String Tension Lab All sets Calculator

Elixir · OPTIWEB Nickel (coated) · 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-74

Elixir 19062 (10-13-17-30-42-54-64-74) in F# standard (8-string) on a 26.5" scale

OPTIWEB Nickel (coated) 8-String Light (10-74) on an electric guitar with a 26.5" scale, tuned to F# standard (8-string) (E4 B3 G3 D3 A2 E2 B1 F#1), pulls 171.7 lb77.9 kg764 N in total and 21.5 lb9.73 kg95 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for an electric guitar. The set is uneven (spread 24.0%). String 5 (A2) deviates most: +32% from the set average.

Total tension
171.7 lb77.9 kg764 N
Average per string
21.5 lb9.73 kg95 N
Feel
tight
medium ≈ 17.1 lb7.76 kg76 N per string
Set your own preferred feel
Balance
uneven
spread 24.0%

Tension per string

0102030lb0510kg050100Nmedium (10-46)set average1E4.01017.4 lb7.87 kg77 N2B3.01316.4 lb7.43 kg73 N3G3.01717.9 lb8.14 kg80 N4D3.03028.0 lb12.68 kg124 N5A2.04228.4 lb12.88 kg126 N6E2.05427.0 lb12.24 kg120 N7B1.06421.2 lb9.62 kg94 N8F#1.07415.4 lb7.00 kg69 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
1E4329.6 .010AR010plain 17.4 lb7.87 kg77 N−19%
2B3246.9 .013AR013plain 16.4 lb7.43 kg73 N−24%
3G3196.0 .017AR017plain 17.9 lb8.14 kg80 N−16%
4D3146.8 .030ENO030wound 28.0 lb12.68 kg124 N+30%
5A2110.0 .042ENO042wound 28.4 lb12.88 kg126 N+32%
6E282.4 .054ENO054wound 27.0 lb12.24 kg120 N+26%
7B161.7 .064ENO064wound 21.2 lb9.62 kg94 N−1%
8F#146.2 .074ENO074wound 15.4 lb7.00 kg69 N−28%
Total171.7 lb77.9 kg764 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in F# standard (8-string), 26.5"

SetGaugesAvg per stringTotalFeelBalance
D'Addario EXL120-8 9-11-16-24-32-42-54-6514.7 lb6.65 kg65 N 117.2 lb53.2 kg521 Nlooseuneven
D'Addario NYXL0980 9-12-16-24-32-44-60-8016.2 lb7.34 kg72 N 129.5 lb58.7 kg576 Nmediummoderately uneven
D'Addario NYXL1074 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-7420.8 lb9.45 kg93 N 166.7 lb75.6 kg741 Ntightuneven
D'Addario EXL140-8 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-7420.9 lb9.46 kg93 N 166.8 lb75.7 kg742 Ntightuneven
19062 (this page) 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-7421.5 lb9.73 kg95 N 171.7 lb77.9 kg764 Ntightuneven
Elixir 12062 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-7421.5 lb9.73 kg95 N 171.7 lb77.9 kg764 Ntightuneven

Best match for a medium feel in F# standard (8-string), 26.5"

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

  1. D'Addario NYXL0980 9-12-16-24-32-44-60-80 deviation 9.1%, average 16.2 lb7.34 kg72 N, moderately uneven
  2. D'Addario EXL120-8 9-11-16-24-32-42-54-65 deviation 18.1%, average 14.7 lb6.65 kg65 N, uneven
  3. D'Addario NYXL1074 10-13-17-30-42-54-64-74 deviation 34.9%, average 20.8 lb9.45 kg93 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL140-8

More for the 19062

Other tunings on 26.5": Drop E (8-string), E standard (8-string)

F# standard (8-string) on other scales: 24.75", 25", 25.5"

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