String Tension Lab Calculator

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

D'Addario EXL115 (11-14-18-28-38-49) in Open D on a 25" scale

11-49 Medium, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 25" scale, tuned to Open D (D4 A3 F#3 D3 A2 D2), pulls 99.5 lb45.1 kg443 N in total and 16.6 lb7.52 kg74 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 16.2%). String 4 (D3) deviates most: +22% from the set average.

Total tension
99.5 lb45.1 kg443 N
Average per string
16.6 lb7.52 kg74 N
Feel
medium
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 16.2%

Tension per string

05101520lb025810kg0255075100Nset averagemedium (10-46)1D4.01115.0 lb6.79 kg67 N2A3.01413.6 lb6.16 kg60 N3F#3.01815.9 lb7.23 kg71 N4D3.02820.3 lb9.21 kg90 N5A2.03820.2 lb9.17 kg90 N6D2.04914.5 lb6.58 kg65 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 15.0 lb6.79 kg67 N−10%
2A3220.0 .014PL014plain 13.6 lb6.16 kg60 N−18%
3F#3185.0 .018PL018plain 15.9 lb7.23 kg71 N−4%
4D3146.8 .028NW028wound 20.3 lb9.21 kg90 N+22%
5A2110.0 .038NW038wound 20.2 lb9.17 kg90 N+22%
6D273.4 .049NW049wound 14.5 lb6.58 kg65 N−13%
Total99.5 lb45.1 kg443 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in Open D, 25"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-4916.5 lb7.50 kg74 N 99.2 lb45.0 kg441 Nmediumuneven
EXL115 (this page) 11-14-18-28-38-4916.6 lb7.52 kg74 N 99.5 lb45.1 kg443 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario NYXL1052 10-13-17-30-42-5217.1 lb7.75 kg76 N 102.6 lb46.5 kg456 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EXL140 10-13-17-30-42-5217.1 lb7.78 kg76 N 102.9 lb46.7 kg458 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-5017.2 lb7.79 kg76 N 103.1 lb46.8 kg459 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-4817.3 lb7.85 kg77 N 103.8 lb47.1 kg462 Nmediumuneven

Best match for a medium feel in Open D, 25"

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 12.4%, average 17.2 lb7.79 kg76 N, uneven
  2. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 15.8%, average 16.5 lb7.50 kg74 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL115
  3. D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-48 deviation 18.7%, average 17.3 lb7.85 kg77 N, uneven

More for the EXL115

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

Open D 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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