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

Elixir 19102 (11-14-18-28-38-49) in B standard on a 27" scale

OPTIWEB Nickel (coated) Medium (11-49) on an electric guitar with a 27" scale, tuned to B standard (B3 F#3 D3 A2 E2 B1), pulls 74.8 lb33.9 kg333 N in total and 12.5 lb5.66 kg55 N per string on average. That is a loose feel for an electric guitar. The set is even (spread 6.8%). String 2 (F#3) deviates most: −10% from the set average.

Total tension
74.8 lb33.9 kg333 N
Average per string
12.5 lb5.66 kg55 N
Feel
loose
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
even
spread 6.8%

Tension per string

051015lb02468kg020406080Nset averagemedium (10-46)1B3.01112.4 lb5.62 kg55 N2F#3.01411.3 lb5.11 kg50 N3D3.01811.7 lb5.30 kg52 N4A2.02813.4 lb6.06 kg59 N5E2.03813.6 lb6.19 kg61 N6B1.04912.5 lb5.65 kg55 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
1B3246.9 .011AR011plain 12.4 lb5.62 kg55 N−1%
2F#3185.0 .014AR014plain 11.3 lb5.11 kg50 N−10%
3D3146.8 .018AR018plain 11.7 lb5.30 kg52 N−6%
4A2110.0 .028ENO028wound 13.4 lb6.06 kg59 N+7%
5E282.4 .038ENO038wound 13.6 lb6.19 kg61 N+9%
6B161.7 .049ENO049wound 12.5 lb5.65 kg55 N−0%
Total74.8 lb33.9 kg333 N

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Similar sets in B standard, 27"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-4912.3 lb5.56 kg55 N 73.5 lb33.4 kg327 Nlooseeven
D'Addario EXL115 11-14-18-28-38-4912.3 lb5.58 kg55 N 73.7 lb33.5 kg328 Nlooseeven
19102 (this page) 11-14-18-28-38-4912.5 lb5.66 kg55 N 74.8 lb33.9 kg333 Nlooseeven
Elixir 12102 11-14-18-28-38-4912.5 lb5.66 kg55 N 74.8 lb33.9 kg333 Nlooseeven
Elixir 12100 11-14-18-28-38-4912.5 lb5.67 kg56 N 75.0 lb34.0 kg334 Nlooseeven
D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-5012.8 lb5.80 kg57 N 76.7 lb34.8 kg341 Nloosevery even

Best match for a medium feel in B standard, 27"

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

  1. Elixir 12152 12-16-24-32-42-52 deviation 11.5%, average 15.9 lb7.20 kg71 N, moderately uneven
  2. D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-54 deviation 11.8%, average 15.4 lb6.97 kg68 N, even; same gauges: NYXL1254
  3. D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-60 deviation 12.6%, average 16.7 lb7.58 kg74 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL148

More for the 19102

Other tunings on 27": E standard, Drop D, Eb standard, D standard, Drop C, C standard, Open G, Open D, DADGAD

B standard on other scales: 28"

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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