String Tension Lab Calculator

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

D'Addario EPS510 (10-13-17-26-36-46) in Drop D on a 25.5" scale

10-46 Regular Light, XL ProSteels Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 25.5" scale, tuned to Drop D (E4 B3 G3 D3 A2 D2), pulls 95.6 lb43.4 kg425 N in total and 15.9 lb7.23 kg71 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for an electric guitar. The set is moderately uneven (spread 10.6%). String 6 (D2) deviates most: −21% from the set average.

Total tension
95.6 lb43.4 kg425 N
Average per string
15.9 lb7.23 kg71 N
Feel
medium
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
moderately uneven
spread 10.6%

Tension per string

051015lb02468kg020406080Nset averagemedium (10-46)1E4.01016.2 lb7.35 kg72 N2B3.01315.4 lb6.99 kg69 N3G3.01716.6 lb7.54 kg74 N4D3.02617.0 lb7.72 kg76 N5A2.03617.8 lb8.08 kg79 N6D2.04612.6 lb5.69 kg56 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
1E4329.6 .010PL010plain 16.2 lb7.35 kg72 N+2%
2B3246.9 .013PL013plain 15.4 lb6.99 kg69 N−3%
3G3196.0 .017PL017plain 16.6 lb7.54 kg74 N+4%
4D3146.8 .026PSG026wound 17.0 lb7.72 kg76 N+7%
5A2110.0 .036PSG036wound 17.8 lb8.08 kg79 N+12%
6D273.4 .046PSG046wound 12.6 lb5.69 kg56 N−21%
Total95.6 lb43.4 kg425 N

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Similar sets in Drop D, 25.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
EPS510 (this page) 10-13-17-26-36-4615.9 lb7.23 kg71 N 95.6 lb43.4 kg425 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-4616.2 lb7.35 kg72 N 97.3 lb44.1 kg433 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1046 10-13-17-26-36-4616.5 lb7.48 kg73 N 98.9 lb44.9 kg440 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario XSE1046 10-13-17-26-36-4616.5 lb7.48 kg73 N 98.9 lb44.9 kg440 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL110 10-13-17-26-36-4616.5 lb7.49 kg73 N 99.1 lb44.9 kg441 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-4918.8 lb8.54 kg84 N 113.0 lb51.3 kg503 Ntightmoderately uneven

Best match for a medium feel in Drop D, 25.5"

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 9.2%, average 16.2 lb7.35 kg72 N, moderately uneven
  2. D'Addario EXL110 10-13-17-26-36-46 deviation 11.4%, average 16.5 lb7.49 kg73 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: NYXL1046, XSE1046, EPS510
  3. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 15.7%, average 18.8 lb8.54 kg84 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: EXL115

More for the EPS510

Other tunings on 25.5": E standard, Eb standard, D standard, Open G, Open D, DADGAD

Drop D on other scales: 24.75", 25", 26.5", 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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