String Tension Lab Calculator

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

D'Addario EXL116 (11-14-18-30-42-52) in Open D on a 26.5" scale

11-52 Medium Top/Heavy Bottom, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 26.5" scale, tuned to Open D (D4 A3 F#3 D3 A2 D2), pulls 122.5 lb55.6 kg545 N in total and 20.4 lb9.26 kg91 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 24.0%). String 5 (A2) deviates most: +36% from the set average.

Total tension
122.5 lb55.6 kg545 N
Average per string
20.4 lb9.26 kg91 N
Feel
tight
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 24.0%

Tension per string

0102030lb0510kg050100Nmedium (10-46)set average1D4.01116.8 lb7.63 kg75 N2A3.01415.3 lb6.93 kg68 N3F#3.01817.9 lb8.12 kg80 N4D3.03026.7 lb12.12 kg119 N5A2.04227.7 lb12.55 kg123 N6D2.05218.1 lb8.21 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
1D4293.7 .011PL011plain 16.8 lb7.63 kg75 N−18%
2A3220.0 .014PL014plain 15.3 lb6.93 kg68 N−25%
3F#3185.0 .018PL018plain 17.9 lb8.12 kg80 N−12%
4D3146.8 .030NW030wound 26.7 lb12.12 kg119 N+31%
5A2110.0 .042NW042wound 27.7 lb12.55 kg123 N+36%
6D273.4 .052NW052wound 18.1 lb8.21 kg81 N−11%
Total122.5 lb55.6 kg545 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in Open D, 26.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1052 10-13-17-30-42-5219.2 lb8.71 kg85 N 115.3 lb52.3 kg513 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL140 10-13-17-30-42-5219.3 lb8.74 kg86 N 115.6 lb52.4 kg514 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-5019.3 lb8.76 kg86 N 115.9 lb52.6 kg515 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-4819.4 lb8.82 kg86 N 116.6 lb52.9 kg519 Ntightuneven
D'Addario NYXL1152 11-14-18-30-42-5220.4 lb9.24 kg91 N 122.2 lb55.4 kg543 Ntightuneven
EXL116 (this page) 11-14-18-30-42-5220.4 lb9.26 kg91 N 122.5 lb55.6 kg545 Ntightuneven

Best match for a medium feel in Open D, 26.5"

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

  1. D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-46 deviation 13.3%, average 16.0 lb7.24 kg71 N, uneven
  2. D'Addario EPS510 10-13-17-26-36-46 deviation 16.1%, average 15.7 lb7.13 kg70 N, uneven; same gauges: NYXL1046, XSE1046, EXL110
  3. D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-50 deviation 19.0%, average 19.3 lb8.76 kg86 N, uneven

More for the EXL116

Other tunings on 26.5": 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", 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.

Sources