Thank you very much for viewing. I am a gagaku (Japanese 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 Udono, 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 confidently say this is a top-of-the-line reed, possessing both durability and excellent sound quality. I believe you will understand after looking at past reviews. It has been finished with time and may appear used, but of course, there are no cracks, and you can play it comfortably. It has the same thickness as the ones I use, made by Kanda Jūsuke, and it generally 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 a thin, light breath. 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 necessary. 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 good reed beyond your own playing skill! Even if the reed body is somewhat shaped, the "tsume" (the part that makes the sound) may be lacking, or the "seme" (the adjustment of the reed) may be loose or tight, which 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 if it's just 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.