String Tension Lab Calculator

D'Addario · NYXL · 11-14-19-32-44-56

D'Addario NYXL1156 (11-14-19-32-44-56) in DADGAD on a 25.5" scale

11-56 Medium Top/Extra Heavy Bottom, NYXL Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 25.5" scale, tuned to DADGAD (D4 A3 G3 D3 A2 D2), pulls 125.5 lb56.9 kg558 N in total and 20.9 lb9.49 kg93 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 25.1%). String 5 (A2) deviates most: +32% from the set average.

Total tension
125.5 lb56.9 kg558 N
Average per string
20.9 lb9.49 kg93 N
Feel
tight
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 25.1%

Tension per string

0102030lb0510kg050100Nmedium (10-46)set average1D4.01115.6 lb7.06 kg69 N2A3.01414.1 lb6.41 kg63 N3G3.01920.7 lb9.38 kg92 N4D3.03227.5 lb12.47 kg122 N5A2.04427.7 lb12.56 kg123 N6D2.05619.9 lb9.03 kg89 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 15.6 lb7.06 kg69 N−26%
2A3220.0 .014NYS014plain 14.1 lb6.41 kg63 N−32%
3G3196.0 .019NYS019plain 20.7 lb9.38 kg92 N−1%
4D3146.8 .032NYNW032wound 27.5 lb12.47 kg122 N+31%
5A2110.0 .044NYNW044wound 27.7 lb12.56 kg123 N+32%
6D273.4 .056NYNW056wound 19.9 lb9.03 kg89 N−5%
Total125.5 lb56.9 kg558 N

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Similar sets in DADGAD, 25.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario NYXL1152 11-14-18-30-42-5219.2 lb8.70 kg85 N 115.1 lb52.2 kg512 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL116 11-14-18-30-42-5219.2 lb8.73 kg86 N 115.4 lb52.4 kg514 Ntightuneven
NYXL1156 (this page) 11-14-19-32-44-5620.9 lb9.49 kg93 N 125.5 lb56.9 kg558 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL117 11-14-19-32-44-5621.0 lb9.52 kg93 N 125.9 lb57.1 kg560 Ntightuneven
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-5422.0 lb9.96 kg98 N 131.7 lb59.8 kg586 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-5422.0 lb9.98 kg98 N 132.1 lb59.9 kg587 Ntightuneven

Best match for a medium feel in DADGAD, 25.5"

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

  1. D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-50 deviation 15.8%, average 18.3 lb8.28 kg81 N, uneven
  2. D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-46 deviation 16.4%, average 15.1 lb6.84 kg67 N, uneven
  3. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 16.5%, average 17.5 lb7.96 kg78 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL115

More for the NYXL1156

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

DADGAD on other scales: 24.75", 25"

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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