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Elixir · NANOWEB Phosphor Bronze (coated) · 13-17-26-35-45-56

Elixir 16102 (13-17-26-35-45-56) in D standard on a 24.75" scale

NANOWEB Phosphor Bronze (coated) Medium (13-56) on an acoustic guitar with a 24.75" scale, tuned to D standard (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 D2), pulls 140.9 lb63.9 kg627 N in total and 23.5 lb10.65 kg104 N per string on average. That is a loose feel for an acoustic guitar. The set is very even (spread 2.8%). String 4 (C3) deviates most: +18% from the set average.

Total tension
140.9 lb63.9 kg627 N
Average per string
23.5 lb10.65 kg104 N
Feel
loose
medium ≈ 26.8 lb12.14 kg119 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
very even
spread 2.8%

Tension per string

0102030lb0510kg050100Nset averagemedium (12-53)1D4.01320.2 lb9.16 kg90 N2A3.01719.7 lb8.94 kg88 N3F3.02626.2 lb11.88 kg117 N4C3.03527.7 lb12.56 kg123 N5G2.04525.4 lb11.54 kg113 N6D2.05621.7 lb9.84 kg97 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 .013AR013plain 20.2 lb9.16 kg90 N−14%
2A3220.0 .017AR017plain 19.7 lb8.94 kg88 N−16%
3F3174.6 .026APN026wound 26.2 lb11.88 kg117 N+11%
4C3130.8 .035APN035wound 27.7 lb12.56 kg123 N+18%
5G298.0 .045APN045wound 25.4 lb11.54 kg113 N+8%
6D273.4 .056APN056wound 21.7 lb9.84 kg97 N−8%
Total140.9 lb63.9 kg627 N

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Similar sets in D standard, 24.75"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
Elixir 16182 13-17-25-32-42-5321.7 lb9.83 kg96 N 130.1 lb59.0 kg579 Nlooseeven
Elixir 16077 12-16-24-35-45-5622.0 lb9.98 kg98 N 132.0 lb59.9 kg587 Nloosemoderately uneven
Elixir 11100 13-17-26-35-45-5622.9 lb10.37 kg102 N 137.2 lb62.2 kg610 Nloosevery even
Elixir 11102 13-17-26-35-45-5622.9 lb10.37 kg102 N 137.2 lb62.2 kg610 Nloosevery even
D'Addario EJ17 13-17-26-35-45-5623.1 lb10.49 kg103 N 138.7 lb62.9 kg617 Nloosevery even
16102 (this page) 13-17-26-35-45-5623.5 lb10.65 kg104 N 140.9 lb63.9 kg627 Nloosevery even

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

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

  1. Elixir 16102 13-17-26-35-45-56 deviation 12.7%, average 23.5 lb10.65 kg104 N, very even; same gauges: 11100, 11102
  2. D'Addario EJ17 13-17-26-35-45-56 deviation 13.9%, average 23.1 lb10.49 kg103 N, very even
  3. Elixir 11125 16-18-28-35-45-56 deviation 16.8%, average 25.8 lb11.69 kg115 N, uneven

More for the 16102

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

D 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.

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