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 28" scale

13-62 Light Baritone, XL Nickel Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 28" scale, tuned to Drop A (B3 F#3 D3 A2 E2 A1), pulls 118.7 lb53.8 kg528 N in total and 19.8 lb8.97 kg88 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
118.7 lb53.8 kg528 N
Average per string
19.8 lb8.97 kg88 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

01020lb025810kg0255075100Nmedium (10-46)set average1B3.01318.6 lb8.43 kg83 N2F#3.01717.8 lb8.09 kg79 N3D3.02622.2 lb10.07 kg99 N4A2.03622.9 lb10.40 kg102 N5E2.04620.4 lb9.25 kg91 N6A1.06216.7 lb7.60 kg74 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 18.6 lb8.43 kg83 N−6%
2F#3185.0 .017PL017plain 17.8 lb8.09 kg79 N−10%
3D3146.8 .026NW026wound 22.2 lb10.07 kg99 N+12%
4A2110.0 .036NW036wound 22.9 lb10.40 kg102 N+16%
5E282.4 .046NW046wound 20.4 lb9.25 kg91 N+3%
6A155.0 .062NW062wound 16.7 lb7.60 kg74 N−15%
Total118.7 lb53.8 kg528 N

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Similar sets in Drop A, 28"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario ECG24 11-15-22-30-40-5015.8 lb7.17 kg70 N 94.8 lb43.0 kg422 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-5415.9 lb7.23 kg71 N 95.7 lb43.4 kg426 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-5416.0 lb7.25 kg71 N 95.9 lb43.5 kg427 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-6017.3 lb7.85 kg77 N 103.8 lb47.1 kg462 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EXL148 12-16-20-34-46-6017.4 lb7.87 kg77 N 104.1 lb47.2 kg463 Nmediumuneven
EXL158 (this page) 13-17-26-36-46-6219.8 lb8.97 kg88 N 118.7 lb53.8 kg528 Ntightmoderately uneven

Best match for a medium feel in Drop A, 28"

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 12.6%, average 16.0 lb7.25 kg71 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: NYXL1254
  2. D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-60 deviation 13.1%, average 17.3 lb7.85 kg77 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL148
  3. D'Addario ECG24 11-15-22-30-40-50 deviation 18.4%, average 15.8 lb7.17 kg70 N, uneven

More for the EXL158

Other tunings on 28": C standard, B standard

Drop A on other scales: 24.75", 25", 25.5", 26.5", 27", 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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