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

D'Addario EXL158 (13-17-26-36-46-62) in D standard on a 25" scale

13-62 Light Baritone, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 25" scale, tuned to D standard (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 D2), pulls 138.7 lb62.9 kg617 N in total and 23.1 lb10.49 kg103 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is moderately uneven (spread 8.9%). String 2 (A3) deviates most: −13% from the set average.

Total tension: 138.7 lb62.9 kg617 N
Average per string: 23.1 lb10.49 kg103 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

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	D4	293.7	.013	PL013	plain	21.0 lb9.50 kg93 N	−9%
2	A3	220.0	.017	PL017	plain	20.1 lb9.13 kg89 N	−13%
3	F3	174.6	.026	NW026	wound	25.0 lb11.35 kg111 N	+8%
4	C3	130.8	.036	NW036	wound	25.8 lb11.72 kg115 N	+12%
5	G2	98.0	.046	NW046	wound	23.0 lb10.43 kg102 N	−1%
6	D2	73.4	.062	NW062	wound	23.8 lb10.79 kg106 N	+3%
Total						138.7 lb62.9 kg617 N

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Similar sets in D standard, 25"

Set	Gauges	Avg per string	Total	Feel	Balance
D'Addario ECG24	11-15-22-30-40-50	18.4 lb8.35 kg82 N	110.4 lb50.1 kg491 N	tight	uneven
D'Addario NYXL1254	12-16-20-32-42-54	18.6 lb8.43 kg83 N	111.6 lb50.6 kg496 N	tight	even
D'Addario EXL145	12-16-20-32-42-54	18.6 lb8.45 kg83 N	111.8 lb50.7 kg497 N	tight	even
D'Addario NYXL1260	12-16-20-34-46-60	20.3 lb9.19 kg90 N	121.6 lb55.2 kg541 N	tight	uneven
D'Addario EXL148	12-16-20-34-46-60	20.3 lb9.22 kg90 N	122.0 lb55.3 kg543 N	tight	uneven
EXL158 (this page)	13-17-26-36-46-62	23.1 lb10.49 kg103 N	138.7 lb62.9 kg617 N	tight	moderately uneven

Best match for a medium feel in D standard, 25"

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 9.7%, average 15.5 lb7.03 kg69 N, very even
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-54 deviation 11.4%, average 18.6 lb8.43 kg83 N, even; same gauges: EXL145
D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-48 deviation 12.3%, average 15.5 lb7.04 kg69 N, moderately uneven

More for the EXL158

Other tunings on 25": Drop C, C standard, B standard, Drop A

D standard on other scales: 24.75", 25.5"

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 EXL158 (2026-10-31): unit weights derived from the published tensions, cross-checked across sets.