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 A on a 27" scale

13-62 Light Baritone, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 27" scale, tuned to Drop A (B3 F#3 D3 A2 E2 A1), pulls 110.4 lb50.1 kg491 N in total and 18.4 lb8.34 kg82 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is moderately uneven (spread 11.4%). String 4 (A2) deviates most: +16% from the set average.

Total tension
110.4 lb50.1 kg491 N
Average per string
18.4 lb8.34 kg82 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

05101520lb025810kg0255075100Nmedium (10-46)set average1B3.01317.3 lb7.84 kg77 N2F#3.01716.6 lb7.53 kg74 N3D3.02620.6 lb9.36 kg92 N4A2.03621.3 lb9.67 kg95 N5E2.04619.0 lb8.60 kg84 N6A1.06215.6 lb7.06 kg69 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 .013PL013plain 17.3 lb7.84 kg77 N−6%
2F#3185.0 .017PL017plain 16.6 lb7.53 kg74 N−10%
3D3146.8 .026NW026wound 20.6 lb9.36 kg92 N+12%
4A2110.0 .036NW036wound 21.3 lb9.67 kg95 N+16%
5E282.4 .046NW046wound 19.0 lb8.60 kg84 N+3%
6A155.0 .062NW062wound 15.6 lb7.06 kg69 N−15%
Total110.4 lb50.1 kg491 N

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Similar sets in Drop A, 27"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario ECG24 11-15-22-30-40-5014.7 lb6.67 kg65 N 88.2 lb40.0 kg392 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-5414.8 lb6.72 kg66 N 89.0 lb40.3 kg396 Nloosemoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-5414.9 lb6.74 kg66 N 89.2 lb40.4 kg397 Nloosemoderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-6016.1 lb7.30 kg72 N 96.5 lb43.8 kg429 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EXL148 12-16-20-34-46-6016.1 lb7.32 kg72 N 96.8 lb43.9 kg431 Nmediumuneven
EXL158 (this page) 13-17-26-36-46-6218.4 lb8.34 kg82 N 110.4 lb50.1 kg491 Ntightmoderately uneven

Best match for a medium feel in Drop A, 27"

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

  1. D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-60 deviation 13.5%, average 16.1 lb7.30 kg72 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL148
  2. D'Addario EXL158 13-17-26-36-46-62 deviation 14.4%, average 18.4 lb8.34 kg82 N, moderately uneven
  3. D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-54 deviation 16.5%, average 14.9 lb6.74 kg66 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: NYXL1254

More for the EXL158

Other tunings on 27": C standard, B standard

Drop A on other scales: 24.75", 25", 25.5", 26.5", 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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