Will there ever be...

[ahornberger22]

I love reading this stuff and learning about call makers of the past, as well as the opinions of those of you who have been around to see some of this lineage develope. I'm going to throw a little different twist into this discussion though. Hopefully I don't talk in circles or get long winded, so in an effort to prevent this, I'll only write in the context of box calls. I'm 21 years old. I don't know of too many custom call makers or collectors under 30 (I know there are some, Josh Shoemaker to name one, but there has to be others that are slipping my mind at the moment). With that being said, this art is riding on the seasoned hunters who know the history. For me, Neil Cost is an icon. It's like something out of a history book for me because he was gone before I got into all of this. He was the pioneer of these calls that we all love (this all goes for Gibson, Turpin, etc as well). Those were the men that a lot of you got the chance to know and they formed sort of a following if you will. For me, though, my "Neil Cost's" are the likes of Scott Basehore, Ed Terefencko, Mike Lapp, Marlin Watkins, etc. (there are more, just don't want to write a book listing them here). Yes, Mr. Cost will always be like "the grand daddy of them all" but these other call makers that are proceeding me, just like Mr. Cost proceeded them, are the ones that set the standard for my generation to try and reach. I don't know if that made sense, and I'm not trying to get anyone fired up, but just trying to add a little different "younger" view point. So, Scott, to answer your question, maybe there already is another "Neil Cost" out there. I'm not saying his legacy will ever been over taken, or that he'll ever be forgotten because as long as I live and am telling people about the art of custom call making, he will always be the first mentioned. But what I'm trying to say is, there are already other call makers building a legacy of their own that deserve to be remembered as well.

[lonnielou688]

I'd say the torch HAS been passed, and its still lit !! Amen Austin, every time I think of the youth coming forward, my thoughts turn to you !  Well said

[Mmcdonald]

I believe change is inevitable. The callmakers of the past have established their niche in callmaking history and their influences still resonate through the sport. They were innovators with the ability to look at things from a different point of view. I believe someone will have a unique perspective that leads to a new, previously unthought of way to approach making a call. That person may already be one of the fine callmakers currently building calls, maybe it will be one of the younger breed just getting their start, maybe it's someone yet to get started. What has led to new advances in our lives has been the innate curiosity that is part of us as human beings. Just over a hundred years ago the idea of manned flight was only an idea, yet now we send machines out of the solar system. I believe that same curiosity and desire for something more will also drive all callmakers to look for something new and they will find it. Thanks to all who are willing to share their knowledge of the past and present and continue to encourage those with the desire to search for something better.

[yankee gobbler]

I believe change is inevitable. The callmakers of the past have established their niche in callmaking history and their influences still resonate through the sport. They were innovators with the ability to look at things from a different point of view. I believe someone will have a unique perspective that leads to a new, previously unthought of way to approach making a call. That person may already be one of the fine callmakers currently building calls, maybe it will be one of the younger breed just getting their start, maybe it's someone yet to get started. What has led to new advances in our lives has been the innate curiosity that is part of us as human beings. Just over a hundred years ago the idea of manned flight was only an idea, yet now we send machines out of the solar system. I believe that same curiosity and desire for something more will also drive all callmakers to look for something new and they will find it. Thanks to all who are willing to share their knowledge of the past and present and continue to encourage those with the desire to search for something better.

Well said, and I agree totally with you Mike. We have legends and more will appear. The Turpin, Cost, Lynch, names will always be honored. Someday another name or two from the newer generation will also honored.
Interesting stuff.

[silvestris]

 There are many breathing the same air as you who possess the equipment and the ear to produce as good or better turkey calling instrument as has ever been made.  They may not know that they have the ear or the skill and they may not have the desire, but they are out there just the same.  The ear, the skill with equipment and the desire, the idea, that is what it takes.  The turkey cares not who produced the instrument that produced the sound that he cannot resist.  Consistently produce an instrument that produces that sound and you are as good as it gets.

[firedup]

Very good topic Scott!  Perhaps a little different slant but it seems like each generation has its icon's.  A very few of those make it to legendary status.  Sometimes it could be due to their innovations.  It could be due to simply to having name recognition and notoriety.  Not saying they were not very good at what they did but were there others laboring away as well that didn't get the recognition because they weren't in the rite spot at the rite time?  Perhaps it was more due to their dedication and longevity in the craft. Was there another out there that had a really new idea but just didn't pursue it enuff?  Who knows?  It remains to be seen if the stars line up for other current (or future) callmakers to achieve the "legend status".  Personally I think there are a bunch of great candidates out there.  I think the future generations will decide that based on a lot of factors that may or may not include actually making calls.  And just one more point, you are asking callmakers who know who these folks are and what their contributions were.  I am thinking that the legends were not "made" so much by other callmakers as much as call users and at some point collectors. Wonder if the question was posed to them what the response would be. Having said all this I am not trying to take one ounce or credit or glory or whatever from the folks mentioned.  Cost, Turpin, Lynch, ect., in fact, I agree as to their contributions and well earned fame.  Just saying that it seems to me that a lot more goes into making a legend than just building a call. 

[trb136]

IMO the answer to that is No, This I my 7 th year building box calls and in that time span I have learned quite a bit about calls and wood and tuning, There is more to learn always but If you have ever built calls you can appreciate the fact of the design of Neil Cost, to be able to envision that style call and make it a reality to me is something of Legends. As Bill said you need to look no further than the table at Nashville to see his influence. On the flip side of that I feel like alot of todays callmakers are building better sounding calls, but they are simply taking a design and improving on it with different wood combos and dimensions. I dont think that will make you a Legend but can make you a great Callmaker. Only time will tell if any new "Legends" are out there...