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 G on a 27" scale

11-49 Medium, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 27" scale, tuned to Open G (D4 B3 G3 D3 G2 D2), pulls 117.6 lb53.3 kg523 N in total and 19.6 lb8.89 kg87 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is moderately uneven (spread 11.6%). String 4 (D3) deviates most: +21% from the set average.

Total tension
117.6 lb53.3 kg523 N
Average per string
19.6 lb8.89 kg87 N
Feel
tight
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
moderately uneven
spread 11.6%

Tension per string

01020lb025810kg0255075100Nmedium (10-46)set average1D4.01117.5 lb7.92 kg78 N2B3.01420.0 lb9.06 kg89 N3G3.01820.9 lb9.47 kg93 N4D3.02823.7 lb10.74 kg105 N5G2.03818.7 lb8.49 kg83 N6D2.04916.9 lb7.67 kg75 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 17.5 lb7.92 kg78 N−11%
2B3246.9 .014PL014plain 20.0 lb9.06 kg89 N+2%
3G3196.0 .018PL018plain 20.9 lb9.47 kg93 N+6%
4D3146.8 .028NW028wound 23.7 lb10.74 kg105 N+21%
5G298.0 .038NW038wound 18.7 lb8.49 kg83 N−5%
6D273.4 .049NW049wound 16.9 lb7.67 kg75 N−14%
Total117.6 lb53.3 kg523 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in Open G, 27"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-4919.6 lb8.87 kg87 N 117.3 lb53.2 kg522 Ntightmoderately uneven
EXL115 (this page) 11-14-18-28-38-4919.6 lb8.89 kg87 N 117.6 lb53.3 kg523 Ntightmoderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1052 10-13-17-30-42-5219.9 lb9.02 kg88 N 119.3 lb54.1 kg531 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL140 10-13-17-30-42-5219.9 lb9.05 kg89 N 119.7 lb54.3 kg532 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-4820.4 lb9.24 kg91 N 122.2 lb55.4 kg543 Ntightmoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-5020.5 lb9.29 kg91 N 122.9 lb55.7 kg547 Ntightuneven

Best match for a medium feel in Open G, 27"

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 11.7%, average 16.9 lb7.66 kg75 N, moderately uneven
  2. D'Addario EPS510 10-13-17-26-36-46 deviation 11.7%, average 16.6 lb7.51 kg74 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: NYXL1046, XSE1046, EXL110
  3. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 19.5%, average 19.6 lb8.87 kg87 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: EXL115

More for the EXL115

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

Open G on other scales: 24.75", 25", 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