Trouble with call insert

[Moonpiecalls]

Last night I turned down an insert which looked great and drilled exact same depth and everything as all my other calls, but for whatever reason I cannot tune the thing!  Im wondering where to start looking.  I didnt look to closely at it as it was late and I was frustrated, but could there be little knotches on the tone board that ddint get sanded down?  I had issues when I first started making them a couple weeks ago(found out I wasnt drilling far enough), but then I made about 5-6 calls and they all sounded great?  I am new to this so just wanting to know where to look?  I tried different reed lengths etc?

[Joe Short]

This question is asked almost daily. An incredibly brief search will yield more results than you could read in a weekend. No one can help you without pictures of the toneboard from various angles and to be fair, if you haven't even looked at it, how could you expect someone to tell you how to fix it?

[James Strickland]

Joe is right... pics are really needed to get some good feedback on things to try.  Also, what's the insert doing now?  How's it sound?

[Moonpiecalls]

Sounds good Joe.  I would have known that that was a question asked almost daily...had I been on here more then twice.  I tried the first few pages of questions and didnt see anything but ill try searching more.  Looking at it for ten mins last night it looked same as all the rest, even when put beside another insert that sounds great.  Its just real hard to blow and doesnt sound anywhere near right.  Ill do some looking tonight and see what I can come up with.

[Moonpiecalls]

I was more then anything just looking for general things which regularly can go wrong with inserts as a place to start looking.

[James Strickland]

I would suggest providing pics of both the insert with issues as well as one of the inserts that sounds good.  There are a lot of experienced call makers on THO and those comparison pics may help to identify possible issues.

[Ryan@roosagamecalls]

i blame gremlins

[Moonpiecalls]

Right on yea if I cant figure it out tonight, I will post some pics!  Thanks!

[BigB]

 
There's about 40 different variables or more that can affect how a call sounds. We can help correct the issue, but you are gonna have to give out some more info than "it doesn't sound right."  Is it high pitched, low pitched, locks up, squeals, etc. You've got to tell us what you are hearing, or put up a sound file so we can hear it. Pics of the toneboard will also help.

One swipe of a file can ruin a good sounding call. That's how precise a lot of stuff has to be on the toneboard. Your call not sounding right could be caused by over 100 different things. That's why we need to see and/or hear the call to diagnose the issue.


Brian

[Joe Short]

I'm going to assume that you have a public jig and are making Arkansas style calls. If you had started from scratch, 5-6 inserts likely wouldn't even put you in the ballpark of good sound... but you'd have a different kind of appreciation for what makes these things tick. If you are, in fact, making Arkansas style calls, make sure the simple things are taken care of first: Check that your reed's natural bend is the correct way. Check that both sides of your toneboard are even. Ensure that your tone channel is the depth and length you desire. Depending upon what issues you're having, if all the rest is good to go, start filing the portion of the board that will help correct the problem. It's very much trial and error, I'd say 1/7 is not a lot of error and certainly not a reasonable amount of trial. Keep in mind that you just can't save some inserts. That percentage of loss should just about disappear once you've got them figured out, though sometimes it happens regardless.

[stumpjumper]

I'm going to assume that you have a public jig and are making Arkansas style calls. If you had started from scratch, 5-6 inserts likely wouldn't even put you in the ballpark of good sound... but you'd have a different kind of appreciation for what makes these things tick. If you are, in fact, making Arkansas style calls, make sure the simple things are taken care of first: Check that your reed's natural bend is the correct way. Check that both sides of your toneboard are even. Ensure that your tone channel is the depth and length you desire. Depending upon what issues you're having, if all the rest is good to go, start filing the portion of the board that will help correct the problem. It's very much trial and error, I'd say 1/7 is not a lot of error and certainly not a reasonable amount of trial. Keep in mind that you just can't save some inserts. That percentage of loss should just about disappear once you've got them figured out, though sometimes it happens regardless.

X2

Stump

[Jeff @ Mutt Calls]

Joe has nailed this one on the head with his reply.  While I agree that you need some help(and this is the place to get it), you need to help yourself before anyone here can help you.  It is sometimes too easy to just ask questions but to be a true artisan you need to put in some time and research.  You WILL get answers to your questions here. That said, do some reading and check out similar issues folks have had in the recent past and you may just find that you can answer your own questions. By all means, keep asking questions, but at least precede your questions with " hey, I have read 75 pages in the duck call's and general call making sections and I still can't figure this out".

As a new member here, you will be welcomed. There is no malice or disrespect towards you for asking this question, just saying your e-respect level will soar when you pose questions preceded with " I've looked, read, studied, tried and still need help". 

I look forward to seeing your progress and if I can help you with your tone board woes, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Mutt

[Moonpiecalls]

Yea I hear what your saying.  I was reading a little yesterday.  I have pics but it wont let me upload from this computer.  I dont think this would make a whole lot of difference but all the ones I got to sound good, were all resin inserts, and this last one is the hard acrylic.  Maybe that does make a difference.  As far as looking at it last night, there was no difference that I could see?  it is drilled to the same depth, no ridges on the tone board (an issue I found with another one) and shape looks exactly the same to me.  I am using the P2 public jig.  I will try to explain it the noise that I am getting is a bit high pitch but it takes a lot of air to make it make any noise?  basically sounds like a mellow call even though I am blowing hard.  Ill try to get pics up from home this weekend.  Overall I am loving the new hobby though!  I have made 9 ducks calls now and three goose calls and love the sound of all of them!  I look forward to learning lots on this site!

[Joe Short]

If I'm not mistaken, the P2 jig is upslope. If that's the case, I would look at the following based on how difficult you said it is to run (lots of air):
Tone channel length and set of reed in relation to the radii of the end of the board. I started with, and still frequently use, an upslope toneboard. Locking up and hefty air presentation are typically a function of a fault in one of these two areas. You likely have an issue getting the reed to lift off of the board.
Get a mirror and pull air through the exhaust (suck on it), you'll be able to see what the reed is doing, if anything.

[David @ Mad Duck Game Calls]

Isn't the P2 from Pintail? If so that is not an upslope, I have one.