String Tension Lab Calculator

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

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

11-49 Medium, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 25.5" scale, tuned to DADGAD (D4 A3 G3 D3 A2 D2), pulls 105.6 lb47.9 kg470 N in total and 17.6 lb7.98 kg78 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 16.0%). String 4 (D3) deviates most: +20% from the set average.

Total tension
105.6 lb47.9 kg470 N
Average per string
17.6 lb7.98 kg78 N
Feel
medium
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 16.0%

Tension per string

05101520lb025810kg0255075100Nmedium (10-46)set average1D4.01115.6 lb7.06 kg69 N2A3.01414.1 lb6.41 kg63 N3G3.01818.6 lb8.44 kg83 N4D3.02821.1 lb9.58 kg94 N5A2.03821.0 lb9.54 kg94 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−12%
2A3220.0 .014PL014plain 14.1 lb6.41 kg63 N−20%
3G3196.0 .018PL018plain 18.6 lb8.44 kg83 N+6%
4D3146.8 .028NW028wound 21.1 lb9.58 kg94 N+20%
5A2110.0 .038NW038wound 21.0 lb9.54 kg94 N+20%
6D273.4 .049NW049wound 15.1 lb6.85 kg67 N−14%
Total105.6 lb47.9 kg470 N

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Similar sets in DADGAD, 25.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-4917.5 lb7.96 kg78 N 105.3 lb47.7 kg468 Nmediumuneven
EXL115 (this page) 11-14-18-28-38-4917.6 lb7.98 kg78 N 105.6 lb47.9 kg470 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario NYXL1052 10-13-17-30-42-5218.1 lb8.21 kg80 N 108.5 lb49.2 kg483 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EXL140 10-13-17-30-42-5218.1 lb8.23 kg81 N 108.8 lb49.4 kg484 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-5018.3 lb8.28 kg81 N 109.5 lb49.7 kg487 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-4818.3 lb8.32 kg82 N 110.0 lb49.9 kg489 Ntightuneven

Best match for a medium feel in DADGAD, 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 15.8%, average 18.3 lb8.28 kg81 N, uneven
  2. D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-46 deviation 16.4%, average 15.1 lb6.84 kg67 N, uneven
  3. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 16.5%, average 17.5 lb7.96 kg78 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL115

More for the EXL115

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

DADGAD 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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