String Tension Lab Calculator

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

D'Addario EXL145 (12-16-20-32-42-54) in Eb 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 Eb standard (Eb4 Bb3 Gb3 Db3 Ab2 Eb2), pulls 130.6 lb59.2 kg581 N in total and 21.8 lb9.87 kg97 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is even (spread 6.8%). String 4 (Db3) deviates most: +13% from the set average.

Total tension
130.6 lb59.2 kg581 N
Average per string
21.8 lb9.87 kg97 N
Feel
tight
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
even
spread 6.8%

Tension per string

01020lb0510kg0255075100Nmedium (10-46)set average1Eb4.01220.8 lb9.45 kg93 N2Bb3.01620.8 lb9.44 kg93 N3Gb3.02020.5 lb9.29 kg91 N4Db3.03224.6 lb11.16 kg109 N5Ab2.04222.8 lb10.35 kg102 N6Eb2.05421.0 lb9.55 kg94 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
1Eb4311.1 .012PL012plain 20.8 lb9.45 kg93 N−4%
2Bb3233.1 .016PL016plain 20.8 lb9.44 kg93 N−4%
3Gb3185.0 .020PL020plain 20.5 lb9.29 kg91 N−6%
4Db3138.6 .032NW032wound 24.6 lb11.16 kg109 N+13%
5Ab2103.8 .042NW042wound 22.8 lb10.35 kg102 N+5%
6Eb277.8 .054NW054wound 21.0 lb9.55 kg94 N−3%
Total130.6 lb59.2 kg581 N

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Similar sets in Eb standard, 25.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1156 11-14-19-32-44-5620.6 lb9.32 kg91 N 123.3 lb55.9 kg548 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL117 11-14-19-32-44-5620.6 lb9.35 kg92 N 123.7 lb56.1 kg550 Ntightuneven
D'Addario ECG24 11-15-22-30-40-5021.5 lb9.75 kg96 N 128.9 lb58.5 kg573 Ntightuneven
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-5421.7 lb9.85 kg97 N 130.3 lb59.1 kg579 Ntighteven
EXL145 (this page) 12-16-20-32-42-5421.8 lb9.87 kg97 N 130.6 lb59.2 kg581 Ntighteven
D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-6023.7 lb10.74 kg105 N 142.0 lb64.4 kg632 Ntightuneven

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

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

  1. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 6.3%, average 17.4 lb7.87 kg77 N, even; same gauges: EXL115
  2. D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-50 deviation 6.5%, average 18.1 lb8.21 kg80 N, very even
  3. D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-48 deviation 11.3%, average 18.1 lb8.22 kg81 N, moderately uneven

More for the EXL145

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

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