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

D'Addario EXL148 (12-16-20-34-46-60) in C standard on a 28" scale

12-60 Extra Heavy, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 28" scale, tuned to C standard (C4 G3 Eb3 Bb2 F2 C2), pulls 121.5 lb55.1 kg540 N in total and 20.2 lb9.18 kg90 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 12.9%). String 4 (Bb2) deviates most: +15% from the set average.

Total tension: 121.5 lb55.1 kg540 N
Average per string: 20.2 lb9.18 kg90 N
Feel: tight; medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string; Set your own preferred feel
Balance: uneven; spread 12.9%

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	C4	261.6	.012	PL012	plain	17.8 lb8.06 kg79 N	−12%
2	G3	196.0	.016	PL016	plain	17.7 lb8.05 kg79 N	−12%
3	Eb3	155.6	.020	PL020	plain	17.5 lb7.92 kg78 N	−14%
4	Bb2	116.5	.034	NW034	wound	23.3 lb10.57 kg104 N	+15%
5	F2	87.3	.046	NW046	wound	22.9 lb10.38 kg102 N	+13%
6	C2	65.4	.060	NW060	wound	22.3 lb10.13 kg99 N	+10%
Total						121.5 lb55.1 kg540 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in C standard, 28"

Set	Gauges	Avg per string	Total	Feel	Balance
D'Addario EXL117	11-14-19-32-44-56	17.6 lb7.97 kg78 N	105.5 lb47.8 kg469 N	medium	uneven
D'Addario ECG24	11-15-22-30-40-50	18.3 lb8.31 kg81 N	109.9 lb49.9 kg489 N	tight	uneven
D'Addario NYXL1254	12-16-20-32-42-54	18.5 lb8.40 kg82 N	111.1 lb50.4 kg494 N	tight	even
D'Addario EXL145	12-16-20-32-42-54	18.6 lb8.42 kg83 N	111.3 lb50.5 kg495 N	tight	even
D'Addario NYXL1260	12-16-20-34-46-60	20.2 lb9.15 kg90 N	121.1 lb54.9 kg539 N	tight	uneven
EXL148 (this page)	12-16-20-34-46-60	20.2 lb9.18 kg90 N	121.5 lb55.1 kg540 N	tight	uneven

Best match for a medium feel in C standard, 28"

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

D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-50 deviation 10.0%, average 15.4 lb7.00 kg69 N, very even
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-54 deviation 11.0%, average 18.5 lb8.40 kg82 N, even; same gauges: EXL145
D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-48 deviation 12.6%, average 15.5 lb7.01 kg69 N, moderately uneven

More for the EXL148

Other tunings on 28": B standard, Drop A

C standard on other scales: 24.75", 25", 25.5", 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.

Sources

D'Addario product page, tension chart for EXL148 (2026-10-31): unit weights derived from the published tensions, cross-checked across sets.