String Tension Lab Calculator

D'Addario · NYXL · 11-14-18-30-42-52

D'Addario NYXL1152 (11-14-18-30-42-52) in C standard on a 27" scale

11-52 Medium Top/Heavy Bottom, NYXL Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 27" scale, tuned to C standard (C4 G3 Eb3 Bb2 F2 C2), pulls 89.8 lb40.7 kg400 N in total and 15.0 lb6.79 kg67 N per string on average. That is a loose feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 13.8%). String 5 (F2) deviates most: +20% from the set average.

Total tension
89.8 lb40.7 kg400 N
Average per string
15.0 lb6.79 kg67 N
Feel
loose
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 13.8%

Tension per string

05101520lb02468kg020406080Nset averagemedium (10-46)1C4.01113.9 lb6.28 kg62 N2G3.01412.6 lb5.71 kg56 N3Eb3.01813.1 lb5.96 kg58 N4Bb2.03017.4 lb7.89 kg77 N5F2.04218.0 lb8.18 kg80 N6C2.05214.8 lb6.73 kg66 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
1C4261.6 .011NYS011plain 13.9 lb6.28 kg62 N−7%
2G3196.0 .014NYS014plain 12.6 lb5.71 kg56 N−16%
3Eb3155.6 .018NYS018plain 13.1 lb5.96 kg58 N−12%
4Bb2116.5 .030NYNW030wound 17.4 lb7.89 kg77 N+16%
5F287.3 .042NYNW042wound 18.0 lb8.18 kg80 N+20%
6C265.4 .052NYNW052wound 14.8 lb6.73 kg66 N−1%
Total89.8 lb40.7 kg400 N

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Similar sets in C standard, 27"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-4913.8 lb6.24 kg61 N 82.6 lb37.4 kg367 Nlooseeven
D'Addario EXL115 11-14-18-28-38-4913.8 lb6.26 kg61 N 82.8 lb37.5 kg368 Nlooseeven
D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-5014.3 lb6.51 kg64 N 86.1 lb39.0 kg383 Nloosevery even
D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-4814.4 lb6.52 kg64 N 86.2 lb39.1 kg384 Nloosemoderately uneven
NYXL1152 (this page) 11-14-18-30-42-5215.0 lb6.79 kg67 N 89.8 lb40.7 kg400 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario EXL116 11-14-18-30-42-5215.0 lb6.81 kg67 N 90.1 lb40.9 kg401 Nlooseuneven

Best match for a medium feel in C standard, 27"

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

  1. D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-54 deviation 6.7%, average 17.2 lb7.81 kg77 N, even; same gauges: EXL145
  2. D'Addario ECG24 11-15-22-30-40-50 deviation 14.4%, average 17.0 lb7.73 kg76 N, uneven
  3. D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-50 deviation 16.2%, average 14.3 lb6.51 kg64 N, very even

More for the NYXL1152

Other tunings on 27": E standard, Drop D, Eb standard, D standard, Drop C, B standard, Open G, Open D, DADGAD

C standard on other scales: 25.5", 26.5", 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