String Tension Lab Calculator

D'Addario · NYXL · 10-13-17-30-42-52

D'Addario NYXL1052 (10-13-17-30-42-52) in Drop C on a 25" scale

10-52 Light Top/Heavy Bottom, NYXL Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 25" scale, tuned to Drop C (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 C2), pulls 87.8 lb39.8 kg390 N in total and 14.6 lb6.64 kg65 N per string on average. That is a loose feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 21.9%). String 5 (G2) deviates most: +33% from the set average.

Total tension
87.8 lb39.8 kg390 N
Average per string
14.6 lb6.64 kg65 N
Feel
loose
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 21.9%

Tension per string

05101520lb02468kg020406080Nset averagemedium (10-46)1D4.01012.4 lb5.61 kg55 N2A3.01311.8 lb5.33 kg52 N3F3.01712.7 lb5.75 kg56 N4C3.03018.8 lb8.52 kg84 N5G2.04219.5 lb8.83 kg87 N6C2.05212.7 lb5.77 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−15%
2A3220.0 .013NYS013plain 11.8 lb5.33 kg52 N−20%
3F3174.6 .017NYS017plain 12.7 lb5.75 kg56 N−13%
4C3130.8 .030NYNW030wound 18.8 lb8.52 kg84 N+28%
5G298.0 .042NYNW042wound 19.5 lb8.83 kg87 N+33%
6C265.4 .052NYNW052wound 12.7 lb5.77 kg57 N−13%
Total87.8 lb39.8 kg390 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in Drop C, 25"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-4914.4 lb6.52 kg64 N 86.2 lb39.1 kg383 Nloosemoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL115 11-14-18-28-38-4914.4 lb6.53 kg64 N 86.4 lb39.2 kg384 Nloosemoderately uneven
NYXL1052 (this page) 10-13-17-30-42-5214.6 lb6.64 kg65 N 87.8 lb39.8 kg390 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario EXL140 10-13-17-30-42-5214.7 lb6.65 kg65 N 88.0 lb39.9 kg391 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-4815.0 lb6.79 kg67 N 89.8 lb40.8 kg400 Nloosemoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-5015.0 lb6.79 kg67 N 89.9 lb40.8 kg400 Nloosemoderately uneven

Best match for a medium feel in Drop C, 25"

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

  1. D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-54 deviation 13.1%, average 18.0 lb8.15 kg80 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: EXL145
  2. D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-50 deviation 14.9%, average 15.0 lb6.79 kg67 N, moderately uneven
  3. D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-48 deviation 16.0%, average 15.0 lb6.79 kg67 N, moderately uneven

More for the NYXL1052

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

Drop C 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.

Sources