String Tension Lab Calculator

D'Addario · NYXL · 11-14-19-32-44-56

D'Addario NYXL1156 (11-14-19-32-44-56) in Drop C on a 25" scale

11-56 Medium Top/Extra Heavy Bottom, NYXL Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 25" scale, tuned to Drop C (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 C2), pulls 101.6 lb46.1 kg452 N in total and 16.9 lb7.68 kg75 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 17.6%). String 5 (G2) deviates most: +25% from the set average.

Total tension
101.6 lb46.1 kg452 N
Average per string
16.9 lb7.68 kg75 N
Feel
medium
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 17.6%

Tension per string

05101520lb025810kg0255075100Nset averagemedium (10-46)1D4.01115.0 lb6.79 kg67 N2A3.01413.6 lb6.16 kg60 N3F3.01915.8 lb7.16 kg70 N4C3.03221.0 lb9.52 kg93 N5G2.04421.1 lb9.58 kg94 N6C2.05615.2 lb6.89 kg68 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 15.0 lb6.79 kg67 N−12%
2A3220.0 .014NYS014plain 13.6 lb6.16 kg60 N−20%
3F3174.6 .019NYS019plain 15.8 lb7.16 kg70 N−7%
4C3130.8 .032NYNW032wound 21.0 lb9.52 kg93 N+24%
5G298.0 .044NYNW044wound 21.1 lb9.58 kg94 N+25%
6C265.4 .056NYNW056wound 15.2 lb6.89 kg68 N−10%
Total101.6 lb46.1 kg452 N

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Similar sets in Drop C, 25"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario EXL116 11-14-18-30-42-5215.7 lb7.10 kg70 N 94.0 lb42.6 kg418 Nmediumuneven
NYXL1156 (this page) 11-14-19-32-44-5616.9 lb7.68 kg75 N 101.6 lb46.1 kg452 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EXL117 11-14-19-32-44-5617.0 lb7.71 kg76 N 101.9 lb46.2 kg453 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario ECG24 11-15-22-30-40-5017.8 lb8.08 kg79 N 106.9 lb48.5 kg476 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-5418.0 lb8.15 kg80 N 107.9 lb48.9 kg480 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-5418.0 lb8.17 kg80 N 108.1 lb49.0 kg481 Nmediummoderately uneven

Best match for a medium feel in Drop C, 25"

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 13.1%, average 18.0 lb8.15 kg80 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: EXL145
  2. D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-50 deviation 14.9%, average 15.0 lb6.79 kg67 N, moderately uneven
  3. D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-48 deviation 16.0%, average 15.0 lb6.79 kg67 N, moderately uneven

More for the NYXL1156

Other tunings on 25": E standard, Drop D, Eb standard, D standard, Open G, Open D, DADGAD

Drop C on other scales: 24.75", 25.5", 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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