"TT" - Ebony and Ivory

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Point taken Semp. I would be the first to say that it was a rip-off, if I purposely did it. I hadn't seen a picture of a bonker call in a very long time. I even forgot about the call and the builder, until someone PM'd me a link to Al's website that had my name mentioned in red, over this ordeal.

Edit: My mistake, my name isn't in red, it is in black...right under the red text on the "about our calls page".

Like I stated, I will make slight mods to change it. It appears that my mouthiece is only about 1/2 the length of it, as well as, not nearly as artistically tapered, as well as the top of the mouthpiece is clearly different. I believe concern is over the lanyard groove being on the mouthpiece. I don't plan on changing that design, as it is on just about every duck call I've ever seen.

Thanks for the compliment, as well.

Tony

Edited for clarification.
 
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WOW, I had to check that out after you mentioned it Tony, Id say thats some funny stuff right there.
Keep on doing what your doing Tony, I like your calls, Ive bought quite a few, along with ARKY and a few others.
Never bought a THO call though.
 
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Never bought a THO call though.



You are missing out then. They are beautiful and take very little air to make them sound great. I've got three of his calls and his lanyard and will buy from him again.
THO is an outstanding craftsman.
My dad, who has an industrial arts degree and has been wood working for over 50 years, could not believe how nice THO's calls were. He looked THO's Bonker over for quite awhile and then said, "That guy is a true craftsman, rare thing these days". That's about as good of a compliment as you will get from dear old dad. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
The BS has gone on long enough. If you have a peronal ax to grind with Mr. Tebbe, then take it to private e-mail.
 
Sorry Crapshoot. Al/George send me a private message or email if you want to continue discussion on this.

Tony
 
Hey George,
Pee off... I'm not interested in any more of your tattle tell, juvenile schoolgirl, name calling little personal messages. It's my "list" and I'll arrange it as I please, and, do business with whom I please. Good bye... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif



Edited to fix symbols in a word.
 
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Here's a link for y'all:
http://community-2.webtv.net/GloriaSB/DUCKCALLS/

Go through a few of the pages there and make note of what you see.

Now here is a picture of some THO calls:

THOcalls.jpg


You could probably find a match between any of THO's designs and calls that have been made for generations. THO makes an awesome call. I have many THO calls and they are among my favorites. His craftsmanship and finish is second to none, but if he thinks his designs are original he's wrong. Tony made a great looking call. 'Nuff said!
 
How about this for examples of the same style. Sure, there are some changes but I can guarantee that no one that is posting calls on this site or any other came up with this design including THO. We all take bits and pieces of call designs that we have seen and like and call makers will continue to do so. Anyone that would get upset with that fact seems to me to be a little arrogant about his own importance.

Steve

thanks weasel for posting that picture. I found lots of old duck calls with the same basic design but couldn't get the picture to show up. Evidently we were posting at the same time




 
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Tony; This is a beautiful and elegant piece of craftsmanship. Sir, I commend you on a job well done.

Now for the down and dirty. Tony and the other mod's here have been helful and encouraging to me. Of all the dealings I have had with people on this site, the only time I was ever ripped off was by the " other call maker " in this discussion. While I respect his ability as one of the most talented call makers of any type of call, my experience with him has left me empty handed. Last summer I sent a money order for some his products and enclosed a couple of calls I had made as a thank you for the valuable lessons I had learned from this individual and his posts here on PM. After some length of time, the ordered items never arrived. There were several emails explaining a software problem with shipping labels etc etc etc. After three emails apologizing for the wait and inconvenience and promising that the order was in the mail along with a full refund. I never received either. Several more emails from me went unanswered. I have no regrets for sending the calls or the money because I still learned a lot from this individual. The knowledge was worth the cost.

If this seems a bit off topic, my point is this. Tony has always been a man of his word. The other gentleman has not. It has always been hard to bite my tongue when others promote his product or services or web site. I must assume that I am not the only one to have been burned by the other call maker here as I have noticed that he posts here no longer. Final point....Tony is a man of integrity. Dale
 
True story , every word is true. A few months ago I made and sent two howler bodies to Tony to voice for me. He called me immediately to tell me how he liked the hand made look and design . He said it was a great idea for a call line and asked me if I was going to pursue it . I said ,"No" as that was not my intention ......I just wanted to make two calls for my son and I to use. They are made from beautiful ash burls . Tony said he was interested in the idea but wouldn't impose on my idea. I said " Idea!!" I have only made two calls in my life with no voice and I nor he had invented calling pedators with calls so it was just fine with me if he made them . He made a post telling of the plan to make some hand carved calls and gave me mention for the inspiration.......The main fault I have with Tony is he is too buisy and will burn himself out . He does an exellent job making great sounding calls and taking the time to Mod. on here and give direction to others to start making calls of their own........If you were to write a song.....how many notes would be in it from all of the other songs already written and in your head ????? Let's all move ahead and make the best sounding calls possible and let all the us hunters buy them and call up some game and thank the maker for his work and just enjoy. SM
 
I think the link that shows the fine duck calls gives a great example that what is being done NOW has been going on for GENERATIONS. Those are some nice duck calls and each of them should insipire todays call makers to create more pieces of art for us all to enjoy. To attempt to beat someone up for "copying" someone elses design is pure idiocy. I see enough on those duck call pages to show that design features some are CLAIMING AS THIER OWN are really direct copies of things that have been done for a long time and to say someone copied from you... well thats just dishonest IMHO.
 
As a duck hunter I did not see one call that resmbled the bonker! Of the inserts that were longer than the bodies all had double lanyard grooves.None of which the main groove was on the insert. That is an extremely long reach. That dog wont hunt! RP
 
Well,Weasel.......I looked at the link you provided and I did not see one call with the mouthpiece flowing over\into the call body with the lanyard groove in the mouth piece as the bonker does.Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

I agree that almost all calls are a close design of older calls,but,when a person takes the time to add his own flair and it gets copied without any recognition that is just wrong.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif

Just seems rather odd that the maker in question is no longer here and now this 'NEW' design comes out. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif

Oh well.......if you can live with it.
 
RP is right. I have been collecting duck calls for almost 20 years and have been making them for almost 13 years. Al's Bonker call does not in anyway, shape or form resemble any call made before it. Yes alot of calls have lanyard grooves on the insert but they also have one on the barrel too. If we are gonna compare the calls then compare the ones in question. Brian.

MapleBurlandCocabola.jpg
 
24.gif
24.gif


Unique?? Every hand turned call is unique by definition. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif

Copied?? If you are turning it out of wood, bone, antler, metal, etc., etc., you are by definition "copying" someone (who knows who) that's been dead for a lot of years. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif

Maybe it's just my lack of discerning eye, but I see more similarities between each of the first two (the ones in question) and a number of those that follow from Weasel's link, than I see similarities to each other. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif


MapleBurlandCocabola.jpg


ebonyivory1.jpg


captureD129.jpg


captureD41.jpg


captureD28.jpg


captureD51.jpg


captureD63.jpg


captureD128.jpg
 
I'm still working on the modifications to the mouthpiece design, for reasons I stated earlier. Not quite pleased with it, but here is one idea. The lanyard groove is now split between the call body and mouthpiece.

cocobolonewcall1.jpg



Tony
 
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