String Tension Lab Calculator

D'Addario · XL Nickel · 10-13-17-30-42-52

D'Addario EXL140 (10-13-17-30-42-52) in Open D on a 24.75" scale

10-52 Light Top/Heavy Bottom, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 24.75" scale, tuned to Open D (D4 A3 F#3 D3 A2 D2), pulls 100.8 lb45.7 kg448 N in total and 16.8 lb7.62 kg75 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 30.3%). String 5 (A2) deviates most: +44% from the set average.

Total tension
100.8 lb45.7 kg448 N
Average per string
16.8 lb7.62 kg75 N
Feel
medium
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 30.3%

Tension per string

01020lb025810kg0255075100Nset averagemedium (10-46)1D4.01012.1 lb5.50 kg54 N2A3.01311.5 lb5.23 kg51 N3F#3.01713.9 lb6.32 kg62 N4D3.03023.3 lb10.57 kg104 N5A2.04224.1 lb10.95 kg107 N6D2.05215.8 lb7.16 kg70 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 12.1 lb5.50 kg54 N−28%
2A3220.0 .013PL013plain 11.5 lb5.23 kg51 N−31%
3F#3185.0 .017PL017plain 13.9 lb6.32 kg62 N−17%
4D3146.8 .030NW030wound 23.3 lb10.57 kg104 N+39%
5A2110.0 .042NW042wound 24.1 lb10.95 kg107 N+44%
6D273.4 .052NW052wound 15.8 lb7.16 kg70 N−6%
Total100.8 lb45.7 kg448 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in Open D, 24.75"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-4916.2 lb7.35 kg72 N 97.3 lb44.1 kg433 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EXL115 11-14-18-28-38-4916.3 lb7.37 kg72 N 97.5 lb44.2 kg434 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario NYXL1052 10-13-17-30-42-5216.8 lb7.60 kg75 N 100.5 lb45.6 kg447 Nmediumuneven
EXL140 (this page) 10-13-17-30-42-5216.8 lb7.62 kg75 N 100.8 lb45.7 kg448 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-5016.8 lb7.64 kg75 N 101.1 lb45.8 kg450 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-4817.0 lb7.69 kg75 N 101.7 lb46.2 kg453 Nmediumuneven

Best match for a medium feel in Open D, 24.75"

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

  1. D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-50 deviation 12.2%, average 16.8 lb7.64 kg75 N, uneven
  2. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 16.0%, average 16.2 lb7.35 kg72 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL115
  3. D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-48 deviation 18.3%, average 17.0 lb7.69 kg75 N, uneven

More for the EXL140

Other tunings on 24.75": E standard, Drop D, Eb standard, D standard, Drop C, Open G, DADGAD

Open D on other scales: 25", 25.5", 26.5", 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.

Sources