How long has it been around? I don't know of anyone before Neil cost that did it, but that's not saying much
Bump...do I need to post this somewhere else?
I quess there is nobody here to help you out... I have no clue to your question,
From what I've read about him, i would say he was the most instrumental in starting checkered boxes ... you do the research and let us know what you find out ... his boxes have been copied by call builder more than anyone else...
10-4 I'll do a little digging
Quote from: ozarktroutbum on January 20, 2020, 11:53:26 PM
10-4 I'll do a little digging
I talk with Darrin Dawkins this morning and he said from his understanding that he did the first checkered boxes and boxes with Inlays ....
As a student of checkering I can add this. After an
In depth discussion with Lapp, he and I agree that the way Cost demonstrates the checkering process in his video would be near impossible to achieve nice results. We are of the opinion that he wasn't gonna just hand everyone the keys to checkering. You'd have to work for it. Mike nor myself use the Cost demo as a guide. Just our thoughts.
Quote from: J Lacey on January 21, 2020, 05:04:02 PM
As a student of checkering I can add this. After an
In depth discussion with Lapp, he and I agree that the way Cost demonstrates the checkering process in his video would be near impossible to achieve nice results. We are of the opinion that he wasn't gonna just hand everyone the keys to checkering. You'd have to work for it. Mike nor myself use the Cost demo as a guide. Just our thoughts.
And his books didnt provide the proper technique either in my opinion. I dont necessarily blame him for keeping secrets, but as someone who was trying to learn back in the late 90's I sure got frustrated with his instruction.
Sent from my SM-G930R7 using Tapatalk
Adding to Jeff's & Mike's input, I would agree with their assessment and just like Mike, Darin, Scott Baseshore and so many other great box call builders and now with new talent on board, it's largely up to the individual callmaker to "figure" it out on their own. To try techniques, experiment, go deeper, go shallower, making decisions as to what will work best with the equipment at hand and the characteristics of the wood. Simply checkering because checkering was/is done, or is effective is an exhibit of short-sighted understanding on the part of the callmaker. 'Looking deeper,' recording the changes that occur with various sizes, depths, angles and acknowledging the differences or similarities in wood species to improve the sound of the call, is IMO is fundamental and the BEST way for a callmaker to improve.
Scott
I'm going to appreciate waffles more :happy0064:
I tend to wonder if the checkering is more of a trademark or actually a characteristic of the tone/sound.
I think it's largely a trademark. Of course it effects the tone to an extent, however.
Any material removed from the sides will effect the tone and pitch.
When Mr Cost was asked by another call maker' that I know very well why he started checkering his boxes he said (because I can get $10.00 more for them). This was at the Unicoi show the first time he had them for sell.
Personally I won't buy a shortbox that isn't checkered with the exception of Watkins fiddle boxes,,sitting under a tree with the sunlight gleaming off them it's just cool to have possession of. And nice contrasting inlays too their like racing stripes on a sports car.
Quote from: Happy hooker on January 23, 2020, 04:50:34 PM
Personally I won't buy a shortbox that isn't checkered with the exception of Watkins fiddle boxes,,sitting under a tree with the sunlight gleaming off them it's just cool to have possession of. And nice contrasting inlays too their like racing stripes on a sports car.
Darrin Dawkins builds a non checkered box that's awesome also....
Well, you could look at statistics and ask yourself, how many times have you seen a smooth-sider, a non-checkered short box win Nationals, or about any other comp for that matter? With the exception of Marlin's Fiddle Box call, a completely different design BTW and not really related to the Cost style, and perhaps Darrin's, there are few non-checkered calls that have or can obtain the quality and range/depth of sound, from which a checkered box can offer. This NOT saying a non-checkered box isn't good, not the case at all. Lynch and others did well, but that sound is still limited to what a checkered box can produce, if at least the callmaker has checkered for the sake of sound and not just appearance. This can also be taken further, why do certain callmakers run a couple slot channels/grooves, whatever, down the side of their box calls...just so happens very near the same location as where checkering occurs.
Checkering and slots free up the sides for more vibration the sound to resonate more.
In the 9 1/5 years that I knew Neil, I became a very close & trusted friend. We talked by phone weekly & I went to his home about once a month. We talked about a lot of things over that time.
The first checkering that Neil saw was on a jewelry box, the single & double design. The triple check was his design. He ask call makers not to use it as long as he was living. He also said that single check boxes always sounded better than double & triple checked boxes. A plain or grooved side was better. He was probably the first to checker calls.
The video & books were just a basic guide lines to make a call, not to teach you how to do it. "If you aren't smart enough to figure it out on your own, learn how to knit." Neil D. Cost.
Any questions?
Bob
Mr. Harwell, a great answer. Do you do suspect that if Neil had lived longer and discovered checkering sooner, he might have pushed his exploration of checkering further? Clearly, he knew there was something worth considering and he wanted to protect its potential. Neil's quote sums it up well...he definitely knew there was more value to checkering and of course other components to a box call when building one, that affected the sound. He also understood the value to those who were willing to build them to explore and discover on your own would make them better call makers.
And there is this...I built non-checkered calls for 6 years and did a lot of woodburning on them. I liked the art of the craft, they had a good sound, but NOT a great sound, but at a point I wanted more and try as I did to get the sound I wanted and heard from so many other great call makers; McKamey, Kruer, Lapp, Baseshore, Harwell, Clark, Terefenco, Strawser, and many others I will forget, I just couldn't. I then decided to checker my calls. Within 1 year, my sound improved drastically and I started winning competitions...it was night and day in the quality of sound. I had fought it for years, many who know me well will agree...checkering, when done well as mentioned before has a profound effect on sound. Is it for everyone, absolutely not for there are many great callmakers building the Eminence calls, David Ferguson for example who not only does remarkable wood burning , but has obtained a very effective sound and Bob Fulcher with his Fat bottom design and of course there is Marlin Watkins with his Fiddle Box design and now TJ Johnson to carry it forward, some exceptions to the "rule".
Quote from: culpeper on January 25, 2020, 08:22:06 AM
Mr. Harwell, a great answer. Do you do suspect that if Neil had lived longer and discovered checkering sooner, he might have pushed his exploration of checkering further? Clearly, he knew there was something worth considering and he wanted to protect its potential. Neil's quote sums it up well...he definitely knew there was more value to checkering and of course other components to a box call when building one, that affected the sound. He also understood the value to those who were willing to build them to explore and discover on your own would make them better call makers.
And there is this...I built non-checkered calls for 6 years and did a lot of woodburning on them. I liked the art of the craft, they had a good sound, but NOT a great sound, but at a point I wanted more and try as I did to get the sound I wanted and heard from so many other great call makers; McKamey, Kruer, Lapp, Baseshore, Harwell, Clark, Terefenco, Strawser, and many others I will forget, I just couldn't. I then decided to checker my calls. Within 1 year, my sound improved drastically and I started winning competitions...it was night and day in the quality of sound. I had fought it for years, many who know me well will agree...checkering, when done well as mentioned before has a profound effect on sound. Is it for everyone, absolutely not for there are many great callmakers building the Eminence calls, David Ferguson for example who not only does remarkable wood burning , but has obtained a very effective sound and Bob Fulcher with his Fat bottom design and of course there is Marlin Watkins with his Fiddle Box design and now TJ Johnson to carry it forward, some exceptions to the "rule".
I agree with you .. back few months ago i got the pleasure of hearing Darrin Dawkins play a walnut butternut checkered box and the same box in a non checkered box , from his tuning of both boxes you couldn't tell one box was better than the other and Darrin said it was all just a matter of preference of what your wanting, so i think it's all up to what the call builder likes and prefers to build and has the most confidence.