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 28" scale

09-46 Super Light Top/Regular Bottom, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 28" scale, tuned to E standard (E4 B3 G3 D3 A2 E2), pulls 112.3 lb51.0 kg500 N in total and 18.7 lb8.49 kg83 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 18.5%). String 2 (B3) deviates most: −29% from the set average.

Total tension
112.3 lb51.0 kg500 N
Average per string
18.7 lb8.49 kg83 N
Feel
tight
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 18.5%

Tension per string

01020lb025810kg0255075100Nmedium (10-46)set average1E4.00915.8 lb7.17 kg70 N2B3.01113.3 lb6.02 kg59 N3G3.01617.7 lb8.05 kg79 N4D3.02622.2 lb10.07 kg99 N5A2.03622.9 lb10.40 kg102 N6E2.04620.4 lb9.25 kg91 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 15.8 lb7.17 kg70 N−16%
2B3246.9 .011PL011plain 13.3 lb6.02 kg59 N−29%
3G3196.0 .016PL016plain 17.7 lb8.05 kg79 N−5%
4D3146.8 .026NW026wound 22.2 lb10.07 kg99 N+19%
5A2110.0 .036NW036wound 22.9 lb10.40 kg102 N+22%
6E282.4 .046NW046wound 20.4 lb9.25 kg91 N+9%
Total112.3 lb51.0 kg500 N

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Similar sets in E standard, 28"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL0942 9-11-16-24-32-4216.9 lb7.68 kg75 N 101.6 lb46.1 kg452 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL120 9-11-16-24-32-4217.0 lb7.70 kg75 N 101.8 lb46.2 kg453 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL0946 9-11-16-26-36-4618.7 lb8.47 kg83 N 112.1 lb50.8 kg499 Ntightuneven
EXL125 (this page) 9-11-16-26-36-4618.7 lb8.49 kg83 N 112.3 lb51.0 kg500 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EPS510 10-13-17-26-36-4619.9 lb9.01 kg88 N 119.2 lb54.1 kg530 Ntighteven
D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-4620.3 lb9.19 kg90 N 121.5 lb55.1 kg540 Ntightvery even

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

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

  1. D'Addario EXL120BT 9-12-15-22-30-40 deviation 6.8%, average 16.0 lb7.25 kg71 N, very even
  2. D'Addario NYXL0942 9-11-16-24-32-42 deviation 11.3%, average 16.9 lb7.68 kg75 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: EXL120
  3. D'Addario EPS510 10-13-17-26-36-46 deviation 17.1%, average 19.9 lb9.01 kg88 N, even; same gauges: NYXL1046, XSE1046, EXL110

More for the EXL125

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

E standard on other scales: 26.5", 27", 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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