String Tension Lab Calculator

D'Addario · XL Nickel · 10-13-17-26-36-46

D'Addario EXL110 (10-13-17-26-36-46) in Open G on a 24.75" scale

10-46 Regular Light, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 24.75" scale, tuned to Open G (D4 B3 G3 D3 G2 D2), pulls 86.5 lb39.2 kg385 N in total and 14.4 lb6.54 kg64 N per string on average. That is a loose feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 12.2%). String 4 (D3) deviates most: +20% from the set average.

Total tension
86.5 lb39.2 kg385 N
Average per string
14.4 lb6.54 kg64 N
Feel
loose
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 12.2%

Tension per string

051015lb02468kg020406080Nset averagemedium (10-46)1D4.01012.1 lb5.50 kg54 N2B3.01314.5 lb6.59 kg65 N3G3.01715.7 lb7.10 kg70 N4D3.02617.3 lb7.87 kg77 N5G2.03614.2 lb6.45 kg63 N6D2.04612.6 lb5.74 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
1D4293.7 .010PL010plain 12.1 lb5.50 kg54 N−16%
2B3246.9 .013PL013plain 14.5 lb6.59 kg65 N+1%
3G3196.0 .017PL017plain 15.7 lb7.10 kg70 N+9%
4D3146.8 .026NW026wound 17.3 lb7.87 kg77 N+20%
5G298.0 .036NW036wound 14.2 lb6.45 kg63 N−1%
6D273.4 .046NW046wound 12.6 lb5.74 kg56 N−12%
Total86.5 lb39.2 kg385 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in Open G, 24.75"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario EPS510 10-13-17-26-36-4613.9 lb6.31 kg62 N 83.5 lb37.9 kg371 Nloosemoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-4614.2 lb6.44 kg63 N 85.2 lb38.6 kg379 Nloosemoderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1046 10-13-17-26-36-4614.4 lb6.53 kg64 N 86.3 lb39.2 kg384 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario XSE1046 10-13-17-26-36-4614.4 lb6.53 kg64 N 86.3 lb39.2 kg384 Nlooseuneven
EXL110 (this page) 10-13-17-26-36-4614.4 lb6.54 kg64 N 86.5 lb39.2 kg385 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-4916.4 lb7.45 kg73 N 98.6 lb44.7 kg438 Nmediummoderately uneven

Best match for a medium feel in Open G, 24.75"

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

  1. D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-48 deviation 11.0%, average 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N, moderately uneven
  2. D'Addario EXL115 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 11.7%, average 16.5 lb7.47 kg73 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: NYXL1149
  3. D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-50 deviation 13.9%, average 17.2 lb7.81 kg77 N, uneven

More for the EXL110

Other tunings on 24.75": E standard, Drop D, Eb standard, D standard, Open D, DADGAD

Open G on other scales: 25", 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.

Sources