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D'Addario · Phosphor Bronze · 13-17-26-35-45-56

D'Addario EJ17 (13-17-26-35-45-56) in Drop D on a 25.5" scale

13-56 Medium, Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings on an acoustic guitar with a 25.5" scale, tuned to Drop D (E4 B3 G3 D3 A2 D2), pulls 179.8 lb81.6 kg800 N in total and 30.0 lb13.59 kg133 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an acoustic guitar. The set is moderately uneven (spread 9.4%). String 6 (D2) deviates most: −26% from the set average.

Total tension
179.8 lb81.6 kg800 N
Average per string
30.0 lb13.59 kg133 N
Feel
tight
medium ≈ 26.8 lb12.14 kg119 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
moderately uneven
spread 9.4%

Tension per string

010203040lb051015kg050100150Nmedium (12-53)set average1E4.01327.5 lb12.46 kg122 N2B3.01726.4 lb11.96 kg117 N3G3.02635.1 lb15.93 kg156 N4D3.03535.9 lb16.30 kg160 N5A2.04532.8 lb14.89 kg146 N6D2.05622.1 lb10.02 kg98 N
The bronze dashed line is the medium-feel target: the average per-string tension of a 12-53 set on a 25.5" scale in E standard (26.8 lb12.14 kg119 N). Loose and tight are measured against it.Line thickness follows the string gauge; textured lines are wound strings. Hover, tap or tab to a string for details.
#NoteHzGaugeItemType Tensionvs avg
1E4329.6 .013PL013plain 27.5 lb12.46 kg122 N−8%
2B3246.9 .017PL017plain 26.4 lb11.96 kg117 N−12%
3G3196.0 .026PB026wound 35.1 lb15.93 kg156 N+17%
4D3146.8 .035PB035wound 35.9 lb16.30 kg160 N+20%
5A2110.0 .045PB045wound 32.8 lb14.89 kg146 N+10%
6D273.4 .056PB056wound 22.1 lb10.02 kg98 N−26%
Total179.8 lb81.6 kg800 N

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Similar sets in Drop D, 25.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
Elixir 16182 13-17-25-32-42-5328.1 lb12.75 kg125 N 168.6 lb76.5 kg750 Nmediummoderately uneven
Elixir 16077 12-16-24-35-45-5628.4 lb12.90 kg126 N 170.6 lb77.4 kg759 Nmediummoderately uneven
Elixir 11100 13-17-26-35-45-5629.6 lb13.43 kg132 N 177.7 lb80.6 kg791 Ntightmoderately uneven
Elixir 11102 13-17-26-35-45-5629.6 lb13.43 kg132 N 177.7 lb80.6 kg791 Ntightmoderately uneven
EJ17 (this page) 13-17-26-35-45-5630.0 lb13.59 kg133 N 179.8 lb81.6 kg800 Ntightmoderately uneven
Elixir 16102 13-17-26-35-45-5630.4 lb13.80 kg135 N 182.5 lb82.8 kg812 Ntightmoderately uneven

Best match for a medium feel in Drop D, 25.5"

Ranked by how close every string is to 26.8 lb12.14 kg119 N (lower deviation is better).

  1. Elixir 16052 12-16-24-32-42-53 deviation 7.2%, average 26.3 lb11.92 kg117 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: 11050, 11052
  2. D'Addario EJ16 12-16-24-32-42-53 deviation 8.4%, average 25.9 lb11.76 kg115 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: XSAPB1253, XSABR1253
  3. Elixir 11075 12-16-24-35-45-56 deviation 10.2%, average 27.6 lb12.53 kg123 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: 11077, 16077

More for the EJ17

Other tunings on 25.5": E standard, Eb standard, D standard, Drop C, C standard, Open G, Open D, DADGAD

Drop D on other scales: 24.75", 25"

About these numbers

Tension is calculated, not measured: T = μ · (2 · L · f)², where μ is the string's mass per unit length (unit weight), L the vibrating length (scale) and f the pitch (A4 = 440 Hz, equal temperament). kg means kilogram-force: 1 kg ≈ 9.81 N ≈ 2.205 lb.

How a set feels also depends on the guitar's setup: action height, break angle over the nut and saddle, string length behind the nut and bridge, and your playing style. Plain strings feel stiffer than wound strings at the same tension. Use these figures to compare sets, not as an absolute measure of feel.

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