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 26.5" scale

11-56 Medium Top/Extra Heavy Bottom, NYXL Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 26.5" scale, tuned to Eb standard (Eb4 Bb3 Gb3 Db3 Ab2 Eb2), pulls 133.2 lb60.4 kg592 N in total and 22.2 lb10.07 kg99 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 16.8%). String 2 (Bb3) deviates most: −23% from the set average.

Total tension
133.2 lb60.4 kg592 N
Average per string
22.2 lb10.07 kg99 N
Feel
tight
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 16.8%

Tension per string

01020lb0510kg050100Nmedium (10-46)set average1Eb4.01118.9 lb8.56 kg84 N2Bb3.01417.1 lb7.77 kg76 N3Gb3.01919.9 lb9.02 kg89 N4Db3.03226.5 lb12.00 kg118 N5Ab2.04426.7 lb12.09 kg119 N6Eb2.05624.1 lb10.95 kg107 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
1Eb4311.1 .011NYS011plain 18.9 lb8.56 kg84 N−15%
2Bb3233.1 .014NYS014plain 17.1 lb7.77 kg76 N−23%
3Gb3185.0 .019NYS019plain 19.9 lb9.02 kg89 N−10%
4Db3138.6 .032NYNW032wound 26.5 lb12.00 kg118 N+19%
5Ab2103.8 .044NYNW044wound 26.7 lb12.09 kg119 N+20%
6Eb277.8 .056NYNW056wound 24.1 lb10.95 kg107 N+9%
Total133.2 lb60.4 kg592 N

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Similar sets in Eb standard, 26.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario EXL116 11-14-18-30-42-5220.4 lb9.28 kg91 N 122.7 lb55.7 kg546 Ntightuneven
NYXL1156 (this page) 11-14-19-32-44-5622.2 lb10.07 kg99 N 133.2 lb60.4 kg592 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL117 11-14-19-32-44-5622.3 lb10.10 kg99 N 133.6 lb60.6 kg594 Ntightuneven
D'Addario ECG24 11-15-22-30-40-5023.2 lb10.53 kg103 N 139.2 lb63.2 kg619 Ntightuneven
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-5423.4 lb10.64 kg104 N 140.7 lb63.8 kg626 Ntighteven
D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-5423.5 lb10.66 kg105 N 141.0 lb64.0 kg627 Ntighteven

Best match for a medium feel in Eb standard, 26.5"

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 5.8%, average 16.2 lb7.33 kg72 N, very even
  2. D'Addario EXL110 10-13-17-26-36-46 deviation 8.0%, average 16.4 lb7.46 kg73 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: NYXL1046, XSE1046, EPS510
  3. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 11.7%, average 18.7 lb8.50 kg83 N, even; same gauges: EXL115

More for the NYXL1156

Other tunings on 26.5": D standard, Drop C, C standard

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