I thought, since Mike mention my name, that I would add my two cents to the conversation.

I use Cervellati recoil pads for all of my pads now. They are very soft but grind easy and are a perfect base for leather covered pads. These pads are also very light, as I remember they are half the weight of pads of a similar size and don't in my opinion require wood removal to balance a gun. I just love them. I get these pads from Hastings Distribution, they are also inexpensive FWIW.

Doug Mann