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Elixir · NANOWEB Nickel (coated) · 9-11-16-26-36-46

Elixir 12027 (9-11-16-26-36-46) in E standard on a 27" scale

NANOWEB Nickel (coated) Custom Light (9-46) on an electric guitar with a 27" scale, tuned to E standard (E4 B3 G3 D3 A2 E2), pulls 106.0 lb48.1 kg472 N in total and 17.7 lb8.01 kg79 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 19.4%). String 2 (B3) deviates most: −30% from the set average.

Total tension
106.0 lb48.1 kg472 N
Average per string
17.7 lb8.01 kg79 N
Feel
medium
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 19.4%

Tension per string

05101520lb025810kg0255075100Nmedium (10-46)set average1E4.00914.8 lb6.73 kg66 N2B3.01112.4 lb5.62 kg55 N3G3.01616.4 lb7.43 kg73 N4D3.02620.6 lb9.36 kg92 N5A2.03622.2 lb10.07 kg99 N6E2.04619.6 lb8.88 kg87 N
The bronze dashed line is the medium-feel target: the average per-string tension of a 10-46 set on a 25.5" scale in E standard (17.1 lb7.76 kg76 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 .009AR009plain 14.8 lb6.73 kg66 N−16%
2B3246.9 .011AR011plain 12.4 lb5.62 kg55 N−30%
3G3196.0 .016AR016plain 16.4 lb7.43 kg73 N−7%
4D3146.8 .026ENN026wound 20.6 lb9.36 kg92 N+17%
5A2110.0 .036ENN036wound 22.2 lb10.07 kg99 N+26%
6E282.4 .046ENN046wound 19.6 lb8.88 kg87 N+11%
Total106.0 lb48.1 kg472 N

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Similar sets in E standard, 27"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL0946 9-11-16-26-36-4617.4 lb7.88 kg77 N 104.2 lb47.3 kg464 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EXL125 9-11-16-26-36-4617.4 lb7.90 kg77 N 104.5 lb47.4 kg465 Nmediumuneven
Elixir 12025 9-11-16-26-36-4617.6 lb7.96 kg78 N 105.3 lb47.8 kg468 Nmediumuneven
12027 (this page) 9-11-16-26-36-4617.7 lb8.01 kg79 N 106.0 lb48.1 kg472 Nmediumuneven
Elixir 19027 9-11-16-26-36-4617.7 lb8.01 kg79 N 106.0 lb48.1 kg472 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EPS510 10-13-17-26-36-4618.5 lb8.38 kg82 N 110.9 lb50.3 kg493 Ntighteven

Best match for a medium feel in E standard, 27"

Ranked by how close every string is to 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N (lower deviation is better).

  1. D'Addario EPS510 10-13-17-26-36-46 deviation 9.6%, average 18.5 lb8.38 kg82 N, even; same gauges: NYXL1046, XSE1046, EXL110
  2. D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-46 deviation 10.4%, average 18.8 lb8.54 kg84 N, very even
  3. Elixir 12002 9-11-16-24-32-42 deviation 12.8%, average 15.9 lb7.23 kg71 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: 12000, 19002

More for the 12027

Other tunings on 27": Drop D, Eb standard, Open G

E standard on other scales: 25.5", 26.5", 28", 25.5"–27" multiscale

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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