Purchased new from a musical instrument store a month ago. I used it a few times, but it didn't quite suit me, so I'm selling it. The strength is 3.5, but I selected a fairly light one, so it's very free-blowing. Below is the product description for the French cut (from the website): A synthetic reed that balances responsiveness and moderate resistance. By suppressing excessive overtones, it produces a rich sound with depth and core, enabling more dynamic expression.