String Tension Lab Calculator

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

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

13-62 Light Baritone, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 25" scale, tuned to Drop C (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 C2), pulls 133.8 lb60.7 kg595 N in total and 22.3 lb10.12 kg99 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is moderately uneven (spread 11.4%). String 4 (C3) deviates most: +16% from the set average.

Total tension
133.8 lb60.7 kg595 N
Average per string
22.3 lb10.12 kg99 N
Feel
tight
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
moderately uneven
spread 11.4%

Tension per string

01020lb0510kg050100Nmedium (10-46)set average1D4.01321.0 lb9.50 kg93 N2A3.01720.1 lb9.13 kg89 N3F3.02625.0 lb11.35 kg111 N4C3.03625.8 lb11.72 kg115 N5G2.04623.0 lb10.43 kg102 N6C2.06218.9 lb8.56 kg84 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
1D4293.7 .013PL013plain 21.0 lb9.50 kg93 N−6%
2A3220.0 .017PL017plain 20.1 lb9.13 kg89 N−10%
3F3174.6 .026NW026wound 25.0 lb11.35 kg111 N+12%
4C3130.8 .036NW036wound 25.8 lb11.72 kg115 N+16%
5G298.0 .046NW046wound 23.0 lb10.43 kg102 N+3%
6C265.4 .062NW062wound 18.9 lb8.56 kg84 N−15%
Total133.8 lb60.7 kg595 N

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Similar sets in Drop C, 25"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario ECG24 11-15-22-30-40-5017.8 lb8.08 kg79 N 106.9 lb48.5 kg476 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-5418.0 lb8.15 kg80 N 107.9 lb48.9 kg480 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-5418.0 lb8.17 kg80 N 108.1 lb49.0 kg481 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-6019.5 lb8.85 kg87 N 117.0 lb53.1 kg520 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL148 12-16-20-34-46-6019.6 lb8.87 kg87 N 117.4 lb53.2 kg522 Ntightuneven
EXL158 (this page) 13-17-26-36-46-6222.3 lb10.12 kg99 N 133.8 lb60.7 kg595 Ntightmoderately uneven

Best match for a medium feel in Drop C, 25"

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

  1. D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-54 deviation 13.1%, average 18.0 lb8.15 kg80 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: EXL145
  2. D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-50 deviation 14.9%, average 15.0 lb6.79 kg67 N, moderately uneven
  3. D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-48 deviation 16.0%, average 15.0 lb6.79 kg67 N, moderately uneven

More for the EXL158

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

Drop C 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