D'Addario · Chromes Flatwound Bass · 45-65-80-100

D'Addario ECB81 (45-65-80-100) in Drop D (bass) on a 35" scale

45-100 Regular Light, Long Scale, XL Chromes Bass Strings on a bass with a 35" scale, tuned to Drop D (bass) (G2 D2 A1 D1), pulls 189.4 lb85.9 kg842 N in total and 47.3 lb21.48 kg211 N per string on average. That is a tight feel for a bass. The set is uneven (spread 17.8%). String 4 (D1) deviates most: −28% from the set average.

Total tension: 189.4 lb85.9 kg842 N
Average per string: 47.3 lb21.48 kg211 N
Feel: tight; medium ≈ 43.6 lb19.78 kg194 N per string; Set your own preferred feel
Balance: uneven; spread 17.8%

Tension per string

The bronze dashed line is the medium-feel target: the average per-string tension of a 45-105 set on a 34" scale in E standard (bass) (43.6 lb19.78 kg194 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	G2	98.0	.045	CB045	flatwound	49.8 lb22.61 kg222 N	+5%
2	D2	73.4	.065	CB065	flatwound	57.2 lb25.93 kg254 N	+21%
3	A1	55.0	.080	CB080	flatwound	48.5 lb21.98 kg216 N	+2%
4	D1	36.7	.100	CB100	flatwound	33.9 lb15.39 kg151 N	−28%
Total						189.4 lb85.9 kg842 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in Drop D (bass), 35"

Set	Gauges	Avg per string	Total	Feel	Balance
D'Addario EXL165	45-65-85-105	44.1 lb20.02 kg196 N	176.5 lb80.1 kg785 N	medium	uneven
Elixir 14077	45-65-85-105	46.2 lb20.95 kg205 N	184.8 lb83.8 kg822 N	tight	uneven
Elixir 14087	45-65-85-105	46.2 lb20.95 kg205 N	184.8 lb83.8 kg822 N	tight	uneven
ECB81 (this page)	45-65-80-100	47.3 lb21.48 kg211 N	189.4 lb85.9 kg842 N	tight	uneven
Elixir 14702	50-70-85-105	47.6 lb21.57 kg212 N	190.2 lb86.3 kg846 N	tight	uneven
D'Addario EXL160	50-70-85-105	48.1 lb21.82 kg214 N	192.4 lb87.3 kg856 N	tight	uneven

Best match for a medium feel in Drop D (bass), 35"

Ranked by how close every string is to 43.6 lb19.78 kg194 N (lower deviation is better).

D'Addario NYXL45105 45-65-85-105 deviation 16.6%, average 43.3 lb19.64 kg193 N, uneven; same gauges: EXL165, EPS165
Elixir 14677 45-65-85-105 deviation 16.7%, average 43.3 lb19.65 kg193 N, uneven; same gauges: 14077, 14087
Elixir 14652 45-65-80-100 deviation 18.7%, average 41.4 lb18.76 kg184 N, uneven; same gauges: 14052

More for the ECB81

Other tunings on 35": E standard (bass), Eb standard (bass), D standard (bass), Drop C (bass), C standard (bass)

Drop D (bass) on other scales: 32", 34", 34"–37" 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 ECB81 (2026-10-31): unit weights derived from the published tensions, cross-checked across sets.