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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 E standard (8-string) on a 26.5" scale

10-74 Light Top/Heavy Bottom 8-String, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 26.5" scale, tuned to E standard (8-string) (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 D2 A1 E1), pulls 132.4 lb60.1 kg589 N in total and 16.6 lb7.51 kg74 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 22.6%). String 5 (G2) deviates most: +33% from the set average.

Total tension
132.4 lb60.1 kg589 N
Average per string
16.6 lb7.51 kg74 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

05101520lb025810kg0255075100Nset averagemedium (10-46)1D4.01013.9 lb6.30 kg62 N2A3.01313.2 lb5.99 kg59 N3F3.01714.2 lb6.46 kg63 N4C3.03021.2 lb9.62 kg94 N5G2.04222.0 lb9.96 kg98 N6D2.05420.3 lb9.19 kg90 N7A1.06415.9 lb7.21 kg71 N8E1.07411.8 lb5.33 kg52 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 .010PL010plain 13.9 lb6.30 kg62 N−16%
2A3220.0 .013PL013plain 13.2 lb5.99 kg59 N−20%
3F3174.6 .017PL017plain 14.2 lb6.46 kg63 N−14%
4C3130.8 .030NW030wound 21.2 lb9.62 kg94 N+28%
5G298.0 .042NW042wound 22.0 lb9.96 kg98 N+33%
6D273.4 .054NW054wound 20.3 lb9.19 kg90 N+22%
7A155.0 .064NW064wound 15.9 lb7.21 kg71 N−4%
8E141.2 .074NW074wound 11.8 lb5.33 kg52 N−29%
Total132.4 lb60.1 kg589 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in E standard (8-string), 26.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL0980 9-12-16-24-32-44-60-8012.8 lb5.83 kg57 N 102.8 lb46.6 kg457 Nloosemoderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1074 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-7416.5 lb7.50 kg74 N 132.3 lb60.0 kg588 Nmediumuneven
EXL140-8 (this page) 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-7416.6 lb7.51 kg74 N 132.4 lb60.1 kg589 Nmediumuneven
Elixir 12062 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-7417.0 lb7.72 kg76 N 136.2 lb61.8 kg606 Nmediumuneven
Elixir 19062 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-7417.0 lb7.72 kg76 N 136.2 lb61.8 kg606 Nmediumuneven

Best match for a medium feel in E standard (8-string), 26.5"

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

  1. D'Addario NYXL1074 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-74 deviation 21.9%, average 16.5 lb7.50 kg74 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL140-8
  2. Elixir 12062 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-74 deviation 23.9%, average 17.0 lb7.72 kg76 N, uneven; same gauges: 19062
  3. D'Addario NYXL0980 9-12-16-24-32-44-60-80 deviation 25.5%, average 12.8 lb5.83 kg57 N, moderately uneven

More for the EXL140-8

Other tunings on 26.5": F# standard (8-string), Drop E (8-string)

E standard (8-string) on other scales: 27", 28", 26.5"–28" 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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