then use a tone board that they know works and sounds good.  It seems everyone is using the same one know though. 

[BigB]

I don't want to add fuel to the fire, but I am not a big fan of those calls either.  I have bought those toneboards to tinker around with, but that is it.  They are very easy to use and they do produce great sounds.  The real value in a call to me is the toneboard.  A hand crafted one will fetch a better price from me.

I like a loud call, and I can't get the molded toneboards to the sound level that I like.

[Todd Rahm]

 I understand the need to have tone boardds for non molders and makers, but is there a way to transition it, so looks a little better?

[Ladobe]

Hey Todd,

From a call makers side... re your first post:   

No, it's not you.   A fine handmade custom call does deserve a fine handmade toneboard too.    Do I need to define "fine"?     

When call users and collectors are willing to pay for above average calls, they should get just that, an above average call.   But not for the prices I see most of the fine calls being sold for, including many of those with handmade toneboards.

Without dragging out all the reasons why, I think most of the new spinners using them are just trying to be practicle by using the cast/molded TB's.

L.

[bearmanric]

i take your talking about my call's. i choose to use them. not the ko one's.  i didnt know they were worth less. i like them way better than delrin.they work great for my antler call's. Rick

[Ladobe]

I don't think anybody was referring to the calls made by anyone in particular Rick... I know I certainly wasn't.   Just some broad comments about a valid concern by collectors and users.   Cast/molded TB's do have their place and are a great timesaver for the call maker.    Most of them sound quite well too.   

But I do agree with Todd that a very well made call made from higher grade wood deserves a handmade toneboard to really be "special".  L.

[Todd Rahm]

Well Rick "take it" all you want but as with many of your past assumptions........Your completely wrong. I think you lose more friends and make yourself look foolish because of your "They are picking on me" or "They are talking about me" mentality, which in most cases, isn't the case at all. Kinda like the fact that you don't visit this board anymore because you think someone here is picking on you, which again isnt the case, but its your overdriven sensativity, which hinders you again, not the ones around you.

Now with that said a lot of us enjoy your company here, and I have been doing nothing but complimenting you and how far you have come with your call building. The ONLY thing I saw with your calls that I didn't personally care for, and its just a matter of taste for me is, the bright colored tone boards you were putting with some of your nice calls. I haven't seen you do that in a long while either, but I thought since I was being open I would share that with you. So keep up the good work Rick. 

Now to your tone board statement. I'm not sure which ones you use and I'm not sure who makes the one or two I refere to. The only fella I knew was making tone boards was Steve Barbour, and I knew a few made them from Delrin (sp). I also don't know if the ones I refere to are worthless? They for sure work from what a few say and I don't doubt that, but stick a few of those in your nice horn calls with out a super transition and see how many you sell, or sell for a higher $.

I'll use Steves tone boards as an example. The only part of the one board ya really saw was the  tone board itself, as the other end slid into the call and was held in place by a wedge. A lot of call makers have used them and they don't really distract from the call itself. Some of the current ones appear to have a collar at the insert end that are bigger in dia. and appear to be aout 3/4 to 1 inch long before it gets to the call/barrel. Just inserted in, it looks like a large piece of plastic stuck, into a piece of wood. Call makers spend a chunk of money on a nice stick of exotic wood, spend hours turning and finishing, and suprisingly stick a huge plastic $2 tone  board in the end, with out any kind of transition work that might help the tone board blend to the call (Will this help? I don't know haven't seen one yet. )As a call buyer I'll tell you its the whole package that sells a call to me, not just the fancy barrel. If the tone board isn't properly married to the call its an insults to the call makers ability, and also an insult to the customers, that some one doesnt take enough pride in what they do, and then turns around and sticks a high $ price on a call that should go for $10 (Note: I can turn a crap load of fancy barrels, and just stick tone boards in them, but that doesn't make me a call maker) Heck why even turn the barrels, just have them made and finished too, and assemble them at home. 

I have had this discution in the last week with another collector and a call spinner,  both shared my view. What I was trying to get out was a suttle hint with out pointing any calls in particular out, and hoping that some would get the hints and that others of you might offer some transtional ideas. Regardless of what you may or may not think, I like to see more call makers and I like to see everyone excel at it. Will they? No, not if everyone keeps sugar coating or stroking egos evertime a call is posted, and not if your sensative about constructrive or honest input about your calls. Sometimes you call makers are your own worst enemies......a lot of you feel like you have to stroke one call makers calls, and in turn he feels the same obligation, which creates a snow ball effect for any new call maker joining. Don't believe me....visit PM Custom Calls, and another thing there that effects this is............the moderators/admin stroking new HOB call makers cause they feel obligated to because they charged them. I have seen some "This is my first call" post that were nice starts but the praise put them up there with the established greats, hence the $15 call for $40 on the next post "My second call ever".

The goal is to help the new spinners learn, and excel, and maybe pass tid bits of info onto each other to better the calls and the hobby. If your not down with this...........you'll just whither up and die with your calls like others.

Its in the hands of the spinners, collectors, and users to be forth-with.

Now that I'm done hi-jacking my own thread, is there anyone else that has noticed this or may offer some solutions for transition?

Oops! Sorry Larry, I do like custom tone boards too, and they add a premium to the call, but they are not completely necessary. (I do like my Krusty's though)

Be safe,
Todd

[bearmanric]

thank you Todd i dont visit the board. much becauce the last time i i went chat you were talking about my call's i got from. desert dog. and then you tell me that something i did wrong with ebay.. . i have done nothing to you .i tried to belong here but when i come i seen your stuff.  Ladobe i have great respect for you you are one of the great callmaker's. i'm building i shop maybe i can do better with my call's. i dont want anybody to feel sorry for me. Rick

[Todd Rahm]

Rick again you reed more into what is said......Please feel free to tell the kind folks here what I said about your Desert Dog Calls? And please inlighten me too. And while your at please tell them what you did on Ebay that I pointed out to you. Ah heck I'll tell.

Rick posted some dandy calls on ebay, and by accident I came across one he miss titled, and couldnt be found through normal searches. So I simply did the kind thing and let him know.  Again Rick sorry to try and help ya. If I recalled you thanked me and stated your wife mislisted it and that you would let her know. What ya didn't say was damn Todd your hurting my feelings.

"i tried to belong here but when i come i seen your stuff"   Can you translate this for me please, just incase I have to clear another misconceptiom of yours.

And Rick I don't feel sorry for you, but you frustrate the crap out of me sometimes and I don't even know why I try with you. Your like a six foot giant always running from his shadow. Get over yourself and let folks be your friends and supporters, not your baby sitters with kid gloves on.

And don't give me that only crap.........................seen it hundred times at PM and your still running there even with the bad taste in your mouth you claim to have for that place............oh wait its about the $$$$$$$$$$$$$ I'm sorry.


So Rick tough'n up a notch. Again this post was nothing about you, but I think the guys in the next room are talking about ya. 

[bearmanric]

this will go on for ever. not going to deal with it. if you want to know every day of my life is not so fun. i'll go ahead and say it i have depression it is a bitch. if i have no friends so be it. all i can say for the thing's you have said about me. is mean people suck. you are not a very nice person .again Ladobe you Rock as a callmaker. Rick

[Brad H]

I don't think Todd's a mean person, Rick. He's just trying to help by shooting you straight, and letting you know how he and a lot of other people see things. He made some pretty good points that might help you out in the long run.

I don't know what can be done abut that transition with those toneboards, Todd. I know exactly what you're talking about though. I never have messed with any of the available toneboards, so I don't know much about them. I learned from the school of Rich Cronk and never have strayed from that style.

Brad

[bearmanric]

sorry BradH it come's across pretty harsh to me .doing the best i can. the toneboard's fit my style of calling. on the springbok call's. i pay 3.00 a piece for them. i havnt turned a call in 2 month's.  when the shop get's done thing's will be more custom. Rick

[bearmanric]

 dont feel to great right now. feel's great inside right now knowing every one hate's you. that's all i have to say. Rick

[bigben]

I have allways liked your calls.  the tone boards that I was talkin about are the tone boards that have three pieces to them and when assembled have a huge gap between the stopper and the toneboard it self.  the wood work looks awesome but the tone board seems to take away from the call.  rick the springbok calls and the howlers look great them tone boards even though you bought them still seem to fit.  I have several calls that have molded tone boards in them.  I have a ozark mtn howler from arky yoter.  the tone board is molded but still is nice looking along with sounding.  I also have a kat kaller and a yote puppy.  both are great calls and I did not pay much for them.  I know arron sparrow uses a three piece open reed but it still is blended in and looks great.  I also have a TT furball.  kinda resembles one of your calls but it has a molded tone board that flows into the wood bell.  it sounds good and is easy on the eyes.  another one is THOs calls.  I have two a coco open reed and a acrylic open reed.  both look great and sound good.  but the tone board is cut and shaped.
    I was actually wondering where you have been rick I have not been over there at that place much.  I will probably be over there less now that I caught hell from another member over there.  just keep on makin good calls and people will buy them.  I cut back a good bit over summer but am gettin the itch again. 

[Todd Rahm]

Fellers let me appoligize for digressing and Rick let me appoligize to you for my public back lash, and again I meant every thing I said about you and your calls Rick. Maybe just learn to ask if you think your being picked on or talked about. So again "No" I wasn't talking about your calls, nor you. I have never said anything but nice things about your products and that will continue. When I was told you weren't coming here anymore because someone was picking on you, I wasn' told it was because of me, and disputed the fact that you were being picked on and explained that we enjoyed having you here. Again I'm sorry if you misunderstood.

Rick that is not the type of tone board I am refering too.

[AWSparrows]

I use molded guts. I tried making my own out of wood and plastics, even though the sound was ok I just was not happy enough with them to use them in a call I was selling. I will make my own sometime but right now my "shop" time is limited and I use it to make "barrels".
Here are a couple I made last night.

[bigben]

what kind of wood is that open reed?  lookin good.  what is the other wood also. 

[AWSparrows]

Ben,
The open reed is made from Bocote and the other is Big Leaf Maple.

Aaron

[Todd Rahm]

Sorry fellas my last post was shorted to due me being the school bus. 

At any rate Brad and Larry thanks for the replys.

I can't show a picture of the tone board I refere to with out having someones barrel at the end. 

Hey Aaron, thats not the type I refere to but we have talked in the past about how those transition to the call body better, when the barrel is slowly tapered away.

I was wondering and not sure what he uses or how he does it, but Kee has a transition on is howlers that may work with the bigger collared tone board. It looks like a thread or some type of metalic wrap. Now I wonder if you covered the collar with that and carried it over to the body, if it wouldn't cover the gap and transition the call as a whole?

PS Rick I still would like you to clarify the "Desert Dog Calls" comments if you don't mind, because you left it, it implies that I had something extremely bad to say about the call or calls you got?