Thank you very much for viewing. I am a gagaku (Japanese court music) hichiriki player with over 50 years of experience. I create over a thousand high-quality reeds annually. This reed is made from high-quality reeds from Udono, carefully selected and dried in the shade for about a year and a half, then smoked over a 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 looks like it has been used because I have spent time cultivating and finishing it so that I can use it myself. Of course, there are no cracks, and it will now truly shine, allowing you to play comfortably. It has the same thickness as the ones I use, made by Shinsuke Kanda, but it is basically compatible with any hichiriki, including plastic pipes. Even beginners can breathe into it without difficulty. 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 wonderful the materials you have, you can never make a better reed without your own playing skill! Even if the reed body is somewhat shaped, the tsume (the part that makes the sound) may be weak, or the seme (the part that adjusts the air flow) may be loose or tight, which is one of the reasons why new reeds don't sound. Also, people say to cultivate a new reed, to make it sound... but in my experience, if the original quality is poor or if the reed is close to raw, only dried in the shade, it just won't work. If you have any problems or concerns with gagaku or hichiriki, I think I can help. Thank you for reading this long message. I hope you will consider this reed.