tuning a squirrel call (PICS added)

[jcz]

I got a small bellow kit from Al and put it together with a chunk of cocobola. Every thing went together nice, but the reed is high pitched. I have the reed middle way in the call and reed is toward the bellow. Can I do anything to adjust or change the sound? 
I put the reed beside the call to give you an idea of where I placed it inside the call.


thanks for the help!

[alscalls]

I have never made a squirrel call but have had this problem before with pred. calls I just blade it a little... but it takes practice and if ya go to far it is ruined and you would need to replace the reed.
Which reed ya using?

[Al_at_THO Game Calls]

Two things you can do,

First, point the reed the other way so it is pointing away from the bellows.

Second, make sure when you put the reed in the rubber sleeve that you are not putting it in so far that the sides of the reed are touching the rubber.

The very last thing you can do is to blade the reed slightly.   This means you take a razor blade and put it under the reeds and bend up SLOWLY and GENTLY and keep trying the sound.   If you go to far, you will damage the reed.   If you try to do too much at once, you could go by the sweet spot.   

I hope Parker chimes in here, but if he doesn't, send him a PM.   These kits are modeled after the squirrel calls he makes and have the exact same parts he uses.

Al @ THO

[VECtor Calls]

The way I explain it is that I "blade the pizz" out of them.  I think it was Braz that was very surprised when he got one of my calls and saw just how far I blade them.   

Like Al said though, you CAN, and I have SEVERAL times, gone past the sweet spot, and then the reed is junk.  This happens when you bend a metal reed PAST the point of the right lowe tone vibration that you need.  Go slow is the best rule to follow.  If you go slow, you won't go past the spot.  I tend to go too fast sometimes on some projects.

You can definitely try the reed in the call both directions.  I prefer the bellow to suck air across the reed on the small bellow kit, and to blow across the large bellow kit.  Others prefer for the small bellow to blow air across the reed. 

You blade the reed with a razor blade, while holding the base of the reed in your hand, being careful not to pop the actual reed off of the metal assembly.  You're permanently bending the metal reed up is what you're doing.  The mylar reed that's under it also needs to be bent up, but not at near the angle as the top metal reed. 

If you have the double metal reed for squirrel calls, it is MUCH easier to mess up the blading process, because you'll bend the bottom reed too much too easily. 

You'll want to test things out as you go, and you may blade a specific call up to 5 or 6 times until it hits the lower tone that you'll want.  I'm to the point now where I go to a specific level, and go from there.  One out of every 10 I'll get right the first time, the others still take me about 3 tries to get the tone I'm looking for. 

So, while you're trial and erroring this, you want to be very gentle with the reed, as to not ruin it taking it in and out of the call.  This is EASILY done!  You need to get one of those white Bic pens, either a click top, or a basic one, and remove the guts from it.  Just make sure the white tube left as your tool is smooth on the inside, no threads.  This tube fits perfectly over the reed, and allows you to push on the rubber bushing to remove the reed and bushing all in one.  There's no need to remove the reed from the bushing while you're doing your trial and error tuning.

HOPE THIS HELPS!

I'll see about getting a picture up in the next week of what I mean by "blading the pizz" out of it. 

Parker

[jcz]

Thanks guys that is exactly what I needed to know. I was afaid to try blading it because of the metal reed on top. I have never bladed a reed so looks like I will start today.
The reed I have is a JC .016  that i swhat is stamped in the back of it.
Thanks for the help everyone.

[Braz]

They are all stamped .016 on the back.

[VECtor Calls]

They are all stamped .016 on the back.

   Unfortunately.  I wish THO would buy that company so they could actually stamp the model on the reed!  Man! You want to get me going about thorns in my side!   

Parker

[Braz]

Yea I know. Get some mixed up and then what? Bummer.

[VECtor Calls]

   The 'pen turning company' mixes up reeds, and says "oh well" and sells them to call making customers.     That's what happens then. 

Parker

[HaMeR]

  The 'pen turning company' mixes up reeds, and says "oh well" and sells them to call making customers.     That's what happens then. 

Parker

 

 

[Heirloom]

As Parker said, SOE folks put the reeds in backwards like he does. Others, like me, put them in the right way so the work when you squeeze the bellows. Seriously though, the way you put the reed is upto you, and your customer of course. I have some that like the reed both ways, an easy thing to fix once you get the reed tuned the way you want.

[jcz]

I got it!!  It sounds like a tree rat to me anyway. Thanks for the replies and help everyone.
It will get the real test tomorrow when I give it to my father in law, he is the squirrel hunter of the family. Only he hunts with his dogs so this call may not help him, but he is getting it anyway.

[VECtor Calls]

   Good deal!  Good to know!

Parker