# Duck call design help



## maxwell_smart007 (Jun 8, 2009)

What is it about a duck call that makes it sound right?  Does the length of the blank matter to the sound?  Does the stopper design make any difference? 

Essentially, I'm about to make my first duck call ever, and I wanted to know if there are any things to look out for in terms of design pitfalls..

Andrew


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## rjwolfe3 (Jun 8, 2009)

I am interested in this as well for the same reasons!


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## cozee (Jun 8, 2009)

Might get a better answer at a call makers boards. Google "Custom Calls Forum". It is usually one of the first three listed.  In the mean time, think tone board!


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## jleiwig (Jun 9, 2009)

maxwell_smart007 said:


> What is it about a duck call that makes it sound right? Does the length of the blank matter to the sound? Does the stopper design make any difference?
> 
> Essentially, I'm about to make my first duck call ever, and I wanted to know if there are any things to look out for in terms of design pitfalls..
> 
> Andrew


 
Huge can of worms you just opened there.  If you were to ask that question on a custom call forum you'd get responses across the board.  Some claim it is the material of the call, some claim it is the thickness of the reed or reeds, others claim it is the overhang on the cork.  There are a million answers, and no one duck call will sound the same to each person.  

A good site if you want some tutorials is http://www.thogamecalls.com/thogamecalls1_002.htm


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## Rifleman1776 (Jun 9, 2009)

All of the above.
Acrylic calls are very popular for their tone.
Soft woods seem to muffle the tone, at least to some.
I am about to start stabilizing my wood calls so the buyer can have the best of both worlds. Hard with acrylic-like tone, moisture resistant and real wood attractiveness.


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## spitfire (Jun 9, 2009)

thogamecalls.com is where you want to go. Great group of people there who are willing to help. A couple questions come to mind. Are you making these to use for yourself? Do you hunt? Or are you just making these as another product to offer?

What reed do you plan on using or will you be making your own? Are you going to use the ones from PSI or HUT? If so, I would consider other options...

The length will make some noise changes but a lot comes down to the reed. Obviously material is a big thing as well, as stated, if using any kind of spalted wood you are best to stabalize it.


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## avbill (Jun 9, 2009)

*duck calls*

There are many different aspects of the duck call.
1. The density of the wood contributes to the quality of the call.
2. The thickness of the wall of the call contributes to the quality of the call.
3. combining the two above elements can and will give you countless different sounds.
4. Lastly, is the quality of reed.  The length  of reed  Is it one piece  or a double reed. 
5. And then the final tweeting of the call. 

I personal use hard, density wood,  because there is less likelihood of the  moisture to swell the wood. Dymondwood is good, or try  Cocobolo,  Walnut, any burl type wood. African black wood.  Pearwood.  The last two are woods that musical instruments are made of. 

Just be sure you sand and finish the inside of the barrel. so there is a harder surface for the sound waves to bounce off of.


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## workinforwood (Jun 9, 2009)

The MOST IMPORTANT fact about Duck calls.  Do not hide behind a fake duck and use the call at the same time!!!   BOOOOM!


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## dogcatcher (Jun 9, 2009)

Best thing to do is go and buy a few duck calls and learn how to play them.  Then make new barrels for them, some shorter and some longer and see how it changes the sound.  Next buy some extra reed material and try different reed sizes in the toneboards so you know what kind of sound changes happen with changing the reeds.

You need to be able to tune a duck call to what the customer wants.  Kind of like a penturner that customizes the pen to what the buyer wants.  First you have to know what the customer wants and then be able to achieve that sound.  All of the above is just a quick overview of getting started.  To tell you everything you need would take several books and then it would still take hands on experience to get the answers you need.


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## Rifleman1776 (Jun 10, 2009)

avbill said:


> There are many different aspects of the duck call.
> 1. The density of the wood contributes to the quality of the call.
> 2. The thickness of the wall of the call contributes to the quality of the call.
> 3. combining the two above elements can and will give you countless different sounds.
> ...





Another thought, then a debatable point.
Cocobolo may be the best, and worst, possible choice for a wood for duck calls. It is ideal in that it is hard, moisture resistant and very attractive. In fact, it is so ideal that this contributes to it's biggest drawback. Everyone uses it. Coco calls are not unique. I have had mine laughed at at shows because they are so cliche.
As for the inside of the barrels. Some of the most well known call makers actually rough up the interior of their barrels to give a more mellow sound.
I'm not saying you should do that. But, I suggest, with experience you have to learn what works for you. (I don't rough mine.)
As for selling. I couldn't hardly give away my calls until a serious call collector told me I needed to have my signature added to them. I now have my sig laser engraved on my calls. There are more buyers who are collectors or collector/hunters than just hunters.
Learn your market.


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## dogcatcher (Jun 10, 2009)

I really see no point in roughing up the inside of the barrel, the insert will cover most of the wall of the barrel so it would not have an effect on the sound.  The density of the wood that is used in the insert will be more of the controlling factor than the density of the wood used in the barrel.  An insert made of a soft wood will produce a muffled sound, while a hard wood will be more crisp and the acrylic or plastic insert will produce a sound that is crisper than most wood inserts. 

The reed is another issue, in today's duck calls the reeds are usually 10 mil Mylar rarely one will see a different thickness.  And in some cases also very rare you will see old style calls with metal reeds.  The length of the reed determines the sound and the length of the tone channel will determine the length of the reed.  It takes all of the pieces and parts in the right combination to make a good duck call.

The barrel, since the duck caller will have his hand wrapped around the barrel when in use the to thin could muffle the sound.  The best thing to do is to give a good finish to the inside.  Finishes, both inside and outside make and break duck calls.   Duck hunter get out in the nastiest weather, cold, rain, snow nothing seems to bother the the true duck hunter.


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