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 26.5" scale

13-62 Light Baritone, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 26.5" scale, tuned to C standard (C4 G3 Eb3 Bb2 F2 C2), pulls 123.7 lb56.1 kg550 N in total and 20.6 lb9.35 kg92 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
123.7 lb56.1 kg550 N
Average per string
20.6 lb9.35 kg92 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

01020lb025810kg0255075100Nmedium (10-46)set average1C4.01318.7 lb8.47 kg83 N2G3.01717.9 lb8.14 kg80 N3Eb3.02622.3 lb10.13 kg99 N4Bb2.03623.1 lb10.46 kg103 N5F2.04620.5 lb9.30 kg91 N6C2.06221.2 lb9.62 kg94 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 18.7 lb8.47 kg83 N−9%
2G3196.0 .017PL017plain 17.9 lb8.14 kg80 N−13%
3Eb3155.6 .026NW026wound 22.3 lb10.13 kg99 N+8%
4Bb2116.5 .036NW036wound 23.1 lb10.46 kg103 N+12%
5F287.3 .046NW046wound 20.5 lb9.30 kg91 N−1%
6C265.4 .062NW062wound 21.2 lb9.62 kg94 N+3%
Total123.7 lb56.1 kg550 N

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Similar sets in C standard, 26.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario ECG24 11-15-22-30-40-5016.4 lb7.44 kg73 N 98.5 lb44.7 kg438 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-5416.6 lb7.52 kg74 N 99.5 lb45.1 kg443 Nmediumeven
D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-5416.6 lb7.54 kg74 N 99.7 lb45.2 kg444 Nmediumeven
D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-6018.1 lb8.20 kg80 N 108.5 lb49.2 kg482 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EXL148 12-16-20-34-46-6018.1 lb8.22 kg81 N 108.8 lb49.3 kg484 Nmediumuneven
EXL158 (this page) 13-17-26-36-46-6220.6 lb9.35 kg92 N 123.7 lb56.1 kg550 Ntightmoderately uneven

Best match for a medium feel in C standard, 26.5"

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 7.1%, average 16.6 lb7.52 kg74 N, even; same gauges: EXL145
  2. D'Addario ECG24 11-15-22-30-40-50 deviation 14.4%, average 16.4 lb7.44 kg73 N, uneven
  3. D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-60 deviation 14.5%, average 18.1 lb8.20 kg80 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL148

More for the EXL158

Other tunings on 26.5": B standard, Drop A

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