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 28" scale

11-56 Medium Top/Extra Heavy Bottom, NYXL Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 28" scale, tuned to B standard (B3 F#3 D3 A2 E2 B1), pulls 93.7 lb42.5 kg417 N in total and 15.6 lb7.08 kg69 N per string on average. That is a medium 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
93.7 lb42.5 kg417 N
Average per string
15.6 lb7.08 kg69 N
Feel
medium
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 16.8%

Tension per string

05101520lb02468kg020406080Nset averagemedium (10-46)1B3.01113.3 lb6.02 kg59 N2F#3.01412.1 lb5.47 kg54 N3D3.01914.0 lb6.35 kg62 N4A2.03218.6 lb8.44 kg83 N5E2.04418.7 lb8.50 kg83 N6B1.05617.0 lb7.70 kg76 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 13.3 lb6.02 kg59 N−15%
2F#3185.0 .014NYS014plain 12.1 lb5.47 kg54 N−23%
3D3146.8 .019NYS019plain 14.0 lb6.35 kg62 N−10%
4A2110.0 .032NYNW032wound 18.6 lb8.44 kg83 N+19%
5E282.4 .044NYNW044wound 18.7 lb8.50 kg83 N+20%
6B161.7 .056NYNW056wound 17.0 lb7.70 kg76 N+9%
Total93.7 lb42.5 kg417 N

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Similar sets in B standard, 28"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario EXL116 11-14-18-30-42-5214.4 lb6.52 kg64 N 86.3 lb39.1 kg384 Nlooseuneven
NYXL1156 (this page) 11-14-19-32-44-5615.6 lb7.08 kg69 N 93.7 lb42.5 kg417 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario EXL117 11-14-19-32-44-5615.7 lb7.10 kg70 N 93.9 lb42.6 kg418 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario ECG24 11-15-22-30-40-5016.3 lb7.40 kg73 N 97.9 lb44.4 kg436 Nmediumuneven
D'Addario NYXL1254 12-16-20-32-42-5416.5 lb7.48 kg73 N 98.9 lb44.9 kg440 Nmediumeven
D'Addario EXL145 12-16-20-32-42-5416.5 lb7.50 kg74 N 99.2 lb45.0 kg441 Nmediumeven

Best match for a medium feel in B standard, 28"

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 7.3%, average 16.5 lb7.48 kg73 N, even; same gauges: EXL145
  2. D'Addario NYXL1260 12-16-20-34-46-60 deviation 14.3%, average 18.0 lb8.16 kg80 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL148
  3. D'Addario ECG24 11-15-22-30-40-50 deviation 14.5%, average 16.3 lb7.40 kg73 N, uneven

More for the NYXL1156

Other tunings on 28": D standard, Drop C, C standard, Drop A

B standard on other scales: 27"

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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