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

D'Addario NYXL1074 (10-13-17-30-42-54-64-74) in E standard (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 E standard (8-string) (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 D2 A1 E1), pulls 137.3 lb62.3 kg611 N in total and 17.2 lb7.79 kg76 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 22.4%). String 5 (G2) deviates most: +32% from the set average.

Total tension
137.3 lb62.3 kg611 N
Average per string
17.2 lb7.79 kg76 N
Feel
medium
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 22.4%

Tension per string

01020lb025810kg0255075100Nmedium (10-46)set average1D4.01014.4 lb6.54 kg64 N2A3.01313.7 lb6.22 kg61 N3F3.01714.8 lb6.71 kg66 N4C3.03021.9 lb9.94 kg97 N5G2.04222.7 lb10.30 kg101 N6D2.05420.9 lb9.49 kg93 N7A1.06416.8 lb7.60 kg75 N8E1.07412.1 lb5.49 kg54 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 14.4 lb6.54 kg64 N−16%
2A3220.0 .013NYS013plain 13.7 lb6.22 kg61 N−20%
3F3174.6 .017NYS017plain 14.8 lb6.71 kg66 N−14%
4C3130.8 .030NYNW030wound 21.9 lb9.94 kg97 N+28%
5G298.0 .042NYNW042wound 22.7 lb10.30 kg101 N+32%
6D273.4 .054NYNW054wound 20.9 lb9.49 kg93 N+22%
7A155.0 .064NYNW064wound 16.8 lb7.60 kg75 N−2%
8E141.2 .074NYNW074wound 12.1 lb5.49 kg54 N−29%
Total137.3 lb62.3 kg611 N

Open in the calculator

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

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL0980 9-12-16-24-32-44-60-8013.3 lb6.05 kg59 N 106.7 lb48.4 kg475 Nloosemoderately uneven
NYXL1074 (this page) 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-7417.2 lb7.79 kg76 N 137.3 lb62.3 kg611 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EXL140-8 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-7417.2 lb7.79 kg76 N 137.5 lb62.3 kg611 Nmediumuneven
Elixir 12062 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-7417.7 lb8.02 kg79 N 141.4 lb64.2 kg629 Nmediumuneven
Elixir 19062 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-7417.7 lb8.02 kg79 N 141.4 lb64.2 kg629 Nmediumuneven

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

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

  1. D'Addario NYXL1074 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-74 deviation 22.5%, average 17.2 lb7.79 kg76 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL140-8
  2. D'Addario NYXL0980 9-12-16-24-32-44-60-80 deviation 22.8%, average 13.3 lb6.05 kg59 N, moderately uneven
  3. Elixir 12062 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-74 deviation 25.1%, average 17.7 lb8.02 kg79 N, uneven; same gauges: 19062

More for the NYXL1074

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

E standard (8-string) on other scales: 26.5", 28", 26.5"–28" 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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