String Tension Lab All sets Calculator

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

Elixir 16102 (13-17-26-35-45-56) in C standard on a 25.5" scale

NANOWEB Phosphor Bronze (coated) Medium (13-56) on an acoustic guitar with a 25.5" scale, tuned to C standard (C4 G3 Eb3 Bb2 F2 C2), pulls 118.7 lb53.9 kg528 N in total and 19.8 lb8.98 kg88 N per string on average. That is a loose feel for an acoustic guitar. The set is very even (spread 2.8%). String 4 (Bb2) deviates most: +18% from the set average.

Total tension
118.7 lb53.9 kg528 N
Average per string
19.8 lb8.98 kg88 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

01020lb0510kg050100Nset averagemedium (12-53)1C4.01317.0 lb7.72 kg76 N2G3.01716.6 lb7.53 kg74 N3Eb3.02622.1 lb10.01 kg98 N4Bb2.03523.3 lb10.58 kg104 N5F2.04521.4 lb9.72 kg95 N6C2.05618.3 lb8.29 kg81 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
1C4261.6 .013AR013plain 17.0 lb7.72 kg76 N−14%
2G3196.0 .017AR017plain 16.6 lb7.53 kg74 N−16%
3Eb3155.6 .026APN026wound 22.1 lb10.01 kg98 N+11%
4Bb2116.5 .035APN035wound 23.3 lb10.58 kg104 N+18%
5F287.3 .045APN045wound 21.4 lb9.72 kg95 N+8%
6C265.4 .056APN056wound 18.3 lb8.29 kg81 N−8%
Total118.7 lb53.9 kg528 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in C standard, 25.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
Elixir 16182 13-17-25-32-42-5318.3 lb8.29 kg81 N 109.6 lb49.7 kg488 Nlooseeven
Elixir 11100 13-17-26-35-45-5619.3 lb8.74 kg86 N 115.6 lb52.4 kg514 Nloosevery even
Elixir 11102 13-17-26-35-45-5619.3 lb8.74 kg86 N 115.6 lb52.4 kg514 Nloosevery even
D'Addario EJ17 13-17-26-35-45-5619.5 lb8.84 kg87 N 116.9 lb53.0 kg520 Nloosevery even
16102 (this page) 13-17-26-35-45-5619.8 lb8.98 kg88 N 118.7 lb53.9 kg528 Nloosevery even
Elixir 11125 16-18-28-35-45-5621.7 lb9.85 kg97 N 130.3 lb59.1 kg580 Nlooseuneven

Best match for a medium feel in C standard, 25.5"

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

  1. Elixir 11125 16-18-28-35-45-56 deviation 22.9%, average 21.7 lb9.85 kg97 N, uneven
  2. Elixir 16102 13-17-26-35-45-56 deviation 26.3%, average 19.8 lb8.98 kg88 N, very even; same gauges: 11100, 11102
  3. D'Addario EJ17 13-17-26-35-45-56 deviation 27.4%, average 19.5 lb8.84 kg87 N, very even

More for the 16102

Other tunings on 25.5": E standard, Drop D, Eb standard, D standard, Drop C, Open G, Open D, DADGAD

C standard on other scales: 24.75", 25"

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