I have a question.

[blacky]

A customer asked me today if I had ever made a pot call from spruce. I told him I thought it would be to soft but would ask around to see what some of you think about this.

Have any of you ever made a call from spruce?

[Bills Custom Calls]

Nope never did

[alscalls]

Me neither

[Jimmie in Ky]

Only way I would make a call with a soft wood other than cedar would be to use a knotty section. That might be hard enough to resonate some sound. And I imagine most of what you try to turn for a pot call will blow up on t lathe. Jimmie

[duckslayer]

after reading this I have a question.  I know that the harder woods for my duck calls will give it a clearer and louder sounds.  But if I want some that are quiter and softer what kind of woods would you suggest.  I know the reed has a lot to do with it and I am still working on a reed setup that is softer but they are still too loud for what I am looking for.  Any suggestions would help.

[Yotehntr]

I've never used it for a call but they use it on the belly of violins and guitars..? Not sure if that would have any relevance, give it a try and find out!

[Hawks Feather]

I too have never turned it.

Ducky,
When it comes to softer woods I have used some Redheart and Big Leaf Maple that is soft and still gives you a decent looking call.  The Redheart will fade over time and quickly if it is left in the sun for long periods of time.  I have also found walnut, while called a hardwood, to be pretty soft.  All three of these woods can be found at low enough prices that you can give them a try and not worry if you don't like the finished product.  That would be opposed to a $25 piece of wood that you would REALLY hate to see become a shelf sitter in your own home.

Jerry

[Jimmie in Ky]

I would suggest tinkering with some of your locally grown hardwoods. Spalted Sweetgum comes to mind right off the bat. It has low density and is beautiful when it spalts. You making arkansas calls or big water type calls? Jimmie

[duckslayer]

I am making both because I need to big water for the Ohio River but need the Arkansas for the other places we hunt.  The open water I have down pretty good but I really need to work on the Arkansas call and more a double reed call.  I just cant get the two reeds to sound right together.  I get close but just cant tune it right yet.  Any help on this would be nice.

[Jimmie in Ky]

Never made a duck call myself. I am interested because I keep getting asked for them when they see my predator calls. Most of the folks I see around here pack the big water type calls. I think I would choose silver maple, sweetgum, walnut and cedar for the kegs on the timber calls. And nice contrasting woods for th barrels. Osage or mulberry barrels are a very nice match for walnut.

Open water calls I can make with no problem. And I used to tune my own calls many years ago when I hunted ducks. Access to good hunting became nearly impossible for most folks, and deer hunting bug bit me big about that time. I understand the timber calls are the softer sounding calls , correct? Jimmie

[duckslayer]

You are correct, most of your open water calls will be single reed calls that are niec and loud to reach out there.  Most people think that an open water call is one that you can do a high ball with and that is true but the high ball is one of those calls you really never use out in the fields.  Your timber calls are a lot softer, raspy, and more ducky sounding.  I know what sound I am looking for but I just cant get that sound out of my calls yet, I got close with one of my reed setups but it is just not perfect to me.  I just cant get those two reeds to vibrate the way that I want yet.  I am going to have to play around with the thinkness of the reeds and see if that can help.

[Jimmie in Ky]

Some guys I talked to a feqw yaers ago were using an 010 and a 014 for the top reed. Top reed got hit in center near the end of the reed with a punch to keep the two seperate. Lucky for me if I get into them I have a neighbor that is hard core about ducks. Jimmie