String Tension Lab Calculator

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

D'Addario EXL117 (11-14-19-32-44-56) in DADGAD 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 DADGAD (D4 A3 G3 D3 A2 D2), pulls 118.6 lb53.8 kg528 N in total and 19.8 lb8.97 kg88 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 25.3%). String 5 (A2) deviates most: +33% from the set average.

Total tension
118.6 lb53.8 kg528 N
Average per string
19.8 lb8.97 kg88 N
Feel
tight
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 25.3%

Tension per string

01020lb0510kg050100Nmedium (10-46)set average1D4.01114.7 lb6.65 kg65 N2A3.01413.3 lb6.04 kg59 N3G3.01919.5 lb8.84 kg87 N4D3.03226.0 lb11.80 kg116 N5A2.04426.3 lb11.91 kg117 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−26%
2A3220.0 .014PL014plain 13.3 lb6.04 kg59 N−33%
3G3196.0 .019PL019plain 19.5 lb8.84 kg87 N−1%
4D3146.8 .032NW032wound 26.0 lb11.80 kg116 N+32%
5A2110.0 .044NW044wound 26.3 lb11.91 kg117 N+33%
6D273.4 .056NW056wound 18.9 lb8.55 kg84 N−5%
Total118.6 lb53.8 kg528 N

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Similar sets in DADGAD, 24.75"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario EXL116 11-14-18-30-42-5218.1 lb8.22 kg81 N 108.8 lb49.3 kg484 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario NYXL1156 11-14-19-32-44-5619.7 lb8.94 kg88 N 118.2 lb53.6 kg526 Ntightuneven
EXL117 (this page) 11-14-19-32-44-5619.8 lb8.97 kg88 N 118.6 lb53.8 kg528 Ntightuneven
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-5420.7 lb9.38 kg92 N 124.1 lb56.3 kg552 Ntightuneven
D'Addario ECG24 11-15-22-30-40-5020.7 lb9.39 kg92 N 124.2 lb56.3 kg553 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-5420.7 lb9.41 kg92 N 124.4 lb56.4 kg553 Ntightuneven

Best match for a medium feel in DADGAD, 24.75"

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 13.5%, average 17.2 lb7.80 kg76 N, uneven
  2. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 15.7%, average 16.5 lb7.50 kg74 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL115
  3. D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-48 deviation 18.0%, average 17.3 lb7.84 kg77 N, uneven

More for the EXL117

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

DADGAD on other scales: 25", 25.5"

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