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 26.5" scale

11-50 Jazz Light, XL Chromes Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 26.5" scale, tuned to Drop C (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 C2), pulls 120.1 lb54.5 kg534 N in total and 20.0 lb9.08 kg89 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 18.1%). String 6 (C2) deviates most: −24% from the set average.

Total tension
120.1 lb54.5 kg534 N
Average per string
20.0 lb9.08 kg89 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

01020lb0510kg0255075100Nmedium (10-46)set average1D4.01116.8 lb7.63 kg75 N2A3.01517.6 lb7.98 kg78 N3F3.02224.6 lb11.17 kg110 N4C3.03022.9 lb10.39 kg102 N5G2.04023.1 lb10.47 kg103 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
1D4293.7 .011PL011plain 16.8 lb7.63 kg75 N−16%
2A3220.0 .015PL015plain 17.6 lb7.98 kg78 N−12%
3F3174.6 .022CG022flatwound 24.6 lb11.17 kg110 N+23%
4C3130.8 .030CG030flatwound 22.9 lb10.39 kg102 N+14%
5G298.0 .040CG040flatwound 23.1 lb10.47 kg103 N+15%
6C265.4 .050CG050flatwound 15.1 lb6.86 kg67 N−24%
Total120.1 lb54.5 kg534 N

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Similar sets in Drop C, 26.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1156 11-14-19-32-44-5619.0 lb8.63 kg85 N 114.2 lb51.8 kg508 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL117 11-14-19-32-44-5619.1 lb8.66 kg85 N 114.5 lb52.0 kg510 Ntightuneven
ECG24 (this page) 11-15-22-30-40-5020.0 lb9.08 kg89 N 120.1 lb54.5 kg534 Ntightuneven
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-5420.2 lb9.16 kg90 N 121.2 lb55.0 kg539 Ntightmoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-5420.2 lb9.18 kg90 N 121.5 lb55.1 kg540 Ntightmoderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-6021.9 lb9.94 kg97 N 131.5 lb59.6 kg585 Ntightuneven

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

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 9.4%, average 16.8 lb7.63 kg75 N, moderately uneven
  2. D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-48 deviation 11.4%, average 16.8 lb7.63 kg75 N, moderately uneven
  3. D'Addario EXL115 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 11.7%, average 16.2 lb7.34 kg72 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: NYXL1149

More for the ECG24

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

Drop C 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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