Does a professor's stylistic reputation matter in a LOR?

[InquilineKea]

Not just whether the prof is "great" or not, but also, whether he's reserved or enthusiastic.

E.g. it's entirely possible that even some great professors might write enthusiastic LORs for everyone, even the ones who aren't so special. Meanwhile, a reserved professor might write enthusiastic LORs for only a few people.

[Loimographia]

It's been my experience that if a professor can't write an out-and-out enthusiastic letter for you, s/he'll refuse to write a letter at all. Last year I asked a prof to write me a letter. I'd taken multiple classes with him, was one of the most vocal students in class discussions, spent endless hours with him in office hours. But, he pointed out, he hadn't seen any extensive research projects from me, and couldn't honestly vouch for my research abilities without them, and as such couldn't produce a wholeheartedly enthusiastic endorsement. So he refused me the letter. Any prof who's honest enough to give a lukewarm/reserved LoR is also honest enough to admit as much to a student requesting an LoR (well, perhaps there are some particularly cowardly profs, but if you know a prof well enough to ask for a recommendation, you should know whether he's that much of an ass). So I think you should trust your profs to be enthusiastic, because if they weren't enthusiastic, they wouldn't have agreed in the first place