Excellent....a quick retrieve....I have a martin 016 that I love...I do play mostly folk music, but have been branching out into Fats Waller and 20's-40's stuff and it sounds pretty good to me (the guitar that is....my playing leaves much to be desired.) I resisted steel strings for a long time, fearing they would be too brassy for 200 yr old ballads...but this Martin, while bright, is very mellow....