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 26.5" scale

11-49 Medium, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 26.5" scale, tuned to D standard (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 D2), pulls 100.5 lb45.6 kg447 N in total and 16.7 lb7.60 kg74 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for an electric guitar. The set is even (spread 6.2%). String 2 (A3) deviates most: −9% from the set average.

Total tension
100.5 lb45.6 kg447 N
Average per string
16.7 lb7.60 kg74 N
Feel
medium
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
even
spread 6.2%

Tension per string

05101520lb02468kg020406080Nset averagemedium (10-46)1D4.01116.8 lb7.63 kg75 N2A3.01415.3 lb6.93 kg68 N3F3.01816.0 lb7.24 kg71 N4C3.02818.1 lb8.21 kg81 N5G2.03818.0 lb8.18 kg80 N6D2.04916.3 lb7.39 kg73 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 16.8 lb7.63 kg75 N+0%
2A3220.0 .014PL014plain 15.3 lb6.93 kg68 N−9%
3F3174.6 .018PL018plain 16.0 lb7.24 kg71 N−5%
4C3130.8 .028NW028wound 18.1 lb8.21 kg81 N+8%
5G298.0 .038NW038wound 18.0 lb8.18 kg80 N+8%
6D273.4 .049NW049wound 16.3 lb7.39 kg73 N−3%
Total100.5 lb45.6 kg447 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in D standard, 26.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-4916.7 lb7.57 kg74 N 100.2 lb45.4 kg446 Nmediumeven
EXL115 (this page) 11-14-18-28-38-4916.7 lb7.60 kg74 N 100.5 lb45.6 kg447 Nmediumeven
D'Addario NYXL1052 10-13-17-30-42-5217.1 lb7.74 kg76 N 102.3 lb46.4 kg455 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EXL140 10-13-17-30-42-5217.1 lb7.76 kg76 N 102.6 lb46.5 kg456 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-5017.4 lb7.90 kg77 N 104.5 lb47.4 kg465 Nmediumvery even
D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-4817.4 lb7.91 kg78 N 104.7 lb47.5 kg466 Nmediummoderately uneven

Best match for a medium feel in D standard, 26.5"

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 3.2%, average 17.4 lb7.90 kg77 N, very even
  2. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 6.3%, average 16.7 lb7.57 kg74 N, even; same gauges: EXL115
  3. D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-48 deviation 9.4%, average 17.4 lb7.91 kg78 N, moderately uneven

More for the EXL115

Other tunings on 26.5": E standard, Drop D, Eb standard, Drop C, C standard, Open G, Open D, DADGAD

D standard on other scales: 24.75", 25", 25.5", 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