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Elixir · NANOWEB 80/20 Bronze (coated) · 11-15-22-32-42-52

Elixir 11027 (11-15-22-32-42-52) in Drop D on a 25.5" scale

NANOWEB 80/20 Bronze (coated) Custom Light (11-52) on an acoustic guitar with a 25.5" scale, tuned to Drop D (E4 B3 G3 D3 A2 D2), pulls 141.8 lb64.3 kg631 N in total and 23.6 lb10.72 kg105 N per string on average. That is a loose feel for an acoustic guitar. The set is moderately uneven (spread 9.3%). String 4 (D3) deviates most: +27% from the set average.

Total tension
141.8 lb64.3 kg631 N
Average per string
23.6 lb10.72 kg105 N
Feel
loose
medium ≈ 26.8 lb12.14 kg119 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
moderately uneven
spread 9.3%

Tension per string

0102030lb051015kg050100Nset averagemedium (12-53)1E4.01119.7 lb8.94 kg88 N2B3.01520.0 lb9.08 kg89 N3G3.02225.0 lb11.35 kg111 N4D3.03230.0 lb13.62 kg134 N5A2.04228.0 lb12.71 kg125 N6D2.05219.1 lb8.65 kg85 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 .011AR011plain 19.7 lb8.94 kg88 N−17%
2B3246.9 .015AR015plain 20.0 lb9.08 kg89 N−15%
3G3196.0 .022ABN022wound 25.0 lb11.35 kg111 N+6%
4D3146.8 .032ABN032wound 30.0 lb13.62 kg134 N+27%
5A2110.0 .042ABN042wound 28.0 lb12.71 kg125 N+19%
6D273.4 .052ABN052wound 19.1 lb8.65 kg85 N−19%
Total141.8 lb64.3 kg631 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in Drop D, 25.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
Elixir 16002 10-14-23-30-39-4721.8 lb9.88 kg97 N 130.7 lb59.3 kg581 Nlooseuneven
11027 (this page) 11-15-22-32-42-5223.6 lb10.72 kg105 N 141.8 lb64.3 kg631 Nloosemoderately uneven
Elixir 11025 11-15-22-32-42-5223.6 lb10.72 kg105 N 141.8 lb64.3 kg631 Nloosemoderately uneven
D'Addario EJ26 11-15-22-32-42-5223.9 lb10.86 kg106 N 143.6 lb65.1 kg639 Nloosemoderately uneven
Elixir 16027 11-15-22-32-42-5224.2 lb10.97 kg108 N 145.1 lb65.8 kg646 Nloosemoderately uneven
D'Addario XSABR1253 12-16-24-32-42-5325.4 lb11.50 kg113 N 152.2 lb69.0 kg677 Nloosemoderately 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 11027

Other tunings on 25.5": E standard, Eb standard, D 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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