String Tension Lab Calculator

D'Addario · XL Nickel · 14-18-26-44-56-68

D'Addario EXL157 (14-18-26-44-56-68) in Drop A on a 25.5" scale

14-68 Medium Baritone, 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 122.6 lb55.6 kg545 N in total and 20.4 lb9.27 kg91 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 21.7%). String 4 (A2) deviates most: +36% from the set average.

Total tension
122.6 lb55.6 kg545 N
Average per string
20.4 lb9.27 kg91 N
Feel
tight
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 21.7%

Tension per string

0102030lb0510kg050100Nmedium (10-46)set average1B3.01417.8 lb8.08 kg79 N2F#3.01816.6 lb7.52 kg74 N3D3.02618.4 lb8.35 kg82 N4A2.04427.9 lb12.64 kg124 N5E2.05625.2 lb11.44 kg112 N6A1.06816.7 lb7.57 kg74 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 .014PL014plain 17.8 lb8.08 kg79 N−13%
2F#3185.0 .018PL018plain 16.6 lb7.52 kg74 N−19%
3D3146.8 .026NW026wound 18.4 lb8.35 kg82 N−10%
4A2110.0 .044NW044wound 27.9 lb12.64 kg124 N+36%
5E282.4 .056NW056wound 25.2 lb11.44 kg112 N+23%
6A155.0 .068NW068wound 16.7 lb7.57 kg74 N−18%
Total122.6 lb55.6 kg545 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
D'Addario EXL148 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
EXL157 (this page) 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 EXL157

Other tunings on 25.5": B standard

Drop A on other scales: 24.75", 25"

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