Laboratory measurements of acoustic wave propagation in a reconstituted kaolinite-based mud were performed. Pairs of ultrasonic transducers and bender elements were immersed in the sediment to transmit and receive compressional and shear waves, respectively. Estimates of wave speeds and attenuations were acquired by analyzing waveforms recorded at several transmitter/receiver separation distances. Measured wave speeds were in good agreement with predicted values from the Mallock-Wood equation for compressional wave speed and card-house theory for shear wave speed. To the knowledge of the authors, no comparison exists between shear wave speeds measured in a controlled laboratory setting and the card-house theory. Power law fits were obtained from the attenuation data to determine the frequency dependence, with f(0.73) for compressional waves in the 60 to 110 kHz range and f(1.46) for shear waves in the 100 to 400 Hz range.