Everything I said about 517 but with a slightly softer suspension. The focus is drawn first to the sense of solid support to the tonality. The trumpets and overblowns can be forced to be abrasive if that's what you're after. For the most part though it's just very well behaved, getting loud and crazy exactly in synch with your efforts. The weight is not to be overlooked at 11 lbs for a 57 inch stick is testament to it's density which sounds awesome when you're playing it, and will make you question your sanity halfway into a long hike.