Call tuning

[Crowkilla]

Gentlemen,

I am having a little trouble tuning my call. I have been messing around with the reed and cork trying to get it a little higher pitch out of it, but now I have it sounding more like a New Year's party favor. Do any of you have any tips on properly tuning a duck call. I appreciate any advice you have.

[NMFowler]

I make calls, and feel your pain on occasion. The best advice I can give you is a little goes along way. When I'm tuning, I start with the reeds set in further than you know they should be, and pull them out maybe 1/32 of an inch at a time until you reach your desired pitch. Sometimes that small of an adjustment is all it takes, and if I go too far I'll restart the whole process, because if you try to push the reeds deeper into the call you can put a fold or crease in one.

[SwampCollie]

ORIGINAL: NMFowler

I make calls, and feel your pain on occasion. The best advice I can give you is a little goes along way. When I'm tuning, I start with the reeds set in further than you know they should be, and pull them out maybe 1/32 of an inch at a time until you reach your desired pitch. Sometimes that small of an adjustment is all it takes, and if I go too far I'll restart the whole process, because if you try to push the reeds deeper into the call you can put a fold or crease in one.

Oh yeah. 1/32 might as well be a mile. Its like trying to catch the wind in the bottle sometimes. One night you'll think you have your call tuned perfect... next morning it will sound like a kazoo being blown by a dry mouthed retard on coke. Just wait til your comp call locks up on you at states.... had that happen a few weeks ago.... I didn't win...

Start long.. if you want a high pitch... you are going to have to cut it short.. but remember that a short reed is easy to blow through and stick. Its a very delicate balance... think like trying to set and mend a broken butterfly wing. When all else fails, send it back with a 5 spot and let the maker re-tune it.

[Fowlforeman86]

I dont know what kind of calls youre buying/using, but ive found you get what you pay for. Spend a few more dollars on an expensive call and you should never have to take it apart.. let alone tune it.

[SwampCollie]

ORIGINAL: Fowlforeman86

I dont know what kind of calls youre buying/using, but ive found you get what you pay for. Spend a few more dollars on an expensive call and you should never have to take it apart.. let alone tune it.

Well, that kinda depends on how much you use it. Corks go flat, reeds go limp, and you gotta take them apart to clean them. But by and large you are right... a RNT is going to sound good when you take it out of the bag... because somebody in Stuttgart made sure it does before it left the shop. I own everything from RNTs, Echos, Watkins, DOAs... you name it I've probably messed with one or have one still. Everyone blows calls differently, so what sounds good for one person, may not sound right for another. Depends on exactly how much air you put through it. For hunting purposes, its largely moot. Contest calling is a whole different deal though...

[Buffinator]

If your call is too high-pitched, you can still put some voice in it to make it a little raspier, but it'll be hard to get a lot of volume out of it. What kind of call do you have?