my first goose call. help!

[Aaron at Wingerts Woodworks]

I'm posting this in search of any and all help and feedback anyone's willing to offer.  So have at it....Critiques are appreciated.

This is my first goose call.  I turned it from English walnut that Parker gave me.  Thanks Parker, now I'm hooked on the stuff and I don't have a source.     The barrel is 2-3/4" long including the band, and is drilled 3/4" through.  The Shell Creek gutsert fits into the end which I drilled to 7/8".  The insert is 3" long, not counting the gutsert.  I bored it 5/8" through, except for the 3/4" needed for the gutsert to glue in.  I used JB Weld to attach the gutsert to the insert. 

Ron Gould gave me the guts, which I am pretty sure are Wade's SR1's.  They don't fit all the way into the gutsert, which I thought they should.  They're secure and aren't easily removed, so I'm going to leave that alone unless someone recommends otherwise.

I'm not a good goose caller.  Those of you that have heard my duck calling know that I am not a good duck caller.  I mean, I am not a good goose caller.  I can get them to come in but I'm not going to impress anyone, and will probably offend a few.  I think the call is too "easy" to blow.  I want to give it more air initially but I think it is really workable and I can get good sounds from it.  Perhaps a 3/4" bore in the insert would help/hurt?

As far as shape, I like the barrel a lot.  Might need to be a bit longer?  I also would like a 3/4" band instead of a 1/2" band.  Or perhaps a band with a little more diameter.  The insert shape is just what I came up with as the chips flew.  It feels too skinny in my hand and might be easy to drop with gloves on.  Wondering if it might be a little too long.  I also don't like how I did the lanyard groove...Too jumbled looking and hard to sand.

The finish is CA. 

Any advice you guys can offer sure would be appreciated.

[Jon @ JRwoods]

The fit for the guts is about right.  If your bore is right at. 625 most guts will have that much sticking out of the gutsert.
When you put the call together make sure the bottom of the toneboard is not touching the inside of the call.
If you make a 3/4 bore on either side of the call it will increase the amount of air it takes to run it.  You can increase the diameter then tinge lighter, but I've always liked a bit of backpressure built in.  Are those the guts that locate the reed on notches for you?  Sometimes I think they are punched a little long, making them blow really light. 
If they are make sure the wedge is all the way back against the tabs.  The wedges being forward will make it higher but also break over easier.
hope this helps. 

[Aaron at Wingerts Woodworks]

Thanks Jon.  Yes, the guts/reed have locator tabs.  I ordered a couple sets of Shell Creek guts that don't, so tuning those and positioning them correctly will be a good challenge for me.  I checked that wedge to make sure it is all the way back and it definitely is. 

On my next one, would it be a good idea to bore the insert 3/4" most of its length and leave an inch or so 5/8" diameter at the exhaust end to retain some back pressure? 

I presume that every different type of gut is going to run differently, so I'm sure it is a matter of pairing the right barrel and insert configuration to the gut I settle on.

[Levi @ Wingtamer Outdoors]

Never used the SR1s before but from the looks of it the guts are seated about rite. As far as being easy to blow that could have to do with your insert length. The longer the insert the more back pressure wich will make the call easier to blow but at the same time it should give you a good low end. I like keeping my insert including my gutsert under 3 in. As far as the barrel goes I think your at a good length. Just my 2 cents.

I think the call looks very well put together and I like the shape.

Levi

[J.Rode]

I like the overall shape and once again another superb finish. 

As far as your barrell length question, I make mine a little longer (3" - 3 1/4")becasue I think they more forgiving, and trust me I need it.  I think the SR 1 is designed to be easy to blow, when we were at your house highlooker put a different reed in my SR 1 gut and I could give it more air, it also had a lower sound, I liked it.  I cannot remember what is was, might ask him. 

Looks good. 

Jason

[Nelson Woodworks]

Send it to me and I will field test it for the remainder of the season and let you know how the geese like it 

Great looking call though, the barrel and the insert shape flow together really well. And the look of that walnut is awesome!

[Brian at DDT Game Calls]

i guess gutserts are the way to go?!?!?! which size is it? size that is

[sbarcewski]

Good looking call.  I would tend to agree that the shape of the insert may be a little off, as I tend to favor a little bit of an hourglass shape (it seems to fit my hand better and that is where I have gone with my calls).  I like to run 5/8 in my barrels and enlarge the insert exhaust for sound and back pressure issues.  By the way your CA Finish rocks!

[Aaron at Wingerts Woodworks]

Thanks everybody.  This info gives me a lot to try on the next one! 

[Two Creeks Calls]

Great first effort Aaron!

[Jon @ JRwoods]

About boring the insert, I run mine 5/8 all the way through.  If I want less backpressure I flare the end of the exhaust or cut it down shorter.

JRode, the reed is an Area51 from Cliff at Flocknockers. 
I've also had good luck with reeds from Wade.  I bought a pack of them and having extras around to mess with, shave, and reshape is a great learning experience.  Its also really nice not worrying about the 1 reed if you screw up.

[Honk1493]

Great looking call and as everyone knows your finishes look great. I like to have my inserts total length around 3" with that extra length you have built in back pressure easier
to blow not quite as responsive as a shorter insert that is with a sr1 gut. This is just my experiences with this setup I also bore my inserts all the way through 5/8".

   Mark

[Cold Front Calls]

Dont drill your insert to 3/4", you will  waist ALOT of air, what I call "dumping air".  As far as the guts go, those are Wade's SR1's and they are a really good gut for the beginner.  My personal fav is Wade's SR3 with a different reed, and once they start to breakin there AWESOME.  Tinker with different barrel bores and depths it will make a HUGE difference.  I like my barrels around 2.5" with a big glodo 7/8 or bigger around the gut.  Oh buy the way I heavily modify the gut.

Good lookin call and great finish by the way!!!!


Randy

[VECtor Calls]

   Welcome to the head beating of the demensions of goose calls!   

I like my barrel to be 3 1/8" or 3 1/4".  I step down to 5/8" too, rather than running 3/4" all the way through.

Looks like that English sure shined up for you well!   

Parker