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Re: Henri Chedeville mouthpiece question

Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2010-12-24 00:51

(Disclaimer - Owner of the Chedeville trademark and name mark internationally)
Ramon, thanks for the wonderful information. Only a mouthpiece maker can evaluate the various variations in mouthpiece architecture in the Chedeville history. At the time of making the original Chedeville mouthpieces and blanks in the late 20's and early 30's the manufacture of vulcanized rubber too was in a state of transition and not really standardized in any form.

From investigating and examining early documents about hard rubber manufacture in this period it sometimes appears to be a haphazard process where formulations were varied and often batches were not the best example of the manufacturing technique. Perhaps the surviving mouthpieces were the pick of the litter and the bad batches have already met the rubbish pile?

The various designations of France, Steel Ebonite, India rubber, Qualitie Superior, Artistic Facing, etc. are not specific to any period of Chedeville manufacture - some earlier than later but not markers of a particular quality or design. Many may be good but some also bad. As Ramon suggests for modern playing most must be refaced or otherwise worked on to bring out their potential.

There were several makers who supplied mouthpiece blanks to instrument makers like Penzeil Mueller, Buffet, E & S, etc. and their quality and design was not consistent. Other than an analysis of the design and rubber quality there is no good way to pick a potential good Chedeville blank.

When LeLandais bought Chedeville and produced mouthpieces after the 40's and into 70's there were still old Chedeville blanks with the Charles Chedeville name and logo elements sold but in general the Lelandais blanks were of a different design and rubber quality than the 30's Chedeville mouthpieces.

Many will say that current custom mouthpiece makers have combined the best elements of the old Chedeville design with more modern modifications e.g. Kaspars and I tend to agree from my own experience playing the older and new mouthpieces. There are some tonal qualities IMO either by design or rubber quality that are distinctly different between older Chedevilles and new designs but these are so slight that only players that seek these esoteric qualities will struggle to find the "Grail" of the older examples by Henri and Charles Chedeville or other manufacturers.
L. Omar Henderson
www.doctorsprod.com

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