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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 28" scale

OPTIWEB Nickel (coated) Medium (11-49) on an electric guitar with a 28" scale, tuned to B standard (B3 F#3 D3 A2 E2 B1), pulls 80.5 lb36.5 kg358 N in total and 13.4 lb6.08 kg60 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
80.5 lb36.5 kg358 N
Average per string
13.4 lb6.08 kg60 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)1B3.01113.3 lb6.05 kg59 N2F#3.01412.1 lb5.50 kg54 N3D3.01812.6 lb5.70 kg56 N4A2.02814.4 lb6.52 kg64 N5E2.03814.7 lb6.66 kg65 N6B1.04913.4 lb6.08 kg60 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 13.3 lb6.05 kg59 N−1%
2F#3185.0 .014AR014plain 12.1 lb5.50 kg54 N−10%
3D3146.8 .018AR018plain 12.6 lb5.70 kg56 N−6%
4A2110.0 .028ENO028wound 14.4 lb6.52 kg64 N+7%
5E282.4 .038ENO038wound 14.7 lb6.66 kg65 N+9%
6B161.7 .049ENO049wound 13.4 lb6.08 kg60 N−0%
Total80.5 lb36.5 kg358 N

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Similar sets in B standard, 28"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-4913.2 lb5.98 kg59 N 79.1 lb35.9 kg352 Nlooseeven
D'Addario EXL115 11-14-18-28-38-4913.2 lb6.00 kg59 N 79.3 lb36.0 kg353 Nlooseeven
19102 (this page) 11-14-18-28-38-4913.4 lb6.08 kg60 N 80.5 lb36.5 kg358 Nlooseeven
Elixir 12102 11-14-18-28-38-4913.4 lb6.08 kg60 N 80.5 lb36.5 kg358 Nlooseeven
Elixir 12100 11-14-18-28-38-4913.4 lb6.10 kg60 N 80.7 lb36.6 kg359 Nlooseeven
D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-5013.7 lb6.23 kg61 N 82.5 lb37.4 kg367 Nloosevery even

Best match for a medium feel in B standard, 28"

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

  1. D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-54 deviation 7.3%, average 16.5 lb7.48 kg73 N, even; same gauges: EXL145
  2. Elixir 12152 12-16-24-32-42-52 deviation 9.7%, average 17.1 lb7.74 kg76 N, moderately uneven
  3. D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-60 deviation 14.3%, average 18.0 lb8.16 kg80 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL148

More for the 19102

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

B standard on other scales: 27"

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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