String Tension Lab Calculator

D'Addario · NYXL · 11-14-19-32-44-56

D'Addario NYXL1156 (11-14-19-32-44-56) in Open G 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 Open G (D4 B3 G3 D3 G2 D2), pulls 118.7 lb53.8 kg528 N in total and 19.8 lb8.97 kg88 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 18.1%). String 4 (D3) deviates most: +34% from the set average.

Total tension
118.7 lb53.8 kg528 N
Average per string
19.8 lb8.97 kg88 N
Feel
tight
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 18.1%

Tension per string

01020lb0510kg050100Nmedium (10-46)set average1D4.01115.0 lb6.79 kg67 N2B3.01417.1 lb7.77 kg76 N3G3.01919.9 lb9.02 kg88 N4D3.03226.4 lb11.99 kg118 N5G2.04421.1 lb9.58 kg94 N6D2.05619.1 lb8.68 kg85 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−24%
2B3246.9 .014NYS014plain 17.1 lb7.77 kg76 N−13%
3G3196.0 .019NYS019plain 19.9 lb9.02 kg88 N+0%
4D3146.8 .032NYNW032wound 26.4 lb11.99 kg118 N+34%
5G298.0 .044NYNW044wound 21.1 lb9.58 kg94 N+7%
6D273.4 .056NYNW056wound 19.1 lb8.68 kg85 N−3%
Total118.7 lb53.8 kg528 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in Open G, 25"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario EXL116 11-14-18-30-42-5218.2 lb8.27 kg81 N 109.4 lb49.6 kg487 Nmediumuneven
NYXL1156 (this page) 11-14-19-32-44-5619.8 lb8.97 kg88 N 118.7 lb53.8 kg528 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL117 11-14-19-32-44-5619.8 lb9.00 kg88 N 119.0 lb54.0 kg529 Ntightuneven
D'Addario ECG24 11-15-22-30-40-5020.9 lb9.48 kg93 N 125.5 lb56.9 kg558 Ntightuneven
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-5421.0 lb9.54 kg94 N 126.2 lb57.2 kg561 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-5421.1 lb9.56 kg94 N 126.5 lb57.4 kg563 Ntightuneven

Best match for a medium feel in Open G, 25"

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

  1. D'Addario EPN115 11-14-18-27-37-48 deviation 11.5%, average 17.5 lb7.92 kg78 N, moderately uneven
  2. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 11.5%, average 16.8 lb7.60 kg75 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: EXL115
  3. D'Addario EXL115BT 11-15-19-28-37-50 deviation 14.4%, average 17.6 lb7.96 kg78 N, uneven

More for the NYXL1156

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

Open G on other scales: 24.75", 25.5"

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