D'Addario · NYXL · 9-11-16-24-32-42

D'Addario NYXL0942 (9-11-16-24-32-42) in Drop D on a 28" scale

09-42 Super Light, NYXL Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 28" scale, tuned to Drop D (E4 B3 G3 D3 A2 D2), pulls 98.1 lb44.5 kg436 N in total and 16.3 lb7.41 kg73 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 13.8%). String 2 (B3) deviates most: −19% from the set average.

Total tension: 98.1 lb44.5 kg436 N
Average per string: 16.3 lb7.41 kg73 N
Feel: medium; medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string; Set your own preferred feel
Balance: uneven; spread 13.8%

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	E4	329.6	.009	NYS009	plain	15.8 lb7.17 kg70 N	−3%
2	B3	246.9	.011	NYS011	plain	13.3 lb6.02 kg59 N	−19%
3	G3	196.0	.016	NYS016	plain	17.7 lb8.05 kg79 N	+9%
4	D3	146.8	.024	NYNW024	wound	18.9 lb8.59 kg84 N	+16%
5	A2	110.0	.032	NYNW032	wound	18.6 lb8.44 kg83 N	+14%
6	D2	73.4	.042	NYNW042	wound	13.7 lb6.22 kg61 N	−16%
Total						98.1 lb44.5 kg436 N

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Similar sets in Drop D, 28"

Set	Gauges	Avg per string	Total	Feel	Balance
D'Addario EXL120BT	9-12-15-22-30-40	15.4 lb7.00 kg69 N	92.7 lb42.0 kg412 N	loose	moderately uneven
NYXL0942 (this page)	9-11-16-24-32-42	16.3 lb7.41 kg73 N	98.1 lb44.5 kg436 N	medium	uneven
D'Addario EXL120	9-11-16-24-32-42	16.4 lb7.42 kg73 N	98.2 lb44.5 kg437 N	medium	uneven
D'Addario NYXL0946	9-11-16-26-36-46	18.0 lb8.16 kg80 N	107.9 lb49.0 kg480 N	medium	uneven
D'Addario EXL125	9-11-16-26-36-46	18.0 lb8.17 kg80 N	108.1 lb49.0 kg481 N	medium	uneven
D'Addario EPS510	10-13-17-26-36-46	19.2 lb8.72 kg85 N	115.3 lb52.3 kg513 N	tight	moderately uneven

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

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

D'Addario EXL120BT 9-12-15-22-30-40 deviation 12.3%, average 15.4 lb7.00 kg69 N, moderately uneven
D'Addario EXL120 9-11-16-24-32-42 deviation 13.9%, average 16.4 lb7.42 kg73 N, uneven; same gauges: NYXL0942
D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-46 deviation 17.0%, average 19.6 lb8.87 kg87 N, moderately uneven

More for the NYXL0942

Other tunings on 28": E standard, Eb standard, Open G

Drop D on other scales: 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.

Sources

D'Addario product page, tension chart for NYXL0942 (2026-10-31): unit weights derived from the published tensions, cross-checked across sets.