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 25.5"–27" multiscale scale

11-50 Jazz Light, XL Chromes Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 25.5"–27" multiscale scale, tuned to Drop C (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 C2), pulls 118.0 lb53.5 kg525 N in total and 19.7 lb8.92 kg87 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 18.9%). String 3 (F3) deviates most: +21% from the set average.

Total tension
118.0 lb53.5 kg525 N
Average per string
19.7 lb8.92 kg87 N
Feel
tight
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 18.9%

Tension per string

01020lb025810kg0255075100Nmedium (10-46)set average1D4.01115.6 lb7.06 kg69 N2A3.01516.7 lb7.56 kg74 N3F3.02223.9 lb10.83 kg106 N4C3.03022.7 lb10.31 kg101 N5G2.04023.4 lb10.63 kg104 N6C2.05015.7 lb7.12 kg70 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 Length Tensionvs avg
1D4293.7 .011PL011plain 25.5" 15.6 lb7.06 kg69 N−21%
2A3220.0 .015PL015plain 25.8" 16.7 lb7.56 kg74 N−15%
3F3174.6 .022CG022flatwound 26.1" 23.9 lb10.83 kg106 N+21%
4C3130.8 .030CG030flatwound 26.4" 22.7 lb10.31 kg101 N+16%
5G298.0 .040CG040flatwound 26.7" 23.4 lb10.63 kg104 N+19%
6C265.4 .050CG050flatwound 27" 15.7 lb7.12 kg70 N−20%
Total118.0 lb53.5 kg525 N

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Multiscale (fanned frets): string lengths change linearly from 25.5" (treble) to 27" (bass).

Similar sets in Drop C, 25.5"–27" multiscale

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1156 11-14-19-32-44-5618.7 lb8.50 kg83 N 112.5 lb51.0 kg500 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL117 11-14-19-32-44-5618.8 lb8.53 kg84 N 112.8 lb51.2 kg502 Ntightuneven
ECG24 (this page) 11-15-22-30-40-5019.7 lb8.92 kg87 N 118.0 lb53.5 kg525 Ntightuneven
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-5419.8 lb8.98 kg88 N 118.8 lb53.9 kg529 Ntightmoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-5419.9 lb9.01 kg88 N 119.1 lb54.0 kg530 Ntightmoderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-6021.6 lb9.78 kg96 N 129.3 lb58.7 kg575 Ntightuneven

Best match for a medium feel in Drop C, 25.5"–27" multiscale

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

  1. D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-50 deviation 8.8%, average 16.5 lb7.48 kg73 N, moderately uneven
  2. D'Addario EXL115 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 12.5%, average 15.9 lb7.20 kg71 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: NYXL1149
  3. D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-48 deviation 12.7%, average 16.5 lb7.49 kg73 N, uneven

More for the ECG24

Other tunings on 25.5"–27" multiscale: Eb standard, D standard, C standard

Drop C on other scales: 24.75", 25", 25.5", 26.5", 27", 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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