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Elixir · NANOWEB Nickel (coated) · 11-14-18-28-38-49

Elixir 12102 (11-14-18-28-38-49) in Drop C on a 28" scale

NANOWEB Nickel (coated) Medium (11-49) on an electric guitar with a 28" scale, tuned to Drop C (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 C2), pulls 109.9 lb49.8 kg489 N in total and 18.3 lb8.31 kg81 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for an electric guitar. The set is moderately uneven (spread 10.6%). String 6 (C2) deviates most: −18% from the set average.

Total tension
109.9 lb49.8 kg489 N
Average per string
18.3 lb8.31 kg81 N
Feel
medium
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
moderately uneven
spread 10.6%

Tension per string

05101520lb025810kg0255075100Nmedium (10-46)set average1D4.01118.9 lb8.55 kg84 N2A3.01417.1 lb7.77 kg76 N3F3.01817.8 lb8.05 kg79 N4C3.02820.3 lb9.22 kg90 N5G2.03820.8 lb9.42 kg92 N6C2.04915.0 lb6.82 kg67 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 .011AR011plain 18.9 lb8.55 kg84 N+3%
2A3220.0 .014AR014plain 17.1 lb7.77 kg76 N−6%
3F3174.6 .018AR018plain 17.8 lb8.05 kg79 N−3%
4C3130.8 .028ENN028wound 20.3 lb9.22 kg90 N+11%
5G298.0 .038ENN038wound 20.8 lb9.42 kg92 N+13%
6C265.4 .049ENN049wound 15.0 lb6.82 kg67 N−18%
Total109.9 lb49.8 kg489 N

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Similar sets in Drop C, 28"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario EXL115 11-14-18-28-38-4918.1 lb8.20 kg80 N 108.4 lb49.2 kg482 Nmediummoderately uneven
12102 (this page) 11-14-18-28-38-4918.3 lb8.31 kg81 N 109.9 lb49.8 kg489 Nmediummoderately uneven
Elixir 19102 11-14-18-28-38-4918.3 lb8.31 kg81 N 109.9 lb49.8 kg489 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1052 10-13-17-30-42-5218.4 lb8.32 kg82 N 110.1 lb49.9 kg490 Ntightuneven
Elixir 12100 11-14-18-28-38-4918.4 lb8.33 kg82 N 110.1 lb50.0 kg490 Ntightmoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL140 10-13-17-30-42-5218.4 lb8.35 kg82 N 110.4 lb50.1 kg491 Ntightuneven

Best match for a medium feel in Drop C, 28"

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

  1. D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-46 deviation 11.8%, average 15.5 lb7.04 kg69 N, moderately uneven
  2. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 12.7%, average 18.0 lb8.17 kg80 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: EXL115
  3. D'Addario EXL110 10-13-17-26-36-46 deviation 12.9%, average 15.8 lb7.17 kg70 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: NYXL1046, XSE1046, EPS510

More for the 12102

Other tunings on 28": E standard, Drop D, Eb standard, D standard, C standard, B standard, Open G, Open D, DADGAD

Drop C on other scales: 24.75", 25", 25.5", 26.5", 27", 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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