String Tension Lab Calculator

D'Addario · XL Nickel · 12-16-20-32-42-54

D'Addario EXL145 (12-16-20-32-42-54) in Open D on a 24.75" scale

12-54 Heavy Plain Third, 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 122.1 lb55.4 kg543 N in total and 20.3 lb9.23 kg90 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 17.0%). String 4 (D3) deviates most: +28% from the set average.

Total tension
122.1 lb55.4 kg543 N
Average per string
20.3 lb9.23 kg90 N
Feel
tight
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 17.0%

Tension per string

01020lb0510kg050100Nmedium (10-46)set average1D4.01217.5 lb7.93 kg78 N2A3.01617.5 lb7.92 kg78 N3F#3.02019.3 lb8.75 kg86 N4D3.03226.0 lb11.80 kg116 N5A2.04224.1 lb10.95 kg107 N6D2.05417.7 lb8.01 kg79 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 .012PL012plain 17.5 lb7.93 kg78 N−14%
2A3220.0 .016PL016plain 17.5 lb7.92 kg78 N−14%
3F#3185.0 .020PL020plain 19.3 lb8.75 kg86 N−5%
4D3146.8 .032NW032wound 26.0 lb11.80 kg116 N+28%
5A2110.0 .042NW042wound 24.1 lb10.95 kg107 N+19%
6D273.4 .054NW054wound 17.7 lb8.01 kg79 N−13%
Total122.1 lb55.4 kg543 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in Open D, 24.75"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario EXL116 11-14-18-30-42-5217.8 lb8.08 kg79 N 106.8 lb48.5 kg475 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario NYXL1156 11-14-19-32-44-5619.4 lb8.78 kg86 N 116.1 lb52.7 kg516 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL117 11-14-19-32-44-5619.4 lb8.81 kg86 N 116.5 lb52.8 kg518 Ntightuneven
D'Addario ECG24 11-15-22-30-40-5020.2 lb9.17 kg90 N 121.3 lb55.0 kg539 Ntightuneven
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-5420.3 lb9.20 kg90 N 121.7 lb55.2 kg542 Ntightuneven
EXL145 (this page) 12-16-20-32-42-5420.3 lb9.23 kg90 N 122.1 lb55.4 kg543 Ntightuneven

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 EXL145

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

Open D on other scales: 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