String Tension Lab Calculator

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

D'Addario EXL140 (10-13-17-30-42-52) in Drop C on a 27" scale

10-52 Light Top/Heavy Bottom, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 27" scale, tuned to Drop C (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 C2), pulls 102.7 lb46.6 kg457 N in total and 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 22.1%). String 5 (G2) deviates most: +33% from the set average.

Total tension
102.7 lb46.6 kg457 N
Average per string
17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N
Feel
medium
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 22.1%

Tension per string

01020lb025810kg0255075100Nmedium (10-46)set average1D4.01014.4 lb6.54 kg64 N2A3.01313.7 lb6.22 kg61 N3F3.01714.8 lb6.71 kg66 N4C3.03022.0 lb9.99 kg98 N5G2.04222.8 lb10.34 kg101 N6C2.05214.9 lb6.76 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
1D4293.7 .010PL010plain 14.4 lb6.54 kg64 N−16%
2A3220.0 .013PL013plain 13.7 lb6.22 kg61 N−20%
3F3174.6 .017PL017plain 14.8 lb6.71 kg66 N−14%
4C3130.8 .030NW030wound 22.0 lb9.99 kg98 N+29%
5G298.0 .042NW042wound 22.8 lb10.34 kg101 N+33%
6C265.4 .052NW052wound 14.9 lb6.76 kg66 N−13%
Total102.7 lb46.6 kg457 N

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Similar sets in Drop C, 27"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-4916.8 lb7.60 kg75 N 100.5 lb45.6 kg447 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL115 11-14-18-28-38-4916.8 lb7.62 kg75 N 100.8 lb45.7 kg448 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1052 10-13-17-30-42-5217.1 lb7.74 kg76 N 102.4 lb46.4 kg455 Nmediumuneven
EXL140 (this page) 10-13-17-30-42-5217.1 lb7.76 kg76 N 102.7 lb46.6 kg457 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-4817.5 lb7.92 kg78 N 104.8 lb47.5 kg466 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-5017.5 lb7.93 kg78 N 104.8 lb47.6 kg466 Nmediummoderately uneven

Best match for a medium feel in Drop C, 27"

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 9.8%, average 17.5 lb7.93 kg78 N, moderately uneven
  2. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 10.9%, average 16.8 lb7.60 kg75 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: EXL115
  3. D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-48 deviation 11.9%, average 17.5 lb7.92 kg78 N, moderately uneven

More for the EXL140

Other tunings on 27": Eb standard, D standard, Open G

Drop C on other scales: 24.75", 25", 25.5", 26.5", 28", 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.

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