I've been playing Rico Plasticovers on soprano for a long time, because the horn sits there for hours before I may need it on one or two numbers a night. The Plasticover is always ready to go, but is still a real reed under the polymer coating. I play a Guardala 'Liebman' mouthpiece which is moderately open (never measured it but it looks like maybe a .060" or so. I've been using a #2, but many of them have been too resistant. I just tried a #1.5 last night and it was great - the horn instantly got a more 'open' feeling and got louder. Tone quality was a lot richer. I felt much more at ease with this set-up and my playing was more fluid and confident. I know this set-up is contradictory to the conventional wisdom of playing hard reeds on soprano, but evidently this is what my horn and I need. Its an L.A. sax 'saxello', branded to 'Woodwind'. I've had this one for about six years and have been trying to find one I like better the whole time, but the old Woodwind keeps winning the playoffs. I actually now play Plasticovers on everything except tenor, which is my main horn, and doesn't sit around long enough for the reed to dry out.