Review: Savarez New CRISTAL CORUM High Tension 500CJ

The Savarez string company dates its history back to 1770. Yeah, that was a long time ago. They were obviously focused on gutstrings at the time. The 1930s brought the likes of Django Rheinhardt and his exclusive use of the strings on his Selmer Maccaferri guitars. The 1950s brought the rectified nylon string and pushed string development towards its current technology. This technology is most apparent in these CRISTAL CORUM nylon strings.

Savarez’s Take On CRISTAL CORUM 500CJ

First things first. Let’s get the specifications out of the way. The Savarez website gives very little in the way of description. In one sense, I like the fact that it is just “the facts”. However, from my marketing mind, this could use an upgrade when compared to other makers like Hannabach.

The descriptions are pretty vague when talking about the top nylon strings. This amounts to, “Improved nylon, plain strings. The clear sound of a transparent NYLON. Large choice of colors. Traditional usual gauges.” I am still trying to figure out what choice of colors actually refers to in purchasing these strings. Also, these are obviously the CRISTAL nylon strings in this set but no description of such is given.

When it comes to the bass strings, the descriptions are still nothing to give us any insight. “CORUM «Flexible Strings». A Savarez innovation never done before. Outstanding nuances and colors of sounds, fast response like a stiffer string.” I’d really like to know what the “innovation” actually amounts to and there is no clear indication of what “a stiffer string” means for comparison.

A Little Comparison Between Two Classical Guitar String Sets

As you can see in the charts below, the Savarez New CRISTAL CORUM High Tension 500CJ has a bit higher tension overall when compared to a set of EJ45 Normal Tension strings from D’Addario.  The gauges of the Savarez are obviously greater than that of the D’Addario. All of the Savarez strings, except for the A string, have higher tension. Though I have not really noticed this when playing.

I am not sure whether it is the materials of the Savarez or the tension/gauge that creates a brighter tone overall. I am sure it is a combination of the two. Due to this brightness of tone, I do prefer the Savarez over the D’Addario.

I do not feel that I have had to wait for a “break-in” period to get a superb sound from the Savarez. They seem to be extremely lively right out of the pack. The balance is much more fluid between the bass and treble than the D’addario overall. Also, the G string intonates incredibly well so far. I have had trouble in the past with the intonation of the G strings from D’Addario.

Savarez New CRISTAL CORUM High Tension 500CJ Specifications

D’Addario ProArte EJ45 String Specifications

No Real Critiques Of CORUM CRISTAL 500CJ

Surprisingly, I have no real critiques of these strings. And, even when searching online for problems others have had, I cannot seem to find any. This is quickly becoming my string of choice, even over the Hannabach. I will have to continue to play them in concert and through practice to see what the ultimate conclusion might be. So far, I have only been through one set. We shall see what the consistency is as I go through another couple of sets.

Conclusion On The CORUM CRISTAL 500CJ

All in all, there is a consensus that the Savarez CORUM CRISTAL 500CJ creates a pretty high standard for sound and quality. As with any product, there is bound to be someone that is disappointed. But I either cannot find bad experiences or I just don’t know where to look. For now, I am enjoying the sound these strings are producing on my guitar. In my opinion, they offer a great sound for a justifiable price.

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• Guitar Sight Reading Helpful Tips For Improvement
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• From Sketch Of A New Esthetic Of Music
• The Efficient Music Teacher (The Musician: Vol. 21, No. 1)

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Chadwick Becks

I have two degrees in guitar performance and was privileged to study under Aaron Shearer, Tom Kikta, David Skantar, Ken Karsh, Tim Bedner, and currently Christopher Berg. Outside my editorial work on this blog, I teach full-time across many genres including classical, jazz, blues, rock, funk, and metal.