String Tension Lab Calculator

D'Addario · NYXL · 12-16-20-34-46-60

D'Addario NYXL1260 (12-16-20-34-46-60) in Drop A on a 24.75" scale

12-60 Extra Heavy, NYXL Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 24.75" scale, tuned to Drop A (B3 F#3 D3 A2 E2 A1), pulls 81.1 lb36.8 kg361 N in total and 13.5 lb6.13 kg60 N per string on average. That is a loose feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 12.9%). String 4 (A2) deviates most: +19% from the set average.

Total tension
81.1 lb36.8 kg361 N
Average per string
13.5 lb6.13 kg60 N
Feel
loose
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 12.9%

Tension per string

051015lb02468kg020406080Nset averagemedium (10-46)1B3.01212.4 lb5.60 kg55 N2F#3.01612.3 lb5.60 kg55 N3D3.02012.1 lb5.51 kg54 N4A2.03416.1 lb7.32 kg72 N5E2.04615.8 lb7.18 kg70 N6A1.06012.3 lb5.57 kg55 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 .012NYS012plain 12.4 lb5.60 kg55 N−9%
2F#3185.0 .016NYS016plain 12.3 lb5.60 kg55 N−9%
3D3146.8 .020NYS020plain 12.1 lb5.51 kg54 N−10%
4A2110.0 .034NYNW034wound 16.1 lb7.32 kg72 N+19%
5E282.4 .046NYNW046wound 15.8 lb7.18 kg70 N+17%
6A155.0 .060NYNW060wound 12.3 lb5.57 kg55 N−9%
Total81.1 lb36.8 kg361 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in Drop A, 24.75"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
NYXL1260 (this page) 12-16-20-34-46-6013.5 lb6.13 kg60 N 81.1 lb36.8 kg361 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario EXL148 12-16-20-34-46-6013.6 lb6.15 kg60 N 81.3 lb36.9 kg362 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario EXL158 13-17-26-36-46-6215.5 lb7.01 kg69 N 92.7 lb42.1 kg413 Nloosemoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL157 14-18-26-44-56-6819.2 lb8.73 kg86 N 115.5 lb52.4 kg514 Ntightuneven

Best match for a medium feel in Drop A, 24.75"

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

  1. D'Addario EXL158 13-17-26-36-46-62 deviation 14.1%, average 15.5 lb7.01 kg69 N, moderately uneven
  2. D'Addario EXL148 12-16-20-34-46-60 deviation 23.2%, average 13.6 lb6.15 kg60 N, uneven; same gauges: NYXL1260
  3. D'Addario EXL157 14-18-26-44-56-68 deviation 27.5%, average 19.2 lb8.73 kg86 N, uneven

More for the NYXL1260

Other tunings on 24.75": Eb standard, D standard, Drop C, C standard, B standard

Drop A on other scales: 25", 25.5", 26.5", 27", 28", 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