D'Addario · NYXL · 11-14-18-28-38-49

D'Addario NYXL1149 (11-14-18-28-38-49) in C standard on a 25.5" scale

11-49 Medium, NYXL Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 25.5" scale, tuned to C standard (C4 G3 Eb3 Bb2 F2 C2), pulls 73.6 lb33.4 kg328 N in total and 12.3 lb5.57 kg55 N per string on average. That is a loose feel for an electric guitar. The set is even (spread 6.0%). String 2 (G3) deviates most: −9% from the set average.

Total tension: 73.6 lb33.4 kg328 N
Average per string: 12.3 lb5.57 kg55 N
Feel: loose; medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string; Set your own preferred feel
Balance: even; spread 6.0%

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	C4	261.6	.011	NYS011	plain	12.4 lb5.61 kg55 N	+1%
2	G3	196.0	.014	NYS014	plain	11.2 lb5.09 kg50 N	−9%
3	Eb3	155.6	.018	NYS018	plain	11.7 lb5.32 kg52 N	−4%
4	Bb2	116.5	.028	NYNW028	wound	13.2 lb6.01 kg59 N	+8%
5	F2	87.3	.038	NYNW038	wound	13.2 lb5.98 kg59 N	+7%
6	C2	65.4	.049	NYNW049	wound	11.9 lb5.40 kg53 N	−3%
Total						73.6 lb33.4 kg328 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in C standard, 25.5"

Set	Gauges	Avg per string	Total	Feel	Balance
NYXL1149 (this page)	11-14-18-28-38-49	12.3 lb5.57 kg55 N	73.6 lb33.4 kg328 N	loose	even
D'Addario EXL115	11-14-18-28-38-49	12.3 lb5.58 kg55 N	73.8 lb33.5 kg328 N	loose	even
D'Addario EXL115BT	11-15-19-28-37-50	12.8 lb5.80 kg57 N	76.8 lb34.8 kg342 N	loose	very even
D'Addario EPN115	11-14-18-27-37-48	12.8 lb5.81 kg57 N	76.9 lb34.9 kg342 N	loose	moderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1152	11-14-18-30-42-52	13.4 lb6.06 kg59 N	80.1 lb36.3 kg356 N	loose	uneven
D'Addario EXL116	11-14-18-30-42-52	13.4 lb6.07 kg60 N	80.3 lb36.4 kg357 N	loose	uneven

Best match for a medium feel in C standard, 25.5"

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

D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-54 deviation 11.7%, average 15.4 lb6.98 kg68 N, even; same gauges: NYXL1254
D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-60 deviation 12.6%, average 16.7 lb7.59 kg74 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL148
D'Addario EXL158 13-17-26-36-46-62 deviation 15.3%, average 19.1 lb8.66 kg85 N, moderately uneven

More for the NYXL1149

Other tunings on 25.5": E standard, Drop D, Eb standard, D standard, Drop C, Open G, Open D, DADGAD

C standard on other scales: 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

D'Addario product page, tension chart for NYXL1149 (2026-10-31): unit weights derived from the published tensions, cross-checked across sets.