String Tension Lab Calculator

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

D'Addario EXL117 (11-14-19-32-44-56) in Drop C on a 26.5" scale

11-56 Medium Top/Extra Heavy Bottom, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 26.5" scale, tuned to Drop C (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 C2), pulls 114.5 lb52.0 kg510 N in total and 19.1 lb8.66 kg85 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 17.8%). String 5 (G2) deviates most: +25% from the set average.

Total tension
114.5 lb52.0 kg510 N
Average per string
19.1 lb8.66 kg85 N
Feel
tight
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 17.8%

Tension per string

01020lb025810kg0255075100Nmedium (10-46)set average1D4.01116.8 lb7.63 kg75 N2A3.01415.3 lb6.93 kg68 N3F3.01917.7 lb8.05 kg79 N4C3.03223.7 lb10.74 kg105 N5G2.04423.9 lb10.83 kg106 N6C2.05617.2 lb7.78 kg76 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−12%
2A3220.0 .014PL014plain 15.3 lb6.93 kg68 N−20%
3F3174.6 .019PL019plain 17.7 lb8.05 kg79 N−7%
4C3130.8 .032NW032wound 23.7 lb10.74 kg105 N+24%
5G298.0 .044NW044wound 23.9 lb10.83 kg106 N+25%
6C265.4 .056NW056wound 17.2 lb7.78 kg76 N−10%
Total114.5 lb52.0 kg510 N

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Similar sets in Drop C, 26.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario EXL116 11-14-18-30-42-5217.6 lb7.98 kg78 N 105.6 lb47.9 kg470 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario NYXL1156 11-14-19-32-44-5619.0 lb8.63 kg85 N 114.2 lb51.8 kg508 Ntightuneven
EXL117 (this page) 11-14-19-32-44-5619.1 lb8.66 kg85 N 114.5 lb52.0 kg510 Ntightuneven
D'Addario ECG24 11-15-22-30-40-5020.0 lb9.08 kg89 N 120.1 lb54.5 kg534 Ntightuneven
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-5420.2 lb9.16 kg90 N 121.2 lb55.0 kg539 Ntightmoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-5420.2 lb9.18 kg90 N 121.5 lb55.1 kg540 Ntightmoderately uneven

Best match for a medium feel in Drop C, 26.5"

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 9.4%, average 16.8 lb7.63 kg75 N, moderately uneven
  2. D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-48 deviation 11.4%, average 16.8 lb7.63 kg75 N, moderately uneven
  3. D'Addario EXL115 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 11.7%, average 16.2 lb7.34 kg72 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: NYXL1149

More for the EXL117

Other tunings on 26.5": Eb standard, D standard, C standard

Drop C on other scales: 24.75", 25", 25.5", 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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