String Tension Lab Calculator

D'Addario · NYXL · 10-13-17-26-36-46

D'Addario NYXL1046 (10-13-17-26-36-46) in D standard on a 25" scale

10-46 Regular Light, NYXL Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 25" scale, tuned to D standard (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 D2), pulls 78.1 lb35.4 kg347 N in total and 13.0 lb5.90 kg58 N per string on average. That is a loose feel for an electric guitar. The set is moderately uneven (spread 7.2%). String 5 (G2) deviates most: +11% from the set average.

Total tension
78.1 lb35.4 kg347 N
Average per string
13.0 lb5.90 kg58 N
Feel
loose
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
moderately uneven
spread 7.2%

Tension per string

051015lb02468kg020406080Nset averagemedium (10-46)1D4.01012.4 lb5.61 kg55 N2A3.01311.8 lb5.33 kg52 N3F3.01712.7 lb5.75 kg56 N4C3.02614.0 lb6.34 kg62 N5G2.03614.5 lb6.58 kg65 N6D2.04612.8 lb5.82 kg57 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 12.4 lb5.61 kg55 N−5%
2A3220.0 .013NYS013plain 11.8 lb5.33 kg52 N−10%
3F3174.6 .017NYS017plain 12.7 lb5.75 kg56 N−3%
4C3130.8 .026NYNW026wound 14.0 lb6.34 kg62 N+7%
5G298.0 .036NYNW036wound 14.5 lb6.58 kg65 N+11%
6D273.4 .046NYNW046wound 12.8 lb5.82 kg57 N−1%
Total78.1 lb35.4 kg347 N

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Similar sets in D standard, 25"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario EPS510 10-13-17-26-36-4612.6 lb5.70 kg56 N 75.4 lb34.2 kg336 Nlooseeven
D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-4612.8 lb5.81 kg57 N 76.9 lb34.9 kg342 Nloosevery even
NYXL1046 (this page) 10-13-17-26-36-4613.0 lb5.90 kg58 N 78.1 lb35.4 kg347 Nloosemoderately uneven
D'Addario XSE1046 10-13-17-26-36-4613.0 lb5.90 kg58 N 78.1 lb35.4 kg347 Nloosemoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL110 10-13-17-26-36-4613.0 lb5.92 kg58 N 78.3 lb35.5 kg348 Nloosemoderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-4914.9 lb6.74 kg66 N 89.2 lb40.4 kg397 Nlooseeven

Best match for a medium feel in D standard, 25"

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

  1. D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-50 deviation 9.7%, average 15.5 lb7.03 kg69 N, very even
  2. D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-54 deviation 11.4%, average 18.6 lb8.43 kg83 N, even; same gauges: EXL145
  3. D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-48 deviation 12.3%, average 15.5 lb7.04 kg69 N, moderately uneven

More for the NYXL1046

Other tunings on 25": E standard, Drop D, Eb standard, Open G, Open D, DADGAD

D standard on other scales: 24.75", 25.5", 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.

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