These reeds come a bit short and thin so there’s not much room for modification. The sound is not so smooth. I prefer reeds from Miller Marketing (http://www.millermarketingco.com/productpages/reeds/reeds.htm). I like the Miller Select Reserve Blue Standard reed from there ( each), which comes a bit long and thick so some initial filing is necessary, but the reed sounds much nicer.

My son plays the bassoon, so this review is based upon what he has told me. He prefers this brand over any other brand I have bought for him. They seem to last longer as well. The ones I buy at the music store break pretty quickly, but this brand lasts several months of constant use. He told me he likes the texture of the reed better, and he feels it is easier to get a more consistent sound out of it. For me, the price is a plus too. Bassoon reeds are expensive, and this one is a bargain.

It’s a bassoon reed, and it’s medium-hard. I’m not a bassoonist; I bought test for my son. But he likes these more than most which is fine by me. The one issue he had with one of them is that the opening for the bocal was more square than round, but we fixed that with a couple of small rods and a little leverage.