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Elixir · POLYWEB 80/20 Bronze (coated) · 16-18-28-35-45-56

Elixir 11125 (16-18-28-35-45-56) in Open D on a 25" scale

POLYWEB 80/20 Bronze (coated) Resonator (16-56) on an acoustic guitar with a 25" scale, tuned to Open D (D4 A3 F#3 D3 A2 D2), pulls 175.1 lb79.4 kg779 N in total and 29.2 lb13.23 kg130 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an acoustic guitar. The set is uneven (spread 14.0%). String 1 (D4) deviates most: +8% from the set average.

Total tension
175.1 lb79.4 kg779 N
Average per string
29.2 lb13.23 kg130 N
Feel
tight
medium ≈ 26.8 lb12.14 kg119 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 14.0%

Tension per string

0102030lb051015kg050100150Nmedium (12-53)set average1D4.01631.5 lb14.30 kg140 N2A3.01822.5 lb10.19 kg100 N3F#3.02834.3 lb15.55 kg152 N4D3.03533.7 lb15.27 kg150 N5A2.04531.7 lb14.40 kg141 N6D2.05621.4 lb9.70 kg95 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 .016AR016plain 31.5 lb14.30 kg140 N+8%
2A3220.0 .018AR018plain 22.5 lb10.19 kg100 N−23%
3F#3185.0 .028ABP028wound 34.3 lb15.55 kg152 N+17%
4D3146.8 .035ABP035wound 33.7 lb15.27 kg150 N+15%
5A2110.0 .045ABP045wound 31.7 lb14.40 kg141 N+9%
6D273.4 .056ABP056wound 21.4 lb9.70 kg95 N−27%
Total175.1 lb79.4 kg779 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in Open D, 25"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
Elixir 16077 12-16-24-35-45-5625.3 lb11.46 kg112 N 151.6 lb68.8 kg674 Nlooseuneven
Elixir 11100 13-17-26-35-45-5626.1 lb11.84 kg116 N 156.7 lb71.1 kg697 Nmediummoderately uneven
Elixir 11102 13-17-26-35-45-5626.1 lb11.84 kg116 N 156.7 lb71.1 kg697 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario EJ17 13-17-26-35-45-5626.4 lb11.98 kg117 N 158.5 lb71.9 kg705 Nmediummoderately uneven
Elixir 16102 13-17-26-35-45-5626.9 lb12.18 kg119 N 161.2 lb73.1 kg717 Nmediumuneven
11125 (this page) 16-18-28-35-45-5629.2 lb13.23 kg130 N 175.1 lb79.4 kg779 Ntightuneven

Best match for a medium feel in Open D, 25"

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

  1. Elixir 16182 13-17-25-32-42-53 deviation 11.3%, average 24.7 lb11.18 kg110 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: 11182
  2. Elixir 11100 13-17-26-35-45-56 deviation 11.5%, average 26.1 lb11.84 kg116 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: 11102, 16102
  3. D'Addario EJ17 13-17-26-35-45-56 deviation 11.8%, average 26.4 lb11.98 kg117 N, moderately uneven

More for the 11125

Other tunings on 25": Eb standard, D standard, Drop C, C standard

Open D 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.

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