D'Addario EXL170-5 5-String Nickel Wound Bass Guitar Strings, Light, 45-130, Long Scale

Balanced Feel, Bright Tone, and Tight Low B for the Modern 5-String Bassist

When your low end needs to be as precise as it is powerful, look no further than the D’Addario EXL170-5—a 5-string light gauge set (45–130) that offers classic brightness, long-lasting tone, and a solid, responsive feel across every string. Ideal for bassists who want tight articulation without sacrificing warmth, this set delivers the same trusted tone and feel of D’Addario’s legendary XL Series, now extended to handle the full range of your 5-string bass.

Wound with nickel-plated steel over a high-carbon steel core, these strings offer the perfect balance of bright attack and smooth sustain, making them equally at home in funk, rock, gospel, fusion, and modern pop. Whether you’re thumping through a setlist on stage or laying down clean tracks in the studio, the EXL170-5 set ensures consistent response from your G string all the way down to that thunderous low B.

Designed for long-scale basses (34" scale length and beyond), these strings maintain excellent tension and intonation across the fingerboard. The 130-gauge low B is particularly well balanced—not floppy, not muddy, just tight and ready to punch through the mix with authority.

Here at Musicmaker, the EXL170-5 is one of our most recommended 5-string sets, especially for players upgrading from stock strings or needing something they can trust gig after gig.

From clean jazz runs to heavy low-end riffs, the D’Addario EXL170-5 gives your 5-string bass the voice it was built to have.

Features

• Light Gauge for 5-String Bass (45–130): Offers a smooth, balanced tension with solid fundamental tone across the neck.

• Nickel-Plated Steel Wrap Wire: Delivers bright, clear attack with just enough warmth for modern tones.

• High-Carbon Hex-Core Construction: Provides excellent tuning stability, intonation, and long life.

• Designed for Long Scale Basses: Fits most 34"+ scale instruments; ideal for modern 5-string basses.

• Punchy Low B (130): Clear, tight, and defined—no flab, just thunder.

• Made in the USA: Precision-wound and quality-controlled to deliver consistent performance every time.

• Part of D’Addario’s Best-Selling XL Series: Trusted by pros across genres worldwide.