String Tension Lab Calculator

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

D'Addario EXL125 (9-11-16-26-36-46) in Open G 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 Open G (D4 B3 G3 D3 G2 D2), pulls 100.1 lb45.4 kg445 N in total and 16.7 lb7.57 kg74 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 19.4%). String 4 (D3) deviates most: +33% from the set average.

Total tension
100.1 lb45.4 kg445 N
Average per string
16.7 lb7.57 kg74 N
Feel
medium
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 19.4%

Tension per string

05101520lb025810kg0255075100Nset averagemedium (10-46)1D4.00912.5 lb5.69 kg56 N2B3.01113.3 lb6.02 kg59 N3G3.01617.7 lb8.05 kg79 N4D3.02622.2 lb10.07 kg99 N5G2.03618.2 lb8.25 kg81 N6D2.04616.2 lb7.34 kg72 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−25%
2B3246.9 .011PL011plain 13.3 lb6.02 kg59 N−20%
3G3196.0 .016PL016plain 17.7 lb8.05 kg79 N+6%
4D3146.8 .026NW026wound 22.2 lb10.07 kg99 N+33%
5G298.0 .036NW036wound 18.2 lb8.25 kg81 N+9%
6D273.4 .046NW046wound 16.2 lb7.34 kg72 N−3%
Total100.1 lb45.4 kg445 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in Open G, 28"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL0942 9-11-16-24-32-4215.2 lb6.88 kg67 N 91.0 lb41.3 kg405 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario EXL120 9-11-16-24-32-4215.2 lb6.89 kg68 N 91.1 lb41.3 kg405 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario NYXL0946 9-11-16-26-36-4616.7 lb7.55 kg74 N 99.9 lb45.3 kg444 Nmediumuneven
EXL125 (this page) 9-11-16-26-36-4616.7 lb7.57 kg74 N 100.1 lb45.4 kg445 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EPS510 10-13-17-26-36-4617.8 lb8.08 kg79 N 106.8 lb48.5 kg475 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-4618.2 lb8.24 kg81 N 109.0 lb49.4 kg485 Nmediummoderately uneven

Best match for a medium feel in Open G, 28"

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 12.8%, average 17.8 lb8.08 kg79 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: NYXL1046, XSE1046, EXL110
  2. D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-46 deviation 14.0%, average 18.2 lb8.24 kg81 N, moderately uneven
  3. D'Addario EXL120 9-11-16-24-32-42 deviation 17.8%, average 15.2 lb6.89 kg68 N, uneven; same gauges: NYXL0942

More for the EXL125

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

Open G 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