String Tension Lab Calculator

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

D'Addario XSE1046 (10-13-17-26-36-46) in D standard on a 28" scale

10-46 Regular Light, XS Nickel Coated Electric Guitar Strings on an electric guitar with a 28" scale, tuned to D standard (D4 A3 F3 C3 G2 D2), pulls 98.0 lb44.4 kg436 N in total and 16.3 lb7.41 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 (G2) deviates most: +11% from the set average.

Total tension
98.0 lb44.4 kg436 N
Average per string
16.3 lb7.41 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

05101520lb02468kg020406080Nset averagemedium (10-46)1D4.01015.5 lb7.04 kg69 N2A3.01314.7 lb6.69 kg66 N3F3.01715.9 lb7.21 kg71 N4C3.02617.5 lb7.95 kg78 N5G2.03618.2 lb8.25 kg81 N6D2.04616.1 lb7.30 kg72 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
1D4293.7 .010XSPL010plain 15.5 lb7.04 kg69 N−5%
2A3220.0 .013XSPL013plain 14.7 lb6.69 kg66 N−10%
3F3174.6 .017XSPL017plain 15.9 lb7.21 kg71 N−3%
4C3130.8 .026XSNW026wound 17.5 lb7.95 kg78 N+7%
5G298.0 .036XSNW036wound 18.2 lb8.25 kg81 N+11%
6D273.4 .046XSNW046wound 16.1 lb7.30 kg72 N−1%
Total98.0 lb44.4 kg436 N

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Similar sets in D standard, 28"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario EPS510 10-13-17-26-36-4615.8 lb7.15 kg70 N 94.6 lb42.9 kg421 Nmediumeven
D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-4616.1 lb7.29 kg71 N 96.4 lb43.7 kg429 Nmediumvery even
XSE1046 (this page) 10-13-17-26-36-4616.3 lb7.41 kg73 N 98.0 lb44.4 kg436 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1046 10-13-17-26-36-4616.3 lb7.41 kg73 N 98.0 lb44.4 kg436 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario EXL110 10-13-17-26-36-4616.4 lb7.42 kg73 N 98.2 lb44.5 kg437 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-4918.6 lb8.46 kg83 N 111.9 lb50.7 kg498 Ntighteven

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

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

  1. D'Addario EXL110BT 10-13.5-17-25-34-46 deviation 6.3%, average 16.1 lb7.29 kg71 N, very even
  2. D'Addario EXL110 10-13-17-26-36-46 deviation 8.2%, average 16.4 lb7.42 kg73 N, moderately uneven; same gauges: NYXL1046, XSE1046, EPS510
  3. D'Addario NYXL1149 11-14-18-28-38-49 deviation 11.2%, average 18.6 lb8.46 kg83 N, even; same gauges: EXL115

More for the XSE1046

Other tunings on 28": E standard, Drop D, Eb standard, Drop C, C standard, Open G, Open D, DADGAD

D standard 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.

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