String Tension Lab Calculator

D'Addario · XL Nickel · 11-14-18-28-38-49

D'Addario EXL115 (11-14-18-28-38-49) in C standard on a 25.5" scale

11-49 Medium, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 25.5" scale, tuned to C standard (C4 G3 Eb3 Bb2 F2 C2), pulls 73.8 lb33.5 kg328 N in total and 12.3 lb5.58 kg55 N per string on average. That is a loose feel for an electric guitar. The set is even (spread 6.2%). String 2 (G3) deviates most: −9% from the set average.

Total tension
73.8 lb33.5 kg328 N
Average per string
12.3 lb5.58 kg55 N
Feel
loose
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
even
spread 6.2%

Tension per string

051015lb02468kg020406080Nset averagemedium (10-46)1C4.01112.4 lb5.61 kg55 N2G3.01411.2 lb5.09 kg50 N3Eb3.01811.7 lb5.32 kg52 N4Bb2.02813.3 lb6.03 kg59 N5F2.03813.2 lb6.01 kg59 N6C2.04912.0 lb5.43 kg53 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
1C4261.6 .011PL011plain 12.4 lb5.61 kg55 N+0%
2G3196.0 .014PL014plain 11.2 lb5.09 kg50 N−9%
3Eb3155.6 .018PL018plain 11.7 lb5.32 kg52 N−5%
4Bb2116.5 .028NW028wound 13.3 lb6.03 kg59 N+8%
5F287.3 .038NW038wound 13.2 lb6.01 kg59 N+8%
6C265.4 .049NW049wound 12.0 lb5.43 kg53 N−3%
Total73.8 lb33.5 kg328 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in C standard, 25.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-4912.3 lb5.57 kg55 N 73.6 lb33.4 kg328 Nlooseeven
EXL115 (this page) 11-14-18-28-38-4912.3 lb5.58 kg55 N 73.8 lb33.5 kg328 Nlooseeven
D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-5012.8 lb5.80 kg57 N 76.8 lb34.8 kg342 Nloosevery even
D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-4812.8 lb5.81 kg57 N 76.9 lb34.9 kg342 Nloosemoderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1152 11-14-18-30-42-5213.4 lb6.06 kg59 N 80.1 lb36.3 kg356 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario EXL116 11-14-18-30-42-5213.4 lb6.07 kg60 N 80.3 lb36.4 kg357 Nlooseuneven

Best match for a medium feel in C standard, 25.5"

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

  1. D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-54 deviation 11.7%, average 15.4 lb6.98 kg68 N, even; same gauges: NYXL1254
  2. D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-60 deviation 12.6%, average 16.7 lb7.59 kg74 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL148
  3. D'Addario EXL158 13-17-26-36-46-62 deviation 15.3%, average 19.1 lb8.66 kg85 N, moderately uneven

More for the EXL115

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

C standard on other scales: 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