String Tension Lab Calculator

D'Addario · NYXL · 10-13-17-30-42-52

D'Addario NYXL1052 (10-13-17-30-42-52) in D standard on a 28" scale

10-52 Light Top/Heavy Bottom, NYXL Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 28" scale, tuned to D standard (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 D2), pulls 114.3 lb51.8 kg508 N in total and 19.0 lb8.64 kg85 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 20.5%). String 5 (G2) deviates most: +28% from the set average.

Total tension
114.3 lb51.8 kg508 N
Average per string
19.0 lb8.64 kg85 N
Feel
tight
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 20.5%

Tension per string

01020lb025810kg0255075100Nmedium (10-46)set average1D4.01015.5 lb7.04 kg69 N2A3.01314.7 lb6.69 kg66 N3F3.01715.9 lb7.21 kg71 N4C3.03023.6 lb10.69 kg105 N5G2.04224.4 lb11.08 kg109 N6D2.05220.1 lb9.12 kg89 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 15.5 lb7.04 kg69 N−19%
2A3220.0 .013NYS013plain 14.7 lb6.69 kg66 N−23%
3F3174.6 .017NYS017plain 15.9 lb7.21 kg71 N−17%
4C3130.8 .030NYNW030wound 23.6 lb10.69 kg105 N+24%
5G298.0 .042NYNW042wound 24.4 lb11.08 kg109 N+28%
6D273.4 .052NYNW052wound 20.1 lb9.12 kg89 N+6%
Total114.3 lb51.8 kg508 N

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Similar sets in D standard, 28"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-4918.6 lb8.46 kg83 N 111.9 lb50.7 kg498 Ntighteven
D'Addario EXL115 11-14-18-28-38-4918.7 lb8.48 kg83 N 112.2 lb50.9 kg499 Ntighteven
NYXL1052 (this page) 10-13-17-30-42-5219.0 lb8.64 kg85 N 114.3 lb51.8 kg508 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL140 10-13-17-30-42-5219.1 lb8.66 kg85 N 114.6 lb52.0 kg510 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-5019.4 lb8.82 kg86 N 116.6 lb52.9 kg519 Ntightvery even
D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-4819.5 lb8.83 kg87 N 116.8 lb53.0 kg520 Ntightmoderately uneven

Best match for a medium feel in D standard, 28"

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 6.3%, average 16.1 lb7.29 kg71 N, very even
  2. D'Addario EXL110 10-13-17-26-36-46 deviation 8.2%, average 16.4 lb7.42 kg73 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: NYXL1046, XSE1046, EPS510
  3. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 11.2%, average 18.6 lb8.46 kg83 N, even; same gauges: EXL115

More for the NYXL1052

Other tunings on 28": Eb standard, Drop C, C standard

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