D'Addario · XS Nickel (coated) · 10-13-17-26-36-46

D'Addario XSE1046 (10-13-17-26-36-46) in Eb standard on a 26.5" scale

10-46 Regular Light, XS Nickel Coated Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 26.5" scale, tuned to Eb standard (Eb4 Bb3 Gb3 Db3 Ab2 Eb2), pulls 98.5 lb44.7 kg438 N in total and 16.4 lb7.45 kg73 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for an electric guitar. The set is moderately uneven (spread 7.2%). String 5 (Ab2) deviates most: +11% from the set average.

Total tension: 98.5 lb44.7 kg438 N
Average per string: 16.4 lb7.45 kg73 N
Feel: medium; medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string; Set your own preferred feel
Balance: moderately uneven; spread 7.2%

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	Eb4	311.1	.010	XSPL010	plain	15.6 lb7.08 kg69 N	−5%
2	Bb3	233.1	.013	XSPL013	plain	14.8 lb6.73 kg66 N	−10%
3	Gb3	185.0	.017	XSPL017	plain	16.0 lb7.25 kg71 N	−3%
4	Db3	138.6	.026	XSNW026	wound	17.6 lb7.99 kg78 N	+7%
5	Ab2	103.8	.036	XSNW036	wound	18.3 lb8.30 kg81 N	+11%
6	Eb2	77.8	.046	XSNW046	wound	16.2 lb7.34 kg72 N	−1%
Total						98.5 lb44.7 kg438 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in Eb standard, 26.5"

Set	Gauges	Avg per string	Total	Feel	Balance
D'Addario EPS510	10-13-17-26-36-46	15.9 lb7.19 kg71 N	95.1 lb43.2 kg423 N	medium	even
D'Addario EXL110BT	10-13.5-17-25-34-46	16.2 lb7.33 kg72 N	97.0 lb44.0 kg431 N	medium	very even
XSE1046 (this page)	10-13-17-26-36-46	16.4 lb7.45 kg73 N	98.5 lb44.7 kg438 N	medium	moderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1046	10-13-17-26-36-46	16.4 lb7.45 kg73 N	98.5 lb44.7 kg438 N	medium	moderately uneven
D'Addario EXL110	10-13-17-26-36-46	16.4 lb7.46 kg73 N	98.7 lb44.8 kg439 N	medium	moderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1149	11-14-18-28-38-49	18.7 lb8.50 kg83 N	112.5 lb51.0 kg500 N	tight	even

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).

D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-46 deviation 5.8%, average 16.2 lb7.33 kg72 N, very even
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
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 XSE1046

Other tunings on 26.5": E standard, Drop D, D standard, Drop C, Open G, Open D, DADGAD

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

D'Addario product page, tension chart for XSE1046 (2026-10-31): unit weights derived from the published tensions, cross-checked across sets.