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" scale

12-60 Extra Heavy, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 25" scale, tuned to Drop A (B3 F#3 D3 A2 E2 A1), pulls 83.0 lb37.6 kg369 N in total and 13.8 lb6.27 kg62 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
83.0 lb37.6 kg369 N
Average per string
13.8 lb6.27 kg62 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)1B3.01212.6 lb5.72 kg56 N2F#3.01612.6 lb5.71 kg56 N3D3.02012.4 lb5.62 kg55 N4A2.03416.5 lb7.50 kg74 N5E2.04616.3 lb7.37 kg72 N6A1.06012.6 lb5.71 kg56 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 12.6 lb5.72 kg56 N−9%
2F#3185.0 .016PL016plain 12.6 lb5.71 kg56 N−9%
3D3146.8 .020PL020plain 12.4 lb5.62 kg55 N−10%
4A2110.0 .034NW034wound 16.5 lb7.50 kg74 N+20%
5E282.4 .046NW046wound 16.3 lb7.37 kg72 N+18%
6A155.0 .060NW060wound 12.6 lb5.71 kg56 N−9%
Total83.0 lb37.6 kg369 N

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Similar sets in Drop A, 25"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-6013.8 lb6.26 kg61 N 82.7 lb37.5 kg368 Nlooseuneven
EXL148 (this page) 12-16-20-34-46-6013.8 lb6.27 kg62 N 83.0 lb37.6 kg369 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario EXL158 13-17-26-36-46-6215.8 lb7.15 kg70 N 94.6 lb42.9 kg421 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL157 14-18-26-44-56-6819.6 lb8.91 kg87 N 117.8 lb53.4 kg524 Ntightuneven

Best match for a medium feel in Drop A, 25"

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 13.1%, average 15.8 lb7.15 kg70 N, moderately uneven
  2. D'Addario EXL148 12-16-20-34-46-60 deviation 21.9%, average 13.8 lb6.27 kg62 N, uneven; same gauges: NYXL1260
  3. D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-54 deviation 26.9%, average 12.7 lb5.78 kg57 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: NYXL1254

More for the EXL148

Other tunings on 25": Eb standard, D standard, Drop C, C standard, B standard

Drop A on other scales: 24.75", 25.5", 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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