String Tension Lab All sets Calculator

D'Addario · XL Nickel · 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-74

D'Addario EXL140-8 (10-13-17-30-42-54-64-74) in F# standard (8-string) on a 24.75" scale

10-74 Light Top/Heavy Bottom 8-String, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 24.75" scale, tuned to F# standard (8-string) (E4 B3 G3 D3 A2 E2 B1 F#1), pulls 145.5 lb66.0 kg647 N in total and 18.2 lb8.25 kg81 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 22.6%). String 5 (A2) deviates most: +33% from the set average.

Total tension
145.5 lb66.0 kg647 N
Average per string
18.2 lb8.25 kg81 N
Feel
medium
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 22.6%

Tension per string

01020lb025810kg0255075100Nmedium (10-46)set average1E4.01015.3 lb6.93 kg68 N2B3.01314.5 lb6.59 kg65 N3G3.01715.7 lb7.10 kg70 N4D3.03023.3 lb10.57 kg104 N5A2.04224.1 lb10.95 kg107 N6E2.05422.3 lb10.10 kg99 N7B1.06417.5 lb7.92 kg78 N8F#1.07412.9 lb5.86 kg57 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 .010PL010plain 15.3 lb6.93 kg68 N−16%
2B3246.9 .013PL013plain 14.5 lb6.59 kg65 N−20%
3G3196.0 .017PL017plain 15.7 lb7.10 kg70 N−14%
4D3146.8 .030NW030wound 23.3 lb10.57 kg104 N+28%
5A2110.0 .042NW042wound 24.1 lb10.95 kg107 N+33%
6E282.4 .054NW054wound 22.3 lb10.10 kg99 N+22%
7B161.7 .064NW064wound 17.5 lb7.92 kg78 N−4%
8F#146.2 .074NW074wound 12.9 lb5.86 kg57 N−29%
Total145.5 lb66.0 kg647 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in F# standard (8-string), 24.75"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL0980 9-12-16-24-32-44-60-8014.1 lb6.40 kg63 N 112.9 lb51.2 kg502 Nloosemoderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1074 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-7418.2 lb8.24 kg81 N 145.4 lb65.9 kg647 Nmediumuneven
EXL140-8 (this page) 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-7418.2 lb8.25 kg81 N 145.5 lb66.0 kg647 Nmediumuneven
Elixir 12062 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-7418.7 lb8.49 kg83 N 149.7 lb67.9 kg666 Ntightuneven
Elixir 19062 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-7418.7 lb8.49 kg83 N 149.7 lb67.9 kg666 Ntightuneven

Best match for a medium feel in F# standard (8-string), 24.75"

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

  1. D'Addario NYXL0980 9-12-16-24-32-44-60-80 deviation 18.6%, average 14.1 lb6.40 kg63 N, moderately uneven
  2. D'Addario NYXL1074 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-74 deviation 24.6%, average 18.2 lb8.24 kg81 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL140-8
  3. D'Addario EXL120-8 9-11-16-24-32-42-54-65 deviation 27.0%, average 12.8 lb5.80 kg57 N, uneven

More for the EXL140-8

F# standard (8-string) on other scales: 25", 25.5", 26.5"

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