String Tension Lab Calculator

D'Addario · XL Nickel Balanced Tension · 9-12-15-22-30-40

D'Addario EXL120BT (9-12-15-22-30-40) in D standard on a 27" scale

09-40 Super Light Balanced Tension, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 27" scale, tuned to D standard (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 D2), pulls 70.8 lb32.1 kg315 N in total and 11.8 lb5.35 kg52 N per string on average. That is a loose feel for an electric guitar. The set is very even (spread 2.3%). String 5 (G2) deviates most: +5% from the set average.

Total tension
70.8 lb32.1 kg315 N
Average per string
11.8 lb5.35 kg52 N
Feel
loose
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
very even
spread 2.3%

Tension per string

051015lb02468kg020406080Nset averagemedium (10-46)1D4.00911.7 lb5.29 kg52 N2A3.01211.7 lb5.30 kg52 N3F3.01511.5 lb5.22 kg51 N4C3.02211.8 lb5.37 kg53 N5G2.03012.4 lb5.60 kg55 N6D2.04011.8 lb5.33 kg52 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 11.7 lb5.29 kg52 N−1%
2A3220.0 .012PL012plain 11.7 lb5.30 kg52 N−1%
3F3174.6 .015PL015plain 11.5 lb5.22 kg51 N−3%
4C3130.8 .022NW022wound 11.8 lb5.37 kg53 N+0%
5G298.0 .030NW030wound 12.4 lb5.60 kg55 N+5%
6D273.4 .040NW040wound 11.8 lb5.33 kg52 N−0%
Total70.8 lb32.1 kg315 N

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Similar sets in D standard, 27"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
EXL120BT (this page) 9-12-15-22-30-4011.8 lb5.35 kg52 N 70.8 lb32.1 kg315 Nloosevery even
D'Addario EPS510 10-13-17-26-36-4614.7 lb6.65 kg65 N 88.0 lb39.9 kg391 Nlooseeven
D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-4614.9 lb6.78 kg66 N 89.7 lb40.7 kg399 Nloosevery even
D'Addario NYXL1046 10-13-17-26-36-4615.2 lb6.89 kg68 N 91.1 lb41.3 kg405 Nloosemoderately uneven
D'Addario XSE1046 10-13-17-26-36-4615.2 lb6.89 kg68 N 91.1 lb41.3 kg405 Nloosemoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL110 10-13-17-26-36-4615.2 lb6.90 kg68 N 91.3 lb41.4 kg406 Nloosemoderately uneven

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

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

  1. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 6.3%, average 17.3 lb7.86 kg77 N, even; same gauges: EXL115
  2. D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-50 deviation 6.4%, average 18.1 lb8.20 kg80 N, very even
  3. D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-48 deviation 11.3%, average 18.1 lb8.21 kg81 N, moderately uneven

More for the EXL120BT

Other tunings on 27": E standard, Drop D, Eb standard, Open G, Open D, DADGAD

D standard on other scales: 26.5", 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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