String Tension Lab Calculator

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

D'Addario EXL115 (11-14-18-28-38-49) in D 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 D standard (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 D2), pulls 93.0 lb42.2 kg414 N in total and 15.5 lb7.03 kg69 N per string on average. That is a loose feel for an electric guitar. The set is even (spread 6.2%). String 2 (A3) deviates most: −9% from the set average.

Total tension
93.0 lb42.2 kg414 N
Average per string
15.5 lb7.03 kg69 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)1D4.01115.6 lb7.06 kg69 N2A3.01414.1 lb6.41 kg63 N3F3.01814.8 lb6.70 kg66 N4C3.02816.8 lb7.60 kg75 N5G2.03816.7 lb7.57 kg74 N6D2.04915.1 lb6.85 kg67 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 .011PL011plain 15.6 lb7.06 kg69 N+0%
2A3220.0 .014PL014plain 14.1 lb6.41 kg63 N−9%
3F3174.6 .018PL018plain 14.8 lb6.70 kg66 N−5%
4C3130.8 .028NW028wound 16.8 lb7.60 kg75 N+8%
5G298.0 .038NW038wound 16.7 lb7.57 kg74 N+8%
6D273.4 .049NW049wound 15.1 lb6.85 kg67 N−3%
Total93.0 lb42.2 kg414 N

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Similar sets in D standard, 25.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-4915.5 lb7.01 kg69 N 92.8 lb42.1 kg413 Nlooseeven
EXL115 (this page) 11-14-18-28-38-4915.5 lb7.03 kg69 N 93.0 lb42.2 kg414 Nlooseeven
D'Addario NYXL1052 10-13-17-30-42-5215.8 lb7.16 kg70 N 94.8 lb43.0 kg422 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EXL140 10-13-17-30-42-5215.8 lb7.18 kg70 N 95.0 lb43.1 kg423 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-5016.1 lb7.31 kg72 N 96.7 lb43.9 kg430 Nmediumvery even
D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-4816.2 lb7.33 kg72 N 96.9 lb44.0 kg431 Nmediummoderately uneven

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

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

  1. D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-50 deviation 6.2%, average 16.1 lb7.31 kg72 N, very even
  2. D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-48 deviation 10.2%, average 16.2 lb7.33 kg72 N, moderately uneven
  3. D'Addario EXL115 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 10.9%, average 15.5 lb7.03 kg69 N, even; same gauges: NYXL1149

More for the EXL115

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

D standard 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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