Page Last Update 03/24/2013

Brief History of Rudy MPs

The majority of people who happen upon this site have heard about the mouthpieces.  We get lots of questions about the mouthpieces and usually we only know what we've seen before. 

But, it appears there were periods where the mouthpieces evolved.  We are going to receive a non-Cushion Rim Rudy piece shortly and will picture it here.  Early on though, the Cushion Rim was what made these mouthpieces popular.  People either loved them or they didn't. 

The shapes, styles and dimensions changed from the 1930s through the 1950s and eventually, they were no longer produced by the Mück company.  There was a period of time when you couldn't find a Mück mouthpiece until the rights and/or tooling to the mouthpieces were acquired by Dick Akright, famed devel-oper of the Bel Canto trum-pets built for Doc Severinsen in the 70s.  His company, A&G Music makes and sells what are called the "2nd Generation" Rudy Mück mouthpieces which can be purchased from various distributors and on Ebay.  These resemble the latest Cushion Rim mouth-pieces we've seen.  He says this about them:

In 1937 Rudy Mück improved the models with a scientifically improved CHAMBERED THROAT enabling splendid attack in the high-low and medium registers. Due to it's long and mathematically perfect construction the chamber of the throat allows clear rounded tone without effort and without lipping or adjusting the notes.

The NON-SLIP grip, which eliminate lip bruises and absolutely prevents the embrouchure even when wet from slipping.

The CUSHION RIM, outstanding in it's practicability, is one of the most comfortable rims available. Pressure marks and the hindrance of perfect blood circulation are an impossibility.

Sherwood Finley and Rudy MPs

Maynard Ferguson started out playing on a modified Rudy Mück mouthpiece.  In a reply to an email about Maynard using the Rudy mouthpieces, Sherwood added some more:

Rudy's work is back in the world. You know, I think that a lot of prejudice against Rudy's pieces came, in large part, from an ITG lecture which Claude Gordon gave, somewhere in the mid-1970's. He put 'em down very hard. I remember thinking that he was too rough on them.

I played cushion rims from age 16 on to today [I'm 62] and if anything I have much more flexibility with Rudy’s than anything else -- more than most other players. I used a 17c on an album I did in 1983, with some legends [Hank Jones, Mel Lewis, etc.] on it and I can tell you that I could not have done the playing I did without the cushion rim, no way. And we're not talking high notes, there's only one high C on the LP. But, when you're the soloist in a quintet you need all the help you can get.

The main thing I love about the Mück concept is the "bounce-back" time; you can feel the circulation coming back in just on a 4-bar rest.

Thank you Sherwood!

Rudy Mouthpiece Search

 Click Here to search for Rudy
Mück mouthpieces
  Rudy Muck Search Items

If you have a picture or few of a Rudy Mück mouthpiece or other information, please contact or email us at:  [email protected] and include your picture in the email.  Thank you!

Rudy Mouthpiece Testimonial

I have a Rudy Mück 11M...not one of the copies, but has the Handcrafted, Cushion Rim markings...I have been using it to play in a big band and like the way it helps me to last a 4-hour dance job!...As I say it's a great piece and I enjoy playing on it. I use it with my '66 Connstellation and my hot-rodded '47 Olds Special (Bach 25-O leadpipe, 1st slide trigger from a n Olds Studio, Olds 3rd slide stop).  Thanks Bill for that great testimonial!