String Tension Lab Calculator

D'Addario · NYXL · 10-13-17-26-36-46

D'Addario NYXL1046 (10-13-17-26-36-46) in Open G on a 25.5" scale

10-46 Regular Light, NYXL Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 25.5" scale, tuned to Open G (D4 B3 G3 D3 G2 D2), pulls 91.6 lb41.6 kg408 N in total and 15.3 lb6.93 kg68 N per string on average. That is a loose feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 12.1%). String 4 (D3) deviates most: +20% from the set average.

Total tension
91.6 lb41.6 kg408 N
Average per string
15.3 lb6.93 kg68 N
Feel
loose
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 12.1%

Tension per string

05101520lb02468kg020406080Nset averagemedium (10-46)1D4.01012.9 lb5.84 kg57 N2B3.01315.4 lb6.99 kg69 N3G3.01716.6 lb7.54 kg74 N4D3.02618.3 lb8.31 kg81 N5G2.03615.1 lb6.85 kg67 N6D2.04613.3 lb6.05 kg59 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 .010NYS010plain 12.9 lb5.84 kg57 N−16%
2B3246.9 .013NYS013plain 15.4 lb6.99 kg69 N+1%
3G3196.0 .017NYS017plain 16.6 lb7.54 kg74 N+9%
4D3146.8 .026NYNW026wound 18.3 lb8.31 kg81 N+20%
5G298.0 .036NYNW036wound 15.1 lb6.85 kg67 N−1%
6D273.4 .046NYNW046wound 13.3 lb6.05 kg59 N−13%
Total91.6 lb41.6 kg408 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in Open G, 25.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario EPS510 10-13-17-26-36-4614.8 lb6.70 kg66 N 88.6 lb40.2 kg394 Nloosemoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-4615.1 lb6.83 kg67 N 90.4 lb41.0 kg402 Nloosemoderately uneven
NYXL1046 (this page) 10-13-17-26-36-4615.3 lb6.93 kg68 N 91.6 lb41.6 kg408 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario XSE1046 10-13-17-26-36-4615.3 lb6.93 kg68 N 91.6 lb41.6 kg408 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario EXL110 10-13-17-26-36-4615.3 lb6.94 kg68 N 91.8 lb41.7 kg408 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-4917.4 lb7.91 kg78 N 104.6 lb47.5 kg465 Nmediummoderately uneven

Best match for a medium feel in Open G, 25.5"

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

  1. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 12.0%, average 17.4 lb7.91 kg78 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: EXL115
  2. D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-48 deviation 13.3%, average 18.2 lb8.24 kg81 N, moderately uneven
  3. D'Addario EXL110 10-13-17-26-36-46 deviation 15.1%, average 15.3 lb6.94 kg68 N, uneven; same gauges: NYXL1046, XSE1046, EPS510

More for the NYXL1046

Other tunings on 25.5": E standard, Drop D, Eb standard, D standard, Open D, DADGAD

Open G on other scales: 24.75", 25", 26.5", 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.

Sources