Bud Reglein

Bud Reglein’s uncle formed a small mouthpiece company in Elkhart, IN and named it J.J. Babbitt as he felt it sounded better than Jessie James Babbitt. Bud took over the company in 1939 and, in the 1940s, engineered a custom facing machine to ensure each mouthpiece made could be consistent, thus setting the stage for a much larger product line. His creative thinking and dedication guided the company through expansions and growth. Bud’s son, William, took over as company president and has clearly inherited his father’s love of the industry. In tribute to his father, William made a gift to the NAMM Foundation’s Museum of Making Music in 2000, having an entire gallery named after the company.