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Elixir · POLYWEB 80/20 Bronze (coated) · 12-16-24-35-45-56

Elixir 11075 (12-16-24-35-45-56) in Open D on a 24.75" scale

POLYWEB 80/20 Bronze (coated) Light/Medium (12-56) on an acoustic guitar with a 24.75" scale, tuned to Open D (D4 A3 F#3 D3 A2 D2), pulls 144.2 lb65.4 kg641 N in total and 24.0 lb10.90 kg107 N per string on average. That is a loose feel for an acoustic guitar. The set is uneven (spread 16.6%). String 4 (D3) deviates most: +37% from the set average.

Total tension
144.2 lb65.4 kg641 N
Average per string
24.0 lb10.90 kg107 N
Feel
loose
medium ≈ 26.8 lb12.14 kg119 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 16.6%

Tension per string

0102030lb051015kg050100150Nset averagemedium (12-53)1D4.01217.4 lb7.90 kg77 N2A3.01617.3 lb7.86 kg77 N3F#3.02424.4 lb11.05 kg108 N4D3.03533.0 lb14.97 kg147 N5A2.04531.1 lb14.11 kg138 N6D2.05621.0 lb9.50 kg93 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
1D4293.7 .012AR012plain 17.4 lb7.90 kg77 N−28%
2A3220.0 .016AR016plain 17.3 lb7.86 kg77 N−28%
3F#3185.0 .024ABP024wound 24.4 lb11.05 kg108 N+1%
4D3146.8 .035ABP035wound 33.0 lb14.97 kg147 N+37%
5A2110.0 .045ABP045wound 31.1 lb14.11 kg138 N+29%
6D273.4 .056ABP056wound 21.0 lb9.50 kg93 N−13%
Total144.2 lb65.4 kg641 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in Open D, 24.75"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
Elixir 16052 12-16-24-32-42-5322.7 lb10.32 kg101 N 136.4 lb61.9 kg607 Nloosemoderately uneven
Elixir 11182 13-17-25-32-42-5323.4 lb10.60 kg104 N 140.2 lb63.6 kg624 Nloosemoderately uneven
11075 (this page) 12-16-24-35-45-5624.0 lb10.90 kg107 N 144.2 lb65.4 kg641 Nlooseuneven
Elixir 11077 12-16-24-35-45-5624.0 lb10.90 kg107 N 144.2 lb65.4 kg641 Nlooseuneven
Elixir 16182 13-17-25-32-42-5324.2 lb10.96 kg107 N 145.0 lb65.8 kg645 Nloosemoderately uneven
Elixir 16077 12-16-24-35-45-5624.8 lb11.23 kg110 N 148.6 lb67.4 kg661 Nlooseuneven

Best match for a medium feel in Open D, 24.75"

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

  1. Elixir 11100 13-17-26-35-45-56 deviation 12.1%, average 25.6 lb11.61 kg114 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: 11102, 16102
  2. D'Addario EJ17 13-17-26-35-45-56 deviation 12.2%, average 25.9 lb11.74 kg115 N, moderately uneven
  3. Elixir 16182 13-17-25-32-42-53 deviation 12.6%, average 24.2 lb10.96 kg107 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: 11182

More for the 11075

Other tunings on 24.75": E standard, Drop D, Eb standard, D standard, Drop C, Open G, DADGAD

Open D on other scales: 25", 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.

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