String Tension Lab Calculator

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

D'Addario EPS510 (10-13-17-26-36-46) in E standard on a 25" scale

10-46 Regular Light, XL ProSteels Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 25" scale, tuned to E standard (E4 B3 G3 D3 A2 E2), pulls 95.0 lb43.1 kg423 N in total and 15.8 lb7.18 kg70 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for an electric guitar. The set is even (spread 4.8%). String 5 (A2) deviates most: +8% from the set average.

Total tension
95.0 lb43.1 kg423 N
Average per string
15.8 lb7.18 kg70 N
Feel
medium
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
even
spread 4.8%

Tension per string

051015lb02468kg020406080Nset averagemedium (10-46)1E4.01015.6 lb7.07 kg69 N2B3.01314.8 lb6.72 kg66 N3G3.01716.0 lb7.24 kg71 N4D3.02616.4 lb7.42 kg73 N5A2.03617.1 lb7.77 kg76 N6E2.04615.2 lb6.89 kg68 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 15.6 lb7.07 kg69 N−2%
2B3246.9 .013PL013plain 14.8 lb6.72 kg66 N−6%
3G3196.0 .017PL017plain 16.0 lb7.24 kg71 N+1%
4D3146.8 .026PSG026wound 16.4 lb7.42 kg73 N+3%
5A2110.0 .036PSG036wound 17.1 lb7.77 kg76 N+8%
6E282.4 .046PSG046wound 15.2 lb6.89 kg68 N−4%
Total95.0 lb43.1 kg423 N

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Similar sets in E standard, 25"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
EPS510 (this page) 10-13-17-26-36-4615.8 lb7.18 kg70 N 95.0 lb43.1 kg423 Nmediumeven
D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-4616.1 lb7.32 kg72 N 96.9 lb43.9 kg431 Nmediumvery even
D'Addario NYXL1046 10-13-17-26-36-4616.4 lb7.44 kg73 N 98.4 lb44.6 kg438 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario XSE1046 10-13-17-26-36-4616.4 lb7.44 kg73 N 98.4 lb44.6 kg438 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL110 10-13-17-26-36-4616.4 lb7.45 kg73 N 98.6 lb44.7 kg439 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-4918.7 lb8.49 kg83 N 112.4 lb51.0 kg500 Ntighteven

Best match for a medium feel in E standard, 25"

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 5.9%, average 16.1 lb7.32 kg72 N, very even
  2. D'Addario EXL110 10-13-17-26-36-46 deviation 8.0%, average 16.4 lb7.45 kg73 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: NYXL1046, XSE1046, EPS510
  3. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 11.6%, average 18.7 lb8.49 kg83 N, even; same gauges: EXL115

More for the EPS510

Other tunings on 25": Drop D, Eb standard, D standard, Open G, Open D, DADGAD

E standard on other scales: 24.75", 25.5", 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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