I've seen a few

[Flhawghuntr®™]

I have seen a few calls that I would never use in the woods as either they were to old or they juts flat out cost to much. never seen a call to purdy to take in the woods though.

[gblrklr]

FS I agree with you in that I have never seen one too pretty to take into the woods. All good custom makers should be call makers first and artists second. Unfortunately that isn't always the case. Any true call maker would expect his call to be taken to the woods and used. Some of them are getting very expensive but there are reasons for this. I know several call makers personally, and in most cases their calls are priced to keep the demand inline with their ability to produce a quality product.

[Gobblerstopper®]

I have never seen a call that was too pretty to hunt with, but I have seen a few pretty one's that didn't sound good enough to take into the woods.

What I don't understand is how people are getting good money out of friction calls (for ex.) that have never been ran. The glass isn't conditioned and the call has never made a sound? People are just buying a pretty piece of wood.

I make a lot of calls and a lot of them are made the same way. Every once in a while you get one that just sounds bad. No rhyme or reason, just sounds bad. How would you like to pay $60 and get a call that sounds nothing like a turkey?

Brings me to another question and something that I have been wondering. Would you buy a call, say off of eBay, that the glass has never been conditioned on? Maybe just to collect?

[gblrklr]

That was the point I was getting to about some makers being artists first. The picture under the glass is more important than how the call sounds. I wouldn't buy a friction call without hearing it first if I was going to hunt with it. Particularly if it was an expensive custom call. I would only buy a call without hearing it only if I knew and trusted the maker. I know several who will destroy a call if it doesn't meet their high standards.

[Flhawghuntr®™]

Yeah I know one to that I have been talking to and here the glass break cause it just didn't meet his critiria. Their are some calls out their that aint worth 2000.00 but they sold them on ebay. I am not talking about old collectable calls I am talking about some stupid A$$ call made out of ivory I'm sorry but no turkey call is worth that when it's not proven just cause it looks purdy and cost a thousand or so doesn't mean it aint junk ;D

[HOSS]

Most of the purdy and pricey calls are more for people with more money than they know what to do with.

I could help them with that problem ;D

[Flhawghuntr®™]

HOSS me too! If they need a wish list from us I am sure that we can help them spend some of their money can't we?

[shortyscalls]

I have a problem with glass calls that aren't conditioned....and the call maker tells ya how good it sounds! As for calls to pretty to hunt with...I tell everyone who gets one of my fancy carved calls to take it out into the spring woods! The call and I, deserve that atleast once. My 2003 National entry in the carved boxcall division...a awesome Bloodwood and Poplar boxcall with Oak leaves carved all around it, took a nice 22lb. tom this spring. I was so happy the owner took it hunting, and told him so. He said it sounded to good to put on the shelf...even for what he paid for it.

shorty

[Magnum]

I am not one to collect calls...if I can't hunt with
it I don't want it....and a call collector has My respect
if He wants to shelve His calls...any callmaker worth
His salt would like to see His call taken to the woods
to see what the real judge thinks of His turkey sounds.
Shortyscalls makes a great sounding boxcall and
His prices are moderate too..... Mag