Savarez - 503CJ New Cristal 3e Blue

The third string is the acoustic fulcrum of classical guitar playing: neither fully treble nor fully bass, it must project without hardening. The 503CJ's transparent, non-rectified nylon preserves the surface of the string as it emerges from the die - without any subsequent polishing - which preserves the micro-irregularities in the surface that give the crystalline sound its lively texture and presence in the midrange.

The 1.049 mm diameter under 5.71 kg of tension (12.58 lbs) places this string in a precise mechanical window: the firm response to touch owes nothing to the chance of manufacture, but to this diameter/tension ratio calculated so that the wire resists finger pressure without excessive rigidity. The resulting stable intonation lasts the entire length of the neck, from the open positions to the twelfth fret, without the left hand having to compensate for pitch drift.

The 503CJ is part of the Corum 500CJ and Cantiga 510CJ sets from Savarez, two classical guitar sets for which it covers the third string position. Its blue identification in the New Cristal series makes it easy to restock individually, and its high tension matches the playing dynamics of guitarists whose attack makes full use of the string.