String Tension Lab Calculator

D'Addario · ProSteels · 10-13-17-26-36-46

D'Addario EPS510 (10-13-17-26-36-46) in Open D on a 25.5"–27" multiscale scale

10-46 Regular Light, XL ProSteels Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 25.5"–27" multiscale scale, tuned to Open D (D4 A3 F#3 D3 A2 D2), pulls 92.7 lb42.1 kg412 N in total and 15.5 lb7.01 kg69 N per string on average. That is a loose feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 17.0%). String 5 (A2) deviates most: +26% from the set average.

Total tension
92.7 lb42.1 kg412 N
Average per string
15.5 lb7.01 kg69 N
Feel
loose
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 17.0%

Tension per string

05101520lb02468kg020406080Nset averagemedium (10-46)1D4.01012.9 lb5.84 kg57 N2A3.01312.5 lb5.68 kg56 N3F#3.01715.5 lb7.03 kg69 N4D3.02618.2 lb8.27 kg81 N5A2.03619.5 lb8.86 kg87 N6D2.04614.1 lb6.38 kg63 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 Length Tensionvs avg
1D4293.7 .010PL010plain 25.5" 12.9 lb5.84 kg57 N−17%
2A3220.0 .013PL013plain 25.8" 12.5 lb5.68 kg56 N−19%
3F#3185.0 .017PL017plain 26.1" 15.5 lb7.03 kg69 N+0%
4D3146.8 .026PSG026wound 26.4" 18.2 lb8.27 kg81 N+18%
5A2110.0 .036PSG036wound 26.7" 19.5 lb8.86 kg87 N+26%
6D273.4 .046PSG046wound 27" 14.1 lb6.38 kg63 N−9%
Total92.7 lb42.1 kg412 N

Open in the calculator

Multiscale (fanned frets): string lengths change linearly from 25.5" (treble) to 27" (bass).

Similar sets in Open D, 25.5"–27" multiscale

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
EPS510 (this page) 10-13-17-26-36-4615.5 lb7.01 kg69 N 92.7 lb42.1 kg412 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-4615.7 lb7.12 kg70 N 94.2 lb42.7 kg419 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario NYXL1046 10-13-17-26-36-4616.1 lb7.28 kg71 N 96.3 lb43.7 kg429 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario XSE1046 10-13-17-26-36-4616.1 lb7.28 kg71 N 96.3 lb43.7 kg429 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EXL110 10-13-17-26-36-4616.1 lb7.30 kg72 N 96.5 lb43.8 kg429 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-4918.3 lb8.29 kg81 N 109.7 lb49.8 kg488 Nmediumuneven

Best match for a medium feel in Open D, 25.5"–27" multiscale

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 15.6%, average 15.7 lb7.12 kg70 N, uneven
  2. D'Addario EPS510 10-13-17-26-36-46 deviation 18.1%, average 15.5 lb7.01 kg69 N, uneven; same gauges: NYXL1046, XSE1046, EXL110
  3. D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-50 deviation 19.1%, average 19.0 lb8.61 kg84 N, uneven

More for the EPS510

Other tunings on 25.5"–27" multiscale: E standard, Drop D, Eb standard, D standard, Drop C, Open G, DADGAD

Open D on other scales: 24.75", 25", 25.5", 26.5", 27", 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