String Tension Lab Calculator

D'Addario · NYXL · 10-13-17-30-42-52

D'Addario NYXL1052 (10-13-17-30-42-52) in Open G 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 G (D4 B3 G3 D3 G2 D2), pulls 113.3 lb51.4 kg504 N in total and 18.9 lb8.57 kg84 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 23.2%). String 4 (D3) deviates most: +40% from the set average.

Total tension
113.3 lb51.4 kg504 N
Average per string
18.9 lb8.57 kg84 N
Feel
tight
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 23.2%

Tension per string

01020lb0510kg050100Nmedium (10-46)set average1D4.01012.9 lb5.84 kg57 N2B3.01315.8 lb7.16 kg70 N3G3.01717.4 lb7.89 kg77 N4D3.03026.4 lb11.97 kg117 N5G2.04222.2 lb10.07 kg99 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%
2B3246.9 .013NYS013plain 25.8" 15.8 lb7.16 kg70 N−16%
3G3196.0 .017NYS017plain 26.1" 17.4 lb7.89 kg77 N−8%
4D3146.8 .030NYNW030wound 26.4" 26.4 lb11.97 kg117 N+40%
5G298.0 .042NYNW042wound 26.7" 22.2 lb10.07 kg99 N+18%
6D273.4 .052NYNW052wound 27" 18.7 lb8.48 kg83 N−1%
Total113.3 lb51.4 kg504 N

Open in the calculator

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

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

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-4918.5 lb8.38 kg82 N 110.9 lb50.3 kg493 Ntightmoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL115 11-14-18-28-38-4918.5 lb8.40 kg82 N 111.2 lb50.4 kg494 Ntightmoderately uneven
NYXL1052 (this page) 10-13-17-30-42-5218.9 lb8.57 kg84 N 113.3 lb51.4 kg504 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL140 10-13-17-30-42-5218.9 lb8.59 kg84 N 113.7 lb51.6 kg506 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-4819.3 lb8.74 kg86 N 115.6 lb52.5 kg514 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-5019.3 lb8.77 kg86 N 116.0 lb52.6 kg516 Ntightuneven

Best match for a medium feel in Open G, 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 12.7%, average 16.0 lb7.24 kg71 N, moderately uneven
  2. D'Addario NYXL1046 10-13-17-26-36-46 deviation 13.3%, average 16.2 lb7.35 kg72 N, uneven; same gauges: XSE1046, EXL110, EPS510
  3. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 15.1%, average 18.5 lb8.38 kg82 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: EXL115

More for the NYXL1052

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

Open G 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