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

D'Addario EXL116 (11-14-18-30-42-52) in Open D 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 Open D (D4 A3 F#3 D3 A2 D2), pulls 120.8 lb54.8 kg537 N in total and 20.1 lb9.13 kg90 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 26.2%). String 5 (A2) deviates most: +39% from the set average.

Total tension: 120.8 lb54.8 kg537 N
Average per string: 20.1 lb9.13 kg90 N
Feel: tight; medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string; Set your own preferred feel
Balance: uneven; spread 26.2%

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	Length	Tension	vs avg
1	D4	293.7	.011	PL011	plain	25.5"	15.6 lb7.06 kg69 N	−23%
2	A3	220.0	.014	PL014	plain	25.8"	14.5 lb6.57 kg64 N	−28%
3	F#3	185.0	.018	PL018	plain	26.1"	17.4 lb7.88 kg77 N	−14%
4	D3	146.8	.030	NW030	wound	26.4"	26.5 lb12.03 kg118 N	+32%
5	A2	110.0	.042	NW042	wound	26.7"	28.1 lb12.74 kg125 N	+39%
6	D2	73.4	.052	NW052	wound	27"	18.8 lb8.52 kg84 N	−7%
Total							120.8 lb54.8 kg537 N

Open in the calculator

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

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

Set	Gauges	Avg per string	Total	Feel	Balance
D'Addario EXL115BT	11-15-19-28-37-50	19.0 lb8.61 kg84 N	113.9 lb51.7 kg507 N	tight	uneven
D'Addario NYXL1052	10-13-17-30-42-52	19.0 lb8.62 kg84 N	114.0 lb51.7 kg507 N	tight	uneven
D'Addario EXL140	10-13-17-30-42-52	19.0 lb8.64 kg85 N	114.3 lb51.8 kg508 N	tight	uneven
D'Addario EPN115	11-14-18-27-37-48	19.2 lb8.69 kg85 N	115.0 lb52.1 kg511 N	tight	uneven
D'Addario NYXL1152	11-14-18-30-42-52	20.1 lb9.11 kg89 N	120.5 lb54.7 kg536 N	tight	uneven
EXL116 (this page)	11-14-18-30-42-52	20.1 lb9.13 kg90 N	120.8 lb54.8 kg537 N	tight	uneven

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

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

D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-46 deviation 15.6%, average 15.7 lb7.12 kg70 N, uneven
D'Addario EPS510 10-13-17-26-36-46 deviation 18.1%, average 15.5 lb7.01 kg69 N, uneven; same gauges: NYXL1046, XSE1046, EXL110
D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-50 deviation 19.1%, average 19.0 lb8.61 kg84 N, uneven

More for the EXL116

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

Open D on other scales: 24.75", 25", 25.5", 26.5"

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 EXL116 (2026-10-31): unit weights derived from the published tensions, cross-checked across sets.