Any brand of italian reeds are top of the line? No, that is not true. Typically, each brand of Italian reeds comes in 3 grades, in decreasing levels of quality and price: #1 - hand made, #2 - hand finished (or "like hand made"), #3 commercial. There are different names applied, such as "a mano" for #1, and "tipo a mano" for #2, and so on, but the general rule applies.

And there are also the distinctions between brands which are often debated. This appears to be largely subjective, but you will hear statements made about Binci's being better than Salpa's or vice versa. It may be the case that some brands are inherently superior or inferior to other brands, as is true of any other kind of product. But I am not sufficiently knowledgable on the subject to say.

-David