String Tension Lab Calculator

D'Addario · XL Nickel · 11-14-18-30-42-52

D'Addario EXL116 (11-14-18-30-42-52) in DADGAD on a 24.75" scale

11-52 Medium Top/Heavy Bottom, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 24.75" scale, tuned to DADGAD (D4 A3 G3 D3 A2 D2), pulls 108.8 lb49.3 kg484 N in total and 18.1 lb8.22 kg81 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 23.0%). String 5 (A2) deviates most: +33% from the set average.

Total tension
108.8 lb49.3 kg484 N
Average per string
18.1 lb8.22 kg81 N
Feel
medium
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 23.0%

Tension per string

01020lb025810kg0255075100Nmedium (10-46)set average1D4.01114.7 lb6.65 kg65 N2A3.01413.3 lb6.04 kg59 N3G3.01817.5 lb7.95 kg78 N4D3.03023.3 lb10.57 kg104 N5A2.04224.1 lb10.95 kg107 N6D2.05215.8 lb7.16 kg70 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 14.7 lb6.65 kg65 N−19%
2A3220.0 .014PL014plain 13.3 lb6.04 kg59 N−27%
3G3196.0 .018PL018plain 17.5 lb7.95 kg78 N−3%
4D3146.8 .030NW030wound 23.3 lb10.57 kg104 N+29%
5A2110.0 .042NW042wound 24.1 lb10.95 kg107 N+33%
6D273.4 .052NW052wound 15.8 lb7.16 kg70 N−13%
Total108.8 lb49.3 kg484 N

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Similar sets in DADGAD, 24.75"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1052 10-13-17-30-42-5217.0 lb7.73 kg76 N 102.2 lb46.4 kg455 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EXL140 10-13-17-30-42-5217.1 lb7.75 kg76 N 102.5 lb46.5 kg456 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-5017.2 lb7.80 kg76 N 103.2 lb46.8 kg459 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-4817.3 lb7.84 kg77 N 103.7 lb47.0 kg461 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario NYXL1152 11-14-18-30-42-5218.1 lb8.20 kg80 N 108.5 lb49.2 kg483 Nmediumuneven
EXL116 (this page) 11-14-18-30-42-5218.1 lb8.22 kg81 N 108.8 lb49.3 kg484 Nmediumuneven

Best match for a medium feel in DADGAD, 24.75"

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 13.5%, average 17.2 lb7.80 kg76 N, uneven
  2. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 15.7%, average 16.5 lb7.50 kg74 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL115
  3. D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-48 deviation 18.0%, average 17.3 lb7.84 kg77 N, uneven

More for the EXL116

Other tunings on 24.75": E standard, Drop D, Eb standard, D standard, Drop C, Open G, Open D

DADGAD on other scales: 25", 25.5", 26.5", 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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