String Tension Lab Calculator

D'Addario · NYXL · 10-13-17-26-36-46

D'Addario NYXL1046 (10-13-17-26-36-46) in Drop C on a 26.5" scale

10-46 Regular Light, NYXL Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 26.5" scale, tuned to Drop C (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 C2), pulls 84.8 lb38.5 kg377 N in total and 14.1 lb6.41 kg63 N per string on average. That is a loose feel for an electric guitar. The set is moderately uneven (spread 11.3%). String 6 (C2) deviates most: −19% from the set average.

Total tension
84.8 lb38.5 kg377 N
Average per string
14.1 lb6.41 kg63 N
Feel
loose
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
moderately uneven
spread 11.3%

Tension per string

051015lb02468kg020406080Nset averagemedium (10-46)1D4.01013.9 lb6.30 kg62 N2A3.01313.2 lb5.99 kg59 N3F3.01714.2 lb6.46 kg63 N4C3.02615.7 lb7.12 kg70 N5G2.03616.3 lb7.39 kg73 N6C2.04611.4 lb5.19 kg51 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 13.9 lb6.30 kg62 N−2%
2A3220.0 .013NYS013plain 13.2 lb5.99 kg59 N−7%
3F3174.6 .017NYS017plain 14.2 lb6.46 kg63 N+1%
4C3130.8 .026NYNW026wound 15.7 lb7.12 kg70 N+11%
5G298.0 .036NYNW036wound 16.3 lb7.39 kg73 N+15%
6C265.4 .046NYNW046wound 11.4 lb5.19 kg51 N−19%
Total84.8 lb38.5 kg377 N

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Similar sets in Drop C, 26.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-4613.9 lb6.30 kg62 N 83.4 lb37.8 kg371 Nloosemoderately uneven
NYXL1046 (this page) 10-13-17-26-36-4614.1 lb6.41 kg63 N 84.8 lb38.5 kg377 Nloosemoderately uneven
D'Addario XSE1046 10-13-17-26-36-4614.1 lb6.41 kg63 N 84.8 lb38.5 kg377 Nloosemoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL110 10-13-17-26-36-4614.2 lb6.42 kg63 N 84.9 lb38.5 kg378 Nloosemoderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-4916.1 lb7.32 kg72 N 96.9 lb43.9 kg431 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL115 11-14-18-28-38-4916.2 lb7.34 kg72 N 97.1 lb44.0 kg432 Nmediummoderately uneven

Best match for a medium feel in Drop C, 26.5"

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 9.4%, average 16.8 lb7.63 kg75 N, moderately uneven
  2. D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-48 deviation 11.4%, average 16.8 lb7.63 kg75 N, moderately uneven
  3. D'Addario EXL115 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 11.7%, average 16.2 lb7.34 kg72 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: NYXL1149

More for the NYXL1046

Other tunings on 26.5": E standard, Drop D, Eb standard, D standard, Open G, Open D, DADGAD

Drop C on other scales: 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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