String Tension Lab All sets Calculator

Elixir · NANOWEB 80/20 Bronze (coated) · 13-17-26-35-45-56

Elixir 11102 (13-17-26-35-45-56) in C standard on a 24.75" scale

NANOWEB 80/20 Bronze (coated) Medium (13-56) on an acoustic guitar with a 24.75" scale, tuned to C standard (C4 G3 Eb3 Bb2 F2 C2), pulls 108.9 lb49.4 kg484 N in total and 18.1 lb8.23 kg81 N per string on average. That is a loose feel for an acoustic guitar. The set is very even (spread 1.4%). String 4 (Bb2) deviates most: +15% from the set average.

Total tension
108.9 lb49.4 kg484 N
Average per string
18.1 lb8.23 kg81 N
Feel
loose
medium ≈ 26.8 lb12.14 kg119 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
very even
spread 1.4%

Tension per string

01020lb0510kg050100Nset averagemedium (12-53)1C4.01316.0 lb7.27 kg71 N2G3.01715.6 lb7.10 kg70 N3Eb3.02620.2 lb9.16 kg90 N4Bb2.03520.8 lb9.43 kg92 N5F2.04519.6 lb8.89 kg87 N6C2.05616.6 lb7.54 kg74 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
1C4261.6 .013AR013plain 16.0 lb7.27 kg71 N−12%
2G3196.0 .017AR017plain 15.6 lb7.10 kg70 N−14%
3Eb3155.6 .026ABN026wound 20.2 lb9.16 kg90 N+11%
4Bb2116.5 .035ABN035wound 20.8 lb9.43 kg92 N+15%
5F287.3 .045ABN045wound 19.6 lb8.89 kg87 N+8%
6C265.4 .056ABN056wound 16.6 lb7.54 kg74 N−8%
Total108.9 lb49.4 kg484 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in C standard, 24.75"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
Elixir 16182 13-17-25-32-42-5317.2 lb7.81 kg77 N 103.3 lb46.8 kg459 Nlooseeven
11102 (this page) 13-17-26-35-45-5618.1 lb8.23 kg81 N 108.9 lb49.4 kg484 Nloosevery even
Elixir 11100 13-17-26-35-45-5618.1 lb8.23 kg81 N 108.9 lb49.4 kg484 Nloosevery even
D'Addario EJ17 13-17-26-35-45-5618.4 lb8.32 kg82 N 110.1 lb49.9 kg490 Nloosevery even
Elixir 16102 13-17-26-35-45-5618.6 lb8.46 kg83 N 111.9 lb50.7 kg498 Nloosevery even
Elixir 11125 16-18-28-35-45-5620.5 lb9.28 kg91 N 122.8 lb55.7 kg546 Nlooseuneven

Best match for a medium feel in C standard, 24.75"

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

  1. Elixir 11125 16-18-28-35-45-56 deviation 26.4%, average 20.5 lb9.28 kg91 N, uneven
  2. Elixir 16102 13-17-26-35-45-56 deviation 30.6%, average 18.6 lb8.46 kg83 N, very even; same gauges: 11100, 11102
  3. D'Addario EJ17 13-17-26-35-45-56 deviation 31.6%, average 18.4 lb8.32 kg82 N, very even

More for the 11102

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

C standard 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.

Sources