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

D'Addario EXL145 (12-16-20-32-42-54) in B standard on a 27" scale

12-54 Heavy Plain Third, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 27" scale, tuned to B standard (B3 F#3 D3 A2 E2 B1), pulls 92.2 lb41.8 kg410 N in total and 15.4 lb6.97 kg68 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: 92.2 lb41.8 kg410 N
Average per string: 15.4 lb6.97 kg68 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

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	Tension	vs avg
1	B3	246.9	.012	PL012	plain	14.7 lb6.68 kg65 N	−4%
2	F#3	185.0	.016	PL016	plain	14.7 lb6.67 kg65 N	−4%
3	D3	146.8	.020	PL020	plain	14.5 lb6.56 kg64 N	−6%
4	A2	110.0	.032	NW032	wound	17.4 lb7.88 kg77 N	+13%
5	E2	82.4	.042	NW042	wound	16.1 lb7.31 kg72 N	+5%
6	B1	61.7	.054	NW054	wound	14.9 lb6.74 kg66 N	−3%
Total						92.2 lb41.8 kg410 N

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Similar sets in B standard, 27"

Set	Gauges	Avg per string	Total	Feel	Balance
D'Addario NYXL1156	11-14-19-32-44-56	14.5 lb6.58 kg65 N	87.1 lb39.5 kg387 N	loose	uneven
D'Addario EXL117	11-14-19-32-44-56	14.6 lb6.60 kg65 N	87.4 lb39.6 kg389 N	loose	uneven
D'Addario ECG24	11-15-22-30-40-50	15.2 lb6.88 kg68 N	91.1 lb41.3 kg405 N	loose	uneven
D'Addario NYXL1254	12-16-20-32-42-54	15.3 lb6.96 kg68 N	92.0 lb41.7 kg409 N	loose	even
EXL145 (this page)	12-16-20-32-42-54	15.4 lb6.97 kg68 N	92.2 lb41.8 kg410 N	loose	even
D'Addario NYXL1260	12-16-20-34-46-60	16.7 lb7.58 kg74 N	100.3 lb45.5 kg446 N	medium	uneven

Best match for a medium feel in B standard, 27"

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

D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-54 deviation 11.8%, average 15.4 lb6.97 kg68 N, even; same gauges: NYXL1254
D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-60 deviation 12.6%, average 16.7 lb7.58 kg74 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL148
D'Addario EXL158 13-17-26-36-46-62 deviation 15.2%, average 19.1 lb8.65 kg85 N, moderately uneven

More for the EXL145

Other tunings on 27": Eb standard, D standard, Drop C, C standard, Drop A

B standard 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.

Sources

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