String Tension Lab Calculator

D'Addario · NYXL · 11-14-18-28-38-49

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

11-49 Medium, NYXL Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 25.5" scale, tuned to Eb standard (Eb4 Bb3 Gb3 Db3 Ab2 Eb2), pulls 104.1 lb47.2 kg463 N in total and 17.4 lb7.87 kg77 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for an electric guitar. The set is even (spread 6.0%). String 2 (Bb3) deviates most: −9% from the set average.

Total tension
104.1 lb47.2 kg463 N
Average per string
17.4 lb7.87 kg77 N
Feel
medium
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
even
spread 6.0%

Tension per string

05101520lb02468kg020406080Nmedium (10-46)set average1Eb4.01117.5 lb7.93 kg78 N2Bb3.01415.9 lb7.20 kg71 N3Gb3.01816.6 lb7.52 kg74 N4Db3.02818.7 lb8.49 kg83 N5Ab2.03818.6 lb8.45 kg83 N6Eb2.04916.9 lb7.64 kg75 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
1Eb4311.1 .011NYS011plain 17.5 lb7.93 kg78 N+1%
2Bb3233.1 .014NYS014plain 15.9 lb7.20 kg71 N−9%
3Gb3185.0 .018NYS018plain 16.6 lb7.52 kg74 N−4%
4Db3138.6 .028NYNW028wound 18.7 lb8.49 kg83 N+8%
5Ab2103.8 .038NYNW038wound 18.6 lb8.45 kg83 N+7%
6Eb277.8 .049NYNW049wound 16.9 lb7.64 kg75 N−3%
Total104.1 lb47.2 kg463 N

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Similar sets in Eb standard, 25.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
NYXL1149 (this page) 11-14-18-28-38-4917.4 lb7.87 kg77 N 104.1 lb47.2 kg463 Nmediumeven
D'Addario EXL115 11-14-18-28-38-4917.4 lb7.89 kg77 N 104.4 lb47.4 kg464 Nmediumeven
D'Addario NYXL1052 10-13-17-30-42-5217.7 lb8.04 kg79 N 106.4 lb48.2 kg473 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EXL140 10-13-17-30-42-5217.8 lb8.06 kg79 N 106.7 lb48.4 kg474 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-5018.1 lb8.21 kg80 N 108.6 lb49.3 kg483 Nmediumvery even
D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-4818.1 lb8.22 kg81 N 108.8 lb49.3 kg484 Nmediummoderately uneven

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

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

  1. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 6.3%, average 17.4 lb7.87 kg77 N, even; same gauges: EXL115
  2. D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-50 deviation 6.5%, average 18.1 lb8.21 kg80 N, very even
  3. D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-48 deviation 11.3%, average 18.1 lb8.22 kg81 N, moderately uneven

More for the NYXL1149

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

Eb standard 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.

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