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

D'Addario EJ17 (13-17-26-35-45-56) in Eb standard on a 25" scale

13-56 Medium, Phosphor Bronze Acoustic Guitar Strings on an acoustic guitar with a 25" scale, tuned to Eb standard (Eb4 Bb3 Gb3 Db3 Ab2 Eb2), pulls 158.9 lb72.1 kg707 N in total and 26.5 lb12.01 kg118 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for an acoustic guitar. The set is very even (spread 2.5%). String 4 (Db3) deviates most: +16% from the set average.

Total tension: 158.9 lb72.1 kg707 N
Average per string: 26.5 lb12.01 kg118 N
Feel: medium; medium ≈ 26.8 lb12.14 kg119 N per string; Set your own preferred feel
Balance: very even; spread 2.5%

Tension per string

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.

#	Note	Hz	Gauge	Item	Type	Tension	vs avg
1	Eb4	311.1	.013	PL013	plain	23.5 lb10.67 kg105 N	−11%
2	Bb3	233.1	.017	PL017	plain	22.6 lb10.24 kg100 N	−15%
3	Gb3	185.0	.026	PB026	wound	30.1 lb13.64 kg134 N	+14%
4	Db3	138.6	.035	PB035	wound	30.8 lb13.96 kg137 N	+16%
5	Ab2	103.8	.045	PB045	wound	28.1 lb12.75 kg125 N	+6%
6	Eb2	77.8	.056	PB056	wound	23.8 lb10.81 kg106 N	−10%
Total						158.9 lb72.1 kg707 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in Eb standard, 25"

Set	Gauges	Avg per string	Total	Feel	Balance
Elixir 16182	13-17-25-32-42-53	24.8 lb11.26 kg110 N	149.0 lb67.6 kg663 N	loose	even
Elixir 16077	12-16-24-35-45-56	25.2 lb11.43 kg112 N	151.2 lb68.6 kg673 N	loose	moderately uneven
Elixir 11100	13-17-26-35-45-56	26.2 lb11.88 kg116 N	157.1 lb71.3 kg699 N	medium	very even
Elixir 11102	13-17-26-35-45-56	26.2 lb11.88 kg116 N	157.1 lb71.3 kg699 N	medium	very even
EJ17 (this page)	13-17-26-35-45-56	26.5 lb12.01 kg118 N	158.9 lb72.1 kg707 N	medium	very even
Elixir 16102	13-17-26-35-45-56	26.9 lb12.20 kg120 N	161.4 lb73.2 kg718 N	medium	very even

Best match for a medium feel in Eb standard, 25"

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

Elixir 11100 13-17-26-35-45-56 deviation 2.6%, average 26.2 lb11.88 kg116 N, very even; same gauges: 11102, 16102
D'Addario EJ17 13-17-26-35-45-56 deviation 2.8%, average 26.5 lb12.01 kg118 N, very even
Elixir 16182 13-17-25-32-42-53 deviation 8.4%, average 24.8 lb11.26 kg110 N, even; same gauges: 11182

More for the EJ17

Other tunings on 25": E standard, Drop D, D standard, Drop C, C standard, Open G, Open D, DADGAD

Eb standard on other scales: 24.75", 25.5"

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.

Sources

D'Addario product page, tension chart for EJ17 (2026-10-31): unit weights derived from the published tensions, cross-checked across sets.