Good Tone Guild™ Double Reeds come in different "strengths" (resistance). Generally, whether you're a student, amateur or professional player, we all have different preferences with regard to reed strength. Below is a chart to help you determine your reed strength. The #1-very soft reed is our least ordered reed and the #4-medium is our most popular reed.

Resistance refers to how easy or difficult it is to blow air through the reed. In general, the more resistant the reed, the more cane is on the reed, the longer the reed must be broken-in, and the more demanding it is on the embouchure (mouth position). It is to note that reeds get played-out mostly as a result of cane biodegradation. The less cane there is to biodegrade, the faster the reed will play-out.

Strengths 1-very soft, 2-soft, 3-medium soft: This reed is light, has little resistance, and is easy to blow. There is very little breaking-in time necessary. For bassoon reeds, special care is taken that the E's will not drop. These reeds are suitable for beginners.  (Strength 3, medium soft, is the most ordered reed from this category.)

Strengths 4-medium, 5-medium hard: This reed is slightly heavier, a little more resistant, and usually requires a little more breaking-in time, compared to the  soft reeds. The medium and medium-hard reeds will provide an overall darker sound. These reeds, particularly the #4, are our most popular.

Strength 6-hard: This reed is again still heavier and more resistant. Hard reeds are more suitable for advanced players and/or players who know how to adjust their own reeds. For bassoonists, the hard reed is especially useful for playing in the extreme high register.

All double reed instrumentalists, whether student or professional, have personal preferences as to the overall strengths of their reeds, and personal preferences as to how long they like to break-in their reeds.