String Tension Lab Calculator

D'Addario · NYXL · 11-14-18-30-42-52

D'Addario NYXL1152 (11-14-18-30-42-52) in DADGAD on a 26.5" scale

11-52 Medium Top/Heavy Bottom, NYXL Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 26.5" scale, tuned to DADGAD (D4 A3 G3 D3 A2 D2), pulls 124.4 lb56.4 kg553 N in total and 20.7 lb9.40 kg92 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 22.8%). String 5 (A2) deviates most: +33% from the set average.

Total tension
124.4 lb56.4 kg553 N
Average per string
20.7 lb9.40 kg92 N
Feel
tight
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 22.8%

Tension per string

0102030lb0510kg050100Nmedium (10-46)set average1D4.01116.8 lb7.63 kg75 N2A3.01415.3 lb6.93 kg68 N3G3.01820.1 lb9.12 kg89 N4D3.03026.6 lb12.06 kg118 N5A2.04227.6 lb12.50 kg123 N6D2.05218.0 lb8.17 kg80 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 .011NYS011plain 16.8 lb7.63 kg75 N−19%
2A3220.0 .014NYS014plain 15.3 lb6.93 kg68 N−26%
3G3196.0 .018NYS018plain 20.1 lb9.12 kg89 N−3%
4D3146.8 .030NYNW030wound 26.6 lb12.06 kg118 N+28%
5A2110.0 .042NYNW042wound 27.6 lb12.50 kg123 N+33%
6D273.4 .052NYNW052wound 18.0 lb8.17 kg80 N−13%
Total124.4 lb56.4 kg553 N

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Similar sets in DADGAD, 26.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1052 10-13-17-30-42-5219.5 lb8.86 kg87 N 117.2 lb53.2 kg521 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL140 10-13-17-30-42-5219.6 lb8.89 kg87 N 117.5 lb53.3 kg523 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-5019.7 lb8.94 kg88 N 118.3 lb53.7 kg526 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-4819.8 lb8.98 kg88 N 118.8 lb53.9 kg529 Ntightuneven
NYXL1152 (this page) 11-14-18-30-42-5220.7 lb9.40 kg92 N 124.4 lb56.4 kg553 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL116 11-14-18-30-42-5220.8 lb9.43 kg92 N 124.7 lb56.6 kg555 Ntightuneven

Best match for a medium feel in DADGAD, 26.5"

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

  1. D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-46 deviation 13.1%, average 16.3 lb7.39 kg72 N, uneven
  2. D'Addario EPS510 10-13-17-26-36-46 deviation 16.0%, average 16.0 lb7.27 kg71 N, uneven; same gauges: NYXL1046, XSE1046, EXL110
  3. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 20.6%, average 18.9 lb8.59 kg84 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL115

More for the NYXL1152

Other tunings on 26.5": E standard, Drop D, Eb standard, D standard, Drop C, C standard, Open G, Open D

DADGAD on other scales: 24.75", 25", 25.5", 27", 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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