String Tension Lab Calculator

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

D'Addario ECG24 (11-15-22-30-40-50) in Eb standard on a 25.5" scale

11-50 Jazz Light, XL Chromes Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 25.5" scale, tuned to Eb standard (Eb4 Bb3 Gb3 Db3 Ab2 Eb2), pulls 128.9 lb58.5 kg573 N in total and 21.5 lb9.75 kg96 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 14.4%). String 3 (Gb3) deviates most: +19% from the set average.

Total tension
128.9 lb58.5 kg573 N
Average per string
21.5 lb9.75 kg96 N
Feel
tight
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 14.4%

Tension per string

01020lb0510kg050100Nmedium (10-46)set average1Eb4.01117.5 lb7.93 kg78 N2Bb3.01518.3 lb8.29 kg81 N3Gb3.02225.6 lb11.61 kg114 N4Db3.03023.8 lb10.80 kg106 N5Ab2.04024.0 lb10.88 kg107 N6Eb2.05019.8 lb8.98 kg88 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
1Eb4311.1 .011PL011plain 17.5 lb7.93 kg78 N−19%
2Bb3233.1 .015PL015plain 18.3 lb8.29 kg81 N−15%
3Gb3185.0 .022CG022flatwound 25.6 lb11.61 kg114 N+19%
4Db3138.6 .030CG030flatwound 23.8 lb10.80 kg106 N+11%
5Ab2103.8 .040CG040flatwound 24.0 lb10.88 kg107 N+12%
6Eb277.8 .050CG050flatwound 19.8 lb8.98 kg88 N−8%
Total128.9 lb58.5 kg573 N

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Similar sets in Eb standard, 25.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1156 11-14-19-32-44-5620.6 lb9.32 kg91 N 123.3 lb55.9 kg548 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL117 11-14-19-32-44-5620.6 lb9.35 kg92 N 123.7 lb56.1 kg550 Ntightuneven
ECG24 (this page) 11-15-22-30-40-5021.5 lb9.75 kg96 N 128.9 lb58.5 kg573 Ntightuneven
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-5421.7 lb9.85 kg97 N 130.3 lb59.1 kg579 Ntighteven
D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-5421.8 lb9.87 kg97 N 130.6 lb59.2 kg581 Ntighteven
D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-6023.7 lb10.74 kg105 N 142.0 lb64.4 kg632 Ntightuneven

Best match for a medium feel in Eb standard, 25.5"

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 6.3%, average 17.4 lb7.87 kg77 N, even; same gauges: EXL115
  2. D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-50 deviation 6.5%, average 18.1 lb8.21 kg80 N, very even
  3. D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-48 deviation 11.3%, average 18.1 lb8.22 kg81 N, moderately uneven

More for the ECG24

Other tunings on 25.5": D standard, Drop C, C standard, Open D

Eb standard on other scales: 24.75", 25", 26.5", 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.

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