String Tension Lab Calculator

D'Addario · XL Nickel · 13-17-26-36-46-62

D'Addario EXL158 (13-17-26-36-46-62) in C standard on a 25.5" scale

13-62 Light Baritone, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 25.5" scale, tuned to C standard (C4 G3 Eb3 Bb2 F2 C2), pulls 114.6 lb52.0 kg510 N in total and 19.1 lb8.66 kg85 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is moderately uneven (spread 8.9%). String 2 (G3) deviates most: −13% from the set average.

Total tension
114.6 lb52.0 kg510 N
Average per string
19.1 lb8.66 kg85 N
Feel
tight
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
moderately uneven
spread 8.9%

Tension per string

05101520lb025810kg0255075100Nmedium (10-46)set average1C4.01317.3 lb7.85 kg77 N2G3.01716.6 lb7.54 kg74 N3Eb3.02620.7 lb9.38 kg92 N4Bb2.03621.3 lb9.68 kg95 N5F2.04619.0 lb8.61 kg84 N6C2.06219.6 lb8.91 kg87 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
1C4261.6 .013PL013plain 17.3 lb7.85 kg77 N−9%
2G3196.0 .017PL017plain 16.6 lb7.54 kg74 N−13%
3Eb3155.6 .026NW026wound 20.7 lb9.38 kg92 N+8%
4Bb2116.5 .036NW036wound 21.3 lb9.68 kg95 N+12%
5F287.3 .046NW046wound 19.0 lb8.61 kg84 N−1%
6C265.4 .062NW062wound 19.6 lb8.91 kg87 N+3%
Total114.6 lb52.0 kg510 N

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Similar sets in C standard, 25.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario ECG24 11-15-22-30-40-5015.2 lb6.89 kg68 N 91.2 lb41.4 kg406 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-5415.4 lb6.96 kg68 N 92.1 lb41.8 kg410 Nlooseeven
D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-5415.4 lb6.98 kg68 N 92.3 lb41.9 kg411 Nlooseeven
D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-6016.7 lb7.59 kg74 N 100.4 lb45.6 kg447 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EXL148 12-16-20-34-46-6016.8 lb7.62 kg75 N 100.7 lb45.7 kg448 Nmediumuneven
EXL158 (this page) 13-17-26-36-46-6219.1 lb8.66 kg85 N 114.6 lb52.0 kg510 Ntightmoderately uneven

Best match for a medium feel in C standard, 25.5"

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

  1. D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-54 deviation 11.7%, average 15.4 lb6.98 kg68 N, even; same gauges: NYXL1254
  2. D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-60 deviation 12.6%, average 16.7 lb7.59 kg74 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL148
  3. D'Addario EXL158 13-17-26-36-46-62 deviation 15.3%, average 19.1 lb8.66 kg85 N, moderately uneven

More for the EXL158

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

C standard 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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