Best Nickel String Basses in 2026

Ernie Ball Bass Slinkys are played by legendary bands around the world including Tool, Rage Against the Machine, Zac Brown Band, Green Day, and Avenged Sevenfold

Regular Slinky’s 50-to-105 gauge is one of the most popular 4-string bass gauges

Rich, balanced tone

BALANCED TENSION - Balanced Tension sets allow the player to apply the same amount of fret hand pressure to each string

ROUND WOUND - Round wound with nickel-plated steel for distinctive bright tone

GAUGES - Plain Steel .010, .0135, .017, Nickel Wound .024, .034, .046

Our #1 selling bass guitar strings, Super 7250s are included on most Fender electric basses when leaving the factory

Nickel-plated steel combines the high output and dynamic sound of steel with the smooth feel of nickel

Bright roundwound tone for 34” scale instruments

Our #1 selling bass guitar strings, Super 7250s are included on most Fender electric basses when leaving the factory

Nickel-plated steel combines the high output and dynamic sound of steel with the smooth feel of nickel

Bright roundwound tone for 34” scale instruments

Engineered to fit short scale (30. 5”) basses

Complements all bass guitar types and playing styles

Bright balanced tone

Engineered to fit short scale (30. 5”) basses

Complements all bass guitar types and playing styles

Bright balanced tone

Longer, to fit 35"+ scale basses

String length is 50" with a taper at 38 1/2"

Precision wound with nickel plated steel around a hex shaped steel core

<p>XLB055 is a .055 gauge nickel wound bass guitar string. Perfect as a replacement string or for creating custom sets. Part of the D'Addario XL Nickel Wound string series. </p><p>D'Addario XL Nickel Wound Electric Bass strings are world-renowned as "The Player's Choice" amongst bass players of all genres and styles. All XL strings are precision wound on our exclusive digitally-controlled machines, ensuring each string has excellent intonation, clear fundamentals, and unparalleled consistency. Each string is wound with a nickelplated steel wrap wire known for distinctive bright tone with excellent magnetic output delivering a universally appealing and versatile tone for all playing styles.</p><p>D'Addario, the world's largest manufacturer of musical instrument strings, is known as The Players Choice with a reputation for unsurpassed quality and consistency. D'Addario's innovative, environmentally friendly packaging reduces waste and provides protection from corrosion. All D'Addario strings are manufactured in the U.S.A. using proprietary, digitally controlled, state-of-the-art machinery for unmatched performance, set after set.<p>

.055 gauge nickel wound bass guitar string

Round wound with nickelplated steel for a distinctive bright tone with clear fundamentals

<p>XLB145 is a .145 gauge nickel wound bass guitar string. Perfect as a replacement string or for creating custom sets. Part of the D'Addario XL Nickel Wound string series. </p><p>D'Addario XL Nickel Wound Electric Bass strings are world-renowned as "The Player's Choice" amongst bass players of all genres and styles. All XL strings are precision wound on our exclusive digitally-controlled machines, ensuring each string has excellent intonation, clear fundamentals, and unparalleled consistency. Each string is wound with a nickelplated steel wrap wire known for distinctive bright tone with excellent magnetic output delivering a universally appealing and versatile tone for all playing styles.</p><p>D'Addario, the world's largest manufacturer of musical instrument strings, is known as The Players Choice with a reputation for unsurpassed quality and consistency. D'Addario's innovative, environmentally friendly packaging reduces waste and provides protection from corrosion. All D'Addario strings are manufactured in the U.S.A. using proprietary, digitally controlled, state-of-the-art machinery for unmatched performance, set after set.<p>

.145 gauge nickel wound bass guitar string

Round wound with nickelplated steel for a distinctive bright tone with clear fundamentals

HIGH QUALITY - Alice bass A606 are suitable for 5-strings electric bassesstrings are made of advanced steel cores and nickel-plated alloy winding, with nickel-plated ball-end

STAY IN TUNE - Alice Wound strings feature an advanced electromagnetic property, even-steady vibration, and good tenuto

STRING GAUGE - Medium tension, .045w, .065w, .085w, .105w, .130w

Designed specifically for use on all 4-String acoustic basses.

Wound strings are made of advanced steel cores and nickel-plated alloy winding, with nickel-plated ball-end.

Feature an advanced electromagnetic property, even-steady vibration, and good tenuto.

For Ibanez micro bass, 28.6"Scale

STRING gauges: .045 / .065 / .085 / .105 / .130

Coated nickel wound

.170 gauge nickel wound bass guitar string with tapered end

Round wound with nickel-plated steel for a distinctive bright tone with clear fundamentals

Fits long scale basses with a string scale length of up to 36 1/4 inches

PREMIUM BASS STRINGS - NYXL bass guitar strings are our premium uncoated bass string, delivering unrivaled strength and tuning stability, plus enhanced tonal response.

VERSATILE WITH FEEL - The premium nickel-plated steel wrap wire used for NYXL bass strings features a reengineered core-to-wrap ratio, for a more versatile string which still maintains a familiar feel, plus accentuated harmonics.

STAYS IN TUNE, STRONGER STRING - Thanks to the NY Steel core wire, NYXL bass guitar strings stay in tune better and offer greater break strength than standard bass strings.

Nickel lo-rider - nickel plated bass strings: light 40-100

Specifically designed for a softer feel and a traditional warm nickel sound

Feature an even, long lasting and loud tone with a strong midrange growl

Rotosound strings for electric guitar ULTRAMAG6-str. UM11 Medium 11-48

Made in the UK, Ultramag, high magnetic type 52 alloy (52% nickel/48% iron).

More power, sustain and a longer life than nickel or steel strings

<p>XB145SL is a .145 gauge nickel wound bass guitar string. Perfect as a replacement string or for creating custom sets. Part of the D'Addario XL Nickel Wound string series. </p><p>D'Addario XL Nickel Wound Electric Bass strings are world-renowned as "The Player's Choice" amongst bass players of all genres and styles. All XL strings are precision wound on our exclusive digitally-controlled machines, ensuring each string has excellent intonation, clear fundamentals, and unparalleled consistency. Each string is wound with a nickelplated steel wrap wire known for distinctive bright tone with excellent magnetic output delivering a universally appealing and versatile tone for all playing styles.</p><p>D'Addario, the world's largest manufacturer of musical instrument strings, is known as The Players Choice with a reputation for unsurpassed quality and consistency. D'Addario's innovative, environmentally friendly packaging reduces waste and provides protection from corrosion. All D'Addario strings are manufactured in the U.S.A. using proprietary, digitally controlled, state-of-the-art machinery for unmatched performance, set after set.<p>

.145 gauge nickel wound bass guitar string

Round wound with nickelplated steel for a distinctive bright tone with clear fundamentals

Gauges: .045, .065, .085, .105

Made in U.S.A

Designed to be the brightest and most flexible bass string available

.170 gauge nickel wound bass guitar string with tapered end

Round wound with nickel-plated steel for a distinctive bright tone with clear fundamentals

Fits super long scale basses with a string scale length of up to 38 inches

CORROSION-RESISTANT, EXTENDED LIFE - XT Phosphor Bronze acoustic bass guitar strings feature an advanced corrosion resistance coating, extending string life, while preserving the natural tone and feel of uncoated strings.

WARM, BALANCED TONE - Phosphor Bronze wrap wire provides tried-and-true D’Addario acoustic tone, with beautiful balance and warmth suitable for all musical genres.

FOR TAYLOR GS MINI BASS - These strings are designed for Taylor GS Mini Basses as well as many other extra short scale and/or parlor acoustic basses that have a scale length of 23-25". (These sets do not contain tapers. The overall length of these strings are 39.5".)

Ultramag, highly magnetic type 52 alloy

More power, sustain and longer life than nickel or steel strings

Long scale (34"/860mm) - also suitable up to medium (32"/810mm)

.130 gauge NYXL nickel wound bass guitar string with tapered end

Re-engineered core-to-wrap ratios for a more versatile string

Reformulated nickel-plated steel wrap wire for a familiar feel and accentuated harmonics

Fits for 30'' Scale(Short Scale Basses)

These strings are made of nickel alloy windings and high carbon alloy American-made hexagonal steel core, have a long life span with stable tuning attributes and preserve their lustre for a very long period.

30 Series electric bass strings are manufactured with the best quality standards and winded by the latest computer controlled machine technology.

.100 gauge NYXL nickel wound bass guitar string with tapered end

Re-engineered core-to-wrap ratios for a more versatile string

Reformulated nickel-plated steel wrap wire for a familiar feel and accentuated harmonics

<p>NHR130T is a .130 gauge Half Round bass guitar string. Perfect as a replacement string or for creating custom sets. Part of the D'Addario Half Rounds string series. </p><p>D'Addario Half Round bass strings are wound with pure nickel, then precision ground, leaving the outer surface smooth and semi-flat while retaining the flexibility of round wound strings. D'Addario's exclusive heat treating process ensures that Half Rounds retain their round wound brightness and sustain.</p><p>D'Addario, the world's largest manufacturer of musical instrument strings, is known as The Players Choice with a reputation for unsurpassed quality and consistency. D'Addario's innovative, environmentally friendly packaging reduces waste and provides protection from corrosion. All D'Addario strings are manufactured in the U.S.A. using proprietary, digitally controlled, state-of-the-art machinery for unmatched performance, set after set.<p>

NHR130T, .130 gauge half round bass guitar string with tapered end

Precision ground, leaving a "semi-flat" outer surface