D'Addario · XL Nickel · 9-11-16-24-32-42-54

D'Addario EXL120-7 (9-11-16-24-32-42-54) in Drop A (7-string) on a 27" scale

09-54 Super Light 7-String, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 27" scale, tuned to Drop A (7-string) (E4 B3 G3 D3 A2 E2 A1), pulls 106.4 lb48.3 kg474 N in total and 15.2 lb6.90 kg68 N per string on average. That is a loose feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 14.3%). String 7 (A1) deviates most: −22% from the set average.

Total tension: 106.4 lb48.3 kg474 N
Average per string: 15.2 lb6.90 kg68 N
Feel: loose; medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string; Set your own preferred feel
Balance: uneven; spread 14.3%

Tension per string

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.

#	Note	Hz	Gauge	Item	Type	Tension	vs avg
1	E4	329.6	.009	PL009	plain	14.7 lb6.67 kg65 N	−3%
2	B3	246.9	.011	PL011	plain	12.3 lb5.60 kg55 N	−19%
3	G3	196.0	.016	PL016	plain	16.5 lb7.48 kg73 N	+8%
4	D3	146.8	.024	NW024	wound	17.6 lb7.99 kg78 N	+16%
5	A2	110.0	.032	NW032	wound	17.4 lb7.88 kg77 N	+14%
6	E2	82.4	.042	NW042	wound	16.1 lb7.31 kg72 N	+6%
7	A1	55.0	.054	NW054	wound	11.8 lb5.35 kg52 N	−22%
Total						106.4 lb48.3 kg474 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in Drop A (7-string), 27"

Set	Gauges	Avg per string	Total	Feel	Balance
EXL120-7 (this page)	9-11-16-24-32-42-54	15.2 lb6.90 kg68 N	106.4 lb48.3 kg474 N	loose	uneven
Elixir 12007	9-11-16-24-32-42-52	15.2 lb6.91 kg68 N	106.7 lb48.4 kg475 N	loose	uneven
Elixir 12057	10-13-17-26-36-46-56	18.4 lb8.34 kg82 N	128.8 lb58.4 kg573 N	tight	uneven
Elixir 19057	10-13-17-26-36-46-56	18.4 lb8.34 kg82 N	128.8 lb58.4 kg573 N	tight	uneven
D'Addario NYXL1059	10-13-17-26-36-46-59	18.4 lb8.36 kg82 N	128.9 lb58.5 kg574 N	tight	moderately uneven
D'Addario EXL110-7	10-13-17-26-36-46-59	18.5 lb8.37 kg82 N	129.2 lb58.6 kg575 N	tight	moderately uneven

Best match for a medium feel in Drop A (7-string), 27"

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

D'Addario NYXL1059 10-13-17-26-36-46-59 deviation 14.8%, average 18.4 lb8.36 kg82 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: EXL110-7
Elixir 12074 10-13-17-26-36-46-59 deviation 16.5%, average 18.6 lb8.45 kg83 N, uneven; same gauges: 19074
D'Addario EXL120-7 9-11-16-24-32-42-54 deviation 16.9%, average 15.2 lb6.90 kg68 N, uneven

More for the EXL120-7

Other tunings on 27": B standard (7-string)

Drop A (7-string) on other scales: 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.

Sources

D'Addario product page, tension chart for EXL120-7 (2026-10-31): unit weights derived from the published tensions, cross-checked across sets.