String Tension Lab Calculator

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

D'Addario EXL145 (12-16-20-32-42-54) in B standard on a 25.5" scale

12-54 Heavy Plain Third, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 25.5" scale, tuned to B standard (B3 F#3 D3 A2 E2 B1), pulls 82.3 lb37.3 kg366 N in total and 13.7 lb6.22 kg61 N per string on average. That is a loose feel for an electric guitar. The set is even (spread 6.8%). String 4 (A2) deviates most: +13% from the set average.

Total tension
82.3 lb37.3 kg366 N
Average per string
13.7 lb6.22 kg61 N
Feel
loose
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
even
spread 6.8%

Tension per string

051015lb02468kg020406080Nset averagemedium (10-46)1B3.01213.1 lb5.95 kg58 N2F#3.01613.1 lb5.95 kg58 N3D3.02012.9 lb5.85 kg57 N4A2.03215.5 lb7.03 kg69 N5E2.04214.4 lb6.52 kg64 N6B1.05413.3 lb6.01 kg59 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
1B3246.9 .012PL012plain 13.1 lb5.95 kg58 N−4%
2F#3185.0 .016PL016plain 13.1 lb5.95 kg58 N−4%
3D3146.8 .020PL020plain 12.9 lb5.85 kg57 N−6%
4A2110.0 .032NW032wound 15.5 lb7.03 kg69 N+13%
5E282.4 .042NW042wound 14.4 lb6.52 kg64 N+5%
6B161.7 .054NW054wound 13.3 lb6.01 kg59 N−3%
Total82.3 lb37.3 kg366 N

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Similar sets in B standard, 25.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-5413.7 lb6.20 kg61 N 82.1 lb37.2 kg365 Nlooseeven
EXL145 (this page) 12-16-20-32-42-5413.7 lb6.22 kg61 N 82.3 lb37.3 kg366 Nlooseeven
D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-6014.9 lb6.76 kg66 N 89.5 lb40.6 kg398 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario EXL148 12-16-20-34-46-6015.0 lb6.78 kg67 N 89.7 lb40.7 kg399 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario EXL158 13-17-26-36-46-6217.0 lb7.72 kg76 N 102.1 lb46.3 kg454 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL157 14-18-26-44-56-6821.2 lb9.60 kg94 N 126.9 lb57.6 kg565 Ntightuneven

Best match for a medium feel in B standard, 25.5"

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

  1. D'Addario EXL158 13-17-26-36-46-62 deviation 8.8%, average 17.0 lb7.72 kg76 N, moderately uneven
  2. D'Addario EXL148 12-16-20-34-46-60 deviation 16.8%, average 15.0 lb6.78 kg67 N, uneven; same gauges: NYXL1260
  3. D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-54 deviation 20.5%, average 13.7 lb6.22 kg61 N, even; same gauges: NYXL1254

More for the EXL145

Other tunings on 25.5": E standard, Drop D, Eb standard, D standard, Drop C, C standard, Open G, Open D, DADGAD

B standard on other scales: 24.75", 25", 26.5", 27", 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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