String Tension Lab Calculator

D'Addario · XL Nickel · 12-16-20-34-46-60

D'Addario EXL148 (12-16-20-34-46-60) in Drop A on a 25.5" scale

12-60 Extra Heavy, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 25.5" scale, tuned to Drop A (B3 F#3 D3 A2 E2 A1), pulls 86.3 lb39.2 kg384 N in total and 14.4 lb6.53 kg64 N per string on average. That is a loose feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 13.1%). String 4 (A2) deviates most: +20% from the set average.

Total tension
86.3 lb39.2 kg384 N
Average per string
14.4 lb6.53 kg64 N
Feel
loose
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 13.1%

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 N4A2.03417.2 lb7.81 kg77 N5E2.04616.9 lb7.67 kg75 N6A1.06013.1 lb5.94 kg58 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−9%
2F#3185.0 .016PL016plain 13.1 lb5.95 kg58 N−9%
3D3146.8 .020PL020plain 12.9 lb5.85 kg57 N−10%
4A2110.0 .034NW034wound 17.2 lb7.81 kg77 N+20%
5E282.4 .046NW046wound 16.9 lb7.67 kg75 N+18%
6A155.0 .060NW060wound 13.1 lb5.94 kg58 N−9%
Total86.3 lb39.2 kg384 N

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Similar sets in Drop A, 25.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-6014.3 lb6.51 kg64 N 86.1 lb39.0 kg383 Nlooseuneven
EXL148 (this page) 12-16-20-34-46-6014.4 lb6.53 kg64 N 86.3 lb39.2 kg384 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario EXL158 13-17-26-36-46-6216.4 lb7.44 kg73 N 98.4 lb44.7 kg438 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL157 14-18-26-44-56-6820.4 lb9.27 kg91 N 122.6 lb55.6 kg545 Ntightuneven

Best match for a medium feel in Drop A, 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 11.7%, average 16.4 lb7.44 kg73 N, moderately uneven
  2. D'Addario EXL148 12-16-20-34-46-60 deviation 19.3%, average 14.4 lb6.53 kg64 N, uneven; same gauges: NYXL1260
  3. D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-54 deviation 24.2%, average 13.3 lb6.01 kg59 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: NYXL1254

More for the EXL148

Other tunings on 25.5": Eb standard, D standard, Drop C, C standard, B standard

Drop A 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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