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 28" scale

11-50 Jazz Light, XL Chromes Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 28" scale, tuned to Drop C (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 C2), pulls 134.1 lb60.8 kg597 N in total and 22.4 lb10.14 kg99 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
134.1 lb60.8 kg597 N
Average per string
22.4 lb10.14 kg99 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

0102030lb0510kg050100Nmedium (10-46)set average1D4.01118.8 lb8.51 kg83 N2A3.01519.6 lb8.91 kg87 N3F3.02227.5 lb12.47 kg122 N4C3.03025.6 lb11.60 kg114 N5G2.04025.8 lb11.69 kg115 N6C2.05016.9 lb7.65 kg75 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 18.8 lb8.51 kg83 N−16%
2A3220.0 .015PL015plain 19.6 lb8.91 kg87 N−12%
3F3174.6 .022CG022flatwound 27.5 lb12.47 kg122 N+23%
4C3130.8 .030CG030flatwound 25.6 lb11.60 kg114 N+14%
5G298.0 .040CG040flatwound 25.8 lb11.69 kg115 N+15%
6C265.4 .050CG050flatwound 16.9 lb7.65 kg75 N−24%
Total134.1 lb60.8 kg597 N

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Similar sets in Drop C, 28"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario EXL116 11-14-18-30-42-5219.6 lb8.91 kg87 N 117.9 lb53.5 kg524 Ntightuneven
D'Addario NYXL1156 11-14-19-32-44-5621.2 lb9.64 kg95 N 127.5 lb57.8 kg567 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL117 11-14-19-32-44-5621.3 lb9.67 kg95 N 127.9 lb58.0 kg569 Ntightuneven
ECG24 (this page) 11-15-22-30-40-5022.4 lb10.14 kg99 N 134.1 lb60.8 kg597 Ntightuneven
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-5422.5 lb10.23 kg100 N 135.3 lb61.4 kg602 Ntightmoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-5422.6 lb10.25 kg101 N 135.6 lb61.5 kg603 Ntightmoderately uneven

Best match for a medium feel in Drop C, 28"

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

  1. D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-46 deviation 11.8%, average 15.5 lb7.04 kg69 N, moderately uneven
  2. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 12.7%, average 18.0 lb8.17 kg80 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: EXL115
  3. D'Addario EXL110 10-13-17-26-36-46 deviation 12.9%, average 15.8 lb7.17 kg70 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: NYXL1046, XSE1046, EPS510

More for the ECG24

Other tunings on 28": D standard, C standard, B standard, Drop A

Drop C on other scales: 24.75", 25", 25.5", 26.5", 27", 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.

Sources