D'Addario · NYXL · 12-16-20-32-42-54

D'Addario NYXL1254 (12-16-20-32-42-54) in Drop C on a 28" scale

12-54 Heavy, NYXL Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 28" scale, tuned to Drop C (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 C2), pulls 135.3 lb61.4 kg602 N in total and 22.5 lb10.23 kg100 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is moderately uneven (spread 11.5%). String 6 (C2) deviates most: −21% from the set average.

Total tension: 135.3 lb61.4 kg602 N
Average per string: 22.5 lb10.23 kg100 N
Feel: tight; medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string; Set your own preferred feel
Balance: moderately uneven; spread 11.5%

Tension per string

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.

#	Note	Hz	Gauge	Item	Type	Tension	vs avg
1	D4	293.7	.012	NYS012	plain	22.4 lb10.14 kg99 N	−1%
2	A3	220.0	.016	NYS016	plain	22.3 lb10.14 kg99 N	−1%
3	F3	174.6	.020	NYS020	plain	22.0 lb9.97 kg98 N	−2%
4	C3	130.8	.032	NYNW032	wound	26.3 lb11.94 kg117 N	+17%
5	G2	98.0	.042	NYNW042	wound	24.4 lb11.08 kg109 N	+8%
6	C2	65.4	.054	NYNW054	wound	17.9 lb8.10 kg79 N	−21%
Total						135.3 lb61.4 kg602 N

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Similar sets in Drop C, 28"

Set	Gauges	Avg per string	Total	Feel	Balance
D'Addario EXL116	11-14-18-30-42-52	19.6 lb8.91 kg87 N	117.9 lb53.5 kg524 N	tight	uneven
D'Addario NYXL1156	11-14-19-32-44-56	21.2 lb9.64 kg95 N	127.5 lb57.8 kg567 N	tight	uneven
D'Addario EXL117	11-14-19-32-44-56	21.3 lb9.67 kg95 N	127.9 lb58.0 kg569 N	tight	uneven
D'Addario ECG24	11-15-22-30-40-50	22.4 lb10.14 kg99 N	134.1 lb60.8 kg597 N	tight	uneven
NYXL1254 (this page)	12-16-20-32-42-54	22.5 lb10.23 kg100 N	135.3 lb61.4 kg602 N	tight	moderately uneven
D'Addario EXL145	12-16-20-32-42-54	22.6 lb10.25 kg101 N	135.6 lb61.5 kg603 N	tight	moderately uneven

Best match for a medium feel in Drop C, 28"

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

D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-46 deviation 11.8%, average 15.5 lb7.04 kg69 N, moderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 12.7%, average 18.0 lb8.17 kg80 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: EXL115
D'Addario EXL110 10-13-17-26-36-46 deviation 12.9%, average 15.8 lb7.17 kg70 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: NYXL1046, XSE1046, EPS510

More for the NYXL1254

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

Drop C on other scales: 24.75", 25", 25.5", 26.5", 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.

Sources

D'Addario product page, tension chart for NYXL1254 (2026-10-31): unit weights derived from the published tensions, cross-checked across sets.