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

D'Addario EXL115 (11-14-18-28-38-49) in C standard on a 27" scale

11-49 Medium, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 27" scale, tuned to C standard (C4 G3 Eb3 Bb2 F2 C2), pulls 82.8 lb37.5 kg368 N in total and 13.8 lb6.26 kg61 N per string on average. That is a loose feel for an electric guitar. The set is even (spread 6.2%). String 2 (G3) deviates most: −9% from the set average.

Total tension: 82.8 lb37.5 kg368 N
Average per string: 13.8 lb6.26 kg61 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

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.

#	Note	Hz	Gauge	Item	Type	Tension	vs avg
1	C4	261.6	.011	PL011	plain	13.9 lb6.28 kg62 N	+0%
2	G3	196.0	.014	PL014	plain	12.6 lb5.71 kg56 N	−9%
3	Eb3	155.6	.018	PL018	plain	13.1 lb5.96 kg58 N	−5%
4	Bb2	116.5	.028	NW028	wound	14.9 lb6.76 kg66 N	+8%
5	F2	87.3	.038	NW038	wound	14.9 lb6.74 kg66 N	+8%
6	C2	65.4	.049	NW049	wound	13.4 lb6.09 kg60 N	−3%
Total						82.8 lb37.5 kg368 N

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Similar sets in C standard, 27"

Set	Gauges	Avg per string	Total	Feel	Balance
D'Addario NYXL1149	11-14-18-28-38-49	13.8 lb6.24 kg61 N	82.6 lb37.4 kg367 N	loose	even
EXL115 (this page)	11-14-18-28-38-49	13.8 lb6.26 kg61 N	82.8 lb37.5 kg368 N	loose	even
D'Addario EXL115BT	11-15-19-28-37-50	14.3 lb6.51 kg64 N	86.1 lb39.0 kg383 N	loose	very even
D'Addario EPN115	11-14-18-27-37-48	14.4 lb6.52 kg64 N	86.2 lb39.1 kg384 N	loose	moderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1152	11-14-18-30-42-52	15.0 lb6.79 kg67 N	89.8 lb40.7 kg400 N	loose	uneven
D'Addario EXL116	11-14-18-30-42-52	15.0 lb6.81 kg67 N	90.1 lb40.9 kg401 N	loose	uneven

Best match for a medium feel in C standard, 27"

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

D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-54 deviation 6.7%, average 17.2 lb7.81 kg77 N, even; same gauges: EXL145
D'Addario ECG24 11-15-22-30-40-50 deviation 14.4%, average 17.0 lb7.73 kg76 N, uneven
D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-50 deviation 16.2%, average 14.3 lb6.51 kg64 N, very even

More for the EXL115

Other tunings on 27": E standard, Drop D, Eb standard, D standard, Drop C, B standard, Open G, Open D, DADGAD

C standard on other scales: 25.5", 26.5", 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

D'Addario product page, tension chart for EXL115 (2026-10-31): unit weights derived from the published tensions, cross-checked across sets.