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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 F# 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 F# standard (8-string) (E4 B3 G3 D3 A2 E2 B1 F#1), pulls 166.8 lb75.7 kg742 N in total and 20.9 lb9.46 kg93 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 22.6%). String 5 (A2) deviates most: +33% from the set average.

Total tension
166.8 lb75.7 kg742 N
Average per string
20.9 lb9.46 kg93 N
Feel
tight
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 22.6%

Tension per string

0102030lb0510kg050100Nmedium (10-46)set average1E4.01017.5 lb7.94 kg78 N2B3.01316.6 lb7.55 kg74 N3G3.01717.9 lb8.14 kg80 N4D3.03026.7 lb12.12 kg119 N5A2.04227.7 lb12.55 kg123 N6E2.05425.5 lb11.57 kg113 N7B1.06420.0 lb9.08 kg89 N8F#1.07414.8 lb6.72 kg66 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 17.5 lb7.94 kg78 N−16%
2B3246.9 .013PL013plain 16.6 lb7.55 kg74 N−20%
3G3196.0 .017PL017plain 17.9 lb8.14 kg80 N−14%
4D3146.8 .030NW030wound 26.7 lb12.12 kg119 N+28%
5A2110.0 .042NW042wound 27.7 lb12.55 kg123 N+33%
6E282.4 .054NW054wound 25.5 lb11.57 kg113 N+22%
7B161.7 .064NW064wound 20.0 lb9.08 kg89 N−4%
8F#146.2 .074NW074wound 14.8 lb6.72 kg66 N−29%
Total166.8 lb75.7 kg742 N

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

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario EXL120-8 9-11-16-24-32-42-54-6514.7 lb6.65 kg65 N 117.2 lb53.2 kg521 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario NYXL0980 9-12-16-24-32-44-60-8016.2 lb7.34 kg72 N 129.5 lb58.7 kg576 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1074 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-7420.8 lb9.45 kg93 N 166.7 lb75.6 kg741 Ntightuneven
EXL140-8 (this page) 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-7420.9 lb9.46 kg93 N 166.8 lb75.7 kg742 Ntightuneven
Elixir 12062 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-7421.5 lb9.73 kg95 N 171.7 lb77.9 kg764 Ntightuneven
Elixir 19062 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-7421.5 lb9.73 kg95 N 171.7 lb77.9 kg764 Ntightuneven

Best match for a medium feel in F# 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 NYXL0980 9-12-16-24-32-44-60-80 deviation 9.1%, average 16.2 lb7.34 kg72 N, moderately uneven
  2. D'Addario EXL120-8 9-11-16-24-32-42-54-65 deviation 18.1%, average 14.7 lb6.65 kg65 N, uneven
  3. D'Addario NYXL1074 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-74 deviation 34.9%, average 20.8 lb9.45 kg93 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL140-8

More for the EXL140-8

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

F# standard (8-string) on other scales: 24.75", 25", 25.5"

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