Meat Grinder Tuning ?

[TWatson]

I just got a meat ginder this week and I love the call. My only problem in getting used to it is it seems to take more air than my other short reed call. Can I shave or sand the reed more to reduce the amount of air it takes and to reduce the volume just a hair or will this screw up the call. I like the sharp clear sound of the call but I would just like to reduce the volume a little. Thanks for any input.

[Nick McArthur]

No, don't shave the reed, that is not what they are shaved for. If it's hard to blow for you, then it mean's it is tuned hard (not too tough now is it). To tune it a bit lighter, there is 2 options, 1) send it back to the shop with a note as to how you would like it, or 2) tune it yourself. And to tune it yourself may take a lot of trial and error......but I can tell you what you need to do is to decrease the amount of reed showing above the wedge (the green/grey piece that holds the reed to the tone board).

Make sure you look exactly how the reed is placed at the top of the tone board, this is most crucial.....the top of the reed needs to fit at the top of the tone board nearly flush. Then you just move the reed and tone board down a bit further into the insert of the call. Like I said, it is going to be a lot of trial and error, little movements cause usually make bigger changes....hope this helps...

[TWatson]

Thank you sir! . I have only been using a short reed for a couple of years and for some reason I can't let the experts work on until I screw it up my self. I've got plenty of time to mess with it. Thanks again.

[TWatson]

Mr. McArthur, I can't thank you enough!!! I had the meatgrinder at work and I tried your advise and I can proudly say I now own the best call I ever heard. I thought it would take me hours to do that but I lucked out and found the sweet spot for me fairly quickly. May be I'll go buy a lottery ticket tonight. Thanks again and I can't say enough about this forum and how it helps everyone out. You now have one more devoted customer.

[Mark Spence]

T:

Glad to see that Nick was able to help.....if there is anything you ever need - don't hesitate to post up or PM any of the Pro-Staff guys!!!!

[Nick McArthur]

T:

First of all, don't ever call me Mr. again(I'm 26, I ain't to Mr. yet).....you ain't gotta call no one this forum Mr. on here less your talkin to Foiles, and he might tell you the same.

Second and most importantly, welcome aboard, glad to see you got my advice to work, didn't know if I was going to be a lot of help. But now you will be able to tinker with it and change it up as you get better on it. But if you ever have any doubts before you start moving things around, use a pen, and put a mark on the guts right above the acrylic and mark the reed as close as you can to the wedge. This way if you don't like where you take it, you can always put it back to where you know you like and are comfortable with...........Again..........glad we could help.....and welcome

[TWatson]

I'll try to start this better this time. Nick, Thanks for the help I won't call ya sir next time. I was just in shock that I actually did it right. I had sent other call in and never got em tuned right so I had to learn how to blow call that were either to hard or to soft. Now that I have the meatgrinder where I want it I might have to try others. By the way I'm an other hoosier from northern Indiana what is with all the Hoosier posts ? Thanks again guys.
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Tim.

[Nick McArthur]

Hey thanks a lot, thats sounds a lot better. Glad to see you got your Meat Grinder fixed up to your likings.....you ever have any questions, don't hesitate, someone will get to you.....