String Tension Lab Calculator

D'Addario · XL Nickel · 11-14-19-32-44-56

D'Addario EXL117 (11-14-19-32-44-56) in D standard on a 24.75" scale

11-56 Medium Top/Extra Heavy Bottom, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 24.75" scale, tuned to D standard (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 D2), pulls 103.8 lb47.1 kg462 N in total and 17.3 lb7.85 kg77 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 17.1%). String 2 (A3) deviates most: −23% from the set average.

Total tension
103.8 lb47.1 kg462 N
Average per string
17.3 lb7.85 kg77 N
Feel
medium
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 17.1%

Tension per string

05101520lb025810kg0255075100Nmedium (10-46)set average1D4.01114.7 lb6.65 kg65 N2A3.01413.3 lb6.04 kg59 N3F3.01915.5 lb7.02 kg69 N4C3.03220.7 lb9.37 kg92 N5G2.04420.8 lb9.45 kg93 N6D2.05618.9 lb8.55 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 Tensionvs avg
1D4293.7 .011PL011plain 14.7 lb6.65 kg65 N−15%
2A3220.0 .014PL014plain 13.3 lb6.04 kg59 N−23%
3F3174.6 .019PL019plain 15.5 lb7.02 kg69 N−11%
4C3130.8 .032NW032wound 20.7 lb9.37 kg92 N+19%
5G298.0 .044NW044wound 20.8 lb9.45 kg93 N+20%
6D273.4 .056NW056wound 18.9 lb8.55 kg84 N+9%
Total103.8 lb47.1 kg462 N

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Similar sets in D standard, 24.75"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario EXL116 11-14-18-30-42-5215.9 lb7.21 kg71 N 95.4 lb43.3 kg424 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario NYXL1156 11-14-19-32-44-5617.2 lb7.82 kg77 N 103.5 lb46.9 kg460 Nmediumuneven
EXL117 (this page) 11-14-19-32-44-5617.3 lb7.85 kg77 N 103.8 lb47.1 kg462 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario ECG24 11-15-22-30-40-5018.0 lb8.18 kg80 N 108.2 lb49.1 kg481 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-5418.2 lb8.27 kg81 N 109.3 lb49.6 kg486 Nmediumeven
D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-5418.3 lb8.29 kg81 N 109.6 lb49.7 kg488 Nmediumeven

Best match for a medium feel in D standard, 24.75"

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

  1. D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-54 deviation 9.7%, average 18.2 lb8.27 kg81 N, even; same gauges: EXL145
  2. D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-50 deviation 11.4%, average 15.2 lb6.89 kg68 N, very even
  3. D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-48 deviation 13.6%, average 15.2 lb6.90 kg68 N, moderately uneven

More for the EXL117

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

D standard on other scales: 25", 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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