String Tension Lab Calculator

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

D'Addario ECG24 (11-15-22-30-40-50) in C standard on a 26.5" scale

11-50 Jazz Light, XL Chromes Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 26.5" scale, tuned to C standard (C4 G3 Eb3 Bb2 F2 C2), pulls 98.5 lb44.7 kg438 N in total and 16.4 lb7.44 kg73 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 14.4%). String 3 (Eb3) deviates most: +19% from the set average.

Total tension
98.5 lb44.7 kg438 N
Average per string
16.4 lb7.44 kg73 N
Feel
medium
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 14.4%

Tension per string

05101520lb02468kg020406080Nset averagemedium (10-46)1C4.01113.3 lb6.05 kg59 N2G3.01514.0 lb6.33 kg62 N3Eb3.02219.5 lb8.86 kg87 N4Bb2.03018.2 lb8.25 kg81 N5F2.04018.3 lb8.31 kg81 N6C2.05015.1 lb6.86 kg67 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
1C4261.6 .011PL011plain 13.3 lb6.05 kg59 N−19%
2G3196.0 .015PL015plain 14.0 lb6.33 kg62 N−15%
3Eb3155.6 .022CG022flatwound 19.5 lb8.86 kg87 N+19%
4Bb2116.5 .030CG030flatwound 18.2 lb8.25 kg81 N+11%
5F287.3 .040CG040flatwound 18.3 lb8.31 kg81 N+12%
6C265.4 .050CG050flatwound 15.1 lb6.86 kg67 N−8%
Total98.5 lb44.7 kg438 N

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Similar sets in C standard, 26.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1156 11-14-19-32-44-5615.7 lb7.12 kg70 N 94.2 lb42.7 kg419 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EXL117 11-14-19-32-44-5615.7 lb7.14 kg70 N 94.5 lb42.8 kg420 Nmediumuneven
ECG24 (this page) 11-15-22-30-40-5016.4 lb7.44 kg73 N 98.5 lb44.7 kg438 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-5416.6 lb7.52 kg74 N 99.5 lb45.1 kg443 Nmediumeven
D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-5416.6 lb7.54 kg74 N 99.7 lb45.2 kg444 Nmediumeven
D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-6018.1 lb8.20 kg80 N 108.5 lb49.2 kg482 Nmediumuneven

Best match for a medium feel in C standard, 26.5"

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 7.1%, average 16.6 lb7.52 kg74 N, even; same gauges: EXL145
  2. D'Addario ECG24 11-15-22-30-40-50 deviation 14.4%, average 16.4 lb7.44 kg73 N, uneven
  3. D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-60 deviation 14.5%, average 18.1 lb8.20 kg80 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL148

More for the ECG24

Other tunings on 26.5": Eb standard, D standard, Drop C, B standard

C standard on other scales: 24.75", 25", 25.5", 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.

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