Not sure if there's any other box call builders out there or not. Just in case I thought I would throw this wild idea of mine out. I have tinkered with building box calls for many years. My favorite style for sound and carrying ease has been a one-sided call along the same design as the old famous Lynch's Foolproof. Over the years I've built some really good sounding calls, but the VERY BEST wood for the sound I like is the dark red/brown mahogany that M.L. Lynch used on those original Birmingham, AL calls he made. Those early calls in the Foolproof model are harder and harder to find, but the double sided World Champions, made of the same wood, are still routinely available. So here's what I'm thinking...I can buy some of the Birmingham World Champions for the wood, and retrofit them and cut them down into a single-sided Foolproof version. This may sound sacreligious to do this to a vintage M.L. Lynch call, and I probably would not if I get one that is extra sweet, but I just like the sound of the smaller call design better. Anyone out there with an opinion on this wild idea? Sounds crazy I know to buy a $100 call and start chopping it up, but that's what I think I'm gonna do.

Whatever floats your boat man.. I have spent an insane amount of $$ on more foolish stuff than that just to kill a Turkey

Haha...yeah well clearly you can kill turkeys without going to this extreme, but I've always been fascinated by the Stradivarius box calls out there that you occasionally will run across. I realize that "perfect" sound may be different for everyone, but for me I've heard that perfect sound from the dark, dark red/brown early Lynch foolproofs, and a few other calls made from old growth Cuban and Honduran Mahogany. I have this theory that ol M.L. Lynch came across some old growth Cuban Mahogany, which went commercially extinct around the 1950's. You'll notice some of his early calls had lighter mahogany (the cheap stuff) for the blocking but the dark red on the lid and calling lip. I think he was conserving a limited supply of Cuban Mahogany. Anyway, I have 10 months to occupy my tinkering time.

Sounds like a plan. Can't really beat that mahogany sound board. Have you considered old wormy chestnut, sounds great on a scratch box. I heard a couple of his cedar sound boards and they sounded great. And a couple of his other sound boards made of different woods. Mahogany on one side and walnut on the other. Don't know how many of them made it into production thou.

It would be tough to cut down an older Lynch call just for the sound board. Would they after being taken apart and placed on another call made with current wood still produce that same sound as it did with the old woods that were on the original box?


Earl

I would like to hear a mahogany box with a quarter sawn sycamore lid

Grey,

The wormy chestnut I've worked with in the past just does not seem to me to have the right density and grain characteristics to make great box calls. I'm sure there's some out there, maybe with harder lids, but I don't consider it the prime material. I have made some good calls out of cedar and many other species..holly, apple, sourwood, walnut, and various combinations. But...at the end of the day I am looking to make the truly exceptional "Stradivarius box call." By this I mean a box call that is virtually indistinguishable from a hen, not a box call that sounds like a box call, which most do. Below is a photo of my homemade Cuban Mahogany (King's Wood) box call made about 35 years ago from old growth Kings Wood that had air dried over 50 years prior to construction. The call is made similar to the old Lynch Foolproof's but with different dimensions and angles and so forth. I would post an audio of the sound but not sure you can do that here? Cuban Mahogany or Kings Wood went "commercially extinct" around 1950 and is now restricted from commercial harvest by federal law. I've noticed some of the early Birmingham M.L. Lynch calls appeared to be made of Kings Wood. Almost all of the truly exceptional box calls I've ever heard (IMO and to my ears) were made of cuban mahogany, and most of those were the older Lynch foolproofs, hence my wild idea.

Barry, quarter sawing is indeed an ideal way to get the most out of the "sweet spot" of a piece of wood for making turkey calls. Usually, the ideal piece of the wood for a box call comes from the outter portion of the heart wood next to the sap wood....not in the center heart and not in the sap but in that transition zone. Quarter sawing your cant yields less wood than grade sawing, but optimizes consistency, of both the grain and select area. I've never tried sycamore though.

TP, Yes I was thinking along the lines of 100+ year old wormy chestnut say from VA. There is some of late out of PA and NC but does not achieve what the older chestnut was capable of.

My fav box is a teak and ebony lid, known as my magic box. The other is maple and ebony. But the maker that made them for me has an apple wood with ebony lid that is to die for. But he will not come off that one. I had a small window when he finished my teak one that he was going to keep for himself and almost coughed up the apple for it but I stayed with the teak.

Yea it seems all the good wood is protected and a lot more headed for the list. Especially a lot of the African and South American wood. Purple heart may be headed there from the rumors.


Earl

I have two Alabama's. It pains me to hear you would cut one up. I would think you could find some reclaimed lumber ion Ebay that would serve your call making. Before you cut into an old Alabama box, call me I'll buy it. I have bought wormy chestnut lumber on ebay for some wood working its beautiful wood.

Vabird,

I know where you are coming from. I would not chop up a really sweet sounding BHam World Champ. I have managed to find some old Honduran mahogany turning blocks I think I may try first, although I've had one call maker tell me Honduran is not nearly as good as Cuban. They are also selling the old growth (water salvaged) Honduran mahogany online, but is very expensive. I may try one of those $55 turning blocks for sound boards and lids just to see.

I've had my hands on plenty of wormy chestnut over the years and made everything you can imagine out of it (picture frame I made below). My Dad salvaged loads of it back in the 1970's. I just have never liked it for turkey call wood. Makes beautiful picture frames though.

If only wood could talk. Human that is is..we know it can tell turkey. Very nice craftsmanship. I love taken something old and bring life back to it.

VaBird, It's funny you should mention that because I too love bringing old things back to life. You talked me out of chopping up vintage calls too (for now). I mentioned that I had found some really old furniture stock mahogany this old guy has had in his warehouse for decades. Well I got some last week and decided to throw a few turkey calls together out of it this weekend. I have only mounted the lid on one of the calls, but just by holding the lids on the calls with two hands while calling, I can tell several of these calls are going to sound really special. Maybe I'll donate one for auction to help Freddy with the website, when I get them done and all tuned up!

When it comes to making turkey calls I am convinced there's no substitute for old growth and air dried (for as long as possible). Box calls are instruments and the old growth seasoned wood creates the best sound by far. Most production turkey calls these days are from plantation wood that has been dried in a kiln. The sound usually compares about like a modern day cheap guitar compares to a pre-War Martin dreadnought too.

They look very nice. Using old furniture is probably a good source for wood, especially old growth wood.

My house is over 100 yrs old. The main construction was old growth yellow pine. I had to drill some of it just to get a nail through. I have quite a few pieces I have saved, 2"X6"X8'. Don't know if you would want it. I also have some flooring made of the same.

There is also a lumber mill up here, Macilvanes, that has been making trim for hundreds of years. They still import mahogany and such. The pieces I have seen are 3' X 1' X 30'. They kiln dry it, but they have some beautiful wood. They made trim for many of the large buildings in D.C., to include the White House. Might be worth a look.

If I think of other sources I will let you know.

Vic

Thanks Vic. I will keep that in mind. I assembled the calls and am very happy with this wood based on the consistent sound I am getting. I have enough wood (and access to more) to keep me busy tinkering for awhile. I have a real job and only enjoy making a few calls here and there as a hobby.

If interested in selling one let me know. I might not be able to afford, but would be interested. Looks like they have turkey in them.

Vic