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

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

NANOWEB Phosphor Bronze (coated) Medium (13-56) on an acoustic guitar with a 25.5" scale, tuned to Eb standard (Eb4 Bb3 Gb3 Db3 Ab2 Eb2), pulls 167.9 lb76.2 kg747 N in total and 28.0 lb12.70 kg125 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for an acoustic guitar. The set is very even (spread 2.8%). String 4 (Db3) deviates most: +18% from the set average.

Total tension
167.9 lb76.2 kg747 N
Average per string
28.0 lb12.70 kg125 N
Feel
medium
medium ≈ 26.8 lb12.14 kg119 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
very even
spread 2.8%

Tension per string

0102030lb051015kg050100150Nmedium (12-53)set average1Eb4.01324.1 lb10.92 kg107 N2Bb3.01723.5 lb10.66 kg104 N3Gb3.02631.2 lb14.16 kg139 N4Db3.03533.0 lb14.96 kg147 N5Ab2.04530.3 lb13.75 kg135 N6Eb2.05625.9 lb11.73 kg115 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
1Eb4311.1 .013AR013plain 24.1 lb10.92 kg107 N−14%
2Bb3233.1 .017AR017plain 23.5 lb10.66 kg104 N−16%
3Gb3185.0 .026APN026wound 31.2 lb14.16 kg139 N+11%
4Db3138.6 .035APN035wound 33.0 lb14.96 kg147 N+18%
5Ab2103.8 .045APN045wound 30.3 lb13.75 kg135 N+8%
6Eb277.8 .056APN056wound 25.9 lb11.73 kg115 N−8%
Total167.9 lb76.2 kg747 N

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Similar sets in Eb standard, 25.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
Elixir 16182 13-17-25-32-42-5325.8 lb11.72 kg115 N 155.0 lb70.3 kg689 Nmediumeven
Elixir 16077 12-16-24-35-45-5626.2 lb11.89 kg117 N 157.3 lb71.4 kg700 Nmediummoderately uneven
Elixir 11100 13-17-26-35-45-5627.2 lb12.36 kg121 N 163.5 lb74.2 kg727 Nmediumvery even
Elixir 11102 13-17-26-35-45-5627.2 lb12.36 kg121 N 163.5 lb74.2 kg727 Nmediumvery even
D'Addario EJ17 13-17-26-35-45-5627.5 lb12.50 kg123 N 165.3 lb75.0 kg735 Nmediumvery even
16102 (this page) 13-17-26-35-45-5628.0 lb12.70 kg125 N 167.9 lb76.2 kg747 Nmediumvery even

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

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

  1. Elixir 11100 13-17-26-35-45-56 deviation 2.3%, average 27.2 lb12.36 kg121 N, very even; same gauges: 11102, 16102
  2. D'Addario EJ17 13-17-26-35-45-56 deviation 3.8%, average 27.5 lb12.50 kg123 N, very even
  3. Elixir 16182 13-17-25-32-42-53 deviation 5.7%, average 25.8 lb11.72 kg115 N, even; same gauges: 11182

More for the 16102

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

Eb 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.

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