String Tension Lab Calculator

D'Addario · Chromes Flatwound · 11-15-22-30-40-50

D'Addario ECG24 (11-15-22-30-40-50) in Drop C on a 24.75" scale

11-50 Jazz Light, XL Chromes Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 24.75" scale, tuned to Drop C (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 C2), pulls 104.8 lb47.5 kg466 N in total and 17.5 lb7.92 kg78 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 18.1%). String 6 (C2) deviates most: −24% from the set average.

Total tension
104.8 lb47.5 kg466 N
Average per string
17.5 lb7.92 kg78 N
Feel
medium
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 18.1%

Tension per string

05101520lb025810kg0255075100Nmedium (10-46)set average1D4.01114.7 lb6.65 kg65 N2A3.01515.3 lb6.96 kg68 N3F3.02221.5 lb9.74 kg96 N4C3.03020.0 lb9.06 kg89 N5G2.04020.1 lb9.13 kg90 N6C2.05013.2 lb5.98 kg59 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
1D4293.7 .011PL011plain 14.7 lb6.65 kg65 N−16%
2A3220.0 .015PL015plain 15.3 lb6.96 kg68 N−12%
3F3174.6 .022CG022flatwound 21.5 lb9.74 kg96 N+23%
4C3130.8 .030CG030flatwound 20.0 lb9.06 kg89 N+14%
5G298.0 .040CG040flatwound 20.1 lb9.13 kg90 N+15%
6C265.4 .050CG050flatwound 13.2 lb5.98 kg59 N−24%
Total104.8 lb47.5 kg466 N

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Similar sets in Drop C, 24.75"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1156 11-14-19-32-44-5616.6 lb7.53 kg74 N 99.6 lb45.2 kg443 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EXL117 11-14-19-32-44-5616.7 lb7.55 kg74 N 99.9 lb45.3 kg444 Nmediumuneven
ECG24 (this page) 11-15-22-30-40-5017.5 lb7.92 kg78 N 104.8 lb47.5 kg466 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-5417.6 lb7.99 kg78 N 105.7 lb47.9 kg470 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-5417.7 lb8.01 kg79 N 106.0 lb48.1 kg471 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-6019.1 lb8.67 kg85 N 114.7 lb52.0 kg510 Ntightuneven

Best match for a medium feel in Drop C, 24.75"

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 12.2%, average 17.6 lb7.99 kg78 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: EXL145
  2. D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-50 deviation 16.3%, average 14.7 lb6.66 kg65 N, moderately uneven
  3. D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-48 deviation 17.2%, average 14.7 lb6.66 kg65 N, moderately uneven

More for the ECG24

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

Drop C on other scales: 25", 25.5", 26.5", 27", 28", 25.5"–27" multiscale

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