String Tension Lab Calculator

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

D'Addario ECG24 (11-15-22-30-40-50) in Open D 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 Open D (D4 A3 F#3 D3 A2 D2), pulls 128.7 lb58.4 kg573 N in total and 21.5 lb9.73 kg95 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 23.4%). String 1 (D4) deviates most: −27% from the set average.

Total tension
128.7 lb58.4 kg573 N
Average per string
21.5 lb9.73 kg95 N
Feel
tight
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 23.4%

Tension per string

0102030lb0510kg050100Nmedium (10-46)set average1D4.01115.6 lb7.06 kg69 N2A3.01516.3 lb7.39 kg72 N3F#3.02225.6 lb11.61 kg114 N4D3.03026.7 lb12.12 kg119 N5A2.04026.9 lb12.21 kg120 N6D2.05017.6 lb8.00 kg78 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 15.6 lb7.06 kg69 N−27%
2A3220.0 .015PL015plain 16.3 lb7.39 kg72 N−24%
3F#3185.0 .022CG022flatwound 25.6 lb11.61 kg114 N+19%
4D3146.8 .030CG030flatwound 26.7 lb12.12 kg119 N+25%
5A2110.0 .040CG040flatwound 26.9 lb12.21 kg120 N+25%
6D273.4 .050CG050flatwound 17.6 lb8.00 kg78 N−18%
Total128.7 lb58.4 kg573 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in Open D, 25.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario EXL116 11-14-18-30-42-5218.9 lb8.57 kg84 N 113.4 lb51.4 kg505 Ntightuneven
D'Addario NYXL1156 11-14-19-32-44-5620.5 lb9.32 kg91 N 123.2 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 lb9.73 kg95 N 128.7 lb58.4 kg573 Ntightuneven
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-5421.5 lb9.77 kg96 N 129.2 lb58.6 kg575 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-5421.6 lb9.79 kg96 N 129.6 lb58.8 kg576 Ntightuneven

Best match for a medium feel in Open D, 25.5"

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 13.7%, average 17.9 lb8.11 kg80 N, uneven
  2. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 16.1%, average 17.2 lb7.80 kg77 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL115
  3. D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-46 deviation 17.2%, average 14.8 lb6.71 kg66 N, uneven

More for the ECG24

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

Open D on other scales: 24.75", 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