Cheater (fife mouthpiece)

Claude Bauer

First Sergeant
Forum Host
Joined
Jan 8, 2012
“Cheater” is not a period correct term for the mouthpiece used on a fife

It’s difficult to tell exactly when the term “cheater” emerged to describe a mouthpiece for the fife. I cannot find any historical evidence that this term was actually used during the Civil War, but reenactors continue to repeat it, and what’s worse, offer unsubstantiated misinformation to the public about its origins. I’ve heard conflicting stories from reenactors regarding the mouthpiece for the fife such as:

“They were used in the military music schools during the war because they had thousands of new musicians they had to train up quickly, and they called them ‘cheaters’ because if you used one when learning, you were cheating at playing the instrument.”

“They were invented after the war so toothless old veterans could still play and needed a way to ‘cheat’ at playing the instrument.”

However, there are numerous ads for fife mouthpieces from the 19th and early 20th centuries and none of them use the word “cheater,” nor does a 1905 patent for a fife with a mouthpiece.

As best as I can determine, the term emerged in the mid-20th century, and I think it’s safe to say that “cheater” is not a period correct term.

I have been unable to find the term in lists of Civil War slang or Civil War terminology or in a dictionary defined in this context, and have never seen it in decades of reading about the Civil War and ancient music.

If the term “cheater” was around at the time of the Civil War and accepted as common usage in regard to the fife mouthpiece, someone surely would have recorded it somewhere.

Given the pictures of Civil War soldiers holding fifes with mouthpieces, I have difficulty believing they called them “cheaters,” which holds such a negative connotation, given their presence and apparent acceptance as an accessory for the instrument.

It also appears that fifers at the time didn’t appear to be the least bit shy or embarrassed by the fact that they had mouthpieces on their instruments. If they had been, I guarantee you they would have removed them before having their pictures taken!

As a result, I don't think reenactors should be telling the public these mouthpieces were called “cheaters” during the Civil War unless some solid evidence surfaces to the contrary, nor should they call them that if musicians in their units use them today.

We don't want to contribute to the pool of misinformation floating around out there, nor do we want to publicly embarrass or demean our musicians today who simply attach a mouthpiece to their instrument. Lots of instruments have mouthpieces--it’s not a sign of inexperience or ineptitude.

Besides, imagine what Civil War musicians went through. Do we really want to associate them with a derogatory term like “cheater?”

Click here for more pictures and a complete history of the fife mouthpiece:

https://www.3rdusreenactors.com/home/music/fife-mouthpieces/

Wood fife with pewter mouthpiece on display at the Visitor's Center museum, Gettysburg National Battlefield Park.

G BURG fife wood.JPG
 
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