D'Addario EPS160 XL ProSteels Bass (.050-.105): the nickel-free heavy gauge bass round
Reviewed by the Change Your Strings editorial team ·
D'Addario EPS160 is the Medium gauge of the XL ProSteels bass family: .050 to .105, stainless-steel roundwound on a high-carbon hex steel core, long scale, uncoated. D'Addario calls it its brightest bass guitar string and tags it nickel-free, ideal for metal and all genres. At the identical .050-.105 gauge as EXL160 and NYXL50105, EPS160 actually reads lower tension, about 175.4 lbs, than either nickel sibling.
What this set is
D'Addario EPS160 is the Medium gauge of the XL ProSteels bass line: .050 to .105, long scale, stainless-steel roundwound on the same high-carbon hex-core construction D'Addario uses across every XL bass string. D'Addario's own product page calls ProSteels its brightest bass guitar string, built from "a unique, highly magnetic alloy" that delivers "super-bright tone with magnified presence and attack." The EPS160 gauge is also tagged nickel-free and "Ideal For: Metal, All Genres" directly on D'Addario's own listing, a callout the nickel XL lines don't carry.
It sits in the middle of D'Addario's ProSteels ladder. EPS170 (.045-.100) is the lighter, more popular all-purpose gauge; EPS230 (.055-.110) is D'Addario's heaviest ProSteels set. EPS160 is the step up from EPS170 for players who want more low-end push and a firmer feel without committing to EPS230's full heft. It's also built at the exact same .050-.105 gauge as two nickel-wrapped siblings, EXL160 and D'Addario's premium NYXL50105, so a bassist choosing between metals at this gauge has three direct options to weigh.
Anatomy
- Model
- D'Addario EPS160 XL ProSteels Bass Medium
- Family
- D'Addario XL ProSteels Bass (stainless-steel roundwound)
- Variants
- EPS220 (.040-.095), EPS190 (.040-.100), EPS165 (.045-.105), EPS170 Light (.045-.100), EPS160 Medium (.050-.105, this set), EPS230 Heavy (.055-.110)
- Gauge
- .050 - .105 (Medium)
- Gauge set
- .050, .070, .085, .105
- String count
- 4 strings
- Core wire
- High-carbon steel, hexagonal (hex-core)
- Wrap wire
- Stainless steel (D'Addario ProSteels alloy)
- Coating
- None, uncoated
- Winding
- Roundwound
- Intended scale
- Long-scale (34") fits Fender Precision, Jazz, Music Man StingRay, and most production 4-string basses
- Intended tunings
- Bass E standard primary; handles Eb standard and Drop D comfortably
- Tension at standard tuning
- .050 G 47.0 lbs, .070 D 51.6 lbs, .085 A 42.0 lbs, .105 E 34.8 lbs (about 175.4 lbs total)
- Made in
- United States (D'Addario manufacturing in Farmingdale, NY)
- Package
- Single pack, recyclable VCI bag with Players Circle code
EPS160 XL ProSteels Bass Medium (.050-.105)
Why this one: D'Addario's brightest, nickel-free bass string at a heavier Medium gauge: stainless roundwound, tagged Ideal For Metal by D'Addario itself.
Why bassists step up to EPS160
- D'Addario's own brightest bass string, heavier gauge
- EPS160 carries the same stainless ProSteels alloy as the rest of the line, badged D'Addario's brightest bass guitar string, at a Medium gauge that trades some ease of play for more low-end output and firmer string feel.
- Nickel-free, tagged for metal
- D'Addario's own EPS160 listing reads "Ideal For: Metal, All Genres, Nickel free." Neither EXL160 nor NYXL50105, its nickel siblings at the identical gauge, carry that metal-specific tag or the nickel-free note.
- Lower tension than nickel at the same gauge
- Counterintuitively, EPS160's stainless wrap reads about 175.4 lbs total against EXL160's 189.3 lbs and NYXL50105's 185.7 lbs, the same .050-.105 gauge numbers, less tension, because the alloy and its physical properties differ.
- Hex-core stability
- D'Addario's precision-drawn hexagonal core, the same construction across every XL bass string, grips the wrap wire for dimensional stability and precise intonation, so EPS160 tunes up consistently set to set.
EPS160 vs EPS170 vs EPS230: the ProSteels bass gauge ladder
All three are XL ProSteels: same stainless wrap, same hex core, same long-scale fit. Gauge is the only variable across the ladder: EPS170 to EPS160 adds about 21.6 lbs of total tension, and EPS160 to EPS230 adds about 26.0 lbs more.
| EPS170 Light (.045-.100) | EPS160 Medium (.050-.105, this set) | EPS230 Heavy (.055-.110) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gauge set | .045, .065, .080, .100 | .050, .070, .085, .105 | .055, .075, .090, .110 |
| Total tension (std tuning) | About 153.8 lbs | About 175.4 lbs | About 201.4 lbs |
| D'Addario's own positioning | Most popular ProSteels gauge | Medium, this set | Heaviest XL set, maximum bass tone |
| Feel | Easiest, fastest, most forgiving | Firmer, more low-end push | Stiffest, maximum authority |
| Pick this when | Standard tuning, all-purpose comfort | You want more output without EPS230's stiffness | Heavy down-tuning, pick-driven attack |
The decision rule mirrors D'Addario's own nickel ladder. If EPS170 feels loose under a pick or a slap thumb, EPS160 is the direct next step, same alloy, more tension. If EPS160 still isn't enough for how hard you dig in or how low you tune, EPS230 is D'Addario's own answer above it.
Same gauge, different metal: EPS160 vs EXL160 vs NYXL50105
D'Addario sells this exact .050-.105 Medium gauge in three alloys, and each reads a different total tension on the company's own charts despite the identical physical gauge numbers. All three product pages were fetched live for this comparison.
| EPS160 (ProSteels Stainless, this set) | EXL160 (Standard Nickel) | NYXL50105 (Premium Nickel) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gauge set | .050, .070, .085, .105 | .050, .070, .085, .105 | .050, .070, .085, .105 |
| Core wire | High-carbon steel hex core | High-carbon steel hex core | NY Steel hex core (reformulated) |
| Wrap wire | Stainless steel (ProSteels alloy) | Nickel-plated steel | Nickel-plated steel (reformulated) |
| Total tension (std tuning) | About 175.4 lbs | About 189.3 lbs | About 185.7 lbs |
| Tone character | D'Addario's brightest bass string, maximum pick and finger attack | Bright, tight lows, the nickel reference point | Bright with accentuated midrange, more presence and crunch |
| Positioning | Brightest alloy, nickel-free | D'Addario's top-selling heavy nickel bass string | Premium uncoated upgrade: more break strength, more tuning stability |
| Pick this when | You want maximum brightness or you're nickel-sensitive | You want the reliable heavy-gauge default at the best price | You want more durability at the identical gauge feel |
EXL160's own review already covers the nickel side of this comparison in depth. The short version from here: EPS160 is the only one of the three built nickel-free, and it's also the lowest-tension of the three at this identical gauge, so it feels slightly less stiff than either nickel option despite reading "brighter" and more aggressive in tone.
Who plays it
D'Addario's own EPS160 product page carries this testimonial for the broader XL ProSteels bass line. It's a line-wide endorsement, not a claim that Beller plays this specific Medium gauge.
D'Addario strings sound how I want a bright stainless steel string to sound. They have better longevity than any other string I've tried, and they're always great right out of the box.
Bassist, The Aristocrats / Joe Satriani / Dethklok
D'Addario's EPS160 listing doesn't name a bassist tied to this exact gauge the way some of its nickel sets do. Instead it runs the same three-artist ProSteels carousel, Becky Baldwin, Bryan Beller, and Steve Bailey, that appears across other ProSteels product pages, including EPS170's. Each quote praises the ProSteels alloy generally: Baldwin calls it the string that made her understand what separates ProSteels from what she played before, and Bailey credits it for "rich definition" with low-end "bump."
CYS treats this as a verified line-wide association, all three are documented D'Addario artists per the company's own artist pages, rather than a gauge-specific one. We haven't found a primary source tying any named bassist to the EPS160 Medium gauge specifically, so this page doesn't manufacture that connection. If you know of one, D'Addario's own artist roster is the place to look before we'd cite it.
Best for
- Metal and hard-rock players who want stainless brightness at a heavier gauge. D'Addario's own copy tags this exact set "Ideal For: Metal," a callout its nickel siblings at this gauge don't carry.
- Nickel-sensitive players who still want more tension than EPS170. EPS160 is D'Addario's nickel-free step up from the all-purpose ProSteels gauge.
- Eb standard and Drop D bassists who want stainless attack with extra low-end push. The Medium gauge holds together better than EPS170 under down-tuning or aggressive picking.
- Anyone comparing metals at the .050-.105 gauge. EPS160 is the stainless anchor against which EXL160 and NYXL50105 are directly measured.
Worst for
- Players who find Medium gauge stiff under the fretting hand. EPS170 (.045-.100) is the lighter, more popular ProSteels gauge.
- Heavy down-tuners who want maximum low end. EPS230 (.055-.110) is D'Addario's heaviest ProSteels set.
- Players who prefer nickel's warmer, rounder tone. EXL160 is the direct nickel match at this identical gauge, and it's D'Addario's top seller in heavy nickel.
Verdict
EPS160 earns its place as the ProSteels line's nickel-free heavy-gauge answer. Same stainless alloy and hex-core construction as the rest of the family, dialed up from EPS170's all-purpose .045-.100 to a firmer .050-.105 that holds Eb standard or Drop D with more authority and gives pick and slap players something sturdier to push against.
The gauge-for-gauge comparison against EXL160 and NYXL50105 is the most useful way to think about EPS160: identical physical dimensions, different metal, and stainless actually reads lower tension here (about 175.4 lbs against nickel's 185.7 to 189.3 lbs) while sounding brighter and more aggressive. If you're nickel-sensitive, chasing maximum brightness, or you just want the metal tag D'Addario itself puts on this string, EPS160 is the gauge to reach for at .050-.105.
If EPS160 still feels too light, EPS230 is D'Addario's heavier stainless option. If you'd rather stay lighter and more popular within the same alloy, EPS170 is the all-purpose ProSteels default. And if stainless brightness isn't the goal at all, EXL160 covers this exact gauge in D'Addario's standard nickel.
EPS160 XL ProSteels Bass Medium (.050-.105)
Why this one: Nickel-free, brightest bass string in D'Addario's own words, at a heavier Medium gauge for more low-end push.
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