Thank you very much for viewing. I am a gagaku (Japanese imperial court music) hichiriki (double-reed wind instrument) player with 50 years of experience. I create over a thousand high-quality reeds annually. This reed is made from high-quality reeds from Udo, carefully selected and dried in the shade for about a year and a half, then smoked over an irori (sunken hearth) for over 10 years. I am confident that this is a top-of-the-line reed, boasting both durability and sound quality. I believe you will understand if you look at past reviews. It has been finished with time and care, with no cracks, allowing for comfortable playing. It is the same thickness as the one I use, made by Kanda Jushuke, but it is a thickness that basically fits any hichiriki, including plastic ones. It is finished so that even beginners can play it immediately, but please be aware that it will not sound with shallow, light breaths. To produce a good sound, you must put a lot of breath into it. The price of one reed is a bit high, but if you are not satisfied, I will handle returns and exchanges in any way. I am confident that you will be satisfied with this reed, so please try it once. As a supplement, no matter how excellent the materials or instruments you have, you cannot create a better reed without your own playing skill! Even if the reed itself is somewhat shaped, the lack of proper adjustments, such as loose or tight seams, is one of the reasons why new reeds don't sound. Also, people say to nurture a new reed, to make it sound... but in my experience, if the original quality is poor or the reed is close to raw after only being dried in the shade, it just won't work. If you have any problems or concerns with gagaku or the hichiriki, I may be able to help. Thank you for reading this long message to the end. I hope you will consider this reed.