D'Addario EPS160-5 XL ProSteels 5-String Bass (.050–.135): the Medium, pick-driven stainless five-string
Reviewed by the Change Your Strings editorial team ·
D'Addario EPS160-5 is the Medium five-string set in the XL ProSteels bass family, .050 to .135, stainless-steel roundwound on a hex steel core, long scale. It runs a fuller .050 top over a .135 low B, the heaviest of the three common ProSteels five-string gauges, built for players who dig in with a pick, want more mass under the fingers, or tune the low B down. ProSteels reads brighter than XL Nickel Wound.
How it rates (0–10)
CYS editorialOur editorial read of how this product behaves, scored relative to others in its class. A guide, not a lab measurement.
Anatomy
- Model
- D'Addario EPS160-5 XL ProSteels 5-String Bass Medium
- Family
- D'Addario XL ProSteels Bass (stainless-steel roundwound)
- Five-string gauges
- EPS170-5 Regular Light (.045–.130), EPS165-5 Regular Light Top and Medium Bottom (.045–.135), EPS160-5 Medium (.050–.135, this set)
- Gauge
- .050 – .135 (Medium)
- Gauge set
- .050, .070, .085, .105, .135
- String count
- 5 strings
- Core wire
- Hex steel
- Wrap wire
- Stainless steel (D'Addario ProSteels alloy)
- Coating
- None, uncoated
- Winding
- Roundwound
- Intended scale
- Long-scale (34") fits most production 5-string basses: Fender fives, Music Man StingRay 5, Spector, Warwick, Lakland, Ibanez SR
- Intended tunings
- Bass B standard (5-string) primary; suits pick-driven playing and low-B detuning
- Tension at B standard
- See D'Addario's published per-string tension chart on the product page. Every string is heavier than the equivalent on EPS170-5, so the whole set feels stiffer
- Made in
- United States (D'Addario manufacturing in Farmingdale, NY)
- Package
- Single pack, recyclable VCI bag with Players Circle code
Why the Medium five-string is the pick-driven choice
- The heaviest common five-string gauge
- EPS160-5 (.050–.135) is the fullest of the three common ProSteels five-string sets. Every string is a step up from the all-purpose EPS170-5, so there is more mass under the fingers and more resistance under a pick. If you play hard, want authority, or detune the low B, this is the gauge that stays defined.
- Stainless wrap, hex core
- Stainless-steel wrap delivers more harmonic content and a sharper attack than nickel-plated. The hex core gives the wrap stable mechanical grip and tight intonation. On a heavier set that matters: the extra mass could sound thick, but the stainless brightness keeps every string, including the .135 B, articulate and clear.
- Built to dig in and detune
- The firmer feel is the point. A Medium set resists a hard pick attack instead of flopping, and the .135 low B holds its pitch and definition better when you tune it down. If that reads as too stiff, the light-top EPS165-5 keeps a fast .045 top over the same .135 B, and the EPS170-5 is lighter still.
- D'Addario manufacturing consistency
- D'Addario's NY production is the industry's tightest-tolerance bass-string manufacturing. Set-to-set consistency means the EPS160-5 you string this week feels like the one you strung six months ago, which matters for working bassists who restring per tour leg or before sessions.
The three ProSteels five-string gauges compared
All three are XL ProSteels. Same stainless wrap, same hex core, same long-scale fit. The gauge is the only variable, and on a five-string it changes the feel of the low B and the mass under your fingers more than the numbers suggest.
| EPS170-5 Regular Light (.045–.130) | EPS165-5 Light Top / Medium Bottom (.045–.135) | EPS160-5 Medium (.050–.135) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gauge set | .045, .065, .080, .100, .130 | .045, .065, .085, .105, .135 | .050, .070, .085, .105, .135 |
| Top-string feel | Lightest, fastest .045 G | Light .045 G top | Fuller .050 G, more push |
| Low B | .130, articulate and quick | .135, thicker and tighter | .135, thicker and tighter |
| Best tuning lane | B standard, all-purpose | B standard, low-B focus | B standard, dig-in and detune |
| Fretting effort | Lowest | Low up top, firmer bottom | Firmer overall |
| Pick this when | Versatility and comfort | Light top over a beefier low B | Maximum mass and grip |
The decision rule mirrors the four-string ProSteels line. Lightest and most versatile, the EPS170-5. A light top with a beefier low end, the EPS165-5. Maximum mass under the pick and the fullest feel, EPS160-5, this set. Same alloy, same bass, same brightness. Reach for the Medium when you play hard or detune.
Verdict
EPS160-5 ProSteels is the Medium, pick-driven stainless five-string, the heaviest of the three common five-string ProSteels gauges. The .050 top and .135 low B give you more mass under the fingers and more resistance under a pick, so the set stays defined when you dig in and holds its pitch better when you tune the low B down. It is the five-string version of the four-string EPS160 Medium, with a low B added, and the stainless wrap keeps every string bright and articulate despite the extra mass.
If the Medium feels too stiff, the light-top EPS165-5 keeps a fast .045 top over the same .135 B, and the all-purpose EPS170-5 is lighter still. For nickel warmth instead of stainless bite, the exact tonal alternative at this gauge is the nickel-plated EXL160-5.
D'Addario manufactures bass strings in Farmingdale, NY, with the tightest tolerances in the industry. Set-to-set consistency is the practical reason working bassists trust D'Addario for session and tour discipline.
Related
- Want a lighter, faster feel? Drop back to D'Addario EPS170-5 ProSteels Regular Light (.045–.130).
- Want a fast top but keep the firm .135 low B? See D'Addario EPS165-5 ProSteels Light Top / Medium Bottom (.045–.135).
- Play four-string too? This is the five-string version of the four-string D'Addario EPS160 Medium (.050–.105).
- Adding a high C? The six-string D'Addario EPS170-6 (.032–.130) extends the ProSteels line to six strings.
- Tuning the low B down? Read our guide to drop tunings and low tunings.
- New to restringing a bass? Follow our how to change bass strings guide.