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 28" scale

09-40 Super Light Balanced Tension, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 28" scale, tuned to D standard (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 D2), pulls 76.1 lb34.5 kg339 N in total and 12.7 lb5.76 kg56 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
76.1 lb34.5 kg339 N
Average per string
12.7 lb5.76 kg56 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)1D4.00912.5 lb5.69 kg56 N2A3.01212.6 lb5.70 kg56 N3F3.01512.4 lb5.61 kg55 N4C3.02212.7 lb5.78 kg57 N5G2.03013.3 lb6.03 kg59 N6D2.04012.6 lb5.73 kg56 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 12.5 lb5.69 kg56 N−1%
2A3220.0 .012PL012plain 12.6 lb5.70 kg56 N−1%
3F3174.6 .015PL015plain 12.4 lb5.61 kg55 N−3%
4C3130.8 .022NW022wound 12.7 lb5.78 kg57 N+0%
5G298.0 .030NW030wound 13.3 lb6.03 kg59 N+5%
6D273.4 .040NW040wound 12.6 lb5.73 kg56 N−0%
Total76.1 lb34.5 kg339 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in D standard, 28"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
EXL120BT (this page) 9-12-15-22-30-4012.7 lb5.76 kg56 N 76.1 lb34.5 kg339 Nloosevery even
D'Addario EPS510 10-13-17-26-36-4615.8 lb7.15 kg70 N 94.6 lb42.9 kg421 Nmediumeven
D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-4616.1 lb7.29 kg71 N 96.4 lb43.7 kg429 Nmediumvery even
D'Addario NYXL1046 10-13-17-26-36-4616.3 lb7.41 kg73 N 98.0 lb44.4 kg436 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario XSE1046 10-13-17-26-36-4616.3 lb7.41 kg73 N 98.0 lb44.4 kg436 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL110 10-13-17-26-36-4616.4 lb7.42 kg73 N 98.2 lb44.5 kg437 Nmediummoderately uneven

Best match for a medium feel in D standard, 28"

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 6.3%, average 16.1 lb7.29 kg71 N, very even
  2. D'Addario EXL110 10-13-17-26-36-46 deviation 8.2%, average 16.4 lb7.42 kg73 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: NYXL1046, XSE1046, EPS510
  3. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 11.2%, average 18.6 lb8.46 kg83 N, even; same gauges: EXL115

More for the EXL120BT

Other tunings on 28": E standard, Drop D, Eb standard, Open G, Open D, DADGAD

D standard on other scales: 26.5", 27"

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