String Tension Lab Calculator

D'Addario · XL Nickel · 9-11-16-26-36-46

D'Addario EXL125 (9-11-16-26-36-46) in E standard on a 26.5" scale

09-46 Super Light Top/Regular Bottom, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 26.5" scale, tuned to E standard (E4 B3 G3 D3 A2 E2), pulls 100.6 lb45.6 kg448 N in total and 16.8 lb7.61 kg75 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 18.5%). String 2 (B3) deviates most: −29% from the set average.

Total tension
100.6 lb45.6 kg448 N
Average per string
16.8 lb7.61 kg75 N
Feel
medium
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 18.5%

Tension per string

05101520lb025810kg0255075100Nset averagemedium (10-46)1E4.00914.2 lb6.42 kg63 N2B3.01111.9 lb5.39 kg53 N3G3.01615.9 lb7.21 kg71 N4D3.02619.9 lb9.02 kg88 N5A2.03620.5 lb9.31 kg91 N6E2.04618.3 lb8.29 kg81 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
1E4329.6 .009PL009plain 14.2 lb6.42 kg63 N−16%
2B3246.9 .011PL011plain 11.9 lb5.39 kg53 N−29%
3G3196.0 .016PL016plain 15.9 lb7.21 kg71 N−5%
4D3146.8 .026NW026wound 19.9 lb9.02 kg88 N+19%
5A2110.0 .036NW036wound 20.5 lb9.31 kg91 N+22%
6E282.4 .046NW046wound 18.3 lb8.29 kg81 N+9%
Total100.6 lb45.6 kg448 N

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Similar sets in E standard, 26.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL0942 9-11-16-24-32-4215.2 lb6.88 kg67 N 91.0 lb41.3 kg405 Nloosemoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL120 9-11-16-24-32-4215.2 lb6.89 kg68 N 91.2 lb41.4 kg406 Nloosemoderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL0946 9-11-16-26-36-4616.7 lb7.59 kg74 N 100.4 lb45.5 kg447 Nmediumuneven
EXL125 (this page) 9-11-16-26-36-4616.8 lb7.61 kg75 N 100.6 lb45.6 kg448 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EPS510 10-13-17-26-36-4617.8 lb8.07 kg79 N 106.8 lb48.4 kg475 Nmediumeven
D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-4618.1 lb8.23 kg81 N 108.8 lb49.4 kg484 Nmediumvery even

Best match for a medium feel in E standard, 26.5"

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

  1. D'Addario EPS510 10-13-17-26-36-46 deviation 6.5%, average 17.8 lb8.07 kg79 N, even; same gauges: NYXL1046, XSE1046, EXL110
  2. D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-46 deviation 6.5%, average 18.1 lb8.23 kg81 N, very even
  3. D'Addario EXL120 9-11-16-24-32-42 deviation 15.1%, average 15.2 lb6.89 kg68 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: NYXL0942

More for the EXL125

Other tunings on 26.5": Drop D, Open G

E standard on other scales: 27", 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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