String Tension Lab Calculator

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

D'Addario EXL120 (9-11-16-24-32-42) in Open G on a 26.5" scale

09-42 Super Light, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 26.5" scale, tuned to Open G (D4 B3 G3 D3 G2 D2), pulls 81.6 lb37.0 kg363 N in total and 13.6 lb6.17 kg60 N per string on average. That is a loose feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 15.5%). String 4 (D3) deviates most: +25% from the set average.

Total tension
81.6 lb37.0 kg363 N
Average per string
13.6 lb6.17 kg60 N
Feel
loose
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 15.5%

Tension per string

051015lb02468kg020406080Nset averagemedium (10-46)1D4.00911.2 lb5.10 kg50 N2B3.01111.9 lb5.39 kg53 N3G3.01615.9 lb7.21 kg71 N4D3.02417.0 lb7.70 kg75 N5G2.03213.3 lb6.03 kg59 N6D2.04212.3 lb5.59 kg55 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 .009PL009plain 11.2 lb5.10 kg50 N−17%
2B3246.9 .011PL011plain 11.9 lb5.39 kg53 N−13%
3G3196.0 .016PL016plain 15.9 lb7.21 kg71 N+17%
4D3146.8 .024NW024wound 17.0 lb7.70 kg75 N+25%
5G298.0 .032NW032wound 13.3 lb6.03 kg59 N−2%
6D273.4 .042NW042wound 12.3 lb5.59 kg55 N−9%
Total81.6 lb37.0 kg363 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in Open G, 26.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario EXL120BT 9-12-15-22-30-4012.8 lb5.82 kg57 N 77.0 lb34.9 kg342 Nloosemoderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL0942 9-11-16-24-32-4213.6 lb6.16 kg60 N 81.5 lb37.0 kg362 Nlooseuneven
EXL120 (this page) 9-11-16-24-32-4213.6 lb6.17 kg60 N 81.6 lb37.0 kg363 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario NYXL0946 9-11-16-26-36-4614.9 lb6.77 kg66 N 89.5 lb40.6 kg398 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario EXL125 9-11-16-26-36-4615.0 lb6.78 kg67 N 89.7 lb40.7 kg399 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario EPS510 10-13-17-26-36-4615.9 lb7.23 kg71 N 95.7 lb43.4 kg426 Nmediummoderately uneven

Best match for a medium feel in Open G, 26.5"

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

  1. D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-46 deviation 12.2%, average 16.3 lb7.38 kg72 N, moderately uneven
  2. D'Addario NYXL1046 10-13-17-26-36-46 deviation 12.2%, average 16.5 lb7.48 kg73 N, uneven; same gauges: XSE1046, EXL110, EPS510
  3. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 16.3%, average 18.8 lb8.54 kg84 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: EXL115

More for the EXL120

Other tunings on 26.5": E standard, Drop D

Open G on other scales: 27", 28"

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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