D'Addario · NYXL · 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-74

D'Addario NYXL1074 (10-13-17-30-42-54-64-74) in Drop E (8-string) on a 27" scale

10-74 Light Top/Heavy Bottom 8-String, NYXL Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 27" scale, tuned to Drop E (8-string) (E4 B3 G3 D3 A2 E2 B1 E1), pulls 169.9 lb77.1 kg756 N in total and 21.2 lb9.63 kg94 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 25.6%). String 8 (E1) deviates most: −43% from the set average.

Total tension: 169.9 lb77.1 kg756 N
Average per string: 21.2 lb9.63 kg94 N
Feel: tight; medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string; Set your own preferred feel
Balance: uneven; spread 25.6%

Tension per string

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.

#	Note	Hz	Gauge	Item	Type	Tension	vs avg
1	E4	329.6	.010	NYS010	plain	18.2 lb8.24 kg81 N	−14%
2	B3	246.9	.013	NYS013	plain	17.3 lb7.84 kg77 N	−19%
3	G3	196.0	.017	NYS017	plain	18.6 lb8.45 kg83 N	−12%
4	D3	146.8	.030	NYNW030	wound	27.6 lb12.52 kg123 N	+30%
5	A2	110.0	.042	NYNW042	wound	28.6 lb12.98 kg127 N	+35%
6	E2	82.4	.054	NYNW054	wound	26.4 lb11.95 kg117 N	+24%
7	B1	61.7	.064	NYNW064	wound	21.1 lb9.57 kg94 N	−1%
8	E1	41.2	.074	NYNW074	wound	12.1 lb5.49 kg54 N	−43%
Total						169.9 lb77.1 kg756 N

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Similar sets in Drop E (8-string), 27"

Set	Gauges	Avg per string	Total	Feel	Balance
D'Addario NYXL0980	9-12-16-24-32-44-60-80	16.3 lb7.41 kg73 N	130.7 lb59.3 kg582 N	medium	moderately uneven
NYXL1074 (this page)	10-13-17-30-42-54-64-74	21.2 lb9.63 kg94 N	169.9 lb77.1 kg756 N	tight	uneven

Best match for a medium feel in Drop E (8-string), 27"

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

D'Addario NYXL0980 9-12-16-24-32-44-60-80 deviation 9.9%, average 16.3 lb7.41 kg73 N, moderately uneven
D'Addario EXL120-8 9-11-16-24-32-42-54-65 deviation 19.7%, average 14.9 lb6.76 kg66 N, uneven
D'Addario NYXL1074 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-74 deviation 39.9%, average 21.2 lb9.63 kg94 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL140-8

More for the NYXL1074

Other tunings on 27": F# standard (8-string), E standard (8-string)

Drop E (8-string) on other scales: 26.5"

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

D'Addario product page, tension chart for NYXL1074 (2026-10-31): unit weights derived from the published tensions, cross-checked across sets.