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

D'Addario EXL145 (12-16-20-32-42-54) in Drop C on a 25.5"–27" multiscale scale

12-54 Heavy Plain Third, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 25.5"–27" multiscale scale, tuned to Drop C (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 C2), pulls 119.1 lb54.0 kg530 N in total and 19.9 lb9.01 kg88 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is moderately uneven (spread 11.7%). String 4 (C3) deviates most: +18% from the set average.

Total tension: 119.1 lb54.0 kg530 N
Average per string: 19.9 lb9.01 kg88 N
Feel: tight; medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string; Set your own preferred feel
Balance: moderately uneven; spread 11.7%

Tension per string

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.

#	Note	Hz	Gauge	Item	Type	Length	Tension	vs avg
1	D4	293.7	.012	PL012	plain	25.5"	18.6 lb8.42 kg83 N	−6%
2	A3	220.0	.016	PL016	plain	25.8"	19.0 lb8.61 kg84 N	−4%
3	F3	174.6	.020	PL020	plain	26.1"	19.1 lb8.67 kg85 N	−4%
4	C3	130.8	.032	NW032	wound	26.4"	23.5 lb10.66 kg105 N	+18%
5	G2	98.0	.042	NW042	wound	26.7"	22.3 lb10.11 kg99 N	+12%
6	C2	65.4	.054	NW054	wound	27"	16.7 lb7.57 kg74 N	−16%
Total							119.1 lb54.0 kg530 N

Open in the calculator

Multiscale (fanned frets): string lengths change linearly from 25.5" (treble) to 27" (bass).

Similar sets in Drop C, 25.5"–27" multiscale

Set	Gauges	Avg per string	Total	Feel	Balance
D'Addario NYXL1156	11-14-19-32-44-56	18.7 lb8.50 kg83 N	112.5 lb51.0 kg500 N	tight	uneven
D'Addario EXL117	11-14-19-32-44-56	18.8 lb8.53 kg84 N	112.8 lb51.2 kg502 N	tight	uneven
D'Addario ECG24	11-15-22-30-40-50	19.7 lb8.92 kg87 N	118.0 lb53.5 kg525 N	tight	uneven
D'Addario NYXL1254	12-16-20-32-42-54	19.8 lb8.98 kg88 N	118.8 lb53.9 kg529 N	tight	moderately uneven
EXL145 (this page)	12-16-20-32-42-54	19.9 lb9.01 kg88 N	119.1 lb54.0 kg530 N	tight	moderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1260	12-16-20-34-46-60	21.6 lb9.78 kg96 N	129.3 lb58.7 kg575 N	tight	uneven

Best match for a medium feel in Drop C, 25.5"–27" multiscale

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

D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-50 deviation 8.8%, average 16.5 lb7.48 kg73 N, moderately uneven
D'Addario EXL115 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 12.5%, average 15.9 lb7.20 kg71 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: NYXL1149
D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-48 deviation 12.7%, average 16.5 lb7.49 kg73 N, uneven

More for the EXL145

Other tunings on 25.5"–27" multiscale: Eb standard, D standard, C standard, B standard, Drop A

Drop C on other scales: 24.75", 25", 25.5", 26.5", 27", 28"

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

D'Addario product page, tension chart for EXL145 (2026-10-31): unit weights derived from the published tensions, cross-checked across sets.