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 D 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 D (E4 B3 G3 D3 A2 D2), pulls 132.0 lb59.9 kg587 N in total and 22.0 lb9.98 kg98 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 18.1%). String 6 (D2) deviates most: −24% from the set average.

Total tension
132.0 lb59.9 kg587 N
Average per string
22.0 lb9.98 kg98 N
Feel
tight
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 18.1%

Tension per string

0102030lb0510kg050100Nmedium (10-46)set average1E4.01118.5 lb8.38 kg82 N2B3.01519.3 lb8.77 kg86 N3G3.02227.1 lb12.27 kg120 N4D3.03025.2 lb11.42 kg112 N5A2.04025.4 lb11.50 kg113 N6D2.05016.6 lb7.54 kg74 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
1E4329.6 .011PL011plain 18.5 lb8.38 kg82 N−16%
2B3246.9 .015PL015plain 19.3 lb8.77 kg86 N−12%
3G3196.0 .022CG022flatwound 27.1 lb12.27 kg120 N+23%
4D3146.8 .030CG030flatwound 25.2 lb11.42 kg112 N+14%
5A2110.0 .040CG040flatwound 25.4 lb11.50 kg113 N+15%
6D273.4 .050CG050flatwound 16.6 lb7.54 kg74 N−24%
Total132.0 lb59.9 kg587 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in Drop D, 24.75"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario EXL116 11-14-18-30-42-5219.3 lb8.77 kg86 N 116.0 lb52.6 kg516 Ntightuneven
D'Addario NYXL1156 11-14-19-32-44-5620.9 lb9.49 kg93 N 125.5 lb56.9 kg558 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL117 11-14-19-32-44-5621.0 lb9.52 kg93 N 125.9 lb57.1 kg560 Ntightuneven
ECG24 (this page) 11-15-22-30-40-5022.0 lb9.98 kg98 N 132.0 lb59.9 kg587 Ntightuneven
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-5422.2 lb10.07 kg99 N 133.2 lb60.4 kg592 Ntightmoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-5422.3 lb10.09 kg99 N 133.5 lb60.6 kg594 Ntightmoderately uneven

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

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

  1. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 11.9%, average 17.7 lb8.05 kg79 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: EXL115
  2. D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-46 deviation 12.8%, average 15.3 lb6.93 kg68 N, moderately uneven
  3. D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-50 deviation 13.0%, average 18.5 lb8.39 kg82 N, moderately uneven

More for the ECG24

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

Drop D on other scales: 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