String Tension Lab All sets Calculator

Elixir · NANOWEB Nickel (coated) · 10-13-17-32-42-52

Elixir 12077 (10-13-17-32-42-52) in Drop C on a 27" scale

NANOWEB Nickel (coated) Light/Heavy (10-52) on an electric guitar with a 27" scale, tuned to Drop C (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 C2), pulls 106.7 lb48.4 kg475 N in total and 17.8 lb8.07 kg79 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 26.0%). String 4 (C3) deviates most: +41% from the set average.

Total tension
106.7 lb48.4 kg475 N
Average per string
17.8 lb8.07 kg79 N
Feel
medium
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 26.0%

Tension per string

01020lb0510kg0255075100Nmedium (10-46)set average1D4.01014.3 lb6.49 kg64 N2A3.01313.5 lb6.12 kg60 N3F3.01714.8 lb6.70 kg66 N4C3.03225.1 lb11.37 kg112 N5G2.04223.4 lb10.61 kg104 N6C2.05215.7 lb7.11 kg70 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
1D4293.7 .010AR010plain 14.3 lb6.49 kg64 N−20%
2A3220.0 .013AR013plain 13.5 lb6.12 kg60 N−24%
3F3174.6 .017AR017plain 14.8 lb6.70 kg66 N−17%
4C3130.8 .032ENN032wound 25.1 lb11.37 kg112 N+41%
5G298.0 .042ENN042wound 23.4 lb10.61 kg104 N+32%
6C265.4 .052ENN052wound 15.7 lb7.11 kg70 N−12%
Total106.7 lb48.4 kg475 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in Drop C, 27"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-4817.5 lb7.92 kg78 N 104.8 lb47.5 kg466 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-5017.5 lb7.93 kg78 N 104.8 lb47.6 kg466 Nmediummoderately uneven
Elixir 19077 10-13-17-32-42-5217.8 lb8.06 kg79 N 106.6 lb48.3 kg474 Nmediumuneven
12077 (this page) 10-13-17-32-42-5217.8 lb8.07 kg79 N 106.7 lb48.4 kg475 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario NYXL1152 11-14-18-30-42-5218.2 lb8.27 kg81 N 109.3 lb49.6 kg486 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EXL116 11-14-18-30-42-5218.3 lb8.29 kg81 N 109.6 lb49.7 kg488 Nmediumuneven

Best match for a medium feel in Drop C, 27"

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

  1. D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-50 deviation 9.8%, average 17.5 lb7.93 kg78 N, moderately uneven
  2. Elixir 12100 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 10.5%, average 17.1 lb7.74 kg76 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: 12102, 19102
  3. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 10.9%, average 16.8 lb7.60 kg75 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: EXL115

More for the 12077

Other tunings on 27": Eb standard, D standard

Drop C on other scales: 24.75", 25", 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.

Sources