String Tension Lab Calculator

D'Addario · NYXL · 11-14-19-32-44-56

D'Addario NYXL1156 (11-14-19-32-44-56) in Eb standard on a 25.5"–27" multiscale scale

11-56 Medium Top/Extra Heavy Bottom, NYXL Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 25.5"–27" multiscale scale, tuned to Eb standard (Eb4 Bb3 Gb3 Db3 Ab2 Eb2), pulls 131.4 lb59.6 kg584 N in total and 21.9 lb9.93 kg97 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 19.9%). String 2 (Bb3) deviates most: −26% from the set average.

Total tension
131.4 lb59.6 kg584 N
Average per string
21.9 lb9.93 kg97 N
Feel
tight
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 19.9%

Tension per string

0102030lb0510kg050100Nmedium (10-46)set average1Eb4.01117.5 lb7.93 kg78 N2Bb3.01416.2 lb7.37 kg72 N3Gb3.01919.3 lb8.75 kg86 N4Db3.03226.3 lb11.91 kg117 N5Ab2.04427.1 lb12.27 kg120 N6Eb2.05625.1 lb11.37 kg111 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 Length Tensionvs avg
1Eb4311.1 .011NYS011plain 25.5" 17.5 lb7.93 kg78 N−20%
2Bb3233.1 .014NYS014plain 25.8" 16.2 lb7.37 kg72 N−26%
3Gb3185.0 .019NYS019plain 26.1" 19.3 lb8.75 kg86 N−12%
4Db3138.6 .032NYNW032wound 26.4" 26.3 lb11.91 kg117 N+20%
5Ab2103.8 .044NYNW044wound 26.7" 27.1 lb12.27 kg120 N+24%
6Eb277.8 .056NYNW056wound 27" 25.1 lb11.37 kg111 N+14%
Total131.4 lb59.6 kg584 N

Open in the calculator

Multiscale (fanned frets): string lengths change linearly from 25.5" (treble) to 27" (bass).

Similar sets in Eb standard, 25.5"–27" multiscale

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario EXL116 11-14-18-30-42-5220.1 lb9.14 kg90 N 120.8 lb54.8 kg538 Ntightuneven
NYXL1156 (this page) 11-14-19-32-44-5621.9 lb9.93 kg97 N 131.4 lb59.6 kg584 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL117 11-14-19-32-44-5622.0 lb9.97 kg98 N 131.8 lb59.8 kg586 Ntightuneven
D'Addario ECG24 11-15-22-30-40-5022.8 lb10.36 kg102 N 137.0 lb62.1 kg609 Ntightuneven
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-5423.0 lb10.45 kg102 N 138.2 lb62.7 kg615 Ntightmoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-5423.1 lb10.48 kg103 N 138.6 lb62.9 kg616 Ntightmoderately uneven

Best match for a medium feel in Eb standard, 25.5"–27" multiscale

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 8.9%, average 15.9 lb7.20 kg71 N, even
  2. D'Addario NYXL1046 10-13-17-26-36-46 deviation 11.0%, average 16.1 lb7.32 kg72 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: XSE1046, EXL110, EPS510
  3. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 11.7%, average 18.4 lb8.35 kg82 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: EXL115

More for the NYXL1156

Other tunings on 25.5"–27" multiscale: D standard, Drop C, C standard

Eb standard on other scales: 24.75", 25", 25.5", 26.5", 27"

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