String Tension Lab Calculator

D'Addario · NYXL · 10-13-17-30-42-52

D'Addario NYXL1052 (10-13-17-30-42-52) in Open D on a 25.5"–27" multiscale scale

10-52 Light Top/Heavy Bottom, NYXL Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 25.5"–27" multiscale scale, tuned to Open D (D4 A3 F#3 D3 A2 D2), pulls 114.0 lb51.7 kg507 N in total and 19.0 lb8.62 kg84 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 32.4%). String 5 (A2) deviates most: +47% from the set average.

Total tension
114.0 lb51.7 kg507 N
Average per string
19.0 lb8.62 kg84 N
Feel
tight
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 32.4%

Tension per string

0102030lb0510kg050100Nmedium (10-46)set average1D4.01012.9 lb5.84 kg57 N2A3.01312.5 lb5.68 kg56 N3F#3.01715.5 lb7.03 kg69 N4D3.03026.4 lb11.97 kg117 N5A2.04228.0 lb12.69 kg124 N6D2.05218.7 lb8.48 kg83 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 Length Tensionvs avg
1D4293.7 .010NYS010plain 25.5" 12.9 lb5.84 kg57 N−32%
2A3220.0 .013NYS013plain 25.8" 12.5 lb5.68 kg56 N−34%
3F#3185.0 .017NYS017plain 26.1" 15.5 lb7.03 kg69 N−18%
4D3146.8 .030NYNW030wound 26.4" 26.4 lb11.97 kg117 N+39%
5A2110.0 .042NYNW042wound 26.7" 28.0 lb12.69 kg124 N+47%
6D273.4 .052NYNW052wound 27" 18.7 lb8.48 kg83 N−2%
Total114.0 lb51.7 kg507 N

Open in the calculator

Multiscale (fanned frets): string lengths change linearly from 25.5" (treble) to 27" (bass).

Similar sets in Open D, 25.5"–27" multiscale

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-4918.3 lb8.29 kg81 N 109.7 lb49.8 kg488 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EXL115 11-14-18-28-38-4918.3 lb8.32 kg82 N 110.0 lb49.9 kg489 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-5019.0 lb8.61 kg84 N 113.9 lb51.7 kg507 Ntightuneven
NYXL1052 (this page) 10-13-17-30-42-5219.0 lb8.62 kg84 N 114.0 lb51.7 kg507 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL140 10-13-17-30-42-5219.0 lb8.64 kg85 N 114.3 lb51.8 kg508 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-4819.2 lb8.69 kg85 N 115.0 lb52.1 kg511 Ntightuneven

Best match for a medium feel in Open D, 25.5"–27" multiscale

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

  1. D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-46 deviation 15.6%, average 15.7 lb7.12 kg70 N, uneven
  2. D'Addario EPS510 10-13-17-26-36-46 deviation 18.1%, average 15.5 lb7.01 kg69 N, uneven; same gauges: NYXL1046, XSE1046, EXL110
  3. D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-50 deviation 19.1%, average 19.0 lb8.61 kg84 N, uneven

More for the NYXL1052

Other tunings on 25.5"–27" multiscale: E standard, Drop D, Eb standard, D standard, Drop C, Open G, DADGAD

Open D on other scales: 24.75", 25", 25.5", 26.5", 27"

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