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 26.5" scale

11-49 Medium, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 26.5" scale, tuned to DADGAD (D4 A3 G3 D3 A2 D2), pulls 114.0 lb51.7 kg507 N in total and 19.0 lb8.62 kg85 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 16.0%). String 4 (D3) deviates most: +20% from the set average.

Total tension
114.0 lb51.7 kg507 N
Average per string
19.0 lb8.62 kg85 N
Feel
tight
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 16.0%

Tension per string

01020lb025810kg0255075100Nmedium (10-46)set average1D4.01116.8 lb7.63 kg75 N2A3.01415.3 lb6.93 kg68 N3G3.01820.1 lb9.12 kg89 N4D3.02822.8 lb10.34 kg101 N5A2.03822.7 lb10.30 kg101 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−12%
2A3220.0 .014PL014plain 15.3 lb6.93 kg68 N−20%
3G3196.0 .018PL018plain 20.1 lb9.12 kg89 N+6%
4D3146.8 .028NW028wound 22.8 lb10.34 kg101 N+20%
5A2110.0 .038NW038wound 22.7 lb10.30 kg101 N+20%
6D273.4 .049NW049wound 16.3 lb7.39 kg73 N−14%
Total114.0 lb51.7 kg507 N

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Similar sets in DADGAD, 26.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-4918.9 lb8.59 kg84 N 113.7 lb51.6 kg506 Ntightuneven
EXL115 (this page) 11-14-18-28-38-4919.0 lb8.62 kg85 N 114.0 lb51.7 kg507 Ntightuneven
D'Addario NYXL1052 10-13-17-30-42-5219.5 lb8.86 kg87 N 117.2 lb53.2 kg521 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL140 10-13-17-30-42-5219.6 lb8.89 kg87 N 117.5 lb53.3 kg523 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-5019.7 lb8.94 kg88 N 118.3 lb53.7 kg526 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-4819.8 lb8.98 kg88 N 118.8 lb53.9 kg529 Ntightuneven

Best match for a medium feel in DADGAD, 26.5"

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

  1. D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-46 deviation 13.1%, average 16.3 lb7.39 kg72 N, uneven
  2. D'Addario EPS510 10-13-17-26-36-46 deviation 16.0%, average 16.0 lb7.27 kg71 N, uneven; same gauges: NYXL1046, XSE1046, EXL110
  3. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 20.6%, average 18.9 lb8.59 kg84 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL115

More for the EXL115

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

DADGAD 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