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Beginners Guide to Elk Calling - Chapter 1: Diaphragm Reeds

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Beginners Guide to Elk Calling - Chapter 1: Diaphragm Reeds

Postby elkaholicid » 12 29, 2017 •  [Post 1]

Hey everyone. We just uploaded our first video in the Beginners Guide to Elk Calling video series. This is Chapter 1: Diaphragm Reeds where we discuss the different types of reeds and what beginners should look for. You can watch the full-screen version here: https://youtu.be/I-dGl7SVT2MHope you enjoy.

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Re: Beginners Guide to Elk Calling - Chapter 1: Diaphragm Re

Postby Lefty » 12 29, 2017 •  [Post 2]

Good stuff,..
My daughter and I will be watching it together
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Re: Beginners Guide to Elk Calling - Chapter 1: Diaphragm Re

Postby WapitiTalk1 » 12 29, 2017 •  [Post 3]

Rock solid Michael, thanks.
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Re: Beginners Guide to Elk Calling - Chapter 1: Diaphragm Re

Postby >>>---WW----> » 12 30, 2017 •  [Post 4]

Exactly! Rock solid advice. The only thing I wish you would have mentioned is a word of caution when bending the frame. It is very easy to change the stretch on the latex when doing so.
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Re: Beginners Guide to Elk Calling - Chapter 1: Diaphragm Re

Postby Swede » 12 30, 2017 •  [Post 5]

Mike, you just made sense of some things that just drove me nuts. I see that instead of the new and improved, we can see it as more variety to meet individual needs. I have found some reeds work well for me, but I never really understood why, and attributed it to the wrong thing. I.e. the palate plate diaphragms by Primos work better for me than many, but I have found some with no dome or palate plate are just as good. I like a double layered diaphragm, but can hardly get a sound out of a triple.
Are you going to be at the Northwest Sportsman show in Portland this February?
Anyway Thanks for sharing the video. I will look forward to the next installment in the series.
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Re: Beginners Guide to Elk Calling - Chapter 1: Diaphragm Re

Postby Lefty » 12 30, 2017 •  [Post 6]

Swede wrote:,....Are you going to be at the Northwest Sportsman show in Portland this February?.

Not to side track the discussion,.. When is the show,.. Ahh crud,.. Ill be in Vancouver the 25-28th
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Re: Beginners Guide to Elk Calling - Chapter 1: Diaphragm Re

Postby elkaholicid » 12 30, 2017 •  [Post 7]

>>>---WW----> wrote:Exactly! Rock solid advice. The only thing I wish you would have mentioned is a word of caution when bending the frame. It is very easy to change the stretch on the latex when doing so.


Thank you. There is so much information that can be included it's hard to figure out what to include and what to keep out. I also don't do any of this from a script and quite often I'll think of other things I should have said when I'm in the edit process.

As far as bending the frame and changing the stretch of the latex goes, I'll bend them on purpose sometimes to force that latex to loosen up quickly and then I'll straighten the frame back out to tighten back up a little.
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Re: Beginners Guide to Elk Calling - Chapter 1: Diaphragm Re

Postby elkaholicid » 12 30, 2017 •  [Post 8]

Swede wrote:Mike, you just made sense of some things that just drove me nuts. I see that instead of the new and improved, we can see it as more variety to meet individual needs. I have found some reeds work well for me, but I never really understood why, and attributed it to the wrong thing. I.e. the palate plate diaphragms by Primos work better for me than many, but I have found some with no dome or palate plate are just as good. I like a double layered diaphragm, but can hardly get a sound out of a triple.
Are you going to be at the Northwest Sportsman show in Portland this February?
Anyway Thanks for sharing the video. I will look forward to the next installment in the series.


Glad I could bring a little clarity. There are so many factors that go into the right diaphragm for each person that it just boggles my mind when people continue to fight with the reed they are using and trying to force it. Glad you enjoyed the video and I'll post Chapter 2 next Friday. I hadn't planned on going to Portland but things could change before now and then. I'll let you know if I decide to head over.
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Re: Beginners Guide to Elk Calling - Chapter 1: Diaphragm Re

Postby Swede » 12 30, 2017 •  [Post 9]

The PNW Sportsman Show is February 7-11, 2018. The list of exhibitors and speakers is not posted yet. I would guess Glen Berry will be participating as he is a regular, but that is just based on what they have had previously.
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Re: Beginners Guide to Elk Calling - Chapter 1: Diaphragm Re

Postby Wapiti » 01 01, 2018 •  [Post 10]

>>>---WW----> wrote:Exactly! Rock solid advice. The only thing I wish you would have mentioned is a word of caution when bending the frame. It is very easy to change the stretch on the latex when doing so.


I also caught that WW and almost cringed as Michael spoke it. I spend as do the other manufactures I'm sure countless hour on reed design. The stretch in the latex is the most important part of the whole reed. If I build you a thousand of the same reed I make sure the stretch in that latex is the same on every single reed. That's my whole reputation right there.

If the tape is to big then cut it to fit. If the frame is to big then go to a smaller reed.

The second you bend that frame the stretch is gone and can never be set the same period......ever. So if your already struggling to get consistency out of a reed you've just made it impossible.

I'd rather use a reed with no tape on it at all then bend the frame.

The stretch in the latex is why some call manufactures are sucking right now. It went from one guy making all the reeds to 5 different people making the same reeds. If 5 people are making the same reed how can they all sound the same ?? Then can not. They will be close but not perfect because each person will have there own techniques for building reeds.

The other thing I noticed is guys are having issue with which side goes up and which goes down. Tab up or tab down on a single double and even a triple reed. It doesn't matter period. One way will give you a hair more clearance to the roof of your pallet and the other will be slightly less but you can use the regular flat reed either way. Domes and pallet plates only can obviously be used in one way......dome up.

In fact by switching the reed over you get 2 in 1 reeds !! You'll get a different pitch slightly by switching the reed over. So if a bull won't answer your normal bugle then turn your reed over and try that. It may just be the ticket to get that bull to answer.

This is just in addition to what Michael is teaching you guys and I 100 % agree with the rest he is teaching. Michael has a ton of knowledge that will help all of us out. I've only added from a manufactures perspective and 40 years of calling.

Keep up the nice clear slow and methodical teaching Michael. Your doing great for everyone.

Keep Bugling

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Re: Beginners Guide to Elk Calling - Chapter 1: Diaphragm Re

Postby elkaholicid » 01 02, 2018 •  [Post 11]

Wapiti wrote:
>>>---WW----> wrote:Exactly! Rock solid advice. The only thing I wish you would have mentioned is a word of caution when bending the frame. It is very easy to change the stretch on the latex when doing so.


In fact by switching the reed over you get 2 in 1 reeds !! You'll get a different pitch slightly by switching the reed over. So if a bull won't answer your normal bugle then turn your reed over and try that. It may just be the ticket to get that bull to answer.

Trav


Thanks for your input Travis. It's always great to hear from call manufacturers and their approach to making reeds.

As far as flipping a conventional reed over......Travis may have just given a foreshadow into one of the future chapters where I discuss common struggles that new callers contend with.
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Re: Beginners Guide to Elk Calling - Chapter 1: Diaphragm Re

Postby Tigger » 01 02, 2018 •  [Post 12]

I have used Travis' reeds and believe me, he knows his stuff. His reeds work for me every single time!
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Re: Beginners Guide to Elk Calling - Chapter 1: Diaphragm Re

Postby Old school » 01 02, 2018 •  [Post 13]

I'm not a world class caller by any means, but the best reeds I've used are from Travis. I've tried a couple other manufacturers who are reputable and make quality reeds, but I just cannot get a good sound out of them. My most realistic call comes from Travis.

Good thread here - just another reason I enjoy this forum!

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Re: Beginners Guide to Elk Calling - Chapter 1: Diaphragm Re

Postby Tigger » 01 02, 2018 •  [Post 14]

Not many people know this about Travis' reeds, but if you peel the fabric off and turn it inside out, it becomes a 3 quart bowl. Then, the frame flips over and transforms into a spork. If you fold it the other way, the fabric becomes a 4 man tent and the latex a pair of gloves. The frame also straightens out and can be used as a cable to pull your truck out of it is stuck in the mud. Very versatile calls.
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Re: Beginners Guide to Elk Calling - Chapter 1: Diaphragm Re

Postby elkaholicid » 01 02, 2018 •  [Post 15]

Tigger wrote:Not many people know this about Travis' reeds, but if you peel the fabric off and turn it inside out, it becomes a 3 quart bowl. Then, the frame flips over and transforms into a spork. If you fold it the other way, the fabric becomes a 4 man tent and the latex a pair of gloves. The frame also straightens out and can be used as a cable to pull your truck out of it is stuck in the mud. Very versatile calls.


Hahaha!!! I'm showcasing one of his reeds in Chapter 2. Maybe I should go back and re-film it so that I can include the info you just shared Tigger.
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Re: Beginners Guide to Elk Calling - Chapter 1: Diaphragm Re

Postby Swede » 01 02, 2018 •  [Post 16]

I found Travis's reed works well for me. I have to admit I was a little surprised as they look like the old Larry D Jones, Wilderness Sound calls which did not work as well for me. I went from the Jones calls to the Primos diaphragms and had better results. I thought it was the palate plate, but that cannot be all there is to it.
I guess I am going to have to throw a couple of Travis' reeds under my pickup's back seat so I can use them for line when I get stuck.
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Re: Beginners Guide to Elk Calling - Chapter 1: Diaphragm Re

Postby Wapiti » 01 02, 2018 •  [Post 17]

Tigger wrote:Not many people know this about Travis' reeds, but if you peel the fabric off and turn it inside out, it becomes a 3 quart bowl. Then, the frame flips over and transforms into a spork. If you fold it the other way, the fabric becomes a 4 man tent and the latex a pair of gloves. The frame also straightens out and can be used as a cable to pull your truck out of it is stuck in the mud. Very versatile calls.


Holy cow I can't stop laughing !!! That was awesome.

You guys can always brighten ones day......

Keep Bugling !!

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Re: Beginners Guide to Elk Calling - Chapter 1: Diaphragm Re

Postby Wapiti » 01 02, 2018 •  [Post 18]

As far as flipping a conventional reed over......Travis may have just given a foreshadow into one of the future chapters where I discuss common struggles that new callers contend with.[/quote]

OPPS !! Sorry Michael I had no idea. Looking forward to it bud !

Keep Bugling

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Re: Beginners Guide to Elk Calling - Chapter 1: Diaphragm Re

Postby elkaholicid » 01 03, 2018 •  [Post 19]

Wapiti wrote:As far as flipping a conventional reed over......Travis may have just given a foreshadow into one of the future chapters where I discuss common struggles that new callers contend with.


OPPS !! Sorry Michael I had no idea. Looking forward to it bud !

Keep Bugling

Trav[/quote]

You're good Travis. No need to say sorry. Honestly, nobody knows what is going on in my head. Heck, I don't even know what's going on up there sometimes. Haha!!
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