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 A on a 27" scale

11-50 Jazz Light, XL Chromes Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 27" scale, tuned to Drop A (B3 F#3 D3 A2 E2 A1), pulls 88.2 lb40.0 kg392 N in total and 14.7 lb6.67 kg65 N per string on average. That is a loose feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 18.1%). String 6 (A1) deviates most: −24% from the set average.

Total tension
88.2 lb40.0 kg392 N
Average per string
14.7 lb6.67 kg65 N
Feel
loose
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 18.1%

Tension per string

05101520lb02468kg020406080Nset averagemedium (10-46)1B3.01112.3 lb5.60 kg55 N2F#3.01512.9 lb5.86 kg57 N3D3.02218.1 lb8.20 kg80 N4A2.03016.8 lb7.63 kg75 N5E2.04016.9 lb7.68 kg75 N6A1.05011.1 lb5.03 kg49 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
1B3246.9 .011PL011plain 12.3 lb5.60 kg55 N−16%
2F#3185.0 .015PL015plain 12.9 lb5.86 kg57 N−12%
3D3146.8 .022CG022flatwound 18.1 lb8.20 kg80 N+23%
4A2110.0 .030CG030flatwound 16.8 lb7.63 kg75 N+14%
5E282.4 .040CG040flatwound 16.9 lb7.68 kg75 N+15%
6A155.0 .050CG050flatwound 11.1 lb5.03 kg49 N−24%
Total88.2 lb40.0 kg392 N

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Similar sets in Drop A, 27"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1156 11-14-19-32-44-5614.0 lb6.34 kg62 N 83.8 lb38.0 kg373 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario EXL117 11-14-19-32-44-5614.0 lb6.36 kg62 N 84.1 lb38.1 kg374 Nlooseuneven
ECG24 (this page) 11-15-22-30-40-5014.7 lb6.67 kg65 N 88.2 lb40.0 kg392 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-5414.8 lb6.72 kg66 N 89.0 lb40.3 kg396 Nloosemoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-5414.9 lb6.74 kg66 N 89.2 lb40.4 kg397 Nloosemoderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-6016.1 lb7.30 kg72 N 96.5 lb43.8 kg429 Nmediumuneven

Best match for a medium feel in Drop A, 27"

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

  1. D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-60 deviation 13.5%, average 16.1 lb7.30 kg72 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL148
  2. D'Addario EXL158 13-17-26-36-46-62 deviation 14.4%, average 18.4 lb8.34 kg82 N, moderately uneven
  3. D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-54 deviation 16.5%, average 14.9 lb6.74 kg66 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: NYXL1254

More for the ECG24

Other tunings on 27": D standard, Drop C, C standard, B standard

Drop A on other scales: 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.

Sources