D'Addario · XL Nickel Bass · 45-65-80-100

D'Addario EXL170 (45-65-80-100) in Drop D (bass) on a 35" scale

45-100 Regular Light, Long Scale, XL Nickel Bass Strings on a bass with a 35" scale, tuned to Drop D (bass) (G2 D2 A1 D1), pulls 168.1 lb76.3 kg748 N in total and 42.0 lb19.07 kg187 N per string on average. That is a medium feel for a bass. The set is uneven (spread 19.2%). String 4 (D1) deviates most: −31% from the set average.

Total tension: 168.1 lb76.3 kg748 N
Average per string: 42.0 lb19.07 kg187 N
Feel: medium; medium ≈ 43.6 lb19.78 kg194 N per string; Set your own preferred feel
Balance: uneven; spread 19.2%

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	XLB045	wound	45.1 lb20.44 kg200 N	+7%
2	D2	73.4	.065	XLB065	wound	51.3 lb23.28 kg228 N	+22%
3	A1	55.0	.080	XLB080	wound	42.5 lb19.29 kg189 N	+1%
4	D1	36.7	.100	XLB100	wound	29.2 lb13.25 kg130 N	−31%
Total						168.1 lb76.3 kg748 N

Open in the calculator

Similar sets in Drop D (bass), 35"

Set	Gauges	Avg per string	Total	Feel	Balance
D'Addario EPS165	45-65-85-105	40.9 lb18.55 kg182 N	163.6 lb74.2 kg728 N	medium	uneven
Elixir 14652	45-65-80-100	41.4 lb18.76 kg184 N	165.4 lb75.0 kg736 N	medium	uneven
EXL170 (this page)	45-65-80-100	42.0 lb19.07 kg187 N	168.1 lb76.3 kg748 N	medium	uneven
D'Addario NYXL45105	45-65-85-105	43.3 lb19.64 kg193 N	173.2 lb78.6 kg770 N	medium	uneven
Elixir 14677	45-65-85-105	43.3 lb19.65 kg193 N	173.3 lb78.6 kg771 N	medium	uneven
Elixir 14052	45-65-80-100	43.9 lb19.92 kg195 N	175.7 lb79.7 kg781 N	medium	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 EXL170

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

Drop D (bass) on other scales: 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 EXL170 (2026-10-31): unit weights derived from the published tensions, cross-checked across sets.