String Tension Lab Calculator

D'Addario · NYXL · 11-14-19-32-44-56

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

11-56 Medium Top/Extra Heavy Bottom, NYXL Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 27" scale, tuned to B standard (B3 F#3 D3 A2 E2 B1), pulls 87.1 lb39.5 kg387 N in total and 14.5 lb6.58 kg65 N per string on average. That is a loose feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 16.8%). String 2 (F#3) deviates most: −23% from the set average.

Total tension
87.1 lb39.5 kg387 N
Average per string
14.5 lb6.58 kg65 N
Feel
loose
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 16.8%

Tension per string

051015lb02468kg020406080Nset averagemedium (10-46)1B3.01112.3 lb5.60 kg55 N2F#3.01411.2 lb5.08 kg50 N3D3.01913.0 lb5.90 kg58 N4A2.03217.3 lb7.85 kg77 N5E2.04417.4 lb7.91 kg78 N6B1.05615.8 lb7.16 kg70 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
1B3246.9 .011NYS011plain 12.3 lb5.60 kg55 N−15%
2F#3185.0 .014NYS014plain 11.2 lb5.08 kg50 N−23%
3D3146.8 .019NYS019plain 13.0 lb5.90 kg58 N−10%
4A2110.0 .032NYNW032wound 17.3 lb7.85 kg77 N+19%
5E282.4 .044NYNW044wound 17.4 lb7.91 kg78 N+20%
6B161.7 .056NYNW056wound 15.8 lb7.16 kg70 N+9%
Total87.1 lb39.5 kg387 N

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Similar sets in B standard, 27"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario EXL116 11-14-18-30-42-5213.4 lb6.07 kg59 N 80.2 lb36.4 kg357 Nlooseuneven
NYXL1156 (this page) 11-14-19-32-44-5614.5 lb6.58 kg65 N 87.1 lb39.5 kg387 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario EXL117 11-14-19-32-44-5614.6 lb6.60 kg65 N 87.4 lb39.6 kg389 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario ECG24 11-15-22-30-40-5015.2 lb6.88 kg68 N 91.1 lb41.3 kg405 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-5415.3 lb6.96 kg68 N 92.0 lb41.7 kg409 Nlooseeven
D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-5415.4 lb6.97 kg68 N 92.2 lb41.8 kg410 Nlooseeven

Best match for a medium feel in B standard, 27"

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

  1. D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-54 deviation 11.8%, average 15.4 lb6.97 kg68 N, even; same gauges: NYXL1254
  2. D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-60 deviation 12.6%, average 16.7 lb7.58 kg74 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL148
  3. D'Addario EXL158 13-17-26-36-46-62 deviation 15.2%, average 19.1 lb8.65 kg85 N, moderately uneven

More for the NYXL1156

Other tunings on 27": Eb standard, D standard, Drop C, C standard, Drop A

B standard on other scales: 28"

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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