String Tension Lab All sets Calculator

D'Addario · NYXL · 10-13-17-26-36-46-59

D'Addario NYXL1059 (10-13-17-26-36-46-59) in Drop A (7-string) on a 25.5" scale

10-59 Regular Light 7-String, NYXL Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 25.5" scale, tuned to Drop A (7-string) (E4 B3 G3 D3 A2 E2 A1), pulls 115.0 lb52.2 kg512 N in total and 16.4 lb7.45 kg73 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for an electric guitar. The set is moderately uneven (spread 11.7%). String 7 (A1) deviates most: −23% from the set average.

Total tension
115.0 lb52.2 kg512 N
Average per string
16.4 lb7.45 kg73 N
Feel
medium
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
moderately uneven
spread 11.7%

Tension per string

05101520lb02468kg020406080Nset averagemedium (10-46)1E4.01016.2 lb7.35 kg72 N2B3.01315.4 lb6.99 kg69 N3G3.01716.6 lb7.54 kg74 N4D3.02618.3 lb8.31 kg81 N5A2.03619.0 lb8.63 kg85 N6E2.04616.8 lb7.63 kg75 N7A1.05912.6 lb5.73 kg56 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
1E4329.6 .010NYS010plain 16.2 lb7.35 kg72 N−1%
2B3246.9 .013NYS013plain 15.4 lb6.99 kg69 N−6%
3G3196.0 .017NYS017plain 16.6 lb7.54 kg74 N+1%
4D3146.8 .026NYNW026wound 18.3 lb8.31 kg81 N+11%
5A2110.0 .036NYNW036wound 19.0 lb8.63 kg85 N+16%
6E282.4 .046NYNW046wound 16.8 lb7.63 kg75 N+2%
7A155.0 .059NYNW059wound 12.6 lb5.73 kg56 N−23%
Total115.0 lb52.2 kg512 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in Drop A (7-string), 25.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
Elixir 12057 10-13-17-26-36-46-5616.4 lb7.44 kg73 N 114.8 lb52.1 kg511 Nmediumuneven
Elixir 19057 10-13-17-26-36-46-5616.4 lb7.44 kg73 N 114.8 lb52.1 kg511 Nmediumuneven
NYXL1059 (this page) 10-13-17-26-36-46-5916.4 lb7.45 kg73 N 115.0 lb52.2 kg512 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL110-7 10-13-17-26-36-46-5916.5 lb7.47 kg73 N 115.2 lb52.3 kg512 Nmediummoderately uneven
Elixir 12074 10-13-17-26-36-46-5916.6 lb7.53 kg74 N 116.3 lb52.7 kg517 Nmediumuneven
Elixir 19074 10-13-17-26-36-46-5916.6 lb7.53 kg74 N 116.3 lb52.7 kg517 Nmediumuneven

Best match for a medium feel in Drop A (7-string), 25.5"

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

  1. D'Addario NYXL1059 10-13-17-26-36-46-59 deviation 11.9%, average 16.4 lb7.45 kg73 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: EXL110-7
  2. Elixir 12074 10-13-17-26-36-46-59 deviation 12.7%, average 16.6 lb7.53 kg74 N, uneven; same gauges: 19074
  3. D'Addario NYXL1164 11-14-18-28-38-49-64 deviation 15.2%, average 18.8 lb8.54 kg84 N, moderately uneven

More for the NYXL1059

Other tunings on 25.5": B standard (7-string), A standard (7-string)

Drop A (7-string) on other scales: 24.75", 25", 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