String Tension Lab Calculator

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

D'Addario EXL116 (11-14-18-30-42-52) in D standard on a 25.5"–27" multiscale scale

11-52 Medium Top/Heavy Bottom, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 25.5"–27" multiscale scale, tuned to D standard (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 D2), pulls 107.7 lb48.8 kg479 N in total and 17.9 lb8.14 kg80 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 16.6%). String 5 (G2) deviates most: +24% from the set average.

Total tension
107.7 lb48.8 kg479 N
Average per string
17.9 lb8.14 kg80 N
Feel
medium
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 16.6%

Tension per string

05101520lb025810kg0255075100Nmedium (10-46)set average1D4.01115.6 lb7.06 kg69 N2A3.01414.5 lb6.57 kg64 N3F3.01815.5 lb7.02 kg69 N4C3.03021.0 lb9.55 kg94 N5G2.04222.3 lb10.11 kg99 N6D2.05218.8 lb8.52 kg84 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 Length Tensionvs avg
1D4293.7 .011PL011plain 25.5" 15.6 lb7.06 kg69 N−13%
2A3220.0 .014PL014plain 25.8" 14.5 lb6.57 kg64 N−19%
3F3174.6 .018PL018plain 26.1" 15.5 lb7.02 kg69 N−14%
4C3130.8 .030NW030wound 26.4" 21.0 lb9.55 kg94 N+17%
5G298.0 .042NW042wound 26.7" 22.3 lb10.11 kg99 N+24%
6D273.4 .052NW052wound 27" 18.8 lb8.52 kg84 N+5%
Total107.7 lb48.8 kg479 N

Open in the calculator

Multiscale (fanned frets): string lengths change linearly from 25.5" (treble) to 27" (bass).

Similar sets in D standard, 25.5"–27" multiscale

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1052 10-13-17-30-42-5216.8 lb7.64 kg75 N 101.1 lb45.8 kg450 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EXL140 10-13-17-30-42-5216.9 lb7.66 kg75 N 101.3 lb46.0 kg451 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-5017.1 lb7.75 kg76 N 102.5 lb46.5 kg456 Nmediumeven
D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-4817.2 lb7.79 kg76 N 103.0 lb46.7 kg458 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario NYXL1152 11-14-18-30-42-5217.9 lb8.12 kg80 N 107.4 lb48.7 kg478 Nmediumuneven
EXL116 (this page) 11-14-18-30-42-5217.9 lb8.14 kg80 N 107.7 lb48.8 kg479 Nmediumuneven

Best match for a medium feel in D standard, 25.5"–27" multiscale

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 4.6%, average 17.1 lb7.75 kg76 N, even
  2. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 8.9%, average 16.4 lb7.44 kg73 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: EXL115
  3. D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-48 deviation 12.1%, average 17.2 lb7.79 kg76 N, uneven

More for the EXL116

Other tunings on 25.5"–27" multiscale: E standard, Drop D, Eb standard, Drop C, C standard, Open G, Open D, DADGAD

D standard on other scales: 24.75", 25", 25.5", 26.5", 27", 28"

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