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 26.5" scale

12-60 Extra Heavy, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 26.5" scale, tuned to Drop A (B3 F#3 D3 A2 E2 A1), pulls 93.3 lb42.3 kg415 N in total and 15.5 lb7.05 kg69 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
93.3 lb42.3 kg415 N
Average per string
15.5 lb7.05 kg69 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

05101520lb02468kg020406080Nset averagemedium (10-46)1B3.01214.2 lb6.43 kg63 N2F#3.01614.2 lb6.42 kg63 N3D3.02013.9 lb6.32 kg62 N4A2.03418.6 lb8.43 kg83 N5E2.04618.3 lb8.29 kg81 N6A1.06014.1 lb6.41 kg63 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 14.2 lb6.43 kg63 N−9%
2F#3185.0 .016PL016plain 14.2 lb6.42 kg63 N−9%
3D3146.8 .020PL020plain 13.9 lb6.32 kg62 N−10%
4A2110.0 .034NW034wound 18.6 lb8.43 kg83 N+20%
5E282.4 .046NW046wound 18.3 lb8.29 kg81 N+18%
6A155.0 .060NW060wound 14.1 lb6.41 kg63 N−9%
Total93.3 lb42.3 kg415 N

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Similar sets in Drop A, 26.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-5414.3 lb6.48 kg64 N 85.7 lb38.9 kg381 Nloosemoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-5414.3 lb6.49 kg64 N 85.9 lb39.0 kg382 Nloosemoderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-6015.5 lb7.03 kg69 N 93.0 lb42.2 kg414 Nlooseuneven
EXL148 (this page) 12-16-20-34-46-6015.5 lb7.05 kg69 N 93.3 lb42.3 kg415 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario EXL158 13-17-26-36-46-6217.7 lb8.04 kg79 N 106.3 lb48.2 kg473 Nmediummoderately uneven

Best match for a medium feel in Drop A, 26.5"

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 12.4%, average 17.7 lb8.04 kg79 N, moderately uneven
  2. D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-60 deviation 15.0%, average 15.5 lb7.03 kg69 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL148
  3. D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-54 deviation 18.9%, average 14.3 lb6.49 kg64 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: NYXL1254

More for the EXL148

Other tunings on 26.5": D standard, Drop C, C standard, B standard

Drop A on other scales: 24.75", 25", 25.5", 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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