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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 Drop C on a 25.5" scale

POLYWEB 80/20 Bronze (coated) Light/Medium (12-56) on an acoustic guitar with a 25.5" scale, tuned to Drop C (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 C2), pulls 131.6 lb59.7 kg585 N in total and 21.9 lb9.95 kg98 N per string on average. That is a loose feel for an acoustic guitar. The set is moderately uneven (spread 9.5%). String 6 (C2) deviates most: −20% from the set average.

Total tension
131.6 lb59.7 kg585 N
Average per string
21.9 lb9.95 kg98 N
Feel
loose
medium ≈ 26.8 lb12.14 kg119 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
moderately uneven
spread 9.5%

Tension per string

0102030lb0510kg050100Nset averagemedium (12-53)1D4.01218.5 lb8.39 kg82 N2A3.01618.4 lb8.35 kg82 N3F3.02423.0 lb10.45 kg102 N4C3.03527.8 lb12.61 kg124 N5G2.04526.2 lb11.89 kg117 N6C2.05617.7 lb8.01 kg79 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 18.5 lb8.39 kg82 N−16%
2A3220.0 .016AR016plain 18.4 lb8.35 kg82 N−16%
3F3174.6 .024ABP024wound 23.0 lb10.45 kg102 N+5%
4C3130.8 .035ABP035wound 27.8 lb12.61 kg124 N+27%
5G298.0 .045ABP045wound 26.2 lb11.89 kg117 N+20%
6C265.4 .056ABP056wound 17.7 lb8.01 kg79 N−20%
Total131.6 lb59.7 kg585 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in Drop C, 25.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
Elixir 16052 12-16-24-32-42-5320.9 lb9.46 kg93 N 125.2 lb56.8 kg557 Nloosemoderately uneven
Elixir 11182 13-17-25-32-42-5321.6 lb9.80 kg96 N 129.6 lb58.8 kg577 Nloosemoderately uneven
11075 (this page) 12-16-24-35-45-5621.9 lb9.95 kg98 N 131.6 lb59.7 kg585 Nloosemoderately uneven
Elixir 11077 12-16-24-35-45-5621.9 lb9.95 kg98 N 131.6 lb59.7 kg585 Nloosemoderately uneven
Elixir 16182 13-17-25-32-42-5322.3 lb10.12 kg99 N 133.8 lb60.7 kg595 Nloosemoderately uneven
Elixir 16077 12-16-24-35-45-5622.6 lb10.24 kg100 N 135.4 lb61.4 kg602 Nloosemoderately uneven

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

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

  1. Elixir 16102 13-17-26-35-45-56 deviation 12.9%, average 24.1 lb10.95 kg107 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: 11100, 11102
  2. D'Addario EJ17 13-17-26-35-45-56 deviation 14.2%, average 23.8 lb10.79 kg106 N, moderately uneven
  3. Elixir 16077 12-16-24-35-45-56 deviation 18.6%, average 22.6 lb10.24 kg100 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: 11075, 11077

More for the 11075

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

Drop C 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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