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" scale

11-52 Medium Top/Heavy Bottom, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 25" scale, tuned to D standard (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 D2), pulls 97.3 lb44.1 kg433 N in total and 16.2 lb7.35 kg72 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 13.9%). String 5 (G2) deviates most: +21% from the set average.

Total tension
97.3 lb44.1 kg433 N
Average per string
16.2 lb7.35 kg72 N
Feel
medium
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 13.9%

Tension per string

05101520lb02468kg020406080Nset averagemedium (10-46)1D4.01115.0 lb6.79 kg67 N2A3.01413.6 lb6.16 kg60 N3F3.01814.2 lb6.44 kg63 N4C3.03018.9 lb8.56 kg84 N5G2.04219.5 lb8.87 kg87 N6D2.05216.1 lb7.31 kg72 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 15.0 lb6.79 kg67 N−8%
2A3220.0 .014PL014plain 13.6 lb6.16 kg60 N−16%
3F3174.6 .018PL018plain 14.2 lb6.44 kg63 N−12%
4C3130.8 .030NW030wound 18.9 lb8.56 kg84 N+16%
5G298.0 .042NW042wound 19.5 lb8.87 kg87 N+21%
6D273.4 .052NW052wound 16.1 lb7.31 kg72 N−1%
Total97.3 lb44.1 kg433 N

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Similar sets in D standard, 25"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1052 10-13-17-30-42-5215.2 lb6.89 kg68 N 91.1 lb41.3 kg405 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario EXL140 10-13-17-30-42-5215.2 lb6.90 kg68 N 91.3 lb41.4 kg406 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-5015.5 lb7.03 kg69 N 93.0 lb42.2 kg414 Nloosevery even
D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-4815.5 lb7.04 kg69 N 93.1 lb42.3 kg414 Nloosemoderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1152 11-14-18-30-42-5216.2 lb7.34 kg72 N 97.0 lb44.0 kg432 Nmediumuneven
EXL116 (this page) 11-14-18-30-42-5216.2 lb7.35 kg72 N 97.3 lb44.1 kg433 Nmediumuneven

Best match for a medium feel in D standard, 25"

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 9.7%, average 15.5 lb7.03 kg69 N, very even
  2. D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-54 deviation 11.4%, average 18.6 lb8.43 kg83 N, even; same gauges: EXL145
  3. D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-48 deviation 12.3%, average 15.5 lb7.04 kg69 N, moderately uneven

More for the EXL116

Other tunings on 25": E standard, Drop D, Eb standard, Drop C, Open G, Open D, DADGAD

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

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