String Tension Lab Calculator

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

D'Addario EXL117 (11-14-19-32-44-56) in C standard on a 27" scale

11-56 Medium Top/Extra Heavy Bottom, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 27" scale, tuned to C standard (C4 G3 Eb3 Bb2 F2 C2), pulls 98.1 lb44.5 kg436 N in total and 16.3 lb7.41 kg73 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 17.1%). String 2 (G3) deviates most: −23% from the set average.

Total tension
98.1 lb44.5 kg436 N
Average per string
16.3 lb7.41 kg73 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

05101520lb02468kg020406080Nset averagemedium (10-46)1C4.01113.9 lb6.28 kg62 N2G3.01412.6 lb5.71 kg56 N3Eb3.01914.6 lb6.63 kg65 N4Bb2.03219.5 lb8.85 kg87 N5F2.04419.7 lb8.93 kg88 N6C2.05617.8 lb8.08 kg79 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
1C4261.6 .011PL011plain 13.9 lb6.28 kg62 N−15%
2G3196.0 .014PL014plain 12.6 lb5.71 kg56 N−23%
3Eb3155.6 .019PL019plain 14.6 lb6.63 kg65 N−11%
4Bb2116.5 .032NW032wound 19.5 lb8.85 kg87 N+19%
5F287.3 .044NW044wound 19.7 lb8.93 kg88 N+20%
6C265.4 .056NW056wound 17.8 lb8.08 kg79 N+9%
Total98.1 lb44.5 kg436 N

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Similar sets in C standard, 27"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario EXL116 11-14-18-30-42-5215.0 lb6.81 kg67 N 90.1 lb40.9 kg401 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario NYXL1156 11-14-19-32-44-5616.3 lb7.39 kg72 N 97.7 lb44.3 kg435 Nmediumuneven
EXL117 (this page) 11-14-19-32-44-5616.3 lb7.41 kg73 N 98.1 lb44.5 kg436 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario ECG24 11-15-22-30-40-5017.0 lb7.73 kg76 N 102.2 lb46.4 kg455 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-5417.2 lb7.81 kg77 N 103.3 lb46.8 kg459 Nmediumeven
D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-5417.3 lb7.83 kg77 N 103.5 lb47.0 kg461 Nmediumeven

Best match for a medium feel in C standard, 27"

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 6.7%, average 17.2 lb7.81 kg77 N, even; same gauges: EXL145
  2. D'Addario ECG24 11-15-22-30-40-50 deviation 14.4%, average 17.0 lb7.73 kg76 N, uneven
  3. D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-50 deviation 16.2%, average 14.3 lb6.51 kg64 N, very even

More for the EXL117

Other tunings on 27": Eb standard, D standard, Drop C, B standard, Drop A

C standard on other scales: 25.5", 26.5", 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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