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First year caller here. I have a few calls I've managed to make convincing enough quacks with, some semi-effective greeting and comeback calls, and okay sounding feed chatter. I'm working on it.

I have one double reed, an RL99. I've spent some time dicking around with the innards, experimenting with different tuning setups, and have found that it seems to blow just as well with only one reed (the thicker one) as it does with two. It's a little different sounding, but not much if tuned similarly. Biggest difference is it takes a bit more force at the start of the call, but that's easy to adjust to.

So I guess my question is have any of you guys done similar things? Is there really any difference between the designs of a single and double reed call besides the number of reeds?

There is no real difference in tone boards only the reed number. Changing the reeds up will make the call easier or harder to operate depending on which way you go.

Double reeds are easier to blow and single reeds have more range.


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So you could go the other way and put two reeds in a formerly single reed call to perhaps make it "easier" to call with? And by "easier," I'm assuming we mean that you can make adequate sounding calls with a less precise "blow?"

banknote wrote:So you could go the other way and put two reeds in a formerly single reed call to perhaps make it "easier" to call with? And by "easier," I'm assuming we mean that you can make adequate sounding calls with a less precise "blow?"

You can put two reeds in a single reed call. I have heard of double reed RNT Originals and DCs that were easier to blow.

I'm an amateur/hack guitarist/musician, and I've noticed a parallel between duck calls and musical instruments. Probably extends to callers and musicians, too.

It'd be funny to put a sign up in your boat/blind that says "NO STAIRWAY" and point at it every time your buddy won't shut up with the rolling feed call.

banknote wrote:I'm an amateur/hack guitarist/musician, and I've noticed a parallel between duck calls and musical instruments.

When OLT filed the original patent for the D-2 it was for a musical instrument and not for a duck call.

The Duck Hammer wrote:

banknote wrote:I'm an amateur/hack guitarist/musician, and I've noticed a parallel between duck calls and musical instruments.

When OLT filed the original patent for the D-2 it was for a musical instrument and not for a duck call.

Very cool to know.

I go single reed all the way but it is easiest to learn on a double because of how easy it is to use. Once you get the basic sound down in my honest opinion if you want to better yourself is to get a cut down of any type and learn how to make it sound like a duck. Even if you don't use it, it allows you to train yourself how to maintain enough air to do anything you want as well as the simple fact that if you can work a cut down then you can work any call there is. Thats the way I learned, I learned on a Hobo ICU2 and now I blow a cut down because of what it allows me to maintain as far as air and ability.

insaneduck wrote:I go single reed all the way but it is easiest to learn on a double because of how easy it is to use. Once you get the basic sound down in my honest opinion if you want to better yourself is to get a cut down of any type and learn how to make it sound like a duck. Even if you don't use it, it allows you to train yourself how to maintain enough air to do anything you want as well as the simple fact that if you can work a cut down then you can work any call there is. Thats the way I learned, I learned on a Hobo ICU2 and now I blow a cut down because of what it allows me to maintain as far as air and ability.

never tried a cut down but im really thinking of getting one before next season. alot of people going to em. i need to see what all the fuss is about

Fowlplay wrote:

insaneduck wrote:I go single reed all the way but it is easiest to learn on a double because of how easy it is to use. Once you get the basic sound down in my honest opinion if you want to better yourself is to get a cut down of any type and learn how to make it sound like a duck. Even if you don't use it, it allows you to train yourself how to maintain enough air to do anything you want as well as the simple fact that if you can work a cut down then you can work any call there is. Thats the way I learned, I learned on a Hobo ICU2 and now I blow a cut down because of what it allows me to maintain as far as air and ability.

never tried a cut down but im really thinking of getting one before next season. alot of people going to em. i need to see what all the fuss is about

You should get an OSDC.

So I've read a bit about the history of the cutdown (thanks AuntBetty.) I gather that it was post-market modifications to the tone board that made a call a "cutdown" call. So what makes a modern "cutdown style" call? Is it now just a certain shape/contour of the tone board? Are there actual specifications?

I'm confused.

banknote wrote:So I've read a bit about the history of the cutdown (thanks AuntBetty.) I gather that it was post-market modifications to the tone board that made a call a "cutdown" call. So what makes a modern "cutdown style" call? Is it now just a certain shape/contour of the tone board? Are there actual specifications?

I'm confused.

A modern cutdown is a D-2 style call that has a modified tone board. Some guys only classify a call as a true cutdown if it has been cut by hand not molded after a cut call. There are different styles of cuts that come from the regions that they worked in, like the Louisiana cut or the Arkansas cut.

The Duck Hammer wrote:

banknote wrote:So I've read a bit about the history of the cutdown (thanks AuntBetty.) I gather that it was post-market modifications to the tone board that made a call a "cutdown" call. So what makes a modern "cutdown style" call? Is it now just a certain shape/contour of the tone board? Are there actual specifications?

I'm confused.

A modern cutdown is a D-2 style call that has a modified tone board. Some guys only classify a call as a true cutdown if it has been cut by hand not molded after a cut call. There are different styles of cuts that come from the regions that they worked in, like the Louisiana cut or the Arkansas cut.

Got ya. So is there a standard for tone boards that are not cutdown? Or is the standard just the old out-of-the-box, uncut D-2 tone board? I gotta figure guys cutdown other style calls, too, yeah?

banknote wrote:

The Duck Hammer wrote:

banknote wrote:So I've read a bit about the history of the cutdown (thanks AuntBetty.) I gather that it was post-market modifications to the tone board that made a call a "cutdown" call. So what makes a modern "cutdown style" call? Is it now just a certain shape/contour of the tone board? Are there actual specifications?

I'm confused.

A modern cutdown is a D-2 style call that has a modified tone board. Some guys only classify a call as a true cutdown if it has been cut by hand not molded after a cut call. There are different styles of cuts that come from the regions that they worked in, like the Louisiana cut or the Arkansas cut.

Got ya. So is there a standard for tone boards that are not cutdown? Or is the standard just the old out-of-the-box, uncut D-2 tone board? I gotta figure guys cutdown other style calls, too, yeah?

A standard D-2 had a regular J Frame tone board one it, but due to them being made out of the hard rubber it was easy to cut/file them to fit your calling style. Guys started cutting their calls to get more bark or rasp to achieve the sound that ducks in their area would respond to the best. Cutting is becoming a lost art because many of the old cutters refused to teach others how to do what they did.

The Duck Hammer wrote:

banknote wrote:

The Duck Hammer wrote:

banknote wrote:So I've read a bit about the history of the cutdown (thanks AuntBetty.) I gather that it was post-market modifications to the tone board that made a call a "cutdown" call. So what makes a modern "cutdown style" call? Is it now just a certain shape/contour of the tone board? Are there actual specifications?

I'm confused.

A modern cutdown is a D-2 style call that has a modified tone board. Some guys only classify a call as a true cutdown if it has been cut by hand not molded after a cut call. There are different styles of cuts that come from the regions that they worked in, like the Louisiana cut or the Arkansas cut.

Got ya. So is there a standard for tone boards that are not cutdown? Or is the standard just the old out-of-the-box, uncut D-2 tone board? I gotta figure guys cutdown other style calls, too, yeah?

A standard D-2 had a regular J Frame tone board one it, but due to them being made out of the hard rubber it was easy to cut/file them to fit your calling style. Guys started cutting their calls to get more bark or rasp to achieve the sound that ducks in their area would respond to the best. Cutting is becoming a lost art because many of the old cutters refused to teach others how to do what they did.

Interesting. Thanks for indulging my ignorance!

Its not ignorance you just didn't know. As far as the cuts, la cut is usually a little harder to blow than an Arkansas. I prefer Arkansas. Try several but dnt go cheap on em because alot of people sell bad cuts. Black river game calls, black ops, kirk mccollough, them are just a few of the good ones

I thought the La cut took less air to blow than the Ark cut? I don't know for sure, just what I've heard.

Does anyone know the actual physical characteristics of the different cuts?

And I only meant ignorance in the Merriam-Webster "lacking knowledge" kind of way.
"IGNORANCE, n. {FR., from L. ignorantia; ignoro, not to know; ignarus, ignorant; in and gnarus, knowing.}
"Want, absence, or destitution of knowledge. The negative state of the mind which has not been instructed in arts, literature, or science, or has not been informed of facts. Ignorance may be general or it may be limited to particular subjects."

These show the toneboard in the video, not sure if it is enough to show what you are looking for though.

rebelp74 wrote:These show the toneboard in the video, not sure if it is enough to show what you are looking for though.

Thanks for those. The visuals help a lot.

banknote wrote:

rebelp74 wrote:These show the toneboard in the video, not sure if it is enough to show what you are looking for though.

Thanks for those. The visuals help a lot.

Not a problem man.

Ya rolled look is ar and blockier look is la and on a la the reeds longer than the sound board.

The "cut" is basically making the tone-board shorter. Possibly altering the curvature as well. I doubt that...

There is a tool called a "jig" that's used to make duck call inserts. It would be a very simple matter to buy a cutdown call and reverse engineer a jig for that particular cut. Once you have the jig..."cutting" a call is a matter of sticking the insert into the jig and file away the excess. THE FILING IS PART OF THE CUT...THE MARKS LEFT ON THE TONE-BOARD IS PART OF WHY THEY DO IT.

Depending on what type of file used...the call will sound a bit different.
The whole "cutting a call" thing is a lost art. People make money off knowing what does what...Expecting them to just give that kind of information away...isn't gunna happen.

Single vs. Double...
If you're wanting to win duck-calling contests...use a single-reed.
If you just want to call meat a double reed will do it.

That's the difference imo.
A double reed doesn't have the range a competition single-reed does.
A two-reed call is more forgiving of the mistakes a rookie caller is going to make.

The timing of when you call is far more important than having the exact tone that says horny hen down there...
Don't get me wrong...the way it sounds is important. Just saying timing is what to concentrate on the most as a beginner.

Get the timing thing down and the rest will follow in time with practice.

Those BSOD calls sound pretty good.

3geese4me wrote:Those BSOD calls sound pretty good.

Tried a lot of cutdowns last season and I'm buying that.
BUT...it has like 5 different cut options.

Insane, do you remember if Jerrod's call was a colt 45 cut or what? There are like 5 different cuts...I WISH I would have asked him when he was still talkin' to me. I should have just TAKEN that call when it was in my hands...I tried. Remember? Was tied around his neck or I would have taken off running. I KNOW he'd never catch me.

Don't remember the cut bud. I just know the 2 that bryce uses. I never tried his bsod either. Only complaint I have w/ the BSOD is reed life. They wear out super quick.

I looked at that Colt 45 cut and compared it to my uncut D2.
It really looks to me like the guy simply cut the end at a 45 degree angle and didn't shorten the tone-board much at all.

Once I get some cutdowns...I'll start doing it.
Reverse engineering them would be a challenge.
That is what every duck call maker has done since Phillip Olt patented his call.
At least the ones that use j-frame inserts.
So don't get all upset about copying call inserts.
The easy-bark has a custom insert. I hate those!