---
product_id: 1363653
title: "D'Addario XL Chromes Flatwound Bass Strings ECB81S, 45-100, Short Scale | XL Chromes flatwound bass strings deliver smooth feel, warm tone, reduced finger noise and exceptional durability."
brand: "d'addario"
price: "55602CFA"
currency: XOF
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 13
category: "D'addario"
url: https://www.desertcart.sn/products/1363653-daddario-xl-chromes-flatwound-bass-strings-ecb81s-45-100-short
store_origin: SN
region: Senegal
---

# Flatwound for ultra-smooth play Hex-Core for perfect intonation Made in USA with precision D'Addario XL Chromes Flatwound Bass Strings ECB81S, 45-100, Short Scale | XL Chromes flatwound bass strings deliver smooth feel, warm tone, reduced finger noise and exceptional durability.

**Brand:** d'addario
**Price:** 55602CFA
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Summary

> 🎶 Elevate your groove with the smoothest bass strings on the block!

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** D'Addario XL Chromes Flatwound Bass Strings ECB81S, 45-100, Short Scale | XL Chromes flatwound bass strings deliver smooth feel, warm tone, reduced finger noise and exceptional durability. by d'addario
- **How much does it cost?** 55602CFA with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.sn](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/1363653-daddario-xl-chromes-flatwound-bass-strings-ecb81s-45-100-short)

## Best For

- d'addario enthusiasts

## Why This Product

- Trusted d'addario brand quality
- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Key Features

- • **Crafted in the USA:** Manufactured in D’Addario’s cutting-edge New York facility, guaranteeing premium quality and eco-conscious packaging.
- • **Short Scale Perfect Fit:** Specifically engineered for short scale basses (up to 32 inches), delivering balanced tension and rich low-end.
- • **Silky Smooth Playability:** Flatwound stainless steel ribbon wrap polished for zero finger noise and effortless fretboard glide.
- • **Consistent Tone & Durability:** Proprietary Hex-Core design ensures even tension, long-lasting warmth, and reliable tuning stability.
- • **Versatile Genre Compatibility:** Ideal for jazz, R&B, pop, and more — the go-to strings for pros seeking that vintage mellow vibe.

## Overview

D'Addario XL Chromes Flatwound Bass Strings ECB81S (45-100) are premium short scale strings crafted with polished stainless steel ribbon wrap and a Hex-Core steel core. Engineered for a warm, mellow tone with ultra-smooth playability and minimal finger noise, these strings deliver consistent intonation and durability. Perfect for jazz, R&B, and pop bassists seeking vintage-inspired sound, they are made in the USA with precision manufacturing and eco-friendly packaging.

## Description

Product Description XL Chromes are among the warmest, mellowest bass strings we have to offer. These flat wound strings provide an ultra-smooth feel and a dark, yet warm tone, while allowing movement across the fretboard with no finger noise. Made with a high carbon steel core, Chromes stainless steel flattened ribbon wrap wire is expertly wound onto a series of interlocking under-windings, then precisely polished for unparalleled smoothness and a tonal presence which blends beautifully into the mix. This 45-100 Regular Light set is a short scale version of our best-selling bass gauge, known for its even tension, bright tone, and tight low-end. From the Manufacturer ECB81S, a short scale version of D'Addario's best-selling Flatwound bass strings, are known for their warm, mellow tone and smooth polished feel. Chromes deliver a deep, rich low bottom end which makes them the flat wound choice of Jazz, R&B and Pop musicians. Fits short scale basses with a string scale length of up to 32 inches. D'Addario Chromes Bass strings are wound with flattened stainless steel ribbon wire which is polished to an incredibly smooth surface. Delivering a distinctive damped, but tone-rich sound that only flatwounds can produce, D'Addario Chromes are the world's most popular flatwound strings.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 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.

Review: Really liking these. Great E string tonal quality. - I have a through-body Mustang bass. Since I bought it, I always used LaBella Mustang Flats because of the perfect fit... I'm surprised more strings don't market specifically "for Mustang". But these strings, in the medium-scale set, are PERFECT for a through-body Mustang. Also, the sound is excellent. The E string has (at least on a brand-new set) just about the liveliest sound I've ever heard on an E string. Ya know how sometimes playing a note on the A string vs the E strings, even on a brand-new set, sounds way, way different in tonal quality? That problem is really minimized with these strings -- again, at least on a brand-new set. I'll be keeping any eye out for how the E string deadens with time, but as I get a better ear with time, I find that I need to replace my strings about every 3 months anyway, otherwise everything starts sounding dead to me. Too bad Thomastik-Infeld doesn't make their Jazz Flats in a scale for through-body Mustangs, those suckers sound good forever! (hint hint, T.I.!) Anyway, these strings seem to have noticeably better sound than the LaBellas, especially on the E. I really like the gauge too, they just feel right. May have to become a lifelong d'Addario fan! ADDENDUM AFTER GOING THROUGH SEVERAL SETS: Still loving them! I usually get 3 to 4 months on a set, and then the dullness starts to kick in too much. Although even after 4 months, you might really like the sound, they still sound good, they still play well, and they still stay in tune -- they just don't have that lively bright quality like a newer set. They also age very, very nicely, in that each string ages equally, even the E string, which is really surprising since I've found that the E string (with other brands) tends to go duller faster than other strings, and gets to be way-too-dead very quickly. Not these babies!!! The E string, even after four months, sounds comparable in tonal quality to the other strings and still has good sustain... again, just losing that brightness to age at the same rate as the other strings. UPDATE: after many, many sets of these strings, they are still my favorite for a Mustang Bass instrument with through-body strings. They sound good for a long time, getting "deader" very gracefully, including even-balanced aging and tone on the low E. They sound so good aged, that it shocks me when I throw on a new set and hear how bright they are!! I'm like, whoa, sure, they weren't bright after all that time, but man they still sounded sweet!
Review: Really nice strings that add new options to my sound - Been playing bass in a cover band that plays a wide range of mostly danceable music: Pop, Top40, R&B, Funk, anything groovy. I play two Fender Jazz Basses. One is a standard MIM and the other is a Japanese Aerodyne with P/J pickups. I have been playing Rotosound Swing Bass Roundwounds on both. But.... I have been noticing that with this kind of music I was always turning down the tone and bridge pickups to get a deeper sound like on most of these original tunes. Also found myself playing the Aerodyne almost all the time because of the P Bass pickup and it's tone. Went online and researched various options for getting that genuine tone from the 60's and 70's and learned that Flat Wounds are where it's at. Caught some great videos on YouTube about these strings and decided to give them a try. I'm glad I did! They are a huge step in the direction I was trying to go. Put them on the Aerodyne, gonna keep that one as my groovy axe and the MIM Jazz will keep the roundwounds for when I need to rock out and want that great lively tone they produce. The flatwounds feel smooth slick and amazing to play. They are a bit stiffer with more thud than rounds and also have less ring. Which is good for certain kinds of music. I noticed with them I don't have to mute open strings as much and they naturally produce more of a deeper thumpier sound. They have great sustain, so they're not deader, just have less of the higher overtones of rounds. I also noticed that my tone knob is way more responsive with these strings than with rounds. Using the tone knob and blending in the bridge single coil pickup give me a much wider range of tones now than I ever had before. Go figure. I can also crank up the tone and the bridge pickup and get very close to a roundwound sound for certain tunes and not have to change basses. Overall, I am very pleased with these strings and the way they have added more options to my sound. I would recommend them to anyone looking to broaden their pallet of sound or discover for themselves the deep soulful funky tones these strings produce and why they are such a big part of some of the greatest music ever recorded. MORE BASS!!

## Features

- Smooth, Mellow Tone: These flat wound bass guitar strings provide a warmer, mellower tone than round wound strings, delivering an ultra-smooth feel while allowing movement across the fretboard with no finger noise
- Consistent and Durable: XL Chromes feature stainless steel flattened ribbon wrap precisely polished for unparalleled smoothness and warmth; Made with our proprietary Hex-Core to ensure perfect intonation, consistency and durability
- Strings for Every Style: From jazz to metal to rock, bluegrass, blues, folk and more, we make great sounding strings for every genre and level from beginner to pro, including strings for bass, acoustic, classical, and 12-string
- Sound Better, Play Better: Shop our whole collection of guitar accessories including string winders, picks, straps, capos, tuners, cables, gear bags and cases, plus strings for banjo, mandolin, ukelele and more
- Made in the USA: As the world’s largest and most respected maker of musical accessories, D’Addario guitar strings are made to exacting specifications at our cutting edge New York production facility

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| ASIN | B000K669LS |
| Best Sellers Rank | #997 in Musical Instruments ( See Top 100 in Musical Instruments ) #5 in Bass Guitar Strings |
| Body Material Type | Chrome |
| Brand | D'Addario |
| Brand Name | D'Addario |
| Coating Description | Polished |
| Color | Original Version |
| Customer Reviews | 4.7 out of 5 stars 2,750 Reviews |
| Finish Type | Polished |
| Global Trade Identification Number | 00019954947743, 00333335566591 |
| Included Components | 4 bass guitar strings |
| Instrument | Bass Guitar |
| Item Type Name | Bass Guitar Strings |
| Item Weight | 3.5 ounces |
| Manufacturer | D'Addario &Co. Inc |
| Manufacturer Part Number | ECB81S |
| Material Type | Stainless Steel |
| Model Name | ECB81S |
| Model Number | ECB81S |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Recommended Uses For Product | Bass guitar |
| Set Name | ECB81S |
| Sound Profile | Warm, Mellow, Balanced |
| String Gauge | Medium |
| String Material Type | Chrome |
| UPC | 333335566591 199549477432 019954947743 |
| Unit Count | 4 Count |
| Warranty Description | D'addario strives to be a customer-centric company dedicated to producing the highest quality musical instrument accessories in the world. If you have purchased a d'addario product that you believe to be defective, we invite you to submit a contact us form, selecting defect/warranty as inquiry type. We are committed to providing a fair resolution and hope that you will want to continue supporting … |

## Product Details

- **Brand:** D'Addario
- **Color:** Original Version
- **Instrument:** Bass Guitar
- **String Gauge:** Medium
- **String Material Type:** Chrome

## Images

![D'Addario XL Chromes Flatwound Bass Strings ECB81S, 45-100, Short Scale | XL Chromes flatwound bass strings deliver smooth feel, warm tone, reduced finger noise and exceptional durability. - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/815jYXykT8L.jpg)

## Available Options

This product comes in different **Size, Style** options.

## Questions & Answers

**Q: Will these fit Ibanez Mikro, 30" from string end to nut.  32-35" to turning peg?**
A: I believe thy will fit.  From the bridge end of the strings to the tuner end Blue windings, they are about 32.3 inches.  So if your "end of string to nut" is 32 inches, they should be about right.  They sound nice and have virtually no finger zip noise.

**Q: I've been using D'Addario Nickel Round Wound 45-105 bass strings.  Will these strings require a setup for my bass, these are higher tension strings.**
A: Cdub53, switching from the D'Addario 45-105's to ECB81's will have a minuscule, perhaps not even noticeable effect on your bass. In the event that there is a change, a tech in your area may be able to perform a slight adjustment for less than the cost of a full set up. If you're interested in pursuing the flat-wound sound, a small investment (around $20.00) may be worth it.

**Q: Which set of the xl chromes would be best for a harley benton stingray?**
A: That's a 34" scale bass. The medium scale set (ECB81M) would not work. You'd have silk wrapping below the nut. D'Addario's ECB81 series comes in a number of lengths, short, medium, long, and super-long scales and several gauges. (But unfortunately for me, no medium scale/medium gauge.) The set for your bass is probably the ECB81 (long scale). You probably don't need the "SL" super long, because it's a regular bridge, not string-through-body.

After that, it's a matter of personal preference for sound and feel. The ECB80s are softer feeling.  The ECB82s are firmer. The ECB84s supposedly sound more roundwound, but are still flats. (I haven't used them.) The ECB92 series are tapewound for a thumpy, standup bass sort of sound.

**Q: Will these work on an acoustic bass? I know they are designed for electric bass, but I have heard of people using flatwound on their acoustic basses.**
A: The tension required for these strings may be too much for an acoustic bass.Tapewound strings may work, but it is best to contact the manufacturer of you acousyic bass to find out if the D'Addario flatwounds are safe for your acoustic bass. Depending on which AB you have, the bridge may not be strong enough for these strings, and could severely damage your bass.

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Really liking these. Great E string tonal quality.
*by R***N on June 19, 2019*

I have a through-body Mustang bass. Since I bought it, I always used LaBella Mustang Flats because of the perfect fit... I'm surprised more strings don't market specifically "for Mustang". But these strings, in the medium-scale set, are PERFECT for a through-body Mustang. Also, the sound is excellent. The E string has (at least on a brand-new set) just about the liveliest sound I've ever heard on an E string. Ya know how sometimes playing a note on the A string vs the E strings, even on a brand-new set, sounds way, way different in tonal quality? That problem is really minimized with these strings -- again, at least on a brand-new set. I'll be keeping any eye out for how the E string deadens with time, but as I get a better ear with time, I find that I need to replace my strings about every 3 months anyway, otherwise everything starts sounding dead to me. Too bad Thomastik-Infeld doesn't make their Jazz Flats in a scale for through-body Mustangs, those suckers sound good forever! (hint hint, T.I.!) Anyway, these strings seem to have noticeably better sound than the LaBellas, especially on the E. I really like the gauge too, they just feel right. May have to become a lifelong d'Addario fan! ADDENDUM AFTER GOING THROUGH SEVERAL SETS: Still loving them! I usually get 3 to 4 months on a set, and then the dullness starts to kick in too much. Although even after 4 months, you might really like the sound, they still sound good, they still play well, and they still stay in tune -- they just don't have that lively bright quality like a newer set. They also age very, very nicely, in that each string ages equally, even the E string, which is really surprising since I've found that the E string (with other brands) tends to go duller faster than other strings, and gets to be way-too-dead very quickly. Not these babies!!! The E string, even after four months, sounds comparable in tonal quality to the other strings and still has good sustain... again, just losing that brightness to age at the same rate as the other strings. UPDATE: after many, many sets of these strings, they are still my favorite for a Mustang Bass instrument with through-body strings. They sound good for a long time, getting "deader" very gracefully, including even-balanced aging and tone on the low E. They sound so good aged, that it shocks me when I throw on a new set and hear how bright they are!! I'm like, whoa, sure, they weren't bright after all that time, but man they still sounded sweet!

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Really nice strings that add new options to my sound
*by C***A on July 24, 2013*

Been playing bass in a cover band that plays a wide range of mostly danceable music: Pop, Top40, R&B, Funk, anything groovy. I play two Fender Jazz Basses. One is a standard MIM and the other is a Japanese Aerodyne with P/J pickups. I have been playing Rotosound Swing Bass Roundwounds on both. But.... I have been noticing that with this kind of music I was always turning down the tone and bridge pickups to get a deeper sound like on most of these original tunes. Also found myself playing the Aerodyne almost all the time because of the P Bass pickup and it's tone. Went online and researched various options for getting that genuine tone from the 60's and 70's and learned that Flat Wounds are where it's at. Caught some great videos on YouTube about these strings and decided to give them a try. I'm glad I did! They are a huge step in the direction I was trying to go. Put them on the Aerodyne, gonna keep that one as my groovy axe and the MIM Jazz will keep the roundwounds for when I need to rock out and want that great lively tone they produce. The flatwounds feel smooth slick and amazing to play. They are a bit stiffer with more thud than rounds and also have less ring. Which is good for certain kinds of music. I noticed with them I don't have to mute open strings as much and they naturally produce more of a deeper thumpier sound. They have great sustain, so they're not deader, just have less of the higher overtones of rounds. I also noticed that my tone knob is way more responsive with these strings than with rounds. Using the tone knob and blending in the bridge single coil pickup give me a much wider range of tones now than I ever had before. Go figure. I can also crank up the tone and the bridge pickup and get very close to a roundwound sound for certain tunes and not have to change basses. Overall, I am very pleased with these strings and the way they have added more options to my sound. I would recommend them to anyone looking to broaden their pallet of sound or discover for themselves the deep soulful funky tones these strings produce and why they are such a big part of some of the greatest music ever recorded. MORE BASS!!

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great Bass strings
*by M***N on March 20, 2026*

I have an acoustic bass guitar and I tried D'Addario semi round strings for a 5 string bass. The B string broke just trying to tune it the first time. The E string was DOA. So I bought these strings and will pick up a single B string later. These strings play really nice. Nice and mellow yet louder than the original round wound strings. Would definitely buy again. No loud zipping sound when you run your fingers up the strings. They are probably not for an acoustic bass but I made them work.

## Frequently Bought Together

- D'Addario XL Chromes Flat Wound Bass Guitar Strings - ECB81S - Short Scale - Regular Light, 45-100
- D'Addario Bass Guitar Strings - XL Nickel Bass Strings - EXL170S - Perfect Intonation, Consistent Feel, Powerful Durability - For 4 String Bass Guitars - 45-100 Regular Light, Short Scale

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*Product available on Desertcart Senegal*
*Store origin: SN*
*Last updated: 2026-08-17*