String Tension Lab Calculator

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

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

11-49 Medium, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 28" scale, tuned to Drop D (E4 B3 G3 D3 A2 D2), pulls 136.6 lb62.0 kg608 N in total and 22.8 lb10.33 kg101 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is moderately uneven (spread 11.0%). String 6 (D2) deviates most: −20% from the set average.

Total tension
136.6 lb62.0 kg608 N
Average per string
22.8 lb10.33 kg101 N
Feel
tight
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
moderately uneven
spread 11.0%

Tension per string

01020lb0510kg050100Nmedium (10-46)set average1E4.01123.7 lb10.73 kg105 N2B3.01421.5 lb9.74 kg96 N3G3.01822.4 lb10.18 kg100 N4D3.02825.5 lb11.55 kg113 N5A2.03825.4 lb11.50 kg113 N6D2.04918.2 lb8.25 kg81 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
1E4329.6 .011PL011plain 23.7 lb10.73 kg105 N+4%
2B3246.9 .014PL014plain 21.5 lb9.74 kg96 N−6%
3G3196.0 .018PL018plain 22.4 lb10.18 kg100 N−1%
4D3146.8 .028NW028wound 25.5 lb11.55 kg113 N+12%
5A2110.0 .038NW038wound 25.4 lb11.50 kg113 N+11%
6D273.4 .049NW049wound 18.2 lb8.25 kg81 N−20%
Total136.6 lb62.0 kg608 N

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Similar sets in Drop D, 28"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1046 10-13-17-26-36-4619.9 lb9.02 kg88 N 119.3 lb54.1 kg530 Ntightmoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL110 10-13-17-26-36-4619.9 lb9.03 kg89 N 119.5 lb54.2 kg531 Ntightmoderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-4922.7 lb10.30 kg101 N 136.2 lb61.8 kg606 Ntightmoderately uneven
EXL115 (this page) 11-14-18-28-38-4922.8 lb10.33 kg101 N 136.6 lb62.0 kg608 Ntightmoderately uneven
D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-4823.7 lb10.73 kg105 N 142.0 lb64.4 kg632 Ntightmoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-5023.7 lb10.74 kg105 N 142.0 lb64.4 kg632 Ntightmoderately uneven

Best match for a medium feel in Drop D, 28"

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

  1. D'Addario EXL120BT 9-12-15-22-30-40 deviation 12.3%, average 15.4 lb7.00 kg69 N, moderately uneven
  2. D'Addario EXL120 9-11-16-24-32-42 deviation 13.9%, average 16.4 lb7.42 kg73 N, uneven; same gauges: NYXL0942
  3. D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-46 deviation 17.0%, average 19.6 lb8.87 kg87 N, moderately uneven

More for the EXL115

Other tunings on 28": E standard, Eb standard, D standard, Drop C, C standard, B standard, Open G, Open D, DADGAD

Drop D on other scales: 24.75", 25", 25.5", 26.5", 27", 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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